Record Store Tales

#1092: Grab A Stack of Rock (Recap 2)

RECORD STORE TALES #1092: Grab A Stack of Rock (Recap 2)
A recap of all our shows to date as we gear up for the first anniversary

It has been a heck of a year…but it has been a year already!  Grab A Stack of Rock debuted with no name, on October 28, 2022.  It was an impromptu decision to go live, and fortunately Harrison and Uncle Meat were on board.  This week, we are celebrating one year of Grab A Stack, with a special list show and special guests.  More on that later.

We recapped the first ten shows earlier this year, but let’s look back at everything since!

Coming off the biggest show we ever did, Show #10, which has over 1200 views currently, we decided to get nerdy next!

Show #11, Jan 13 2023, saw Rob Daniels, Tim Durling, and Kevin “Buried On Mars” Simister beamed down with Harrison and I to talk Star Trek!  It was Kevin’s first time with the new format, and he really brought the Trek. Tim and I were both in uniform, and Harrison had some cool MAD Magazines to show. This was a really fun episode to do, even though that uniform isn’t very comfortable!  Soundtracks, books, action figures and much more were shown!

Show #12, Jan 20 2023 was the debut of Dr. Kathryn, and what a debut it was!  This was a Karate Kid / Cobra Kai talk, with Rob Daniels and Harrison Kopp.  Dr. Kathryn blew everyone away with her expertise on the subject, while showing off some cool stuff including a video from actor Sean Kanan.  The stories that night were absolutely incredible.  Any fan of Cobra Kai needs to check out this chat!

Show #13, Jan 27 2023 was a brainchild of Tim Durling:  Reissue record labels!  You know that Tim is a format head, and one of his passions is comparing different printings of albums.  Many record labels make their fortunes on reissues.  Rock Candy, La-La-Land, Sony Legacy, and so on.  We took a good look at some cool things from our collections.  Rob Daniels and Harrison Kopp were on hand once again!

Show #14, Feb 3 2023 was MarriedandHeels episode 2.

I took a couple weeks off, but did some informal mini-episodes (un-numbered) while I rested and recuperated after several weeks without a break.

Feb 11 2023 featuring the debut of Jen on Grab A Stack of Rock!  I wanted to get her more involved within her abilities.  She can’t look at a screen for very long without feeling some effects from it.  In this short episode, we unboxed my Marvel Legends T’Challa (Black Panther) figure, just for fun.  Jen was a natural! This was a test stream to see how it would work with two of us on one computer, and it worked great!

Feb 19 2023 was another fun mini-episode.  I had just received the excellent cassette, Landings, by Grace Scheele.  An instrumental concept cassette (cassette!) about the moon landing, Grace hand-packaged each one in aluminium foil.  I had to unbox it live, and I had to have her on hand when I did it.  Thanks for coming to hang with me, Grace!  People, check out this episode and see what love and care looks like when it goes into a physical product.

Show #15, Feb 24 2023 was monumentally important, for it featured a new guest that would have a huge impact on Grab A Stack of Rock.  This was the foreshadowing of a new era, because Jex Russell (or the “Friendly Frenchman” as I called him back then) came on board for the first time.  Nice to meet ya!  We had John T. Snow back on, for the first time since 2022.  Tim and Harrison also returned for this musical gathering of fans.

Show #16, March 3 2023 was MarriedandHeels episode 3, with Harrison Kopp.

March 10…now, that was a night.  I had my guests lined up.  Jex and Harrison were coming back to do a test stream.  Streamyard added a new feature, allowing guests to stream the show to their own social media.  About 30 minutes before showtime, I barfed.  10 minutes later, I barfed again and cancelled the show!  I barfed seven more times that night and drank about four large things of Gatorade.

Show #16.5, March 24 2023, was not an official episode.  We did the test stream, successfully!  John Snow, Rob Daniels, Jex Russell and MarriedandHeels joined in.  We unboxed some Japanese imports, and we covered Whitesnake, Bon Jovi, Kiss, Star Wars, and more.  Most importantly, we successfully streamed to the guys’ Facebook pages for the first time.

March 31 was a week off.  Why?  Because apparently when we went live on March 24, I had Covid!  You certainly could not tell!  Watch that episode and tell me if I look like a guy with Covid.  The following morning, I felt tired and scratchy, so I tested myself.  Yep:  positive!  While I never really got sick (just tired), Jen sure got it bad.  I was negative the following week, and back at work.

