Author: mikeladano

Metal, hard rock, rock and roll! Record Store Tales & Reviews! Grab A Stack of Rock and more. Poking the bear since 2010.

Snippison and Brainikin’s Excellent Adventure: Chapter One – A Tee Bone Man Multiverse Story

Snippison and Brainikin’s Excellent Adventure: Chapter One 

A Tee Bone Man Multiverse Story

[RECAP READING:  The Adventures of Tee Bone Man Chapter 21:  Fate of the Brainiac]

“Come on, Padawan!  The day isn’t won yet!  We don’t rest until every last droid is deactivated!” shouted the Jedi master to his apprentice, as they staggered over boulders and bodies on some battlefield on some planet in a galaxy really far from here.

The apprentice hosltered his laser-boomerang and sighed.

“Master, there are hardly any left!  The only ones remaining are service droids and the odd training remote!”  The apprentice, though younger, sported a luscious moustache of a man twice his age.

“Don’t get snippy with me, Snippison!” commanded the Jedi master.  “The Force tells me there are threats here we have not yet seen.  Can’t you feel it too?”

The apprentice closed his eyes and breathed deep.  He felt the calm and peace of the light side wash over him, even on this battlefield.  “No, master Brainikin.  I can’t.  Are you sure your senses aren’t…distracted?”

The Jedi master laughed.  “Me?  Distracted?  You must be referring to that spot of trouble we found on Cato Nemoidia.  Well as you recall, Snippison…”

“Brainikin!  DROP!” shouted the apprentice suddenly.  He leaped into the air, his laser-boomerang suddenly alight.  Within a second, he had decapitated two probe droids that had snuck up between the rocks.  His master sensed the danger, but not the distance.  He was distracted indeed!

Fortunately, Jedi padawan Snippison was a more-than-capable apprentice.  He swiftly perched himself upon a large boulder, crouched down and reached out with the Force sensing…sensing…

From above, suddenly a Vulture Droid swooped, cannons blazing, far faster than Snippison could throw his boomerang.  He leaped.  With utter precision, just as the Vulture droid was about to take him, he was airborne!  He landed upon the droid’s back, decapitating it with his now-ignited laser boomerang.  The droid bleeped something that you might mistake for pain, but was actually circuits burning out, one after another.  The droid careened down, and Snippison jumped to safety, only mussing his otherwise perfectly kept hair ever so slightly.

“Well done, padawan,” exclaimed Brainikin.  “I feel the battleground is safe for now.”

“That’s three,” answered Snippison as he brushed the dust off his armour.

Unlike the majority of the Jedi order, Snippison wore almost full clone armour into battle. The Jedi council had initially heavily disapproved (especially when Snippison added a series of his own blue identifying marks to it) but had relented, due to the nature of his weapon of choice. Using the laser-boomerang often left him exposed to blaster fire without a reliable way to deflect the shots.

He summoned a hairbrush from a hidden pouch and began grooming his mane.  It was intended as a bit of a boastful gesture, but Snippison also knew the importance of hair care.

Brainkin looked down at the ground, and admitted for the first time, he was indeed distracted.

“What is it, master?” asked the apprentice.  “Is it your secret marriage to Princess Jennidala?  I know that attachment is forbidden.”

Brainikin sat upon a boulder.  “No, my friend, though your perceptions are sharp.  I am indeed stymied by my inability to find the perfect anniversary gift.  What do you get a princess who has the greatest husband?” he shrugged.  “But no, my friend.  Sit.  Talk with me.  I am haunted by something far worse than an empty gift box.”

Snippison saw that Master Brainikin was gravely serious.  He chose a boulder across from his, and sat, leaning forward in attentive listening position.  “Tell me,” he encouraged.

“I’ve been having dreams.  Nightmares,” confessed the Master.

He stopped to collect his thoughts.  There was a lot of information here he was going to have to unpack.

“I think…I think I have witnessed my own murder…but not my own.  This is hard to explain, but did your theory instructors ever mention the Multiverse?”

The padawan cast his mind back.  “Once or twice.  The theory that the galaxy we live in is but one in an infinite universe, and that universe is but one in an equally infinite multiverse.  It never made much sense to me.  I was more interested in practical learning.”

The master smiled.  “I know you are, young one.  But hear me out.  What if it were true?  What if this was one universe among countless?  That means there must be an infinite number of you, and me.  Similar, different, a multitude.”

“I don’t know where you are going with this, master,” said the padawan, trying to keep the old Jedi on topic.  “You were speaking of dreams.”

