We used to get a lot of DJ’s coming in.Β They’d buy a lot of stuff (at a discounted price) but they’d also require a lot of extra customer service.Β Most DJ’s already had a substantial collection of essential discs for every occasion, so they’d come in looking for obscure requests.
I can’t remember the request in this story, but I do remember the DJ.Β He went in to see Trevor at his store first, looking for this rare CD.
Trevor called me, and I did have it, so I set it aside.Β Then Trevor asked the DJ’s name so I could hold it.Β The only issue here was the DJ (a very nice guy actually) had a thick, unidentified accent.
“Can I get your first name?” Trevor asked.
“Beer,” the man seemingly answered.
Trevor must have blinked when he asked, “Sorry, what was that?”
“Beer!” came the answer.
Trevor responded, “Really, your name is Beer?Β That’s cool!”
“No no no.Β BEER!Β B-I-L-L.Β Beer!”
“OH!Β Bill.Β Sorry.Β Got it,” Trevor answered, glad to have gotten to the bottom of it, but no doubt disappointed that the man’s name was not in fact Beer.
However that’s the kind of thing that creates a nickname, so Bill was always Beer between us.Β You’d put a CD on hold, you’d write “Beer” on it.Β You’d know who it was for!Β It was for Bill, obviously.
Back in 2003, I was working with this…fucking idiot.Β We’ll call him Dandy.Β Easily the most superficial person I’ve ever had the displeasure of associating with.Β We’ll be talking more about him later on, believe me.
When Dandy told me there was this new band that would be right up my alley called The Darkness, I wanted nothing to do with it.Β Not only did I hate pretty much everything he raved about, but he meant it sort of as a joke.Β Like, “Watch me get Mike into a shitty band like The Darkness.”
Anyway, the way he decribed them to me sounded spoofy, and I hate 96.5% of spoofy music.Β I take my hair rock seriously.
A few months later, we opened another franchise in St. Catharines (a shitty hour and a half long drive in the mornings), and I was assigned training duty for their new manager.Β We worked side by side daily for a couple weeks and I found him to be a good guy.Β When he put The Darkness on, I was skeptical, but by no means opposed, because he obviously wasn’t a shitface like Dandy.Β He wasn’t trying to yank my chain.
Yet, I’d never heard this band before…who the hell were they?Β Some new band from England that looked like a cross between Queen and Aerosmith.Β And sounded something like a cross between Queen, AC/DC and Guns N’ Roses.Β Yet was nothing at all like anything that was coming out at the time.Β And they could play.
I like bands with unique singers, and Justin Hawkins is definitely unique.Β I was into it!Β Dandy was wrong — this wasn’t a spoof.Β These guys were serious.
We played that album any time we could get away with it — which wasn’t often since Permission To Land is loaded with “fucks”. I grew to love every song.Β Great songs like βGrowing On Meβ and βFriday Nightβ kept me going on the really bad days, like a shot of Liquid Schwartz in the ol’ engine.Β Β Β They quickly became my Favourite New Band, and pretty much have remained that for the last ten years!
When the second album came out, I remember one of theΒ headΒ office peopleΒ made a point of telling me how much she hated it.
“The new Darkness…sucks.”
“Oh yeah?”Β I responded, not really surprised I’d hear that from this person.Β They loved to rain on my musicalΒ parades.Β They thought they were doing me a favour, trying to get me out of “cheesey” music, and onto “good” music.
“There’s this one song where all he does is sing, ‘I love what you’ve done with your hair,’ over and over again,” they complained.Β (Note:Β The song is called “Knockers”, of course.)
Predictably, I loved the second album, although it took a few listens to absorb.Β Today I find myself leaning more towards the second Darkness album.Β I think their ambition got the better of them in a lot of ways though.Β I think One Way Ticket was more appropriate as a fourth album, but as a second, a little shocking for the masses to absorb.Β And so, in my store at least, they ignored it in droves!
I followed them through the breakup, Hot Leg and Stone Gods, and now cannot wait to hear the long awaited third record, Hot Cakes, on August 21.Β Welcome back, The Darkness!
You’ve seen me say it here many times:Β I love physical product.Β I hate being forced to download something.Β I hate paying money to own…what?Β 1’s and 0’s floating on a magnetic disc, a fragile thing that can die just becauseΒ it wants to.Β Know what I mean?
I like packaging.Β I like knowing who wrote the songs, who produced them, who played what.Β I like artwork, I like lyrics, heck I even like the thank-you’s!Β Ever read the thank-you’s inside Def Leppard’s Hysteria?Β Extensive and hilarious!Β Mostly though, I think you gain an appreciation of an artist’s body of work, the more you know about it.