Show #17, April 7 2023, was the final MarriedandHeels episode, with Jex Russell.

Though her shows were excellent for views, I didn’t pick up new readers or viewers.  It was a failed experiment, like putting a big round peg in a little square hole.  At least I tried.

I took April 14 off so I could do an excellent discussion on the Neurotic Outsiders, with Grant Arthur, on his show Grant’s Rock Warehouse.  We also opened the cottage that weekend, meaning the first ever front porch shows on Grab A Stack of Rock were about to happen!  Following this, we took April 21 off.

Show #18, April 28 2023 was the cottage show I had been waiting all year to do!  It was another simple one:  new arrivals.  Kevin the Mars Man was back, as was John T. Snow and Harrison Kopp.  Thankfully those guys carried the show, because I was checked out that night.  And everything came to a head the following Friday.

Show #19, May 5 2023, was supposed to be Metallica with Kevin, Tim and Harrison.  I was going to show off my Black box, but the show was cancelled last minute when drama finally exploded into its inevitable conclusion.  The “heels era” was over, and we were about to get serious about music.

Show #19, May 12 2023, was the first of the new era!  New life was breathed into the show on this day.  My planned co-host (see above) crapped out and didn’t show up, but thankfully Jex Russell did!  I also invited Grace Scheele back on, because we did a demo of her cassette!  I had a whole box full of treasures that I picked up from Max the Axe’s garage sale, including a Kenwood tape deck.  Grace’s cassette sounded awesome on it.  Additionally, this was a test of a new time slot:  3:00 PM on Friday afternoons in the summer.  To my utter disbelief, views were high!  The show went on for two whole hours, as I spun classic Max the Axe videos.  It was a fantastic show, and the time slot worked.  I was worried I could not get enough viewers on Friday afternoons.  I was wrong…very gladly wrong!  From this point forward, most cottage shows would be in the afternoon, and Jex would co-host them.  I called it the “no more heels tour of 2023”, and it was off to a hell of a start.  We even had a chipmunk sighting on camera!

May 17, 2023 happened when I received the new Van Halen Right here, right now live album on vinyl.  I had taken the afternoon off work, and I thought, why not go live?  Dare I say why not?  It was a mini-episode unboxing, and it too was a success despite the fact that most of you should have been working!

Show #20, May 19 2023, was another first for the show:  our first star interview!  Spencer “Spenny” Rice of Kenny Vs. Spenny fame agreed to talk wresting, and talk we did!  Co-host Marco D’Auria really rocked this one, with his encyclopedic knowledge of so many eras of wresting.  Spenny may have been the star, but Marco was the star!   All I could do was sit back and enjoy!  Thank you Spencer Rice for doing this, and thank you Marco for killing it.  It was an honour for me to share the screen with you.

 

 

To be continued…

#1091: Believe it or not, when I say I won’t “share” files, I mean it!

RECORD STORE TALES #1091: Believe it or not, when I say I won’t “share” files, I mean it!

I get that not everybody collects music the way we do.  I get that, to some people, music isn’t really something physical that deserves their hard earned dollars.  I truly do understand.  I have lots of friends like that.

What I don’t understand is why any of these people would approach a perfect stranger like me, and ask me for free music out of my collection.

This is a problem I’ve had since I started posting my writings in 2012.  The first song that excited the internet about my collection was the download-only “Trooper” by Iron Maiden, recorded live in 2005 from the Eddie Rips Up the World tour, in Reykjavik, Iceland.  I made the mistake of sending the file to the first person who asked, thinking I would earn myself a loyal reader.  Instead all I earned were dozens of messages from similar people wanting free music.  Eventually I took the review down and reposted it, so they’d all have dead links.

Pro tip:  None of these people turned into loyal readers.

Most recently, in February, one asshole named Gaby asked for my Deadline mini-album from 1992.  There were copies available on Discogs, but he wasn’t interested in anything that wasn’t free.  He informed me he was one of the “best music collectors in the world”, but apparently he only collected files?  When I refused (and informed him that he had two bands with the same name confused), he proceeded to “thumb-down” bomb my YouTube channel, and told me I am “not good to live“.  Thanks, cheapskate.  Blocked!