“Yes, yes,” answered the master hastily.  “I was about to get there.  I sought the advice of some of the oldest masters.  Unfortunately Master Snowda was offworld, fighting in the Clone War.  The only master available to ask was Master Maximus Aximus, and he’s…well, he’s Max the Aximus, isn’t he?  A little on the eccentric side.  But what he told me was this.”  The master took a deep breath.  “When we dream at night, we are dreaming of our other selves in another universe, and what I witnessed was my death…at the hands of another you.”

The padawan took a moment to absorb this.  Then he smiled.  Then he laughed!  “Master, you’re pulling my leg!”

Brainkin frowned.  Then he looked angry.  “No!  Snippison!  Listen to me!”

The padawan turned stonefaced.  He wasn’t joking at all.  He said nothing and listened.

“It was you…but not you.  You had the same hair…but no moustache.  Smooth as a…well, you know the saying.  You wielded a boomerang made not of light but of some kind of metal.  I had my lightsaber, but I could not feel the Force.  I was not a Jedi.  Neither were you.  Yet we were the same people.  The world seemed familiar yet different in the details…and you and I were enemies.  You were taunting me, and though I do not understand the meaning of your words, you provoked an emotional response and struck the killing blow.  Master Snowda was there by my side as I died, but he was not Master Snowda.  He was just a man.  And there were others.  It was as clear as a scene from a holo film.  You killed me, Snippison.  Not you, and not me…but still us.  And that scene has lived with me every night for a month.  I have hidden this from you, and I am sorry.  I should have trusted you sooner.”

The younger man took his time absorbing this information.  He did not doubt his master’s beliefs, only the significance.

“Master, I believe you,” he began.  Start with the good news, he thought.  “And I see how traumatic that vision must have been.  You have always been by side, and so here I am, by your side.”  He stood and stepped next to the older Jedi as if to illustrate his sincerity.  “But, you must move beyond these visions.  Master Snowda would tell you to keep your mind on the here and now.  The Force is mysterious and we know not what it tries to tell us, especially in these dark times.  It could have been a Sith vision, as they know you are a key General in this war.  Incapacitating you would be a major goal achieved for them.  We cannot discount the power of the Sith to do this, nor the…the…”  The apprentice took a moment to find the nicest words he could use.  “We cannot take the testimony of Master Aximus as if it came from the sacred Jedi texts.”

Master Brainikin smiled.  “I knew you would say that,” he laughed.  “And I know that is not the strongest part of my story here.  My point is not whether or not you believe in Multiverse theory or not.  My point is the very reality of the vision has shaken me to my core.  Whether it not it was real, it felt so much so, that I can feel the blade of your boomerang even now.”

The younger Jedi thought for some moments.  Finally he simply said the words that needed to be said.  “I understand, my friend.”

The older man stood.  “Let’s get out of here.  We have shore leave coming, and you know I’m spending mine with Jennidala.”

“As you should!” encouraged Snippison, as he summoned a Republic transport with a “mission accomplished” signal.  “And what are you going to get her?” he prodded.

“And now I’m distracted again!  I better check her Amazon.rpb wishlist.  Thanks, padawan.”

“My pleasure!” smiled the younger Jedi, as something caught his eye.  “Our transport is here,” he pointed, as a Republic Gunship’s distinctive outline could be seen coming over the mountains.

“That was fast,” said Brainikin has he checked his pockets to make sure he had all his equipment.  He placed some goggles over his eyes as those Gunships were known to kick up dust, and this planet only seemed to have two things:  boulders, and dust.

“Least they could do is pick us up fast, after making us wait three days for pickup during the liberation of Mon Cal,” ribbed the padawan.

“Mon Cal food!” gagged the master.

The young one smiled to himself.  He knew Brainikin so well.  Having triggered the memories of getting food poisoning from three days of Mon Cal diet, Master Brainikin will be more focused on his upset stomach the whole flight home.  Too much discomfort to worry about inconsequential nightmares, or yet another anniversary gift.

The Gunship landed, kicking up as much dust as predicted.  The side doors were already open.  The two Jedi boarded the craft, took their seats and buckled in.

“I’m a good padawan,” he said to himself under the sound of the engines’ roar.

Master Brainikin puked over the side of the open hatch while Snippison put on some headphones and smiled.

“Mission accomplished!” He shouted to his barfing partner, who responded with a thumbs up.

“This’ll be a fun flight home,” giggled Snippison.

The end.