I like CD’s, and I’m fortunate to have worked in a CD store for pretty much the entire age of CD domination.Β When I began in ’94 we still sold tapes, and I was actually still buying tapes, if the price was right.Β Cassette was my primary physical product for another year, before I began the slow (still incomplete) process of re-buying all my tapes on CD.
For example, Wolfsbane’s first album.Β Still don’t have that on CD, very hard to find in this part of the world.Β
My CD collection increased approximatelyΒ by 50Β times, over my years there.Β I love physical product!
I like to keep them in good shape, and for that reason, I’m glad about the improved quality of digital media and players these days compared toΒ back then.Β I don’t have to haul my discs around with me anymore when I’m heading to the cottage.Β I used to packΒ 15, 20 discs for variety.Β Now I just loadΒ up a 64 gigΒ flash drive, and throw it in the car.Β When I get to the cottage I have my mp3 player at the ready.Β I don’t have to worry about breaking the cases, scratching the discs, or anything.
You know something?Β When I was a really young fella, like 13 or 14, we used to go to the cottage for 2 weeks at a time in the summer.Β When you’re 13, you get bored pretty easily at the cottage, so I began bringing my entire tape collection, my record collection, and my turntable with me.Β Incredible!Β Granted my collection wasn’t big, it was two cases of tapes and about 5 records, but still.Β Today, flash drive, MP3 player.Β Done.
But I’ll always keep my physical product, and at home I will listen to nothing else.Β I think my buddy Marko Fox at 107.5 Dave FM said it very well:
Technology is my mistress as well…and I love her…but I still must be surrounded by records, tapes and CDs for my soul to survive.
That’s it right there.
I’ve posted this video once before, but I don’t care, it rocks.
Normally I wouldn’t post something so self-glorifying, but I won’t edit a word out of any of my guest shots.Β This one comes from the infamous Sausagefester, ex-record store alumnus, and music connoisseur, Meat.Β He sent this to me by surprise this afternoon, so I had to post it.Β Β Enjoy.
RECORD STORE TALES PART 78: Β Meat on LeBrain
Today is Lebrainβs 40th birthday.Β Today seems like a good day to give you all my thoughtsΒ on the man…the myth…the legendβ¦Michael Ladano.
I would have first met Mr. Ladano in I believe late 1998 or early 1999.Β I was working at a record store and really didnβt know anyone at other locations.Β Since there was a fair amount of phone activity between different stores, it was inevitable that our paths would cross.Β I kept hearing about the manager of another store that was something of a music aficionado, and the biggest Kiss fan in town.Β Considering myself of the same ilk, and a long-time Kiss fan myself, I was looking forward to the inevitable.Β I donβt remember the first conversation we had honestly,Β it was probably some sort of inquiry about an Anita Baker stock transfer , but anyways,Β I do remember the first time we talked about Kiss.Β I remember his genuine enthusiasm hearing that I had seen Kiss on the last tour with makeup (Creatures of the Night) and the first tour without makeup (Lick it Up).Β He proceeded to tell me that Ace Frehley was not actually in the makeup on the first aforementioned tour (something I already knew) and a bunch of other obscure Kiss facts.Β Needless to say we immediately hit it off.Β We worked together only once at his location.Β He actually has a better memory of that one shift (Meatβs memory is randomly hazy…gee I wonder why) but I do remember that the shift literally seemed to go faster than any shift I had worked previously.
[LeBRAIN’S NOTE:Β I do remember that night very well.Β I remember driving Meat home, talking about Metallica’s medley of Mercyful Fate tunes.Β As it happens, I had that tape in the car, so we rocked it!]Β
I am lucky to know many guys who are self-proclaimed and ordained-by-others as music experts.Β The mighty Tom has been mentioned in this blog before.Β Others include Scottie Geffrosβ¦Scott Hunter and more.Β Michael Ladano trumps them all in both knowledge and actual music collection.Β No one loves music more than LeBrain.Β I certainly disagree with a lot of music that Ladano loves, and have been very vocal to him about that, but I guess thatβs just part and parcel with being βLeBrainβ.Β But most importantly, Michael Ladanoβs greatest trait is simply being himself.Β If there is someone who is more truly sincere and kind, I have not met them.Β No one treated complete strangers better during his record store days than Mike Ladano.Β No one loves his wife or significant other more than Mike Ladano.Β The truth isΒ everyone likes Ladano.Β As a matter of fact, there are only a very, very select few that I know that donβt like him.Β Literally a few select people that all hang together and work together. Not-coincidentally these people are sincerely some of the worst people I have ever encountered in my life.Β Truly lacking character, substance and kindness of any sort, they should be ashamed of themselves.Β It says something that only the worst people in the Tri-Cities are the select few that donβt like him.