The most recent offender, from Brazil, contacted me on Instagram, after finding my Instagram account on my “About” page.  This is what it says on my “About” page, two lines below the Instagram link:

NOTES: Nothing seen on this website is for sale, trade or barter.  I will not share files as I value the good relations I have with the artists.  Check Discogs for other copies.

He had to see that to get to the Instagram link.  He then sent the following message (name edited out):

“Friend”…just like Gaby addressed me.  I’m starting to think that word means nothing anymore.  Always cool to discover music that you like on YouTube, but….

I informed him that my copy of Harem Scarem’s self titled debut was not for sale (it’s autographed!) but there were lots on Discogs.  Not good enough!

FLAC or WAV file?  Would you like my butler to hand deliver it to your inbox while we’re at it?  I notice a lot of these music freebie guys are looking for lossless files, but are not willing to shell out $7 for a CD.  He’ll burn his own CD, but won’t pay for an actual copy?  He can’t like the music that much, I guess.  Additionally, the album is available on iTunes.

He never responded to my message, where I advised him that there were cheap copies on Discogs.  Shipping to Brazil can’t be much worse than shipping in Canada, and you don’t see me asking people for freebies.  I even suggested that, if he likes the music, he could choose to support the band by buying the music directly from them.

I will state it again, for the record, though I should not have to:  Do not ask me for free music.  You will not get it, and you will have to put up with me lecturing you about it!

The sad thing is that this guy will ask for the tracks again and again until someone gives them away.  Not me, at least.

#1090: Three Random Messages

RECORD STORE TALES #1090: Three Random Messages

Cleaning out old messages, I found some gems dating back to the 4 O’Clock 4-Play days and even before.

April 19 2007:  From Dave Elgie whom I don’t know.

“Hey man, I may have the wrong guy, but are you a wrestler?”

That is the first and only time I have been mistaken for a wrestler.  He definitely had the wrong guy.

Nov 13 2013:  Mike Forbes, whom I encountered in the comments section, didn’t comprehend that the word “retarded” isn’t an acceptable name to call someone.

“Retarded is retarded…remember the meaning of it? Stupid…dumb…ya know…retarded.  2013 and all its political correctness can kiss my fuckin’ asshole!”

And most baffling came this one, from the inbox for this very website.  I wish I could say I was in a band, but I’m not.  I’m not in Sugar Ray, I’m not Mark McGrath, or anyone who ever played with Mark McGrath.  Gin Blossoms opened.  I’m not in Gin Blossoms.  I’m flattered though!

September 5 2023:  From Luca.

#1089: The Introvert Goes Out! (To Encore!)

“One does not simply walk into Encore. The back door is guarded by more than just books.  There is music there that does not sleep, and the big speakers are ever playing. It is a rich treasure trove, riddled with finds, and vinyl and accessories; the very air you breathe is bathed in music!”

RECORD STORE TALES #1089: The Introvert Goes Out! (To Encore!)

I have so much music in the house, still sealed, unplayed, that you could argue I never need to go to a record store again.

Some of that sealed music came from Encore, during the pandemic, by mail order.  I have two unopened John Norum Rock Candy remasters.

The reality of it is, I’m in an introvert who prefers staying home and ordering online, so I have to be in the right mood to go out, even record shopping.  However, one of my mental health goals this winter is to get out more, and Encore Records is an obvious easy choice.  Thanksgiving Sunday was cold, wet and winter-like, so we bundled up and drove to a deserted downtown Kitchener.  Encore’s rear parking lot was empty.

Jen found the stairs challenging, but front or back, Encore has stairs.  The challenge was met and we were greeted by old friend Al King, still slinging vinyl in downtown Kitchener, over three decades after I bought my early scores from him at Sam the Record Man.

There were plenty of new releases to decide upon, but I immediately chose the new Darkness Permission To Land…Again 20th anniversary box set.  20 years?  Can it be?  It has been 20 years since those bastards at the Record Store killed my soul.  The Darkness was one of the few bands that got me through that era of my life.  We talked about this with Al a bit.  There was a bit of a one-sided rivalry with Encore and the Record Store at which I used to work, back in the early 2000s.  One of our employees (that I trained on buying) left us and went to them.  My understanding is that a phone call was made, a tale that they still tell today….

