The Artist Formerly Known As LeBrain

“I got blisters on me fingers!” (VINCE NEIL Washburn GALLERY!)

I decided to dust off the ol’ guitar today to do some writing and recording.  I haven’t played a note in two years.  Needless to say my fingers hate me right now.  But I got the job done and a piece of music I don’t hate.

My weapon of choice (my only guitar) is the Vince Neil Washburn, a limited exition axe exclusive to Future Shop stores in Canada.  It was limited to 2500 pieces, numbered, and retailed originally for $299.99.  I got mine on clearance — $69.99, including the little practice amp, three Vince Neil picks, strap, and certificate of authenticity with Vince’s autograph.  A close inspection reveals that it’s actual pen, not just printed on.

When I told people about my purchase, they’d usually respond, “Wait…isn’t Vince Neil the singer from Motley Crue?”  Yes, he played guitar once in a blue moon live, but I guess that’s why I got mine so cheap on clearance.  And it wasn’t the last one; my buddy Chris bought one too and re-sold it for profit.

Currently, there are none on eBay, so I suggest if you find one at a decent price, may as well pick it up!  It’s a decent sounding guitar, the amp works as a practice amp but for me to record with, not so hot.  I’m not really a guitar player, I can basically just play my way around blues scales, so I can’t really really review it as an instrument — just as a collector.

         

A sample of how the Vince Neil Washburn sounds can be found below.  (Reminder:  I am NOT a guitar player!)

Part 79: Physical Product

Loyal rock fans,

You’ve seen me say it here many times:  I love physical product.  I hate being forced to download something.  I hate paying money to own…what?  1’s and 0’s floating on a magnetic disc, a fragile thing that can die just because it wants to.  Know what I mean?

I like packaging.  I like knowing who wrote the songs, who produced them, who played what.  I like artwork, I like lyrics, heck I even like the thank-you’s!  Ever read the thank-you’s inside Def Leppard’s Hysteria?  Extensive and hilarious!  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.  When I began in ’94 we still sold tapes, and I was actually still buying tapes, if the price was right.  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.  Still don’t have that on CD, very hard to find in this part of the world. 

My CD collection increased approximately by 50 times, over my years there.  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 to back then.  I don’t have to haul my discs around with me anymore when I’m heading to the cottage.  I used to pack 15, 20 discs for variety.  Now I just load up a 64 gig flash drive, and throw it in the car.  When I get to the cottage I have my mp3 player at the ready.  I don’t have to worry about breaking the cases, scratching the discs, or anything.

You know something?  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.  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.  Incredible!  Granted my collection wasn’t big, it was two cases of tapes and about 5 records, but still.  Today, flash drive, MP3 player.  Done.

But I’ll always keep my physical product, and at home I will listen to nothing else.  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.

Part 78: GUEST SHOT! Meat on LeBrain

Normally I wouldn’t post something so self-glorifying, but I won’t edit a word out of any of my guest shots.  This one comes from the infamous Sausagefester, ex-record store alumnus, and music connoisseur, Meat.  He sent this to me by surprise this afternoon, so I had to post it.   Enjoy.

RECORD STORE TALES PART 78:  Meat on LeBrain

Today is Lebrain’s 40th birthday.  Today seems like a good day to give you all my thoughts  on the man…the myth…the legend…Michael Ladano.

I would have first met Mr. Ladano in I believe late 1998 or early 1999.  I was working at a record store and really didn’t know anyone at other locations.  Since there was a fair amount of phone activity between different stores, it was inevitable that our paths would cross.  I kept hearing about the manager of another store that was something of a music aficionado, and the biggest Kiss fan in town.  Considering myself of the same ilk, and a long-time Kiss fan myself, I was looking forward to the inevitable.  I don’t remember the first conversation we had honestly,  it was probably some sort of inquiry about an Anita Baker stock transfer , but anyways,  I do remember the first time we talked about Kiss.  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).  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.  Needless to say we immediately hit it off.  We worked together only once at his location.  He actually has a better memory of that one shift (Meat’s 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:  I do remember that night very well.  I remember driving Meat home, talking about Metallica’s medley of Mercyful Fate tunes.  As it happens, I had that tape in the car, so we rocked it!] 

I am lucky to know many guys who are self-proclaimed and ordained-by-others as music experts.  The mighty Tom has been mentioned in this blog before.  Others include Scottie Geffros…Scott Hunter and more.  Michael Ladano trumps them all in both knowledge and actual music collection.  No one loves music more than LeBrain.  I certainly disagree with a lot of music that Ladano loves, and have been very vocal to him about that, but I guess that’s just part and parcel with being “LeBrain”.  But most importantly, Michael Ladano’s greatest trait is simply being himself.  If there is someone who is more truly sincere and kind, I have not met them.  No one treated complete strangers better during his record store days than Mike Ladano.  No one loves his wife or significant other more than Mike Ladano.  The truth is  everyone likes Ladano.  As a matter of fact, there are only a very, very select few that I know that don’t like him.  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.  Truly lacking character, substance and kindness of any sort, they should be ashamed of themselves.  It says something that only the worst people in the Tri-Cities are the select few that don’t like him.