 

THE ADVENTURES OF TEE BONE MAN:  PHASE ONE – THE SQUIRREL SAGA 

THE ADVENTURES OF TEE BONE MAN:  PHASE TWO – THE MULTIVERSE SAGA

 

 

THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES OF EDIE VAN HEELIN’

THE WRITER’S ROOM

 

REVIEW: Mick Mars – “Loyal to the Lie” (2023) single

MICK MARS – “Loyal to the Lie” (2023) single

Mick Mars is finally out with his first solo track since 1994’s “Bittersuite” and it’s a banger.

Too much of a banger?

In this reviewer’s opinion, the song is recorded for more modern tastes.  Chunky, downtuned guitars and distorted, unremarkable lead vocals (by Jacob Bunton) characterize this fast, heavy smoker.  Everything sounds very processed in a modern way, for punch and impact.  Someone more in tune with this sound would rate it higher.

The best part of the song is, expectedly, the guitar solo, but it’s way too short.

Another reviewer may think differently, but “Loyal to the Lie” lacks a few key ingredients:  a distinctive singer, and memorable hooks.

Mick shouldn’t have to repeat his past with his former band, but a memorable song would have been nice.  Yes, it’s heavy.  But heavy only goes so far.

Mick’s album The Other Side of Mars will be out next year, February 23 2024.

2/5 stars

Lineup:

Mick Mars – guitars/bass
Paul Taylor – keyboards
Jacob Bunton – vocals
Ray Luzier – drums

Happy Halloween! WTF Search Terms – Horrifying Spelling edition – “marrieanheels toopless nake”

Happy Halloween!  On this October 31, what is scarier than poor spelling?  Take a look below and see for yourself!  These are poorly-spelled search terms that somehow led people to this site.  Boo!

Let’s go!

Probably just some big fingers typing on a small screen here – they are obviously looking for Ted Nugent‘s amazing Double Live Gonzo.

Swedish.  The word is spelled Swedish.

  • marrieanheels toopless nake
  • “married and heels” topples
  • marriedandgeels naked

No comment.  I told you that this was happening regularly!   Glad I never had to look at this.

Maxi Priest and Shaggy.  Maxi Priest and Shaggy.  Maxi Priest and Shaggy!  Write it 100 times until you get it right!

  • presinor in paradies song

“Prisoners in Paradise”, you mean?  You will not like my review, that’s for sure.  Don’t click it.

UNOFFICIAL.  UNOFFICIAL!  You can’t blame this one on autocorrect!
That was some scary, scary spelling.  Happy Halloween folks!

#1093: What Are the Earliest Pieces of Music You Remember Loving?

RECORD STORE TALES #1093: What Are the Earliest Pieces of Music You Remember Loving?

We are all shaped by our earliest experiences, whether we admit it or not.  What were the first songs and pieces of music that you remember loving?  Let’s have a look at 10 of mine, from my pre-heavy metal years!

10. The Doctor Who theme.

I grew up with the third and fourth doctors:  Jon Pertwee, and Tom Baker.  In particular I remember the Baker years as the most important to my childhood.  I asked my mom to knit me a long brown scarf like Baker’s Doctor wore.  I also remember sitting in front of the TV and recording the intro music to Doctor Who, so I could rewind and play that tape whenever I wanted to.  The music was all synth, and entirely spooky, cool and catchy.

9. John Williams’ scores.

Star Wars was first.  Empire was second.  Raiders was third.  Those three soundtracks made up the majority of my musical listening for years.  I didn’t own any other records.  Just John Williams.  When you consider the impact that Holst’s The Planets had on Williams, and heavy metal too, it is no wonder that heavy metal music would later speak so clearly to me.

8. Joey Scarbury – “Theme from The Greatest American Hero (Believe It or Not)”

My earliest musical loves all came from TV or cinema.  This was the first non-Williams record I owned, on a 7″ single.  Mike Post co-wrote the song, and he would figure into the career of Van Halen much much later.  “Believe It Or Not” was a pleasant pop song with an irresistible chorus.  The B-side was a ballad called “Little Bit of Us”.  I hated it.  I remember playing the single at 78 RPM to see if it would make the song any better.  It didn’t.

7. Magnum P.I. and The A-Team theme songs.

Here’s Mike Post again, with the theme music to Magnum P.I. starring Tom Selleck.  Funky electric guitar hovered behind a bouncing string section playing the theme.  It was like my John Williams soundtracks had collided with rock instrumentation.  I would sit in bed and hum these themes, singing myself to sleep.  And guess who was behind the A-Team’s music?  Also Mike Post!  Military drums and more symphonic theme greatness.  I was well on my way, wasn’t I?  These two themes were critically important to the whole action TV show genre.

