continued...SB: Be honest, what is your worst song topic?
McT: MANY years ago I wrote a campaign song for David Peterson and the liberal party of Ontario...big mistake.... the baby needed new shoes.

SB: Did you have any surprise hits?
McT: In this business anytime you have a hit it should be a surprise! There are so many things that have to happen just right in order for a song to go up the charts...things that are for the most part out of the hands of the songwriter. For example first you have to get it to the right artist, and then he or she has to record it and then the record company has to love it, and then they have to get it on the radio. After doing this for as long as I have I just try to write them as well as I can and hope for the best after that.

SB: First song topic was about ? Have you found matters of the heart to be your most inspirational or successful?
McT:I can't remember the first song I wrote but I have no doubt that it was a love song and over the years the songs I have had the most success with and the ones I've felt the best about are love songs. I'm guessing it's because everyone can relate to a love song???

SB: Is there anything you would change in the music industry if you could and why?
McT: I am in my fifties now and I really don't want to come off as some crusty old jaded fart but sure there are a lot of things I would like to change... the fact that the songwriter is always the last one to see their money is a big one for me personally...the lack of artist development...the situation with downloading has really hit songwriters in the pocket book...those are just a few but having mentioned them I really do consider myself lucky to have made a a living doing what I love to do for a lot of years now. If any young writers ask I will tell them there are a lot easier ways to make money so if you are not in it because you love it get the hell out.

SB: A great many artist say their favorite song is the one they just finished, which means, they believe, they get better and better. If you looked back at your earlier writing, how would you critique it? How would you change it?
McT: Looking back at my earlier tunes there are some I still like but a lot of them are not as strong lyrically as I would like....because I came from a pop background a lot of my earlier stuff was production driven and the song was secondary. I think as the years have gone by I've tried to make the song stand by itself without bells and whistles.