Thank you again to Marco D’Auria for inviting me for this special episode of the Contrarians! Join us for some more Record Store Tales, including how the Beat Goes On got started selling used CDs in 1994! Hear how 15 CDs quickly turned into 5000. Lots of great memories and crazy stories. Give it a watch.
50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: Women In Uniform 2014 remix 7″ single
GRAB A STACK OF ROCK bonus episode
Thanks to viewer Ian Cocks for alerting us to another single we needed to review for a bonus episode! In the early 2000s, Iron Maiden reissued some classic singles with brand new B-sides. What we did not know when we recorded that episode, is that Iron Maiden dropped another reissue single in 2014…with technically a new A-side! Or, at least a revised A-side. “Women In Uniform” had a remix which was released physically in 2014 as a limited edition vinyl 7″ single. The new mix is immediately obvious, which is why Ian contacted us to ask about it. He forwarded a link to a YouTube video, but was this remix available physically?
Dutifully, Mike ordered an expensive single on Discogs (12 years too late to avoid the “late tax”), while Harrison saved his money and waited for the verdict. When Mike confirmed the remix was on the 2014 single, we recorded this bonus episode. With ample visuals, join us for this special instalment, and learn everything we know about this unusual single (with a fair share of conjecture)! Maiden diehards will want this added to their collections immediately!
Wednesday April 29 at 12:00 Noon EST, 1:00 PM Atlantic. Enjoy on YouTube.
Thank you again to Marco D’Auria for inviting me for this special episode of the Contrarians! Together we go back in time and honour M.E.A.T Magazine, Drew Masters, and all the great bands of the era like Slam Glory, Russian Blue, Slash Puppet and Blackglama!
GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man
🅻🅸🆅🅴 Episode
Episode 144: Top Five Artists Who Do NOT Rock! With Peter Kerr from Rock Daydream Nation
Peter Kerr is back! The Rock Daydream Nation host has been tearing up YouTube with mega interviews! John Corabi, Sebastian Bach, Reb Beach, and many more…but tonight he sits with Mike and Harrison about a decidedly different topic. Tonight, Peter discusses his Top Five Artists who do NOT rock!
We at Grab A Stack of Rock have diverse tastes from myriad genres. On tonight’s show, allow us to open your minds to the worlds of Pop, Disco, Jazz, Classical, Country and beyond. We will pick five each. Will there be overlap? What genres won’t we see tonight? Will Harrison demonstrate Polka dancing? We just don’t know!
For fans of physical media, tonight we’ll see releases on all four major formats: CD, cassette, LP and the mighty 8-Track cartridge. Don’t miss this live event. We love to interact in the comments, so join us at 7:00 PM EST!
Click here for the link to the live show
This will be the first COTTAGE SHOW of the 2026 season!
Friday April 24 at 7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic. Enjoy onYouTube orFacebook.
RECORD STORE TALES #1240: Life is short sometimes, goes by in the wink of an eye
Changes have been afoot. Not all has been well. I have been quiet. You probably haven’t noticed, but life is…interesting. We’re not ready to talk about the changes yet.
Some things remain the same, and on Friday April 17, we loaded the car with new tunes and made our way to our lake retreat for the first time in 2026. We began the trip with Judas Priest and Ozzy Osbourne’s new version of “War Pigs”. This one really blew the ears open for the road trip. What a track. Destined to be a classic. Later on, we followed it with some April Wine.
It was the first time I’d driven to the lake in the dark in close to a decade. In that time, both my eyes and nerves have aged. We made it safe and sound, albeit a bit tired.
Writing is difficult. There are a lot of things I just don’t feel like talking about right now. I hope that this summer will bring all of the things I enjoy: flying drones, doing shows from the cottage, cooking food, taking pictures and making videos. And whatever else comes our way that I can turn into a creative endeavor.
We will return again soon, and we have planned the first live show of the weekend. With good friend Peter Kerr, Harrison and I will discuss our Top Five Artists that are Not Rock! The first cottage show of the season will likely be indoors due to the cold, but you never know. We are back!