I really enjoy this blog Mike and try to read every entry.  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.  Your love of music is infectious and impressive,  but not as impressive as Mike the friend, the person and the husband.  Is this blog-entry just alot of over-blown Maudlin? Of course it is. If anyone I know deserves Maudlin, its Sir Michael Ladano.  Remember, when the rest of you are sleeping comfortably at night…LeBrain is rolling in his sleep anticipating the upcoming Kiss and Darkness albums.  You gotta love the guy.

Meat

REVIEW: Motley Crue – “Sex” single (2012)

SEX

MOTLEY CRUE – “Sex” (iTunes, 2012)

Nikki Sixx – “Sounds like it could have been on our first album.”

LeBrain – “Bullshit!”

Don’t be fooled by the hype.  “Sex” is a good song, but it sounds nothing at all like anything on Too Fast For Love.  It sounds like it could have been on Saints of Los Angeles.   Which is fine, if you like that album.  I do like that album, I think it is a good Motley album.  Not a great Motley album like Too Fast, but certainly better than, say, New Tattoo.

I think what Nikki did with “Sex” was to try, on purpose, to write a single.  A single in a particular style, that being, hard rock Motley Crue.  And I think that is what I don’t like about it, it sounds contrived.

So, that’s what “Sex” is:  An overproduced single with lots of backing vocals, loud drums, and some guitar effects.  The chorus is fine, copping the “woah, yeah” from “Kickstart My Heart”, only not as good.  I’ve heard the song a few times now, for $1.29, it was painless to buy.   It just fails to excite me.  Not the way “Feelgood” did in the summer of ’89, and “Primal Scream” did in ’91.  Those summers, I could not get those tunes off my deck!  I don’t think I will be going back to listen to “Sex” too often, unless there’s something going on here that I’m just plain missing right now.

Having said that, Mick’s solo is cool and I think he’s an underrated player.

2.5/5 stars

(NOTE:  I hate downloads!  I like physical product!  I want liner notes!  Who produced it, who wrote it?)

Jon Lord: 1941-2012

When I was a (really) young kid hearing Deep Purple for the first time, I thought the keyboard player looked so cool, with his glasses and moustache.  So, naturally, I drew a picture of him.  With a machete.  And I called him Street Lord!

As an adult, Jon Lord’s playing and writing has shaped my experience as a music fan.  I shall dearly miss his musical contributions to the world.  I considered Jon Lord to be one of the most talented, if not the most talented, musician in rock.  It is truly a shame that now, 44 years since their inception, there can never be a reunion of Deep Purple Mk I, II, or III.

Rest in Peace Jon.

Part 75.5: Supplimental: Sausagefest 2012 Countdown & Pics
Gardenia Kyuss
Money For   Nothing Dire Straits
Dogs Pink Floyd
The Rime of   the Ancient Mariner Iron Maiden
Watermelon   Man Herbie Hancock
Simple Man Lynyrd Skynyrd
Holy Diver Dio
Aqualung Jethro Tull
One Metallica
NIB Black Sabbath
Fade to Black Metallica
Bark at the   Moon Ozzy Osbourne
Freebird Lynyrd Skynyrd
Ohio Crosby, Stills, Nash   and Young
Ophelia The Band
Into the Void Black Sabbath
Bring it on   Home Led Zeppelin
46 and 2 Tool
Time   Travelling Blues Orange Goblin
How Heavy   This Axe The Sword
Bullet in the   Head Rage Against the   Machine
Pick Up The   Pieces The Average White   Band
Postmortem/Raining   Blood Slayer
Jambi Tool
Sir Duke Stevie Wonder
Space Cadet Kyuss
School Supertramp
Green Machine Kyuss
Dazed and   Confused Led Zeppelin
Fool’s   Overture Supertramp
Suite: Judy   Blue Eyes Crosby, Stills, Nash   and Young
Aenima Tool
Lazy Deep Purple
Breaking the   Law Judas Priest
Hot For   Teacher Van Halen
Moby Dick Led Zeppelin
Immigrant   Song Led Zeppelin
Supa Stoopid Funkadelic
Helter   Skelter The Beatles
One of These   Days Pink Floyd
Ziggy   Stardust David Bowie
Love Gun Kiss
Highway to   Hell AC/DC
Golden   Slumbers/CTW/In The End The Beatles
Flight of   Icarus Iron Maiden
RearView   Mirror Pearl Jam
Number of the   Beast Iron Maiden
Hot City   Symphony The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
Ramble Tamble Creedence Clearwater   Revival
Free Will Rush
Marquee Moon Television
Cant You Hear   Me Knockin The Rolling Stones
Stand By Him Ghost
Black Water The Doobie Brothers
Goin Up To   The Country Canned Heat
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath
Ritual Ghost
Angel of   Death Slayer
For Whom the   Bell Tolls Metallica
Sex Machine James Brown
Whole Lotta   Love Led Zeppelin
Floods Pantera
Working Man Rush
Tuesday’s   Gone Lynyrd Skynyrd
Sober Tool
Killers Iron Maiden
New Orleans   is Sinking The Tragically Hip
Nobody’s   Fault But Mine Led Zeppelin
Folsom Prison   Blues Johnny Cash
Walk Pantera
Pigs (3   Different Ones) Pink Floyd
Bombtrack Rage Against the   Machine
Misty   Mountain Hop Led Zeppelin
Denim and   Leather Saxon
Ball of   Confusion The Temptations
TRIBUTES
Sins of the Father Black Sabbath
The River Tea Party
Mr. Crowley Ozzy Osbourne
Resurrection   Shuffle Ashton, Gardner and   Dyke
Stinkfist Tool
A Lil Piece   of Heaven Avenged Sevenfold
Naked Eye   (live) The Who
Suzanne Leonard Cohen
Finding My   Way Rush
Gato Devin Townsend
Shangri-La The Kinks
Sleeping   Giant Mastadon
The   Unforgiven III Metallica
Captain Nemo The Michael Schenker   Group
Eulogy of the   Damned Orange Goblin
Inside   Looking Out Grand Funk Railroad
Sirius/Eye in   the Sky Alan Parsons Project
Darlene Led Zeppelin
Search &   Destroy Iggy Pop
Woman From   Tokyo Deep Purple
Funk #49 James Gang
Between the   Wheels Rush
Jessica The Allman Brothers
Strutter KISS
Fish On Primus
Little House   I Used to Live In Frank Zappa
Laid to Rest Lamb of God
Mannish Boy Muddy Waters
Texas Flood Stevie Ray Vaughan
The Sixteens Sweet
We Built This   City Starship

Part 75: 2012 Sausagefest Report part two

Haven’t read part one yet?  Click here.

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.  “Love Gun” from Alive II was my pick.  We were inundated with Mammoth, more Tool, more Maiden, and awesomely enough, “Watermelon Man” by Herbie Hancock, light years ahead of its time.  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”.  Oh what a beauty.  Must get.

Meat’s going to post the whole countdown when he’s back online (see: last installment) which should be soon.   Thank God for warranties.

Speaking of warranties, my car deck had to be replaced.  Sausagefest’s rainstorm killed it, I guess.  It took with it the new Tenacious D disc.  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.  It reminds me of what it was like to be a kid.  At the end of summer holidays, sometimes you waved goodbye to friends and said, “See you next summer,” and you just can’t wait for next summer to come.  That’s what Sausagefest is like.  I’d do it again next week in a heartbeat!

Part 74.5: The Best Part of Sausagefest (Clockwork Autographs)

Meat gave this to me.

“You’re the collector, not me,” he said.

That’s really not a good excuse to give away an autographed Rush disc, man.  But, as Burgess Meredith said so wisely in Clash of the Titans, “A divine gift should never be questioned, simply accepted.”  And are Rush not gods of rock?

Thank you Meat Man.

Part 74: 2012 Sausagefest Report part one

What happens at Sausagefest stays at Sausagefest.  That’s been the rule since day one, 11 years ago.  Having said that, I can talk about some of my own experiences this year, the best Sausagefest I’ve experienced to date.

For more photos please go to GALLERY: Sausagefest 2012

Sausagefest 2012 has come and gone once again.  This year for me was full of new music, new flavours, and new faces.   There were still four alumni from my record store days.  Older, wiser, maybe a little fatter, definitely a little greyer.  All four of us sported white somewhere on our heads….

Meat and a few others has spent the previous night seeing Tenacious D.  I’m hoping I can get him to do a concert review because that’s a tale in itself.  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.  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.  The new PA system was set up and shortly thereafter, the rock began.

The countdown was different this year:  A top 75 instead of 100, culled from the 31 submitted lists.  In addition, 31 tribute songs, one for each submittee!  A total of 106 songs plus comedy sketches and about 10 “LeBrain” bits about the tunes, trying to do my best Jeff Woods impression.  The countdown took two evenings and I don’t know how many hours….

But it was solidly amazing all the way through.  That first night, we heard my tribute song which was my #1 this year:  “Strutter”.  We also heard plenty of Rush, tool, Sabbath, and everything else too.  And that was just the first night.  Saturday, we’d hear the top half…

The equipment was (mostly) put under a tarp, and we all went to our respective sleeping places.  I say “mostly” because not only did Meat leave all his clothes outside, but he also seemed to have soaked his laptop charger.  I awoke in the middle of a thunderstorm.  I think the storm lasted about three hours.

Then, I discovered that my car stereo was out.  Kaput.  How?  Must have been the storm.  But it wasn’t a fuse.  We went into town for an amazingly greasy good breakfast and hit up a car parts store for fuses.  It wasn’t a fuse.  At presstime it isn’t fixed yet.  So my car stereo is busted, and Meat still doesn’t have a charger for his laptap.  Would we trade the weekend in for anything else?

Of course not!

Check back later for part two.

GALLERY: Sausagefest 2012

It has come, and it has gone.  It was epic.  I will post more details later.  For now, enjoy the gallery.

For the record, the #1 song this year was “Gardenia” by Kyuss, and the mix tape features guest appearances from Jeff Woods, Craig Fee, and Stephen Hawking (although I’m pretty sure that last one was fake).