A few weeks ago, Tim & I tackled a classic Helix album on Tim’s Vinyl Confessions. Check out this 4:07 mini album review, in which we discuss the album and the rare Canadian glow in the dark cassette.
The album should have been bigger than it was, so hopefully we spread some appreciation in the video below.
The birthdays keep coming, relentlessly as the tides, but Jex Russell ensured that this one was special and different indeed.
This birthday, I was joined by Jex, John Clauser and Tim Durling for a fun Friday afternoon that turned quite epic by the end. Before that surprise unfolded, we took a look at my new shelving and a large chunk at my CD collection. We discussed favourite birthday memories and a movie in its 40th anniversary this year: The Last Starfighter. (This led into a side discussion on Howard the Duck.)
Jen joined us for gifts at the halfway point of the show. She gifted me with two new releases and one deluxe live album. You’ll have to watch the show and see! (Clue: royal rodents and the Phoenix lights.)
As a finale, Jex unveiled his surprise. With the assistance of Tim Durling, it was like an episode of “This Is Your Life”, or a Cameo with all my favourite people. Jex’s presentation included friends both famous and infamous. There was even an acoustic version of the Grab A Stack of Rock theme song performed by Johnny Metal himself. Thank you, John!
Here is Jex’s presentation:
By the end of it, I was flattered and honoured, and maybe my eyes were a little wet. I’m not crying, you’re crying. All my reactions to the kind words and surprise guests are live and unfiltered.
I’m the guy who usually has all the words. I don’t have any this time. If a picture is worth 1000 words, just watch my face.
Thank you everyone for everything. Here’s to another year.
GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man
Episode 65: Celebrate Mike’s Birthday on Grab A Stack of Rock – Live!!
(There will NOT be cake)
I was going to take the day off, and just chill on my birthday. No Friday show. “I deserve a break,” I reasoned. We had the Great CD Avalanche of 2024, a physically & emotionally & financially taxing event in recent weeks, and it will be many weeks more before all the CDs are alphabetized again. So, my birthday was going to be spent going out to a quiet lunch with Jen, and then watching Doctor Who and the Acolyte at home.
Then I started to think, that sounded a little too lonely. I wanted to celebrate with my friend Jex. So, I asked.
“Brother, whatever you want to do on your birthday, show or no show, I support you man!” came his response.
I thought about it for two days. I decided that I wanted to celebrate my birthday with Oojaboojagan.
Today’s show is a no-list, no-pressure, just chill-and-join-us event! I’ll be stuffed full of food by that time, and I may even have a birthday drink, so you never know what you will get! There is no theme, but I promise you this much:
Join us this afternoon at 3:30 PM E.S.T. for “Operation: Oojaboojagan”! Seriously, I have no idea what Jex has planned.
Friday July 19 at 3:30 P.M. E.S.T. / 4:30 P.M. Atlantic. Enjoy on YouTube or on Facebook!
Even since the LeBrain Train days, I loved a good intro video to a live show. Not too many YouTube shows do intro videos these days, but it has always been something I liked. Even back in the Train days, I wanted an intro video with every guest we ever had appearing in it. That carries over to Grab A Stack of Rock. The only problem is, the intro video was 1:14 minutes long, and it was getting harder and harder to cram everyone in. I had to sacrifice a lot of Harrison’s Lego art in order to fit everyone.
The other problem with the intro video were the lyrics. There was one line that was relevant when the show started, but not anymore. I figured the only thing I would be able to do was hire a band (I had one in mind) to re-record the entire song from scratch.
Fortunately, audio wizard and author Tim Durling had a quicker, easier, and cheaper solution. He made some minor edits to the original track and voila!
This new version of the song is extended by nine seconds, an absolute eternity in some ways, and enough to pack in a lot more Lego art and show cameos. The new version includes the latest guest to appear on our show, Mr. Matt Phillips.
With this new show intro, we’ll be able to keep adding guests for the next year. Thank you so much Tim for doing this. As Johnny Walters used to say, “the cheque is in the mail!”
Please enjoy and let me know your feedback!
Huge thank you to Jex Russell and Tim Durling for spending Friday afternoon with us chatting about Kansas! Tim’s third book, Let It Be Your Guide: The Kansas Album Review, is out now Like his previous two books, you can get this one now on your local Amazon.
Kansas are progressive rock legends, but did they ever get the respect they deserved? They are still making music today, and good music too. This book, and this interview, reflect a love of Kansas that perhaps isn’t seen enough in media (mainstream and social) these days. Tim hopes to change that. His appreciation for the music is sincere. As for Jex and I, we could only sit back and learn.
We had one surprise lined up for Tim, a Grab A Stack of Rock first. In a surprise appearance, TVC bandmate and book cover artist Matt Phillips explains what went into the artwork, and other important details about publishing a book like this. Indeed, there are photos of articles from Tim’s personal collection inside, all laid out beautifully with great care. Thank you Matt for sending in this great video. If you want to know about some of the Easter eggs on the book art, watch this video.
Congratulations Tim on this third book, and please support him by picking up a copy on Amazon. Jex and I will be back from the cottage soon for another Grab A Stack of Rock. Thanks everybody for your viewer questions and comments!
SHOW NOTES
“A FAN’S EAR-VIEW OF WHAT MAKES KANSAS’ MUSIC SO SPECIAL” – Jeff Wagner
Tim, what took you so long to write a third book? Y&T was 7 months ago.
Tell us your point of entry into Kansas. (I do not remember ever seeing Kansas on MuchMusic)
One might argue that you were born to write this book, given your channel “Tim’s Vinyl Confessions”.
During a debate of greatest “Song 1 Side 1” in history among the lead characters in the movie High Fidelity, Jack Black’s character criticizes one of John Cusack’s character’s proposals as “too obvious, like ‘Point of Know Return'”.