6. Michael Jackson – “Beat It” and “Thriller”

Like every kid in the mid-80s, I loved Michael Jackson.  It would not be an exaggeration to claim that every kid in my grade liked Michael Jackson to a certain degree.  He had a number of hits on the radio, including “Say Say Say” with Paul McCartney, which I was frustrated to find was not on my Thriller cassette.  Of course, I had no idea who Eddie Van Halen was yet, but he was in my head, playing the “Beat It” guitar solo without my knowledge.  Michael’s songs were perfectly written and produced.  His videos were groundbreaking, but I hadn’t seem them yet.  I wasn’t even sure what he looked like at first.  Tabloid photos always showed a gaunt Jackson hiding from the cameras.  Once we saw his videos, I was shocked at how effeminate his speaking voice was, for a guy who sang so powerfully.  Yet, I only played two or three songs on the tape.

5. Culture Club – “Karma Chameleon”

Hot on the heels of Jackson was Boy George.  “Karma Chameleon” was impossible to forget, and I could care less about any of his other hits.  I had the Colour By Numbers cassette and never played it except for one song.  The album cover shocked me!  I thought Culture Club was synonymous with Boy George – a one-man band.  I had no idea there were other members, or what they looked like.  I liked the tune, but this band was not for me.  Eventually I would erase both Jackson and Boy George, and record other things on their tapes.

4. Styx – Kilroy Was Here

“Mr. Roboto” was the song that hooked me, but the album itself was pretty good:  “Cold War”, “High Time”, “Don’t Let It End (Reprise)”, “Heavy Metal Poisoning” and “Double Life” were awesome rock songs!  As before, I had no interest in the ballads.  I played them once or twice, and just skipped them from then on.  Styx were the first band with multiple singers that I liked:  Dennis DeYoung, Tommy Shaw, and James Young.  I wonder what influence this would later have on my love of KISS.  Styx were bombastic and huge.  The gatefold album came with lyrics, which I studied as if they were containing deep hidden meaning.

3. AC/DC – “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”

I recorded this song from my best friend Bob, along with “The Mighty Quinn” by Manfred Mann, and if memory serves, “Ooby Dooby” by Roy Orbison.  I might be wrong on that last one, but AC/DC was the one I kept playing over and over, sometimes to irritate people.  I remember distinctly telling people I liked the chorus because the singer sounded like “he had a frog in his throat”.  My classmate Alan Runstedtler said “I like songs with the guy with the frog in his throat!” and so did I.  It was pure comedy and novelty to me, but the guitars lay the groundwork for what would come later.

2. John Fogerty – “The Old Man Down the Road”

MuchMusic had arrived!  I had no idea who Fogerty was, or that he was in a legendary rock band called Creedence Clearwater Revival.  All I knew was that he had a really, really cool music video on TV, and I couldn’t stop watching it.  The upbeat bluesy song with rattling slide guitar seemed cool to me.  I decided that I liked John Forgerty based on that one song.  I was slowly discovering rock music, and the last song on this list was the last one I loved before going full-metal in 1984.

1. Quiet Riot – “Cum On Feel the Noize”

I didn’t know what they looked like.  I didn’t know anything about their prior history, the two Japanese albums, or Randy Rhoads.  All I knew was I had finally found “my thing”.  My sound.  Bombastic, big, loud, catchy, well-written, and perfect.

Without Quiet Riot, I may never have taken my next tenative steps:  Helix, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and W.A.S.P.  All much heavier than Quiet Riot.  Without Styx, I might never got gotten into Quiet Riot.  Without John Williams, I might never had dug into Styx.  Who knows?

I loved Quiet Riot well past their best-before date.  I remember other kids at school making fun of me for calling Quiet Riot my favourite band.  “They’re out!” laughed Ian Johnson.  “Duran Duran are current!”

Fuck Duran Duran.

My journey into metal was natural and organic.  I don’t know if those kids from school even listen to music anymore.  Their loss.

Mike opens up his new KISS shirt from Aaron! [Video]

First off, apologies to Jex Russell and everybody I forgot to thank in this video. Still running on the high from Friday night’s show.  I went from that, to taping a great Tim’s Vinyl Confessions at 6:30 AM Saturday morning, to video making and editing.

For those who watched, the most grievous error I made Friday night was forgetting to open up this KISS shirt that I got from Aaron KMA.

Please enjoy this video I made in gratitude, and the YouTube shorts from Friday night as well.

Mike unboxes Love Gun shirt from Aaron KMA

 

“Sammy Hagar” grills Mike on 5150 (by Tee Bone)

Harrison laughs on a loop 5 times

New Grab A Stack of Rock show intro, featuring Jen, John Clauser, and a laughing Australian

We’re Number One! Thanks to John Clauser, Peter Kerr, Robert Daniels, Tim Durling and Harrison Kopp for an Awesome Anniversary and a Stonker of a Show!

Every once in a while, we do a show that was so much fun, that I literally can’t sleep afterwards.  That was tonight.

Some context.  On October 28 2022, Harrison and I went live to grab some stacks of rock.

Tonight, Harrison and I celebrated the anniversary live with some friends.  Since it was our one year anniversary, the theme was Top Five Songs About the Number One.

  • Peter Kerr from Rock Daydream Nation once again broke new ground with some artists who have never been featured on the show, one in particular.  Quite a few stonkers!  There may or may not have been a “Little” drama, regarding whether or not I bribed Judge Reed when we did our Vinnie Vincent episode.  The jury is out.
  • All the way from Birmingham Alabama, 1st timer John Clauser from My Music Corner gave us a sneak peak at that new 7 Savage W.A.S.P. set with one of his picks.  Johnny definitely brought the metal!  Thank you so much for coming on, John — we will do it again.
  • Robert Daniels from Visions In Sound brought a couple soundtracks, of course, but he was not the only one tonight.  He also picked a “royal” one that I liked a lot.  Thanks Rob for celebrating tonight.
  • Tim Durling from Tim’s Vinyl Confessions had 8 tracks, 7″ vinyl, and Canadian content – the trifecta!  He also gets bonus points for poking Jex Russell in the side with his #1 pick.
  • Harrison the Mad Metal Man represented Australia with the majority of his picks.  He also audibly laughed when I announced my #1 pick, and the proof is on video and I might just have to make a loop of it and play it on repeat.
  • Tee Bone Erickson, our music guru, submitted an “Ask Mike” question at the top of the show, and probably his best video for us yet:  in the guise of “Sammy Hagar”!  Tee Bone also submitted his own unique Top Five list:  Top Five Van Halen songs with “One” in the title, in chronological order!  He also asked Mike to list his Top Three Van Hagar songs, which I did.

Fun fact:  Two of the albums picked tonight had some of us thanked in them:  one thanking me, one thanking Johnny Metal!

Rest in Peace to W.A.S.P. and L.A. Guns drummer Steve Riley.  That was not fun news to break to Johnny Metal today.  We spoke a moment about Steve at the top of the show.

We’re taking a couple weeks off to work on some secretive side projects.  However, we will be back November 17 with a brand new guest.  It will be Jex and PLA here on Grab A Stack of Rock, and there will be dancing!

Thank you for watching, and let’s make this second year as fun as the first…or even top it.  Rock n’ roll!

 

 

 

 

Happy One Year! Celebrate with our Top Five Songs About the Number One, tonight on Grab A Stack of Rock!

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man

Episode 40:  Happy One Year!  Top Five Songs About the Number One

Our one-year anniversary happens to coincide with Show #40!  One year ago (on the 28th, to be exact), I was feeling the itch to go live once again, and so I messaged Harrison that morning.  “Are you free if we decide to go live tonight?”  We didn’t have a name, a theme song, or a plan.  Grab A Stack of Rock was born.  Despite the highs and lows of 2022-2023, it was a bright spot our of weeks for the last year.  I can’t wait to see what another year will bring.

We started out as a casual show to show off our music collections.  It’s currently more than that, with lists and special guests once again.  In fact this week we’ll have a new one who has never been on the show before, John Clauser from My Music Corner.  Harrison and I will also be joined by Peter Kerr of Rock Daydream Nation, Tim Durling, and Robert Daniels.  Because it’s one year, we’re doing Top Songs About the Number One.

Thanks for Grabbing a Stack of Rock.  Hope to see you celebrating with us!

LIVE Friday Oct 27 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 8:00 P.M. Atlantic.   Enjoy on YouTube or on Facebook!

