What’s in Your Fridge is where the Straight asks interesting Vancouverites about their life-changing concerts, favourite albums, and, most importantly, what’s sitting beside the Heinz ketchup in their custom-made Big Chill Retropolitan 20.6-cubic-foot refrigerators.

On the grill

Mike Bryden

Who are you?

I’m an artist, storyteller, and children’s musician. I just finished recording my debut album Sing Song Sayings, a concept album for kids based on expressions like "Every dog has it’s day" and "Don’t count your chickens until they’re hatched". My show has a bit of everything in it, a sort of Dr Seuss, Mr. Dressup, and Raffi mashup if you will. The album release party is happening on June 23 at Havana Theatre with two shows: an early 11a.m. "pre-nap" performance and the 2 p.m. "post-nap" finale! But wait…there’s more…… People seem to get a kick out of the fact that before entertaining kids, I used to be an Ad Man for quite a long time, with my own agency in fact. I think this career pivot goes beyond a 180. There may be hope for us all.

First concert

My first concert was ABBA and it was on my 13th birthday. My aunt Mary was a children’s choir director at the time and her choir was invited to sing back-up on a couple of ABBA’s numbers for their Montreal show. I Had a Dream was the one I remember them singing. My aunt snuck my sister and I into the rehearsal session and we got to watch ABBA casually run through their songs, dressed in their white bath robes, coffee mugs in hand, in a very empty Olympic Stadium. The concert was amazing, but being behind the scenes was mind blowing. My ABBA crush shifted that day from Agnetha to Anni-Frid.

Life-changing concert

In my life there have been three performances that have moved me to tears, which I think equates to life-changing. The first was Paul Simon, then came Natalie Merchant, and most recently, Dan Mangan. Since my memory is not my strongest feature, I’ll recount Dan’s show. It happened last spring. It was a private outdoor event with about 60 people in attendance. Dan was testing out material from his latest album in a solo accoustic set. At one point he made his way into the middle of the modest audience and encouraged us all to participate in a sing-a-long. This was very cool to be arms length from him as we all belted out his lyrics. All of us except for me of course. I was so choked up I couldn’t get my voice to make a sound. How wonderfully moving and yet sadly frustrating. I suppose sometimes it’s best to sit back and have a listen. 

Top three records

This is that deserted island question right? I think I’ll start with a classic.

Simon & Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits I learned to sing harmony thanks to this record. Working as a camp counsellor, my buddy Rob Flemming and I would sing the entire album from start to finish, any chance we’d get. I have owned this one in every medium except 8-track. Although you can’t play the cassette tape anymore, it’s too stretched.

Billy Bragg & Wilco Mermaid Avenue I’m a sucker for a good story and a bigger sucker for a bunch of great tunes. And this album has all of that and more. Somehow the idea of Billy Bragg, Jeff Tweedy and a posthumous Woodie Guthrie getting together to make a record is like a cosmic miracle. Throw in a guest appearance by non other than Natalie Merchant and you have my heart and soul. Thank you Nora Guthrie for making this happen.

The Beatles Abbey Road Top to bottom, simply an amazing album. This one is on my list for a few reasons. First off it reminds us of how albums were meant to be listened to, from beginning to end. Abbey Road takes us on a wonderful emotional ride with ups and downs, laughs and tears, ballads and good old fashioned rock and roll. I have loved this album since I was a kid and I use it as inspiration when writing children’s music. For me the key to a good kids' song is to not simplify the content but to allow them an easy entry point, whether it’s a great melody, an interesting lick or arrangement or a memorable lyric. That way the music can grow with them and maybe last a lifetime.

All-time favourite video

OK Go "Here It Goes Again"  Having produced the odd TV spot I am blown away by videos that push the creative limits of the format as well as the performers abilities. That’s why I just have to pick an Ok Go’s video for "Here It Goes Again". This one is dedicated to all the treadmills that are sitting collecting dust in our apartments or storage lockers. Or as my mum calls it, the most expensive coat rack she ever bought.

What’s in your fridge

An extremely well hidden stockpile of old candy. We’ve got Christmas, Easter, Halloween and birthday party leftovers tucked away in every corner of our fridge and freezer. Behind the butter is the megaload. All of it is just out of reach and out of view of our five year old candy monster. But always at the ready for emergency negotiations.

Broken dreams and daily disapointment. Every day after school I watch my daughter make her way to the fridge to look for a snack because she is "starving". I know she’s desperately hoping that we installed a new cotton candy dispenser or a perhaps a few containers from the bulk candy aisle instead of those lame crispers with boring old fruit and veggies. She can be found daily, slumped on the floor, by the light of the open fridge, sulking in dispair at the snack options. If she only knew about item #1.

Way too much cheese. We have every cheese product imaginable in absolutely every format possible: liquid, spreadable, sticks, wedges, flakes, shredded, balls, blocks, blobs (curds) and even in tubes. Lactose intollerant we are not. I think if we had to stop eating cheese, the dairy market would surely crash. Cheese will cheer anyone up. No one says broccoli before you take a photo.

Mike Bryden plays Sing Song Sayings shows at the Havana Theatre on Sunday (June 23). For more info go here.