Anyway, the Darkness 4 CD / 1 DVD box set has all the bonus tracks, demos, B-sides, single edits, and three live gigs (on two live CDs).  Very thorough.  It also has all the music videos, and even the 2004 remake “Get Your Hands Off My Woman…Again” which really falls into the One Way Ticket era better.

Even when I worked at the Store, there was always more at Encore that I wanted to buy.  They just got better stuff.  Prove me wrong.  I began to browse…

Even though this was a quick impromptu visit to pick up a new release or two, I ended up spending $200.

On the new release rack:  King Kobra – We Are Warriors!  Check out this lineup:  Carmine Appice and Johnny Rod, original members of the band, on drums and bass.  Paul Shortino of Quiet Riot and Rough Cutt on lead vocals, and still sounding strong!  Carlos Cavazo of Quiet Riot and Ratt on guitar!  Rowan Robertson of Dio on guitar!  That’s a lineup with some pedigree folks.  The album sounds good.  It rocks hard and it’s heavy.  The best song is the “bonus track” called “Side By Side”.  Just classic all around.

Also on the Encore front rack was the new Coney Hatch, Postcards From Germany.  Amazon fails again:  I cancelled my “pre-order” (now weeks late) right in front of Al and bought a copy from him instead.  It will be cool to hear their first new studio tracks since the Four album all those years back.  Not to mention there are songs on this live album that were not played at the El Mocambo for that prior live release.

One does not simply walk into Encore. The back door is guarded by more than just books.  There is music there that does not sleep, and the big speakers are ever playing. It is a rich treasure trove, riddled with finds, and vinyl and accessories; the very air you breathe is bathed in music!  Al was playing some Gentle Giant that really ticked my fancy.  That is a band I will need to investigate further down the road.  I found the musicianship challenging and strangely appealing.

I didn’t buy anything on vinyl, though Encore had a good chunk of the Kiss studio albums that I still need to add to my vinyl collection.  Vinyl is so expensive these days.  $36 for albums I used to buy for $10.  Especially considering I’m not going to play the record very often, and I already have the music many times over.  However, when I want them, Animalize, Asylum, Rock and Roll Over and the self-titled debut are all awaiting me.  There were also quite a few in the Arkells vinyl section that called my name.

The used CDs offered many temptations.  I could have filled up on Saga.  Frank Zappa beckoned me over, but I started in the A section and made my first questionable buy.  Why, after 25 years, am I finally buying Aerosmith’s Geffen-centric live album A Little South of Sanity?  Because I can’t justify spending $150 on the Japanese Greatest Hits with three exclusive live discs, and not patch up these glaring holes in my live Aerosmith collection.  I’ve played A Little South of Sanity a number of times at the Store when it was new, and I know I don’t like it.  Too many backing tapes.  You can hear two or three Tylers singing together at once.  Jen hears it too.  I’ll probably play this once for review, and never again.  Collecting!!

In the “G” section, I decided to finally start my Glass Tiger collection.  I wanted Diamond Sun on vinyl initially, but when CDs are right there for eight bucks, you can’t say no.  Diamond Sun is a wonderful album, I discovered, with a couple serious deep cuts such as the epic “It’s Love U Feel”.  Impressive musicianship, and a tad on the progressive side at times, even though this is ultimately a pop rock band.  I also picked up the compilation CD Then Now Next.  This includes a variety of single versions, unreleased songs and new stuff including a Beatles cover!

Over in Journey, I found the remastered version of Steve Perry’s 1994 solo album For the Love of Strange Medicine.  All these years, I’ve never played this album.  I’m sure it’ll be mellow, even though he has members of Winger and Hardline in his band.  In the liner notes, Perry is very bitter about his treatment by record label executives.  The remaster has five bonus tracks (some of which were on Greatest Hits + 5 Unreleased), two of which are exclusives.

I also snagged a CD that I thought I needed, that I didn’t, that I will gift to a friend.

The winter season is often commenced by Thanksgiving.  I would consider this a good start.  We plan to see more of Encore this season.  I look forward to it, in fact, which is not something I usually say about going out in the winter time.