 

 

 

#1092: Grab A Stack of Rock (Recap 4)

RECORD STORE TALES #1092: Grab A Stack of Rock (Recap 4)
A recap of all our shows to date as we gear up for the first anniversary

Recap 1:  Episodes 1-10
Recap 2:  Episodes 11-20
Recap 3:  Episodes 21-30

Show #31, Aug 11 2023, featured another Nigel Tufnel Top Ten list!  Harrison said to me, “I think we need to get Rob Daniels back on.”  Rob said “OK!  How about TV Show Themes?”  With Harrison and Rob, we counted down our Top 11 Themes.  List shows are proven to be popular, but this one was really cool.  Jex Russell sent in his own list to read, and we had minimal crossover.  You’ll be shocked to learn that Star Trek ranked high on my list.  For “Ask Harrison”, we featured the debut of musician Jazz King asking the question!

This was a very busy period, and I had no choice to take some time off the show so I could do some other significant collaborations.

For Tim’s Vinyl Confessions, we premiered a previously-recorded special on Flash Gordon with Jex Russell and Rob Daniels!  For Grant’s Rock Warehaus, I was honoured be Martin Popoff’s replacement on his Helix special, covering the years 1990 to 2003.  I also returned on Peter Kerr’s Rock Daydream Nation for a discussion on Coverdale-Page.  This was my first time working with John Clauser, who figures into the story later on.

Show #32, Sept 1 2023, allowed me to bring on Rock Daydream Nation’s Peter Kerr for the first time.  Also for the first time:  two Australians in one show!  The topic, chosen by Harrison, was What Bonus Tracks Should Have Been on the Album?  A very popular list show, this one also had Jex Russell on board.  Peter shared the link far and wide which helped with the views.  I personally think it’s one of the best lists we’ve ever done.  Lots of love for Black Sabbath here.  We also unboxed the second edition of Tim Durling’s book, Unspooled!  You can get yours on Amazon right now.

Show #33, Sept 8 2023, was another personal favourite.  It took place on the cottage porch on a beautiful afternoon, with Jex Russell!  The subject this time, in honour of Durling’s second edition, was music books!  I hauled up to the lake a huge box of my music books, hardcover and softcover alike, signed and unsigned:  Sean Kelly, Martin Popoff, Michael D. LeFevre, Robert Lawson, Dale Sherman, Neil Peart, Aaron Lebold, and so many more!  Jex didn’t have any of his books on hand, so instead we ran an old video from his YouTube channel CineBrosSupreme featuring his collection.

Show #34, Sept 15 2023, featured a first-timer!  All the way from Ramsgate UK came interviewer and soundtrack specialist Jason Drury!  I’ve been trying to work with Jason on a live show for over three years, but the time zones made that difficult.  Finally, he was back in Canada and we got him on board with his friends Rob Daniels and Erik Woods.  For Erik, it was his first time on the new show as well!  Harrison joined us for a fun discussion about Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and more.  Jason provided his Nigel Tufnel Top Ten Star Wars movies (basically ranking them all in order) to go with the lists that the rest of us did in 2022.  It was wonderful to finally get to chat with Jason in real time. Another very popular show.

At this point, my hair was getting unruly.  I hadn’t cut it since March and it was time.  Therefore, I planned a stunt.  A repeat stunt albeit, but a stunt indeed:  I shaved my head live on the show!

Show #35, Sept 22 2023, came as a surprise to Kevin the Mars Man who was not informed in advance of my shenanigans!  All he knew was that we were doing another list show:  Top Five Bald Artists! Harrison couldn’t attend this afternoon cottage show, but I honoured him by putting Blaze Bayley at the very top of my list. Kevin and Jex also brought awesome lists. Importantly, we spotlighted the courage it takes for an artist to go bald publicly, like Joe Lynn Turner did.

Show #36, Sept 29 2023, was a night off for me!  I relaxed at the cottage while Jex and Harrison went “LeBrainless” again!  Harrison wanted to get the show “back to basics”.  Grabbing and showing off stacks of rock!  I popped on at the very end to show off my Aerosmith Greatest Hits 6 CD set from Japan, which took a healthy critiquing.  Jex and Harrison showed off some Twisted Sister, Paul Di’Anno, Alice Cooper, Concrete Blonde, Slade, Judas Priest and a batch of DVDs.  A lot of interesting items in this stack of rock.

Show #37, October 6 2023, was largely in honour of Eddie Van Halen who we lost three years prior to the day.  John Snow had his new Hagar Years box set on hand.  Tim Durling and Rob Daniels also joined Harrison and I, with rare books, 7″ picture sleeves, rare soundtracks, and…José Feliciano!?  You never know what you will see on Grab A Stack of Rock!

Show #38, Oct 13 2023, was a special one to commemorate Friday the 13th!  Harrison, Rob and I were joined by Peter Kerr for our Top Five Songs about Monsters.  We chose actual classic monsters, and some metaphorical monsters as well.  Jex Russell had a written list, as did John Snow. Greed, addiction, werewolves, space aliens and more! We hope you like our choices. We tried to go outside the box and bring you songs you might not have thought of yourself, though Ozzy and Alice were expected and did appear!

Show #39, Oct 21 2023, was the third LeBrainless episode, at a special time.  Jex had spent the day with Tim Durling at a Record Faire.  Meanwhile, Harrison had recently attended a record show too.  On a Saturday night, with Aaron “Mr. Books” on hand, the pair showed off some of their recent finds.  There was some cool stuff here, on CD, cassette, DVD and vinyl.  I came on at the very end to unbox the new Sven Gali Bombs and Battlescars, and a disc by Toronto’s Evil Elvis!  A fun way to finish off the last cottage weekend of the season

 

…And that’s it for recapping, as we look towards the future.  We have lots planned, and no intention to quit this time.

Our one-year anniversary happens to coincide with Show #40, October 27 2023.  One year before (on the 28th, to be exact) I was feeling the itch to go live once again, and so I messaged Harrison that morning.  “Are you free if we decide to go live tonight?”  We didn’t have a name, a theme song, or a plan.  Grab A Stack of Rock was born.  Despite the highs and lows of 2022-2023, it was a bright spot of our week for the last year.  I can’t wait to see what another year will bring.

We started out as a casual gathering, to show off our music collections.  It’s currently more than that, with lists and special guests once again.  In fact this week we’ll have a new one who has never been on the show before, John Clauser from My Music Corner!  Tim Durling, Peter Kerr, Rob Daniels and Harrison will also be back.

Because it’s one year, we’re doing Top Songs About the Number One.

Thanks for Grabbing a Stack of Rock.  Hope to see you celebrating with us!

 

NEWS: Mike Portnoy rejoins Dream Theater after a 13 year absence!

I did not see this coming! Mike Portnoy is back in the band he co-founded 40 years ago, Dream Theater.

Ex-drummer Mike Mangini was a great fit, and he was beloved by fans, myself included.

But there is something about having the founding guy, and a chief writer, back in the band.  Dream Theater are heading into the studio to make their first album with Portnoy in 14 years.  As for Mangini, he seemed to accept this change as inevitable.

“I understand Dream Theater’s decision to get Mike Portnoy back at this time. As was said from day one, my place was not to fill all the roles that Mike held in the band. I was to play the drums in order to help the band carry on.  My main role of keeping our live show working tightly on a nightly basis was an intense and rewarding experience.  Thankfully, I got to experience playing music with these iconic musicians, as well as some fun times laced with humor. I also really enjoyed spending lots of time with the crew. And then there’s the Grammy win, which was amazingly satisfying.”

Given the amount of time and effort it took to find Mangini, and the amount of work Mangini himself put into the band, this never seemed like an event we could assume would eventually happen.  But it has — and Dream Theater will be bigger than ever for it.

#1092: Grab A Stack of Rock (Recap 3)

RECORD STORE TALES #1092: Grab A Stack of Rock (Recap 3)
A recap of all our shows to date as we gear up for the first anniversary

Recap 1:  Episodes 1-10
Recap 2:  Episodes 11-20

Show #21, May 26 2023 was chock full of guests!  I had more scores from Max the Axe’s Trillion Dollar Treats to show.  John Snow, Tim Durling, Harrison Kopp, Jex Russell, and Dr. Kathryn (via video) all had new stuff, including brand new releases and rarities. This was a cottage show once again, and plenty fun one at that.

Show #22, June 2, 2023, was one we did for ourselves.  My wife Jen has found Lego to be helpful in her healing, and so we have started to buy Lego again.  With that in mind, Harrison, Rob and Dr. Kathryn came on board to show off Lego and toys.  Jen returned as well, with her Spice Girls Lego set!  Dr. Kathryn revealed the secret to identifying Lego blind minifigure packs, though this is now obsolete due to Lego transitioning to boxes.  This show was tremendous fun despite the limited appeal.