I really enjoy this blog Mike and try to read every entry.Β Even old Meatdogs can learn new tricks, and I appreciate reading and learning about musical artists, bands and albums that I thought I already knew everything about.Β Your love of music is infectious and impressive,Β but not as impressive as Mike the friend, the person and the husband.Β Is this blog-entry just alot of over-blown Maudlin? Of course it is. If anyone I know deserves Maudlin, its Sir Michael Ladano.Β Remember, when the rest of you are sleeping comfortably at nightβ¦LeBrain is rolling in his sleep anticipating the upcoming Kiss and Darkness albums.Β You gotta love the guy.
If you think back to the late 90’s, the hype surrounding Kiss was enormous.Β They’d just completed their successful reunion tour to rave reviews, what was left but an album?
I was excited too, but not as excited as “Kiss Man”….
I don’t remember his name and I never heard from him again, so heartbroken was he.Β My staff had a habit of telling annoyingΒ customers, “Hey, if you really want to talk about Kiss (or insert-band-name-here) then you should call back and talk to this guy Mike.Β He loves Kiss.”
One time, they told a lady I was interested in buying her original Whitesnake cover art painting.Β Which I wasn’t.Β Anyway, back to Kiss.
This guy had come in talking about Kiss with somebody, and they told him to call me.Β So he did.Β With two of my bosses standing in front of me, I blindly anwered the phone.Β To the best of my recollection, this was the conversation.Β Imagine two of my bosses standingΒ in front me alternating between glances and glares.
Kiss Man:Β Hi, is this Mike?
Mike:Β Yes, speaking.
Kiss Man:Β Oh hi, I was speaking with (insert whoever’s name it was) a couple days ago, and they told me you were a massive Kiss fan?
Mike:Β Yes, yes I am…
Kiss Man:Β Like really big Kiss fan?Β Like they said you have the dolls.
Mike:Β Yes…I do have some action figures… (the bosses both looking at me now)
Kiss Man:Β Are they the vintage ones?
Mike:Β Uh, pardon?
Kiss Man:Β Are they the vintage ones from the 1970’s.
Mike:Β Oh, no.Β They’re just the MacFarlanes.
Kiss Man:Β Cool, still.Β So do you know anything about the new Kiss album coming out called Psycho-Circus?
Mike:Β (thinking he was now asking when it was out, how much we’ll be selling it for, etc)Β Well, it’s out in a couple weeks, and there’s some kind of special edition cover, and we’ll be trying to get that one in.Β
Kiss Man:Β So how many times did you see them live?
Mike:Β Uhh, just once…I don’t really go to a lot of concerts…
Kiss Man:Β Just once?Β Like on this tour?
Mike:Β No…just once.Β I wanted to see them on the Revenge tour though.
Kiss Man:Β Have you heard theΒ new single, “Psycho Circus”?
Mike:Β No, I haven’t yet.
Kiss Man:Β On Q107?Β No?
Mike:Β No, I…
Kiss Man:Β Wow, and they said you were a big Kiss fan.
That one hurt, admittedly.
I eventually brought the conversation to a close, got shit for taking a “personal” call, explained to my bosses that I really didn’t have a clue who that was, and then later interrogated the staff to find up who setΒ me up with the Space Ace.
When I found out, they were disappointed that the conversation didn’t go well, as if they were trying to set with up with a new buddy.Β “He’s probably really sad now,” they said.
“Yeah.Β He’s probably never going to come back into the store again, because of you,” they helpfully added.
Yeah, well.Β It was a lose-lose situation and I definitely lost that time!
Record store employees get a lot of free shit. Β From shirts to discs to posters to the oddest promotional merchandise you can think of, they get a lot.
Used record store employees, like myself, do not!
Reason being?Β The word βusedβ. Β The recordΒ distributors automatically assumed we would sell everything that we got for free. Β Which we didnβt, because we didnβt want to hurt our already tenuous relationship. Β This is where my personal experience differs from the average record store guy. Β I got very, very little free stuff over the years.Β Β Β
Sometimes you’d see the odd promo disc arrive, but it was either something completely unknown that nobody wanted, or something like Much Dance 2002, that nobody wanted.
I did get a few things. Β Most of this stuff isnβt around anymore, either given away or wrecked. Β Hereβs a complete list of everything that I personally ever got for free from a record label during my 12 year tenure at the store, and it ainβt much!Β This stuff would just show up in boxes of discs that we ordered.
A Jon Bon Jovi golf ball, to promote his solo album Destination Anywhere.Β Ended up selling it at a garage sale for 25 cents.
A very nice Green Day Nimrod sweatshirt. Β It too was green.Β Don’t know what happened to it.
I had to fight for this one:Β A nice black Kiss sweat shirt. Β The higher-ups didnβt want me to get it.Β (Donβt know what they wanted it for!)
A Jann Arden βInsensitiveβ baseball hat.Β
A Vince Gill blue denim hat.
Two rolls of Star Wars stickers to promote the DVD release of the Original Trilogy. Β These have lasted a long time and I still have a partial roll.Β You’d be amazed how many things look better with Star Wars stickers on them
A bunch of Yoda buttons to promote Attack of the Clones. Β Gave these away to kids.
A bunch of Lord of the Rings buttons, to promote Fellowship. Β Also gave these away to kids.
Of these things, all I have left are the stickers and the Kiss sweatshirt, slowly fading from many washes. Β Not a lot to show for 12 years of the record store grind, but as I said, the record companies really hated giving us anything for free. Β The funny thing is, other people (DJβs, employees at other record stores) would come in and sell us dozens and dozens of promotional discs that they got for free. Β So the irony is, even though we played by the rules, we got stiffed. Β The other people who broke the rules got free shit all the time! Β Ainβt it the way?
Since pictures speak a thousand words, I’m going to let the pictures do most of the talking this time.
The countdown resumed Saturday afternoon.Β “Love Gun” from Alive II was my pick.Β We were inundated with Mammoth, more Tool, more Maiden, and awesomely enough, “Watermelon Man” by Herbie Hancock, light years ahead of its time.Β We also heard from old stanby’s such as Rush (“Between the Wheels”), and others like Crosby, Stills & Nash, Dire Straits, and Starship (?)(thanks Zach).
The #1 song on the countdown was Kyuss’ “Gardenia”.Β Oh what a beauty.Β Must get.
Meat’s going to post the whole countdown when he’s back online (see: last installment) which should be soon.Β Β Thank God for warranties.
Speaking of warranties, my car deck had to be replaced.Β Sausagefest’s rainstorm killed it, I guess.Β It took with it the new Tenacious D disc.Β But the unit was covered on warranty so all is well.
It’s always sad when Sausagefest is over, and we always look forward to the next one.Β It reminds me of what it was like to be a kid.Β At the end of summer holidays, sometimes youΒ waved goodbye to friends and said, “See you next summer,” and you just can’t wait for next summer to come.Β That’s what Sausagefest is like.Β I’d do it again next week in a heartbeat!
That’s really not a good excuse to give away an autographed Rush disc, man.Β But, as Burgess Meredith said so wiselyΒ in Clash of the Titans, “A divine gift should never be questioned, simply accepted.”Β And are Rush not gods of rock?
What happens at Sausagefest stays at Sausagefest.Β That’s been the rule since day one, 11 years ago.Β Having said that, I can talk about some of my own experiences this year, the best Sausagefest I’ve experienced to date.
Sausagefest 2012 has come and gone once again.Β This year for me was full of new music, new flavours, and new faces.Β Β There were still four alumni from my record store days.Β Older, wiser, maybe a little fatter, definitely a little greyer.Β All four of us sported white somewhere on our heads….
Meat and a few others has spent the previous night seeing Tenacious D.Β I’m hoping I can get him toΒ do a concert review because that’s a tale in itself.Β Suffice to say, I can’t imagine a better preface to Sausagefest than a Tenacious D show.
Meat, myself and a first-timer named Chris made the trek in my vehicle (Dougie Carmore) rocking to the “D” and stopping only for beer and ice.Β We arrived at our hallowed, sacred meeting place in record time and began setting up camp.
For me, that was pretty easy since I have chosen to sleep in my car most years.Β The new PA system was set up and shortly thereafter, the rock began.
The countdown was different this year:Β A top 75 instead of 100, culled from the 31 submitted lists.Β In addition, 31 tribute songs, one for each submittee!Β A total of 106 songs plus comedy sketches and about 10 “LeBrain” bits about the tunes, trying to do my best Jeff Woods impression.Β The countdown took two evenings and I don’t know how many hours….
But it was solidly amazing all the way through.Β That first night, we heard my tribute song which was my #1 this year:Β “Strutter”.Β We also heard plenty of Rush, Tool, Sabbath, and everything else too.Β And that was just the first night.Β Saturday, we’d hear the top half…
The equipment was (mostly) put under a tarp, and we all went to our respective sleeping places.Β I say “mostly” because not only did Meat leave all his clothes outside, but he also seemed to have soaked his laptop charger.Β I awoke in the middle of a thunderstorm.Β I think the storm lasted about three hours.
Then, I discovered that my car stereo was out.Β Kaput.Β How?Β Must have been the storm.Β But it wasn’t a fuse.Β We went into town for an amazingly greasy good breakfast and hit up a car parts store for fuses.Β It wasn’t a fuse.Β At presstime it isn’t fixed yet.Β So my car stereo is busted, and Meat still doesn’t have a charger for his laptap.Β Would we trade the weekend in for anything else?
mikeladano.com 