Moderation, though.  Moderation.  Need to absorb all this new music, which will take time!  Until next time…

 

 

 

#1088: More Encore! Arkells Acquired

RECORD STORE TALES #1088: More Encore! Arkells Acquired

My Arkells obsession has not abated.  Since my birthday bonanza, at which I acquired Blink Once and Campfire Chords, I had not been able to buy any more Arkells.  Amazon doesn’t seem to carry much on CD these days, and when they do, the prices can be prohibitive.  I did pick up a CD copy of High Noon to eliminate those pops on my well-played vinyl, and a new review is incoming, but that was it.

I like writing a Record Store Tale with glad tidings.  Encore Records in Kitchener has delivered once again.

I’ve known Chris at Encore for about 20 years.  He has an excellent album under the band name Sexdwarf, which I got during the pandemic when I started ordering from Encore through the mail.  I don’t order as frequently these days, and I only get down there about once a year.  I’m allergic to parking downtown, and also public transit.  However, the ION train stops right at Encore, and Jen and I need to get me out of the house more this winter.  So, more Encore!  But back to Chris.

We talk infrequently, but I was asking him about getting the new Beaches and the new Arkells on CD.  (The Beaches is a problem – you can only get the CD from their website or shows, and shipping is more than the CD itself.  This baffles me because “Blame Brett” is a huge hit.)  Chris remembered, and let me know when he got the Arkells in.  In fact he had both Laundry Pile (2023) and Rally Cry (2018) on CD.  Rally Cry wasn’t even on their website.

I want to take it slow with this band.  Buying too much at once is overwhelming.  I feel like I haven’t properly absorbed Blink Once yet, though Campfire Chords is basically an unplugged “greatest hits” album.  However, I am ready to shuffle Laundry Pile and Rally Cry into the mix.  From what I have heard so far, Laundry Pile is softer and more acoustic.

Both albums are just 10 tracks, which I like.  That’s a nice comfortable number of songs for one sitting.

Now I just need two Arkells albums, CD preferred.  I need their 2008 debut Jackson Square, and last year’s Blink Twice.  I’m not sure what to expect.  The Arkells were much more of a rock band back in the Jackson Square days, and pivotal member Tony Carrone (keyboards) had yet to join the band.  That’s not a knock against the original keyboardist Dan Griffin, but more a comment on how much Carrone has contributed over many albums.  From what I have heard, Blink Twice is the most pop Arkells album to date, with lots of guest appearances from artists I have never heard of.  I am wary, but I’ve come too far to turn back now.  (I also need some singles, EPs, and compilations, but my albums collection is nearing completion.)

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is this.  It’s very simple.

Thank you Chris at Encore Records in Kitchener, for your help.  Jen was having lunch across the street from Encore this afternoon, and she was able to scoop up Rally Cry and Laundry Pile with ease, and at great prices.  All while using our ION train and supporting local businesses.

Encore has never let me down.  Whether it be Chris, Mark, Al, or, rest in peace Christine, they’ve never let me down.

Well, only once.

Way back in the summer of ’99, I bought a Japanese CD of Joe Satriani’s The Extremist, and Mark put a domestic disc in the Japanese case.

But he also hand-delivered a Metallica box set to my house, so we don’t care about such things!

I look forward to visiting Encore this winter, using that handy train to get downtown with no fuss or muss.  Maybe they’ll have Blink Twice or Jackson Square in stock.  Who knows what I will find?  Their selection of used CDs always offers a surprise or two, sometimes even a new release.  Encore will keep the music rocking and rolling for us this winter.

 

 

 

#1087: View From the Front

RECORD STORE TALES #1087: View From the Front

Although our back porch at the cottage is arguably nicer and more comfortable, the front has its advantages.  What it lacks in privacy, it makes up for in a huge front awning that has protected me from in in every storm, and even broadcast Grab A Stack of Rock in the rain.  It has the best view, with the bright blue of Lake Huron peeking through the trees, right in my eyeline, no matter what I’m doing.

But I’ve always had a preference for the front, even at home when I was a kid.  Despite the privacy of the back, I was usually playing in the front.  I always wished I had a bedroom with a front window.  The back didn’t give me much to look at when I stared out the window.  Which I did a lot.

Was I trying to see, or be seen?

Like my dad, I always have this sense of…keeping watch?  If I hear a loud motor coming down the road, I usually look.   We used to make fun of my dad for this, but I have become my dad.

I have a sense that I’m partly keeping an eye out, but am I also intentionally making myself visible?

Back then in my youth, I’d be playing Lego in the front yard.  Then, G.I. Joe and Star Wars.  The grass and twigs were great for fort building.

Later, it would be ghetto blasters, guitars and music.  A lot it would happen on the front patio.

I’m a shy guy by nature and I prefer to let neighbors walk by as I focus on whatever I happen to be focusing on.  Sometimes writing, sometimes listening, sometimes just watching cartoons.  I like to play the music at a decent volume, and yes, you can usually hear it from the road.  (Sorry.)  So why do I draw this attention to myself?

I think there’s a part of me who still thinks, “Hey look at me, listening to 80s Styx on the front porch like a bad ass,” even at age 51.

I don’t know what to think about that.

 

#1086: Seven Tales for Seven Photos

RECORD STORE TALES #1086: Seven Tales for Seven Photos

Instead of one new Record Store Tale, today I present seven mini-stories!  With photo accompaniment.

#1087 A:  Canadian Redneck

Found this guy on my Facebook one morning.  No idea who he is.  Looks kind of familiar.  “Hey ya’ll!” he said, apparently on his vacation.  “Take a vacation from yourselves once in a while!” he said.  Should I be taking advice from this guy?  Something tells me no, but something also tells me yes….

I’ll give this guy credit for one thing, whoever he is:  great hair.  That’s a classic style he’s sporting there.

#1087 B:  A Couple Turkeys

Fall has arrived and it’s turkey season.  I snapped this selfie up at The Beef Way, north of Kincardine Ontario.

Regular readers here know we take food very seriously.  We had some bad luck earlier at a Kitchener store called Robert’s Boxed Meats.  I am here to tell you that we will never shop at Robert’s Boxed Meats ever again.  Twice he sold us spoiled beef, and the last time was an expensive tomahawk steak.

The Beef Way sold us three freshly butchered tomahawks this summer, not to mention some T-bones, porterhouses and ribeyes.  He also sold us the best bacon I’ve ever had in my life, some amazing “fry-pies”, and condiments & jams.  It is a shame the Beef Way is so far from home, but we won’t be wasting any more dollars at Robert’s Boxed Meats.  Which is a shame, since Robert’s is the only place within 100 kilometers that sells A5 Waygu steaks.  Just not worth the risk.  Don’t be a turkey; don’t buy from Robert’s.  One pack of spoiled meat is an isolated incident.  Two is a problem.  You have been warned.

#1087 C:  Jen is Joining Tee Bone Man!

Harrison has created a prototype Jen figure for the Adventures of Tee Bone Man!  But this is not her final form, and we have her own Jen In Space spinoff planned.  I have purchased a number of different hair pieces and hats for Jen as she ventures into space on board the Galaxy Explorer.

You will just have to keep reading Tee Bone Man to see how she fits into the story.  Though she has been mentioned in the past, a few people asked me “Why is Jen not in the Tee Bone Man stories?”  The truth is there isn’t a good reason, aside from the fact that we don’t write together very well.  We never have.  We tried to write our own Trailer Park Boys fan fiction when we first met, and we immediately realized we do not collaborate well with the written word.  At all.  We’re better off creatively with me writing and her knitting!

However, this winter we’re going to start integrating her character into the story — wish us luck!

#1087 D:  If It’s Too Loud Then You’re Too Old

The porch is my happy place.  Music sounds better out there in the great green open!  And I play it loud.  It’s easy to forget how easily sounds carry at the lake.  You’d think the trees would act as a sound baffle, preventing the music from carrying.  You’d be wrong!

Maybe it’s the lack of city background noise, but if I am cranking it really loud, you can hear the tunes almost all the way down at the beach.  At normal volume, passers by can hear it from the road.

And they know I’m playing music way cooler than they are!

A few weeks ago, a couple kids were biking down the road with some kind of speaker on their bikes.  They were blasting “Kickstart My Heart” by Motley Crue.

“GOOD SONG!” said one kid to the other.

I just laughed, and remembered being told to turn that song down when I was their age, about 34 years ago!