Let’s assume you’re talking to Kansas megafans watching this show, who have every album already. Why should they buy this book?
The band is known for clever wordplay in titles, such as “Point of Know Return” and “Leftoverture”. Did you sneak any clever wordplay into this book that you can tell us about?
GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man
Episode 64: Let It Be Your Guide: The Kansas Album Review with Tim Durling
Masquerading as a man without a reason, Tim Durling is a wayward son no more! Now with his third book on the shelves, it’s time to talk to Tim about his latest tome: Let It Be Your Guide: The Kansas Album Review. Like his previous two books, you can get this one now on your local Amazon.
Cohost Jex Russell and I will be chatting with Tim this afternoon about all the usual stuff: the genesis of the idea, recruiting the coterie of “Wheatheads” (including Jex and I, among other members of the community) and the brilliant cover artwork by Matt Phillips. We also have a very special surprise for Tim, plus lots of physical product to show. This time, I’ve got an 8-track!
Today’s show will be a free-flowing chat, and it will be live, so you too will be able to ask Tim your Kansas questions! Let Tim be your guide.
From Amazon:
THE MUSIC IS ALL FOR YOU.
LET IT BE YOUR GUIDE: The Kansas Album Review is an in-depth look at America’s premier progressive rock band, and celebrates 50 YEARS OF KANSAS!
Led by the songwriting and multi-instrumental genius of Kerry Livgren, the pristine pipes of Steve Walsh, and the cutting violin of Robby Steinhardt, Kansas emerged from their Topeka home base with their 1974 debut album, to take on the world… and win! Initially met with confusion from music buyers, Kansas eventually captured the hearts of listeners far and wide. Kansas has proven that a band writing—and playing—music their way can succeed, and flourish:
After 50 years, Kansas continues to produce vital, new music, and brings their songs to audiences night after night.
Let It Be Your Guide gathers together a coterie of “Wheatheads” to wax thoughtfully on the deepcatalogue this band possesses. Each of the band’s 15 studio albums are explored thoroughly, with space also given to their many live albums, and compilations.
BOOK FEATURES:
Join us for the talk, and support Tim by buying the book at the Amazon link above!
Friday July 5 at 4:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 5:00 P.M. Atlantic. Enjoy on YouTube or on Facebook!
BONUS: Tim’s Guide to the Kansas Compilations!
This week, I was honoured to be on John Clauser’s My Music Corner one more time, to discuss Temporary Replacement Singers in the 1990s. We tackled four singers and four bands. My choice: “Corabi Crue”, aka “Motley ’94”, perhaps the most underrated of them all. We talked the genesis, highlights, lowlights, and how it all ended. I’ll let John tell the story from here:
Anthrax Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, and Judas Priest all went through a period from the 90s into the 2000s where either the original singer (or more known singer) left the band, and they were temporarily replaced. What became of the music made during the era for each band?
On this, I moderate a discussion between Mike Ladano, Peter Jones, Jake Not From State Farm, and my co-captain John The Music Nut as we look into each band.
GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike, Jex & Tim
Special Edition Episode: Tim Durling’s Guide to Kansas Compilations
Folks, we have a great live episode of Grab A Stack of Rock coming up this Friday. Yes, today’s mini-episode is essentially a teaser to another episode, but it’s is also a great standalone in its own right. Thank you Tim Durling for sharing some of your collection with us today.
For this instalment, Tim Durling, author of the new book Let It Be Your Guide – The Kansas Album Review (buy in the link), guides us through the essential Kansas compilations if you are new to the band. Starting with the original 1984 best-of and its variants, we go through the decades to the present day. Compilations vary in size and scope. From single discs, to doubles and even a triple, Tim has a Kansas recommendation for every appetite. Perhaps you’re just looking for the classic era up to 1984. Or, maybe you need representation for the Steve Morse years of the late 1980s for your Kansas listening. If you’re really going for it, you may as well pick one that covers the whole career.
Check out what Tim has on offer to get your Kansas collection started. And, of course, check out Friday’s show when we go into the book in detail!
Friday July 5 at 4:00 PM EST / 5:00 PM Atlantic
Teaser
Jen and I were B-Side Ourselves to find that James Kalyn had sent me some surprise vinyl when I was feeling down and low. It so happened James was available on Friday night for an unboxing. So that’s what we did! What did he send? Here are some clues:
Any guesses? Watch the video!
This is a show I was made for! Spoiler alert: Regular readers already know my favourite Steve Morse era Deep Purple album. I was already trying to kickstart a Purple collection when he joined the band in 1995. His addition made me a completist – had to get every album. And, within a few years of his joining, I achieved and maintained that. Morse’s additional made me a superfan. I just love when a band has a significant lineup change that actually works. Deep Purple was transformed into something a little different, but just as good. Just new flavours in the soup. A new freedom to experiment and stretch out. It wouldn’t have worked if the band couldn’t write new songs with the new axeman, but their chemistry flourished over seven studio original studio albums.
Now that Steve is gone from the band, and they are carrying on with another new ingredient in Simon McBride, it is a perfect time to look back upon the Morse era. Joining myself and Peter Kerr on Rock Daydream Nation is “Music Swami” Pete Jones. Together, we passionately discuss three favourite albums, and the key tracks that you need to check out for yourself. We don’t just shower praise, but we break down and analyze.
Here’s what Mr. Kerr has to say:
Rock Daydream Nation is joined by Peter Jones (The Contrarians) and Mike Ladano (Grab a Stack of Rock) to choose their desert island Deep Purple album featuring Steve Morse….Are any of these albums better than Deep Purple Ritchie Blackmore?
Check out the show!
mikeladano.com 