The first drone flight of the weekend occurred Sunday April 20 before 7:00 AM. It was below freezing. Our first flight at negative temperatures! Flying above the birds, I captured beautiful views of Lake Huron by the beach, and revealed much higher water levels than last fall. Let’s hope that they don’t retreat again. The detritus of winter can be seen on the beach. A huge log washed up, impossible for a person to move. Only the power of snow and ice could have moved it here. For the drone video, I chose the song “Life Is” by Arkells on the flight soundtrack.
I ran into a new problem, which is moisture condensation inside the drone camera. I ordered some silica gel packs to try to get rid of the moisture, but this is new territory for me and I’ve never had to deal with this before. Hopefully, I can solve the issue.
Driving home on Sunday, we chose the new Arkells album Between Us for the soundtrack. The album has catchy songs, but very few that have captured me. We’ll have to give it time, but early signs point to this being “just another album” by the Hamilton band.
Much more intriguing is Quebec’s Angine de Poitrine. Everyone is talking about them. Their albums are completely sold out everywhere and go for over $150 on Discogs. A CD reissue is due in June, but until then all we can do is stream. This band uses a custom microtonal guitar/bass doubleneck to achieve song melodies that sound like someone bending the notes precisely every time. A duo, they loop their parts and build the songs slowly. An addictive band and a cool way to end our weekend. Ignore the alien costumes. While they may have drawn eyes to the band, the music is what you need to focus on.
Enjoy the photos below, and see us live on Friday April 24 with Peter Kerr from Rock Daydream Nation. The cottage is waiting for your arrival!
For only the second time in history, Harrison Kopp and Mike Ladano appear together on another show! With Rock Daydream Nation being the first to record the pair, John the Music Nut is second to know a good team when he sees one! In the past, Harrison and Mike have only appeared separately on other programs, such as Tim’s Vinyl Confessions, bicyclelegs and of course Rock Daydream Nation. It pleases me greatly to finally join Harrison on another show.
The Music Nut asked Harrison and I what albums we’d be interested in covering on his series, The Live Cut? Without much deliberation, we settled upon Boston 1981, an archival live album by Rainbow. Featuring a personal favourite lineup, it’s Ritchie Blackmore with Joe Lynn Turner, Don Airey, Bobby Rondinelli and Roger Glover. The Difficult To Cure tour featured a number of new songs, along with a smattering of songs from the Dio and Graham Bonnet eras, with one Deep Purple cover. We compare the album to other Rainbow live offers, and dissect the performances by each member of the band.
This is an album that, like many, I purchased, listened to, and filed away. It was a pleasure to dig it up and listen to it intently for a few days.
My show notes are at bottom, but please watch this awesome episode on the Music Nut Channel!
Spotlight Kid – Straightforward version, Joe in peak voice. Don Airey really shows why he was the guy to replace Lord in Purple, with his organ work off the top.
Love’s No Friend – Striking version. First Graham track and Joe handles it just fine (if not better). Loads of solos and Airey organ. Joe’s vocal is very bluesy and expressive. Roger on backing vocals? TOP Blackmore blues solo.
I Surrender – “Harpichord” intro but a straightforward version. Blacker’s solo is slow, low and fun.
Man On the Silver Mountain – first foray into Dio – nice Don Airey organ screech at the start. I hate when Joe sings “take my spirits hiiiiiiigh!” but it is toned down a bit on this version. Very short version.
Catch the Rainbow – 14 minutes. I like Joe’s vocal take on this classic. Don also sounds very regal. Slows down for long solo section around 6 minutes. Blackmore plays with band for a bit and then a true solo begins unaccompanied. Goes into Greensleeves. Band comes crashing back in for more instrumental brilliance. Lots of pick scrapes, awesome licks, drum fills. Joe has a long vocal workout (“Let it shine!”) at the end.
Can’t Happen Here – Another short fire cracker, a welcome break.
Lost In Hollywood – Starts with a cool Airey solo and then Blackmore brings the riff, faster and heavier than album. The noise solo at the end is always interesting to me in a noise-art way.
Difficult to Cure – The usual. 6:45 version. Does all the things you expect it to do. Long Bobby Rondinelli drum solo, nothing special.
Long Live Rock N’ Roll – Feels more melodic than the older versions. Joe really stretches out. Lots of jamming and instrumental work.
Smoke on the Water – Includes Lazy, Woman From Tokyo.
GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man
🅻🅸🆅🅴 Episode
Episode 143: Lenticular Cover Art collections with bicyclelegs talks music
When a new release is announced with a “lenticular” cover edition, do you always jump at the chance? Harrison does. Harrison loves those “three-dimensional”, moving images in his music collection. So does Mike, and bicycelegs! Together we will show you just about everything we have in our music collections with lenticular cover art.
Lenticular art is nothing new. For centuries before its invention, humans have been trying to create moving images. Lenticular art involves taking two or more images, interlacing them, and presenting them behind a piece of glass or plastic with ridged lines throughout. The result is a moving, three-dimensional image.
Tonight we’ll look at some items that you’re familiar with, and many that you are not. From newer releases to old classics from the 1990s, we have a variety to show. Please join us tonight for this fun and educational episode! We will be live, and we love interacting in the comments.
Click here for the link to the live show
Friday April 17 at 7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic. Enjoy onYouTube orFacebook.
A reunion was in order! After our very fun Live Cut episode with Robert Lawson on Steve Earle’s Shut Up and Die Like an Aviator, I hooked up with John the Music Nut once again to dig into some cool country. The topic this time is Steve Earle’s Washington Square Serenade, a different album for him that took many by surprise. After a move to New York city, and falling in love with singer Allison Moorer, Steve shifted gears. Working with John King of the Dust Brothers, Earle incorporated loops and electronic elements into his music for the first time. The results were nothing short of astounding. “Purists” may balk at the idea, but what Earle recorded here is a very special album.
Please join John and I for an in-depth episode on this album and its contents. In his words:
On the latest episode of the Latter Day Albums series, our friend Mike Ladano from @GrabAStackofRocK returns to the channel as we discuss Steve Earle’s 12th album entitled Washington Square Serenade. Released on September 25, 2007, this would be the first of several releases on New West Records and would win the Grammy award for Best Contemporary Folk/Americana album in 2008. What do you think of Steve Earle’s music as well as this album? Please let us know in the comments!
A special 🅻🅸🆅🅴 episode – 15th Anniversary of the Santiago Chile concert!
GRAB A STACK OF ROCK #142
Another Maiden live album? Another 50 Years of Iron Maiden live episode. Hitting the skies in a brand new Ed Force One jet, our heavy metal heroes embarked upon “the road” once again. With the new space and science fiction-themed Final Frontier album providing new Eddies and new songs, the Maiden live show evolved once again. With six new songs (including intro “Satellite 15”) and an alien hybrid Eddie, Iron Maiden roared into Santiago, Chile intending to record a live DVD and Blu-ray. Recorded on this day, 15 years ago, April 10 2011, history was made and documented. The album was released almost a year later, on March 26 2012.
Join Mike and Harrison live, as we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the En Vivo! concert. Another double live CD and DVD or Blu-ray set, we will take you through the entire track list song by song. The visual aspects of the show will be accounted for, and the unique split-screen editing will be assessed. The bonus DVD includes a music video (and a short behind the scenes clip) and a 90 minute documentary called “Behind the Beast”. We will take you through each in our usual detailed manner.
Is this just another Maiden live album? What tracks stand out? How does it compare to other live albums? We’ll assess the whole thing and let you know.
Please join us live if you can. We love interacting in the comments, and these live albums give us an excuse to do these Maiden episodes as live ones. You make it worth it!
Friday April 10 at 7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic. Enjoy on YouTubeor Facebook.
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!
Friday April 3 at 1:00 PM EST, 2:00 PM Atlantic. Enjoy onYouTube orFacebook.
mikeladano.com 