Grab a Stack of Rock / LeBrain Train

VIDEO: CRETIN CLASSICS: 2005’s Best Songs (Top Twelve)

I was honoured to be invited onto Cretin Classics, for my debut on Davey Cretin’s excellent channel.  I was joined by Davey, bicyclelegs, and John Alapick (formerly: the Music Nut).

Before we watch, I would like to address a former Grab A Stack of Rock cast member who accused me of making posts like this in order to “boast” about being on bigger channels.

While I am very proud to be on quality shows like Cretin Classics, this isn’t a boast.  I post these shows for two reasons.  One:  to promote the show for my friends who host them.  Two:  To keep track of all my appearances.  If I don’t blog them, I will forget over time what episodes I have done.  It’s that simple.

Cretin Classics has listing been Top 12 Songs from each year, and 2005 was an interesting one for me.  It was my final year at the Record Store and filled with music I had bad memories of.  Or not?  Is that true?  Let’s go through the list and find out!

Enjoy the show!

🅻🅸🆅🅴 Top Mötley Crüe Songs from Each Album with Peter Kerr of Rock Daydream Nation

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

🅻🅸🆅🅴 Episode featuring Peter Kerr of Rock Daydream Nation

Episode 155: Top Mötley Crüe Songs from Each Album

Approximately one year ago, Rock Daydream Nation did an epic episode on our favourite, and least favourite, Motley Crue song from every studio album.  Today, with “Hair Metal” all the rave again in 2026, Mike decided to revisit Motley Crue on Grab A Stack of Rock.  Again with Peter Kerr in tow, we’re going to go through our top songs from each studio album!  With a couple bonuses:

  1. Mike will be picking a completely different set of songs from the albums.
  2. Archie Gamble is back this week with his opinions on Tommy Lee and Randy Castillo, two of Motley’s best known drummers!
  3. Mike will also have his favourite song from all the B-sides, EPs and bonus tracks available!  He will also have his physical product ready to show for most of it!

This episode is for Ash.  Take care buddy!

 

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

 

 

 

Top 3 Albums – 1974 – Slogan’s Rock & Metal Extravaganza

I was honoured once again to be asked to join Slogan’s Rock and Metal Extravaganza for a show on one of my favourite years in rock: 1974.  The task was simple:  Just pick three albums and one favourite track from each.  Simple doesn’t always mean easy, but I did pick my three.  Check out the show featuring Sidney, Logan, and guests Alex Winter, Rand Kelly and William Toth.

My #1 pick was Hotter Than Hell by KISS and I spent some time discussing it.  If you’d like to just see that discussion about Hotter Than Hell, you can check out the clip below too.

Slogan’s do a long show with lots of guests which is one reason I don’t do them often as I get older.  Even in this episode I had to leave abruptly at the end.  They do a good show, with plenty of intelligent and passionate guests, and this is an episode I was proud to participate in.  Thanks guys!

🅻🅸🆅🅴 Top Female Rockers with Peter Kerr of Rock Daydream Nation

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

🅻🅸🆅🅴 Episode featuring Peter Kerr of Rock Daydream Nation

Episode 154:  Top Female Rockers with Peter Kerr from Rock Daydream Nation

Peter Kerr returns to Grab A Stack of Rock with a great topic we’ve never tackled before!  Who are our top female rockers?  The field is wide open with singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers and entire bands!  New bands, old bands, it doesn’t matter as long as they rock!

Viewers are familiar with certain artists Mike has featured on his channel, such as Lita Ford and Lee Aaron, but tonight he’ll prove his tastes are diverse even within the rock realm.  As for Peter?  Always expect surprises from the Rock Daydream Nation main man.  We will also have a guest list from author Michael LeFevre, the 80s Metal Man, who has been featuring female rockers on his blog, and some special clips from former Helix drummer Archie Gamble!  This show is packed!

We will be live tonight.  Be sure to join us and interact with the comments.  Looking forward to it!

Friday July 31 at  7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube or Facebook.

 

 

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: McFarlane & NECA Eddies

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: McFarlane & NECA Eddies

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK bonus episode

This episode is dedicated to Mike’s childhood best friend, Bob Schipper, who got him into Iron Maiden back in 1984.  Today is Bob’s birthday.  Happy birthday Bob!

Welcome back to 50 Years of Iron Maiden.  It has been two months to the day since our last episode.  Alas, Harrison is ill, but he did find a way to participate in this bonus episode while we await his return!

In this special episode, Mike takes a look at what we’re calling his “Large Eddie” collection of Iron Maiden figures!  While the collection itself is modest, the figures are not!  From the McFarlane and NECA lines, we take a close look at all the details of these highly collectible figures.  All still sealed to this day, and some are over 20 years old, which makes them officially “vintage”.  Others are more recent, but still highly desired by collectors.

Check out the details, accessories, packaging and Maiden references in this slick figure collection.

 

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

 

Videos From The Vault! Pre-Grab A Stack Archeological Rock!

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

Episode 153: Videos From The Vault! Pre-Grab A Stack Archeological Rock!

