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1.) We’re very excited to have some time today with acclaimed and legendary Canadian songwriter, producer, and rights advocate Eddie Schwartz; holiday greetings and salutations Eddie, and thanks for carving time out of a very busy schedule to speak with us here at Vents Magazine! Before we dive down the music-lined Q&A rabbit hole, how are the final weeks of 2025 finding you and yours?
Many thanks! I’m excited to be here. It’s been wonderful to have my kids—who aren’t really kids anymore—here in Nashville with my wife and me over the holidays. They are an inspiration to me. Happy holidays to you, and here’s to a better world in 2026.
2.) Major kudos and accolades on your freshly-minted new EP Film School which is lighting up hearts and record charts across the ever-loving globe even as we speak! Starting at the tip-top, can you talk about what inspired one of the very best EP releases of ‘25? We understand that this is one out-of-this-world EP that almost didn’t happen!
Thank you! Well, it’s absolutely true that this EP almost didn’t happen. Even though I’ve been fortunate enough to make my living primarily as a songwriter for many years before moving to Nashville, co-writing here meant finishing two complete songs every day, five days a week. Doing that for some years left me seriously burnt out.
When I tried to return to the way I wrote before Nashville—which was always a much longer, more exploratory process — I found it incredibly difficult. For a long time, the blank page just stayed blank, and I devoted myself to advocacy for music creators here in North America and around the world. For six years I served as President of the International Council of Music Creators (CIAM) based in Paris. I stepped down in October of 2024 and turned my attention back to songwriting.
‘We Win’ was the first song I was able to finish in years, and the breakthrough that made it possible for me to complete the rest of the songs on the EP. ‘As I finished each song, I started demoing it at home on a laptop, and those rough versions eventually evolved into Film School.
Special Girl’ is the one exception, it was written years ago, but I’d always wanted to do a piano/vocal version of the song, and working with Lou Pomanti in Toronto gave me that opportunity.
3.) Can you introduce our ever-inquisitive readers to the amazing music artists such as the ever-amazing Roger Moutenot who you enlisted to aid you in bringing Film School to full and vibrant life?
I am very, very fortunate to have Roger Moutenot as a friend and collaborator. Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinney, Lou Reed, They Might Be Giants, are just a few of the artists that Roger has recorded and produced. Together we covered a lot of ground for Film School on both the instrumental and production sides; Roger played slide guitar and percussion on several tracks, co-wrote “You Don’t Belong” and mixed the record.
A good friend and great songwriter and artist in his own right, Robert Ellis Orrall sang backgrounds on “We Win”. Bob has written songs recorded by Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Taylor Swift to name a few.
I’m also deeply grateful to George Marinelli, who played guitar on “Come to This” George is one of my favorite guitar players on the planet — he was in Bruce Hornsby and the Range and played with Bonnie Raitt for many years and played on many Nashville sessions. And also, the legendary Wally Badaru, who has played on records by Level 42, Robert Palmer, Marianne Faithfull, Talking Heads, Foreigner to name a few. Wally played organ on “Come to This”. He lives in Paris and we became friends through our mutual advocacy work with CIAM. Having musicians of that caliber contribute to this project was a huge gift.”
4.) As a rightly lauded producer in your own right, can you talk about the pros of serving as your own producer on the Film School EP versus bringing in a Norman Petty or a Rick Rubin-type to perform this task?
The process for me has always been very personal, quite slow, and rooted in exploration. In a way, writing and recording are one process. As I develop a melody, a lyric, or an instrumental idea, I record it as soon as I feel it has some potential, and then evaluate how it supports the song’s direction, or with lyrics, how it contributes to the narrative.
The advantage of producing yourself is this organic evolution—watching a song grow from a concept to a finished work over a period of time. While someone like a Rick Rubin would no doubt have brought something incredible to the party, I felt these tracks were a successful representation of the songs, and ones I could stand behind.
5.) We’re tremendous admirers of “We Win,” which is the lead tune on Film School! What’s the VH1-Behind the Music origin story behind this gem of a ditty?
The idea came to me during a very low point. I was really struggling with depression and feeling quite overwhelmed by what was going on in the world – the daily assault. I was playing around with some chord ideas on a small acoustic guitar and suddenly a ray of light broke through, the phrase “we win” just came to me and I started singing it along with the changes. I immediately felt that it pulled me back from the rabbit hole of negativity I was struggling with, and was an idea I just had to work into a complete song – a song of hope. It wasn’t easy, but I refused to give up. Once it was finished, I felt for the first time in a long time I had something worth sharing with other people.
6.) In the wake of the November 12 release of Film School, can fans look forward to catching you on the touring/performing circuit in the coming weeks and months?
I’m not quite ready to give a definitive ‘yes’ to a full tour just yet, but performing in 2026 is definitely on my radar. It’s something I’ve been giving a lot of thought to, and I love the idea of bringing these songs to a live audience. Of course, it comes with a whole new set of challenges—like putting a band together and navigating logistics.
7.) Musically-speaking, can you give audiophiles a hint or three as to what you have coming up in 2026 which you’re particularly excited about?
I am excited about some of the new songs I’m working on, and I’m hoping that I can be productive enough to put together a full-length album this year. That’s a tall order because I tend to work slowly, but I’m on it. I’ve already spoken with Roger Moutenot about heading back into his studio here in Nashville to get the recording process moving. It feels good to have some momentum again.
8.) Who are some of the folks both in and out of the world of music who have inspired your own legendary and storied music and songwriting?
That’s a tough one, there are so many who have inspired and influenced me. The list goes all the way back to the post-war era greats my parents loved — artists like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Paul Robeson. Then there’s Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, The Staple Singers. Also, I recently read Stephen King’s “On Writing” and even though it’s not about song lyrics, I found it incredibly helpful. I’ve always been drawn to lyric-centric writers. Lyrics are too often tossed off, but as far as I’m concerned, the words are every bit as important as the melody, changes and arrangement – more so really.
9.) You’re a proud, card-carrying native of the beautiful country of Canada who currently hangs his dusty fedora in the wily creative environment of Nashville, Tennessee! How do those seemingly disparate roots inform you as not only a musician, but also as a person?
I think the first place I go when reflecting on my Canadian roots is simply “winter”. We have beautiful summers in Canada, but they are way too short, and in many ways Winter dominates the Canadian psyche. Watching a few feet of snow come down is beautiful and inspiring, but there’s also a sense of isolation and introspection. And the country is vast, and underpopulated. So I think there’s a longing for connection that is amplified by the Canadian experience, both to your own feelings and to others. I think all those things are factors, and perhaps in part explain why a lot of wonderful songwriters and artist have come out of Canada.
Nashville introduced me to a level of songwriting as an art and craft that is extraordinary. It literally kicked my ass, even as someone who had some success before I moved here. There are so many brilliant music creators in this town – Bobby Bradock and Gary Burr come to mind among many others. If you want to write songs in Nashville you must strive to be your very best every time you pick up a guitar and put pen to paper. It’s challenging, humbling and inspiring.
10.) As we noted at the top, along with being a respected figure in the world of music and Hall of Fame songwriter, you’re also a lauded rights advocate, leading the international Council of Music Creators (CIAM) through some mighty choppy waters over time. For anyone who might not know, can you explain what CIAM is all about and how you became involved with them?
CIAM represents the interests of songwriters and composers globally. I was honored to serve as the first non-European President of CIAM for six years, traveling the world to strengthen copyright laws. What most people don’t realize is how challenging it is to make a living today for those who create music. Streaming pays very little, less than $50 for a million streams in most cases, and generative AI is now posing a massive threat to those already extremely low payments, as streaming services are overwhelmed with machine fabricated content. We have to ensure a sustainable future for the next generation of human music creators, or we risk losing the heart and soul of our culture. As someone who has been lucky enough to make a living making music, I felt a responsibility to give back, to see if there is something I could do to improve things. We’ve made some progress, but not nearly enough.
11.) Any final thoughts you might like to add about one of the best EPs to come down the pike in donkey’s years, Film School?
I can’t thank you enough for those kind words—they truly mean a great deal to me. And thanks for the opportunity to speak to Vents Magazine!
Listen “We Win,” “Special Girl,” “Waters Rise,” “Outbound Train“