 

1087 E:  Green Lamborghini

Driving home from the cottage on October 1, I snapped a photo at a stoplight.  I know, I know.  You’re not supposed to handle your phone at any time in a car, even a stoplight.  But I could not resist this beauty.  Two kids crossing the road filmed this car as it sat low to the ground, ready to rip.

He did not “rip” though; he drove the speed limit the whole way, even on Highway 8, which surprised us.

It was a pleasant drive home, with only one guy zipping in and out of passing cars, and it wasn’t this guy.  It was some guy whose car sounded like a weedwhacker when he gunned it.  Lambo Man just kept going the speed limit.

Good going, Lambo Man!

1087 F:  A Penny For Your Thoughts

I just found these coins in my music room:  one of each major denomination of Canadian coinage.

#1087 G:  The Face of Terror

Ah, childhood photos.  Always good for a laugh…or pure horror!

My parents took me to meet “celebrities” a couple times.  Once was David Prowse, dressed as Darth Vader.   He even signed his autograph as “Darth Vader”.  That terrified me…but just look at Bert and Ernie here!

I may be smiling, but I was terrified and did not want to be there.  Bert was tickling me.  I was not amused!  I wanted the hell out of there!

Somewhere out there is a guy who used to dress as Bert and tickle kids to get them to smile.

Parents, never do this to your kids!  They will only post the photo to shame you down the road!

 

 

 

#1085: Designated Driver

By the request of Holen.  A sequel to #438:  Drunken Record Store Shenanigans

 

RECORD STORE TALES #1085: Designated Driver

Once in a while, there would come a night when I was out with the wrong (or right!) influences.  Perhaps I wasn’t driving that night, and had a few rum and Cokes.  Captain Morgan’s spiced rum when available, Bacardi only when without options.  These were the rules!  One night I was drinking Caesars at a home party, and it was the last time touched Vodka in two whole decades.  I felt absolutely shit the next morning, like never before!  At that point, I really started to cut down on the drinking.  Now, I might have a beer once every couple years, only socially.  I drink a Caesar once a year on the front porch of the cottage.  It puts me straight to sleep.

In the Record Store days, I was usually the designated driver.  I was fine with that.  I didn’t mind being around intoxicated people.  I was easily entertained by their shenanigans, and I have the memories today to tell the stories.

One year, probably 1998, there was a house party at the Boss’ place.  He had a great back yard for parties.  I usually supplied the boom box.  There would be food, drink, and a couple of the guys would sneak behind the garage to smoke some weed.  One year, Dave “Homer” Holmes brought a couch, and why not?  Dare I say, why not.  The couch was the place to be that year.

1998’s party was the bomb as usual, but I couldn’t stay the whole night this time.  I was heading to the cottage very early the next morning with a friend.  I wasn’t willing to bend on that.  When you only have the cottage for a day and a half, you want to get there before lunch, that’s for sure.  So I made it clear, from the start, to my three passengers:  I am leaving at such-and-such a time.  (I can’t remember exactly, but let’s say 11:00 PM.)  I had a long drive ahead of me the next morning, I explained.  “Are you OK with this?” I asked.  “This means you’ll have to get a ride home with someone else, or leave with me at 11.  Got it?”  Everyone affirmative.  Getting a ride home with someone else wasn’t usually difficult, but if not, you know what?  Taxis and busses.  Either way:  I’m leaving at 11.

The only passenger whom I didn’t know well was the girlfriend of one of my friends.  She seemed OK to me.  I can’t remember her name.  Let’s call her Jane.  She had always been nice to me up to this point.  I’m sure you can guess that when the clock struck 11, she was the one who became a problem.

“Oh just stay another hour…it’s a great party!  Just stay,” she cajoled.  “Just another hour.  One more hour.”

OK.  One more hour.  I enjoyed myself as much as I could, but I was already concerned that one hour would turn into two, into three…

I’ll let you guess what happened next.

At midnight, I announced I was leaving, and if anyone wanted a ride, now was the time.  Jane was irritated by this.  “Why are you ruining this party?  We’re all having a good time, why do you want to ruin it?”

I could not believe what I was hearing.   I went to talk to my two friends alone.  “What the hell guys?  She’s treating me like a piece of shit, and you all knew I was leaving early!”  They were no use.  “Oh that’s just her.”

Needless to say, I wasn’t staying a minute longer.  I drove home, alone.

She broke up with my friend a few weeks later.  And that’s the end of her chapter!

 

 

#1084: Ghost’s No Cell-Phone Zone

RECORD STORE TALES #1084: Ghost’s No Cell-Phone Zone

Those of us over a certain age, don’t we all long for the old days?  Wouldn’t it be nice to see an arena full of cigarette lighters instead of cell phones for a change?  Ozzy used to scream to the audience:  “Let me see your cigarette lighters!”  Does anyone ever command an audience to raise their cell phones?

I kid, of course.  The real issue is that some bands today, such as Ghost, don’t want to see a show being filmed and uploaded to YouTube.  I get it.  Bootlegging is far more ubiquitous than it was when I was in my 20s.  Back then, if you had the balls, you could try to a record a show yourself, like my sister’s friend did with the Barenaked Ladies in the 90s with a mono microcassette recorder.  They were able to get a few unreleased BNL cult classics on tape that way.  It sounded like shit, but they had it.  It was easy to sneak in the tape recorder, but you had to flip the tape and make sure you had fresh batteries in there.  Not to mention, you had to actually own a small tape recorder, which not everyone did!  Today virtually everyone has a cell phone, and virtually every cell phone has a hi-def camera built in.  You can even record in stereo on some.

Presumably for this reason, Ghost have initiated a No Cell-Phone Zone at their concerts.

The comments on this news were predictable.  “I have no problem with this,” said one troll, “since I have no desire to see Ghost.”

What about someone like me?  I am a full-time caregiver.  My wife has uncontrolled epilepsy and would not be at a concert of any kind with me.  I get a call, I leave.  That’s it.  I need my phone.

Here’s how it works.

Upon entry, your phone will be placed in a Yondr pouch, and locked.  You take the pouch and phone with you, pocket it, and enjoy the show.  After the show, you can unlock the pouch at an unlocking station.  How many of these are available, and where they are exactly, is not clear from the Ghost press release.  As long as these are plentiful and easy to access, this situation is not too bad.

If I got an emergency call mid-show, I could feel the vibrations, but I would not be able to answer.  However I would be able to step out, unlock my phone, and call back.

If the call turned out to be another air-duct cleaning company, or another scam, I would be pissed off that I exited the show to check my phone.  I wouldn’t have a choice.  If it rings, it could be an emergency.  That’s just my life.  That’s just how my life works and has worked for 15 years.

Although this scheme is something that seems new and therefore scary and threatening, it does seem to be workable.  You can feel your phone vibrate through the pouch, and still know your phone is getting a call.  What happens after that is up to you.  In my case, I would need to know what it was, and chances are, I’ll miss a song because of some stupid scam call.  In most cases, people will not check their phones at all, and just keep enjoying the show.

No cell phones waving in the air in front of you.  It doesn’t seem so bad.

The main factors are two:  the unlocking stations must be numerous, and easy to access.  Otherwise I’d have problems with this plan.

I’m cautiously on Ghost’s side with this one.  It will be interesting to see which bands adopt this, and who are opposed.

Could be interesting!

#1083: The Helicopter Video (The Great Record Album Collection)

RECORD STORE TALES #1083: The Helicopter Video (The Great Record Album Collection)

1983/84.

Music videos were just starting to happen when I was a kid. There wasn’t a MuchMusic yet, but there were a few ways to catch music videos on your Canadian TV sets. One was Toronto Rocks out of channel 7, City TV. Another was a show called The Great Record Album Collection, which we saw out of WNED TV in Buffalo NY.  Channel 29!

I don’t remember much of this show. I recall seeing Quiet Riot, but there was one video I saw twice that I cannot identify.

If you can help me find out the name of the band and song, it would be a great help.

Here’s what I can recall:

I remember seeing a music video with a three-piece band.  We have to assume it was a new wave band based on the year.  It was not the Police.  In the video, I recall there was a helicopter.  It had red in it.  I think it was a remote control model ‘copter, and at the end of the song, the ‘copter crashed and/or blew up.  That’s all I can remember.  The band was playing on a black stage as I remember, intercut with occasional shots of this helicopter.

I was transitioning from childhood into adolescence.  It was important to like music, and not just John Williams symphonies.  I thought “These guys are cool.  I like them.”  But I only saw them twice and never again.

Ideas?  Post a YouTube link to a video in the comments.