Show #23, June 9, 2023 happened at the cottage!  For that reason, my co-host Jex and I decided to do a special list show.  After many comments and requests, the Nigel Tufnel Top Ten lists were back.  With Rob Daniels sending in a list via email, Jex and I counted down the Top 11 Albums to Play at the Cottage! Jex debuted his new moustache for this episode, giving Harrison a run for his money.  “We’re back, baby!” I announced.  This popular show proved that lists were still a viable way to go forward, and they would be critical for the rest of the year.

Show #24, June 16 2023, almost never happened.  Jen had a bad seizure and face-planted on the sidewalk.  Her entire face was black and blue (and not like the rock band).  “The show must go on,” she insisted, and so it did.  A huge thank-you to Aaron and Harrison for carrying the show that night.  Jex Russell did a brief cameo to show off some rarities, but otherwise the topic was one of our most popular historically:  Iron Maiden!  We looked at rarities, vinyl, bootleg CDs, beer and menus!

Jen needed some time to recover.  Her face was a total mess.  The community came together with support and eventually her beautiful face returned to its normal colour.  No broken bones.

Show #25, June 23 2023, was another very special one with a brand new guest.  I wanted to talk about my new favourite band, the Arkells!  What’s an Arkell?  Watch this show and find out.  Live from the cottage, Aaron and I were joined by megafan Nurse Kat.  She saw the band in four different countries 13 times in just 18 months, and has since added many more concerts to her resume. I provided a Nigel Tufnel Top Ten Arkells tracks list. With Kat’s concert footage and fan photos, this was a night to remember.

Show #26, June 24 2023, was the second show in one weekend!  A morning show at that!  Jex Russell joined me to look at a giant box of cassettes that I found in my parents’ basement.  This turned out to be a popular one with the physical media crowd. Inside that box were a number of store-bought cassettes, and ones that I had recorded with home made cover art.  It was a real trip of discovery, and only one cassette was destroyed in the process.

For laughs, we parodied a former cast member at the start of the show.  All in good fun.  Strippers are people too.

Show #27, June 30 2023, we celebrated Canada Day at the cottage with Jex, one day early.  We chose our Nigel Tufnel Top Ten Canadian bands that are little-known outside of Canada.  This turned out to be the most popular non-heels episode we’ve ever done. It is certainly an episode that I am very proud of. The Spoons, Varga, Teenage Head, National Velvet, the Beaches, Kick Axe, and more. This is a show you definitely want to catch up on if you missed it the first time. I even created a graph for it.

After that much activity, I took another break on July 7, but only to gear up for another busy week!  I had a taping with Tim’s Vinyl Confessions on the 8th, with Rob and Jex.  On July 13, I did a show with Grant Arthur on the Stone Gods and Hot Leg for Grant’s Rock Warehaus.

Show #28, July 14 2023, was a brand new thing for me and something I had been wanting to do a long time.  For the first time ever, Harrison was host as I took the night off for the first “LeBrainless” episode!  Harrison and Jex Russell tacked their Top Five Alice Cooper albums, a well-overdue list show.  They did a great job without me, and it was a joy for me to just watch Grab A Stack of Rock for a change instead of hosting it.

Show #29, July 21 2023, was back at the cottage!  We had Tim Durling, Grant Arthur, and Aaron KMA on hand to celebrate the birthdays of Harrison and Mike.  I showed off my massive birthday hauls and recent arrivals. I also ran a fun slideshow of old birthday party photos from the 70s to the 90s.  This was the first birthday show since 2021, since by this time in 2022 I had quit live streaming.  A wonderful way to have a birthday party with friends far away.  Tim Durling played guitar for us!  We also unsealed the new Grab A Stack of Rock 7″ picture disc by Tee Bone Erickson, from vinylart.co.  Tee Bone’s first ever music on vinyl!

I took Friday July 28th off to do a super-secret taping with Peter Kerr of Rock Daydream Nation.  This ended up to be our “rock court” episode on Vinnie Vincent, with Reed Little as judge.  A very rewarding show that led to more tapings in the coming months!

I wanted to do something special for Show #30, which I called “The Dumbest Thing You Will See on YouTube.”  Why?

Show #30, Aug 4 2023, featured me breaking the seal for the first time on my Metallica Master of Puppets box set, purchased four years earlier and still sealed. This was something I wanted to do on camera, because it’s not every day that some idiot unseals a box set that goes for up to $1600 online.  We also looked at new arrivals in stickers, vinyl, and Alice Cooper deluxe CDs.  Max the Axe attempted to drop in, but was thwarted by technical issues.  We’ll try again one day.  Perhaps the coolest thing about this episode was showing the brand new Paul Shortino cameo for Grab A Stack!

To be continued…