Videos

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 27: The Early Days DVD

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 27:  The History of Iron Maiden Part 1:  The Early Days

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK #133

Buckle up, for tonight is one of the most detailed episodes of 50 Years of Iron Maiden to date!  In 2004, Iron Maiden went out on tour, but not to promote a new album.  This time (and for the first time!) they were out to promote a video:  The History of Iron Maiden Part 1: The Early Days, on DVD.  Tonight, we break down the entire contents of the DVD release (including the special features you probably never watched!) and the tour to boot.  Yes, this is an episode of 50 Years of Iron Maiden as essential as any!

The DVD itself centers on The Early Days, a 90 minute documentary on Maiden history from 1975 to 1983 (the “early days”).  It includes interviews with Maiden members you’ve probably never met before, such as Ron “Rebel” Matthews, Terry Rance, Doug Sampson and many more.  The history of the band is run down with great care, ending in Dortmund in Germany on the World Piece Tour.

There are four concerts, in various states of completion:  Live at the Ruskin (1980), Live at the Rainbow (1981), Beast Over Hammersmith (1982) and Live in Dortmund (1983).  Even though we have discussed some of these tracks in previous episodes (including a full episode on the CD version of Hammersmith), we will go through every single track in exhausting detail.  Then there are the Top of the Pops and other TV shows to cover!  Then, Mike will take you through all the interesting details in the bonus features, such as Steve’s diary and scrapbook.  Find out exactly how Steve fired original singer Paul Mario Day, and when!

When this all said and done, Harrison will guide us through the Eddie Rips Up the World Tour, including the setlists and an incident involving Sharon Osbourne.  You might have heard about that one!  It happened on this tour.

Don’t miss the premiere of this episode, as we always like to interact in the comments!  Up the Irons!

Friday January 9 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T., 8:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube.

BONUS:  Tomorrow, January 10, Mike will post his written review of this DVD, never before seen, right here on this site.  This review, at almost 3000 words, is for those who prefer to read!  Mike never wrote a review of this release back in 2013 when he did his Maiden review series.  This is brand new and will not be exactly the same as what we will present in the video.  Enjoy both!

 

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

 

Tim’s Vinyl Confessions Ep. 756: Thin Lizzy (CDs)

It has been 40 years since we lost Phil Lynott.  To mark the occasion, Tim Durling recruited myself and John the Music Nut to meticulously document our Thin Lizzy CD collections on video, once and for all.  While I clearly had the biggest collection (and size does indeed matter), I still need three box sets to “complete” my Lizzy CD collection.

Please join Tim, John and myself as we go through every album one by one, and discuss the history of Thin Lizzy from the beginning right to the John Sykes and Ricky Warwick eras of the band.  We have physical CDs to marks several post-Lynott lineups, and loads of compilations and box sets too.  A truly comprehensive episode, and probably the best single-episode overview on the Lizzy discography that you’ll find on YouTube.  Enjoy!

#1231: 20 Years Ago, I Left the Dream “Record Store” Job (With Dan @OffTheCharts)

Expanding and retelling Record Store Tales Part 320: The Last Day

RECORD STORE TALES #1231: 20 Years Ago, I Left the Dream “Record Store” Job 

I woke up on Wednesday, January 4 2006 knowing it was the last time I’d be opening that Godforsaken record store.  The job I once loved so much that I’d show up an hour early to review new stock had become my nemesis.  It was like a chain, pulling me down every single day.  I looked forward to the end so badly.  The day truly flew by.

It started with the management putting out a statement that, after 12 years at the store, I was leaving.  Shocked messages flooded my inbox.  I was considered an original, a “lifer”.   Many people thought I’d never leave.  Those truly close to me knew the time was coming, but when the announcement was made, the shockwaves rippled through cyberspace.  That warmed me up a little bit on that cold winter day.

The boss took me out to lunch.  East Side Mario’s, if I recall.  Memories of this are of a good final talk, but it also reminds me that I never truly felt comfortable around him.  Never felt like I could be myself.  He talked of parenthood and what that was like, and I just felt tense even as I tried to relax.

It wasn’t a memorable day otherwise.  I have no journals from that day about customers throwing pencils at my head, or throwing other varieties of hissy fits.  I handed in my key, walked out the front door at 5:00 PM, and I was a private citizen once again.  No more discount.  And they lost all the power they held over me.

I was given a giant “goodbye card”, which I kept.  There are sentiments inside that I found surprisingly angering today.  Comments about “cheese metal” and unflattering nicknames.  Good intentions, but proof that very few people that I worked with for years truly knew me.

But you can see for yourself.  For this special 20 year look back, I made a video.  Please join Dan Chartrand and myself for this look back at that fateful final day, 20 years ago.

 

 

🅻🅸🆅🅴: BLOTTO RETURNS! We chat with Blotto about The Movie and the year 2025, LIVE!