If you’re new to the channel, or have been watching since this beginning, then this is an episode that will take you back in time!  We’ve making videos a long time for a long time now, and the channel has well over 1,000 clips and episodes today.  Mike’s earliest video work dates back to 1989-90 on the VHS format.  Until the modern era, he never had the chance to do anything with that video footage, but now…

As we await Harrison’s return, Mike has dug deep into the archives to bring you another special “Mix Tape” episode.  All this material pre-dates Grab A Stack of Rock and is being presented to you in compilation form for the first time!  Mike has included new commentary, and some new material.  Just like a good Greatest Hits album!  Join us tonight for this 1 hour 11 minute episode covering the following subjects, hosted by Mike:

  • “Nothing But a Good Time” – Mike’s first music video – 1990
  • The original mikeladano.com animated ad – 2012
  • “Here Comes LeBrain Again” music video by Tom and Uncle Meat – 2014
  • Record Store Tales – “Cry For Help” – 2018
  • A Trip to Sonic Boom in Toronto – 2017
  • Summer HQ – 2014
  • Max the Axe live in concert – 2018
  • Sausagefest Outtakes – various
  • “One More For the Road” – Rob Daniels’ student video starring Bob Schipper – 1989
  • Top Five Reasons I Love Kiss – podcast outtake – 2014
  • Exclusive interview with Brian Vollmer of Helix – 2012
  • Outtakes and Random Bits – 1990 to 2019
  • New Bonus Clip!  Mike’s ORIGINAL “Battle Jacket” – 2026
  • And LOTS more!

Don’t miss this trip way back in the time!  This capsule of old clips will keep rocking and laughing on your Friday night.  Join us for the premiere!

 

 

Friday July 24 at  7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube.

A Lot ‘O BLOTTO! Collected Works of Vinyl And CDs

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

Bonus Episode

A Lot ‘O BLOTTO! Collected Works of Vinyl And CDs

A real treat for you today, with a special 17 minute bonus episode!  Today we’ll go through my entire, still growing, Blotto collection.  This will include all my vinyl, CDs, VHS, and more.  There are stories to go with each, and a ton of show and tell.  Included in this episode is an 8″ flexidisc, buttons, letters and more.  There is even an Easter egg, but only the diehard of diehard Blotto aficionados will notice it.

Join us after your workday and enjoy some Blotto!

 

#1247: Vindication

No words needed.  I have been vindicated by Alex Van Halen himself!

See below from “Sammy Hagar” after our LeBrain Train episode on the 5150 album.  In a case of over-preparing for the episode, I played 5150 numerous times that week, along with 1984, OU812, and Eat ‘Em and Smile for context.  I felt that each era had its merits, but Dave had better lyrics than Hagar.  I still feel that way,

I was teased for calling David Lee Roth a “poet” while critiquing the lyrics on 5150.

In 2026, Alex Van Halen said:  “He was a poet.  We did our best work with Dave.”

I’d call this vindication!

Full LeBrain Train episode is below (April 30, 2021).

Hold onto your seats, folks, because T-Bone will blow you away with his 5150 knowledge and insight. In fact, all six panel members tonight brought it!

  • Mike
  • Tee Bone
  • Derek Williamson
  • Aaron (KeepsMeAlive)
  • Uncle Meat
  • Kevin

While it wasn’t fun being the lone dissenting voice when you’re up against heavyweights like Kevin and Meat, this was one of the best discussions on 5150 that you are likely to hear. And you need a dissenting voice, right?  I was happy to play the role of punching bag too!

The Van Halen talk begins at exactly 0:48:00 and runs through to the end.  Enjoy!

Album Battle! Angine de Poitrine – bicyclelegs talks music

I always enjoy talking music with people who are more musically scholarly than I am. Me? I can tell you what I enjoy about a song or a band. I can recite lyrics and I can mimic solos and riffs that I enjoy. bicyclelegs, on the other hand, helps us dive a little deeper.

Join us for the premiere today of Album Battle: Angine de Poitrine!

You’ve seen and heard all about this bizarre microtonal duo from Quebec (actually, from space). They have gone viral and have recently re-pressed their albums Vol.1 and Vol.II (yes, we talk about that annoying difference!), and we have both acquired our copies.  After numerous listens, we report back with our findings.  Spoiler:  the albums are very different though still unmistakably Angine de Poitrine.

Check out the show!

Saturday July 11 at 8:00 AM EST

Revisiting the Priest: Top Eleven Judas Priest Albums Ranked

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

Special from the Train Archive

“Nigel Tufnel Top Ten” JUDAS PRIEST Albums – First Appearance of Harrison!

On May 30, 2020, history was made:  Harrison Kopp and Mike Ladano met face to face for the first time, and did their very first show together.  The show was on Facebook Live (we didn’t even have a name yet), and we decided to rank our Top Eleven Judas Priest albums.  Since this was pre-Invincible Shield, the lists only cover up to Firepower.  A subject near and dear to our hearts, we later did a larger Priest ranking episode with John Snow and Geoff Stephen on graphs.  That said, there’s nothing like the first time!

For your enjoyment, this is the very first episode ever starring the duo that would become known as Grab A Stack of Rock, edited for pace and length.  We rip through the lists in rapid fire, with a third list provided by the site regular known as Holen.

This episode was a lot of fun to edit and revisit.  Not only was it the beginning of the Mike and Harrison partnership, but it was also the very first cottage show from Grab A Stack Summer HQ, ever!  Below is the text we wrote when the episode was first posted.

Please welcome Harrison to the Saturday live stream! With only minor technical glitches, the Mad Metal Man himself joined me from the other side of the world today.

Today’s subject: A solid “Nigel Tufnel Top Ten” list on the might Judas Priest. Harrison was armed with an additional list by Holen!

Friday July 10 at 7:00 AM EST, 8:00 AM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube.