Grab a Stack of Rock / LeBrain Train

🅻🅸🆅🅴: Feel Good Friday Afternoon! 1:00 PM EST – Top Five Albums that Make Us Feel Good! With Dan @OffTheCharts

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

Special 🅻🅸🆅🅴 Episode at a Special Time – Good Friday Afternoon! 1:00 PM EST 

Episode 141: Top Five Albums that Make Us Feel Good! With Dan @OffTheCharts

We’re back!  It’s the Fourth Annual Good Friday Afternoon show on Grab a Stack of Rock!   We have done this every year since 2023, and this one is a special one for us!  It is a little different from past Good Friday episodes.  This time it’s less a hangout, and more a list show with lots of physical music!

Episode 141 trailer – Top Five Albums that Make Us Feel Good

We decided to bring the sunshine by talking about music that makes us feel good.  Top Five Albums.  Some of the greatest music we’ve ever heard in our lives.  We’ll also be playing a song from each our lists:  music videos of great songs that make us feel great!

Special guest Dan Chartrand will be joining to discuss our Top Five lists.  As always you can count on physical product on all three major physical formats:  Cassette, CD and LP.  These formats are the tangible versions of the music that brought smiles to our faces so many times over the years.   We’re talking music that goes back with us for decades in some cases.  Other music is newer.  What you will get from us this afternoon is going to be pure love for the albums that always bring us joy.

This is a show about physical music!  We will also be doing a MASSIVE, $550 unboxing – stay tuned!

Please join us 🅻🅸🆅🅴 for this annual tradition.  There will be music, videos, and surprises in store!

Click here for the link to the live show

Friday April 3 at  1:00 PM EST, 2:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube or Facebook.

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: From Fear To Eternity – The Best Of 1990-2010

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: From Fear To Eternity – The Best Of 1990-2010

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK bonus episode

Iron Maiden have certainly done many compilations since the reunion era began.  Last time we looked at Somewhere Back In Time, which covered the 1980s.  Leaving no loose ends, the followup album From Fear To Eternity covers 1990 to 2000.  It is Maiden’s sixth compilation album, and fourth 2 CD set of that kind.  It follows a blueprint set by Somewhere Back In Time, but with some notable inclusions and exclusions.

The cover art on this album is given a special inspection in this episode, as Mike and Harrison point out every Easter egg and reference to prior albums.  We also take a good look at the inside cover, a nice piece of art in itself.  This episode is a feast for the eyes!

Not quite long enough to make into an officially numbered episode, but informative and interesting nonetheless, From Fear To Eternity is a good solid look at an era of Maiden that snobs often ignore:  the underrated 1990s, the glory of the reunion era, and some of the best epic long-bombers of Maiden’s career.  Don’t believe us?  Join tonight for the fun.  It’s all for the love of Maiden.  Up the Irons!

 

Friday March 27 at  7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube.

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

 

 

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: Hot Metal

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: ‘Hot Metal’

Featuring Tim Durling from Tim’s Vinyl Confessions

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK bonus episode

 

This special bonus episode of 50 Years of Iron Maiden would not be possible without the efforts of Tim Durling of Tim’s Vinyl Confessions, who years ago informed us of a long-forgotten Iron Maiden cassette release from 1986.  On TVC episode 351 (“Rare CDs”), during a portion where I was showing of my Iron Maiden First Ten Years box set, Tim told us of a cassette release exclusive to the A&A Records and Tapes chain in Canada.  Mike has a long history with A&A, being something of a home base for him during his highschool years.  Tim acquired and sent Mike the cassette of this odd release:  Iron Maiden – Hot Metal, an A&A three track “sampler” exclusive, on Capitol Records.

In this episode we take a good look at this release, which featured a nice three-page foldout with lots to look at.  The tape is clearly geared to new fans who are still buying Iron Maiden catalogue releases, as you’ll see when we dive deep into the innards of the tape.  Priced at just 99 cents, the cassette is essentially a “cassingle” of the “Wasted Years” 12″, but with a twist.  Join Mike and Harrison for a mini-episode suited to this mini-cassette!

Join us for some memories of A&A Records and Tapes (and Compact Discs!), and a close look at a really nice cassette release with quality music and content inside.  Special thanks to Tim’s Vinyl Confessions for providing the video content from his episode providing background on the tape, and actually sending us a copy!

This special episode will run at a special time, see below and hope to see you in the comments.

 

SPECIAL TIME

Wednesday March 25 at  7:00 AM EST, 8:00 AM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube.

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

 

 

Rock Daydream Nation: Who are our Favourite Guitar Duos of all Time?

Joining Peter and I are a special Rock Daydream Nation YouTube panel featuring Reed Little, bicyclelegs, John the Music Nut, Parish of Rock and Brandon Battick (Disturbing the Priest).  It’s a seven-person panel and the topic is epic enough to warrant it.  It’s our favourite guitar duos of all time!

With seven people, and two picks each, that’s 14 amazing guitar duos.  Plus another 14 runners-up.  28 guitar duos for you to check out, including some obscure ones from Australia, and one from Canada.  This is a show you do not want to miss.

Saturday March 21 at 9 AM EST!  Join us!

 

Top Five Album Closers: Re-edited for length

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

Special Re-Run

Top Five Album Closers – LeBrain Train Re-edited

This was a great episode!  Originally run on October 15, 2021, the live stream was roughly two and a half hours long.  Far too lengthy to watch in 2026, we have brought this episode down to a perfect hour.  Where was Harrison that night?  Active in the comments, and watch out for a memorable “Bleep!” comment from Uncle Meat to the Mad Metal Man!

On hand that night were Tim Durling from Tim’s Vinyl Confessions, and his fellow Contrarian, Marco D’Auria, along with original cast member Uncle Meat.  The show was a sequel to Top Five Album Openers, two weeks prior.  We decided to follow up with the Top Five Album Closers of All Time, and with the input of these fine panel members, this was an entertaining show that we are very proud of.  The chat was brisk and informative.  The lists (at bottom, if you don’t feel like watching, although you should!) were diverse and full of great closing songs that you may not have heard.  It was a more challenging set of lists than Album Openers was, and there was very little crossover.  Many excellent selections from the mainstream to the obscure.  We also included a number of “bonus tracks” at the end:  the runners-up that were just as exciting as the songs that made our lists.

Thanks Tim, Marco and Meat for helping to create a must-watch episode.  Enjoy!

Friday March 20 at  7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube or Facebook.

 

The Contrarians: Top 5 Wild Encounters Working at the Record Store

Thank you to Marco D’Auria for inviting me for this special episode of the Contrarians!  What are my Top Five Encounters when I was working at the Record Store?  I mulled it over and told some stories.   (I did mess up a couple minor details but nothing major.)  This fun 35 minute video highlights some of the funniest highs and lows of working at a Record Store for 12 years!  Many of these stories involve “live wire” customers!  Some are about some really rare CDs that I scored back in the day.

Working in used CDs during the Golden Age of the CD was an experience not many people get to have.  I am grateful that I am one of the few.  I will never forget it.  Please enjoy the show!

 

All my Contrarians appearances to date:

  1. Nicknamed Album Covers
  2. Minimalist cover art
  3. Brown album covers
  4. Yellow album covers
  5. Albums with Fire and Explosions
  6. Spaceships! Aliens! Robots!
  7. This Album Cover is Hell!
  8. Toys & Games
  9. Dreaming in Stereo:  Beds & Sleep on album covers
  10. Favourite Bands…WORST Album Covers
  11. They Swapped Covers!
  12. Great Album Covers From Bands We Despise
  13. Top 10 NWOBHM Covers
  14. It’s A Piece of Art!
  15. Compilation Kaos!
  16. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Hipgnosis!
  17. Amped Up!
  18. Packaging Fails
  19. Where’s the Band?
  20. Slippery When Wet
  21. Greetings From New York
  22. Done With Mirrors
  23. Eyes Without A Face
  24. Rock Out With Your Clock Out!
  25. Album Covers You Can Hear
  26. Album Covers You Can Smell
  27. Huh?!? Album Covers that Send the Wrong Message

Top 5 Album Openers: Re-edited for length

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

Special Re-Run

Top Five Album Openers – LeBrain Train Re-edited

Tonight Mike is off, recording an episode with Peter Kerr for Rock Daydream Nation.  Therefore tonight we’re re-purposing a five year old LeBrain Train episode that you gotta see.  This episode, edited here for length, originally ran October 1 2021 with Uncle Meat and Harrison Kopp:  Top Ten Album Openers!

LeBrain Train debuted at the start of the pandemic, in March 2020.  It was more geared towards chat, since nobody had anywhere to go or anything to do back then.  The episodes are too long to be enjoyed today, so we’ve cut the chit-chat and kept it to the music for this re-run.

What songs do you think just kicked off an album right?  We made sure we didn’t skimp on the analysis and appreciation.  Ritchie Blackmore, Ozzy Osbourne, Ian Anderson, Ronnie James Dio, Bruce Dickinson and of course Blaze Bayley all graced us with their musical presence on this night.  There was plenty of discussion with the audience that night, some of which is included in this re-run.  We also included a slew of runners-up for you to check out.

Every one of the songs listed tonight deserve some time in your ears.  You can read the lists below, or have some real fun and watch the show!  It’s all under an hour.

Friday March 13 at  7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube or Facebook.

 

 

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 31: The Final Frontier

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 31:  The Final Frontier

With special guest D’Arcy Briggs

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK #140

When Iron Maiden returned on 13 August 2010 with a new studio album The Final Frontier, for the first time in a long time, it felt like “just another Iron Maiden album”.  There were no gimmicks, no comebacks, just 10 new songs.  Many of the new songs were longer and looser.  The beginning of the new Iron Maiden?  We at 50 Years of Iron Maiden try to appreciate each album as they stand on their own, and in this episode we break it down track by track, retrieving nuggets of gold.

Joining Mike and Harrison this time is new guest D’Arcy Briggs from the @Darcyska YouTube channel.  D’Arcy was glad to be able to choose this album.  He explains why in the episode.  Once again, we have the right guest for the right record.  This is a passionate episode with depth and appreciation for an album that often slips through the cracks.

Unfortunately, for the first time in Iron Maiden history, we have a new studio album with no new B-sides.  We do have singles, but no additional songs.

Once our trio of fans breaks down the album for analysis, Harrison will run us through the tour and setlists.  Would many of these songs reappear on tours down the road?  Harrison has the details.  And of course, we’ll address the controversial artwork!

Please join us for this premiere as we love to interact in the comments!

Friday March 6 at  7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube.

SCHEDULE NOTE:  CLOCKS CHANGE ON SUNDAY – DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

 

 

🅻🅸🆅🅴 50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 30: Somewhere Back In Time & Flight 666

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 30: Somewhere Back In Time & Flight 666

A special 🅻🅸🆅🅴 episode

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK #139

Scream for me, YouTube!  In May 2008, Iron Maiden released a new “best of” CD, unlike the previous four.  Yes, that makes Somewhere Back In Time– The Best of: 1980-1989 the fifth Iron Maiden “best of”.  Despite the title, it has no songs from the first two albums, subbing in live versions with Bruce singing.  The actual tracklist focused on the Dickinson albums from 1982-1988 (Number of the Beast to Seventh Son).  Then, Maiden embarked upon a tour designed to recreate the Live After Death era, with some added goodies (and Eddies) from Somewhere In Time and Seventh Son (plus one song that didn’t fit).

Singer Bruce Dickinson, who was also a licensed pilot, had an idea:  would it be possible to modify a passenger jet to carry all their gear and crew, and fly it from gig to gig no matter how far?

It was indeed possible (if not difficult), and Ed Force One took to the skies to bring Iron Maiden to their fans around the world.  In the pilot’s seat:  Bruce himself!

The first leg of the Somewhere Back In Time tour was documented by Sam Dunn and Banger films for a movie:  Flight 666.  This film played theatrically, and was eventually released on a double DVD set with the movie and all the complete songs.  There was a complete soundtrack on CD and vinyl, and tonight we’re going to look at it all.

Mike and Harrison will dive deep into the film, the songs and the tour.  Mike has over 2000 words of notes, and copies of Flight 666 on CD, DVD and vinyl.  We will tackle Somewhere Back In Time itself as an album, and Harrison will discuss the tour legs that followed.

This will truly be an epic episode, so do not miss it.  We love to interact with the comments.

 

Friday February 27 at  7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube or Facebook.

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

 

 

Happy Birthday Dan! Off The Charts: Dan’s Birthday Live Stream

Happy birthday to my friend and collaborator, Dan Chartrand from Off the Charts.

Though February 22 is his birthday, Dan celebrated online last night with a listening party full of friends.  I was happy to be invited, and so I joined Dan, Steve Deluxe and a couple new friends for some songs.  Each guest picked a song to play that had some kind of connection with Dan.  Of course, having interviewed Rick Hughes of Sword with Dan, it made sense to pick a Rick song from his new album Redemption.

Thanks for inviting me Dan, and happy birthday.