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

Special 🅻🅸🆅🅴 Episode

Episode 132:  Blotto’s Back!

What a way to kick off a happy new year!  Please welcome back to the show, and live for the first time on Grab A Stack of Rock:  It’s Blotto!

The guys have had an incredible year.  With the release of Hello! My Name Is Blotto – The Movie!, Blotto and director Rob Lichter have attended numerous premieres and film festivals.  They have been presented with awards, and recognized for their talent and humour.  Again, what a year they have had!

With everything that has happened, the only way to cap it off right was to have the band back on Grab A Stack of Rock to celebrate.   With the movie out, we have so much more to talk about!  We’ll be asking followup questions.  We’ll be talking about the film festivals and celebrations of Blotto history.  We’ll ask about release plans of The Movie and anything else you want to know about.  This will be a live episode, so ask your questions.

Harrison “Blocko Blotto” will be co-hosting this interview, and will meet Blotto face to face for the first time.  They will finally get to meet the guy who made them into Lego minifigs.  This will be exciting.

 

Friday January 2 at  7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube or Facebook.

Off The Charts: Least Favourite KISS Songs Per Album

It started with Joey Suto, and our awesome list of Top KISS Songs from every album!  Then Peter Kerr suggested worst KISS songs, and I ran with it, and wrote a controversial list.  Dan Chartrand picked up the ball, and decided to make a video on the subject.  You’ve read my list, but now you can watch an entertaining video list from Dan and Sidney from Slogan’s Rock and Metal as well.

No surprises here – my list is unchanged.  I did however have quite a few questions and comments as to “why” I made my list the way I did.  These are finally addressed in this video.

Slick and fast, we raced through the KISS studio albums in an hour.  A great viewing.  Don’t miss this one.

🅻🅸🆅🅴: Boxing Day Bash & Christmas Music Hauls with Peter Kerr of Rock Daydream Nation

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

Special 🅻🅸🆅🅴 Episode

Episode 131:  Boxing Day Bash & Christmas Music Hauls with Peter Kerr of Rock Daydream Nation

With bellies and ears full, please join Harrison and I with special guest Peter Kerr, on Grab A Stack of Rock live!  Tonight is the night that we reveal our Christmas musical hauls (and other recent scores).  The pictures in the thumbnail images are just spoiler-proof teasers and placeholders (though time permitted we will look at those recent arrivals too).  We’ll just have to see what the other guys have in store, because I write these posts in advance!  I can tell you that on my side, I have four new discs to discuss, a cherished musical heirloom, a new music T-shirt and more!

I’ll also reveal what I spent my Christmas money on.

Tonight, 7:00 PM EST, the boys are back in town.

Friday December 26 at  7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube or Facebook.

The Contrarians Live: Full List of My Episodes

 

All my Contrarians appearances to date:

  1. Nicknamed Album Covers
  2. Minimalist cover art
  3. Brown album covers
  4. Yellow album covers
  5. Albums with Fire and Explosions
  6. Spaceships! Aliens! Robots!
  7. This Album Cover is Hell!
  8. Toys & Games
  9. Dreaming in Stereo:  Beds & Sleep on album covers
  10. Favourite Bands…WORST Album Covers
  11. They Swapped Covers!
  12. Great Album Covers From Bands We Despise
  13. Top 10 NWOBHM Covers
  14. It’s A Piece of Art!
  15. Compilation Kaos!
  16. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Hipgnosis!
  17. Amped Up!
  18. Packaging Fails
  19. Where’s the Band?
  20. Slippery When Wet
  21. Greetings From New York
  22. Done With Mirrors
  23. Eyes Without A Face
  24. Rock Out With Your Clock Out!
  25. Album Covers You Can Hear
  26. Album Covers You Can Smell
  27. Huh?!? Album Covers that Send the Wrong Message

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: Top 11 Maiden Art (edited for length)

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode:
Top 11 Maiden Art

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK bonus episode

Original broadcast:  May 12 2021

Back in the pandemic days, long before 50 Years of Iron Maiden was a thing, we used to do three-hour shows.  People needed something to do, and something to watch.  Unfortunately, as good as our lists and topics were, the shows were too long and meandering.  Well, not anymore!  I have toiled away and edited down our epic Top 11 Iron Maiden Art show to a manageable hour.  Now it enters its rightful place as a watchable bonus episode of 50 Years of Iron Maiden.

Our group of four picked our favourite Eddies from past and present:  Myself, Harrison, Mr. Books and original co-host Deke. We split our picks from albums, singles, and tour shirts.  Through it all, we saw some epic art from Derek Riggs, Melvyn Grant and others.  A monumental set of lists!  The format was called a “Nigel Tufnel Top Ten”, meaning we went up to eleven!  Check out the picks, some of which are pretty obscure and little-seen!

Thanks for watching, and if you just want to know what Maiden art we picked, check out Aaron’s hand-written list below!

Friday Dec 19 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T.  Enjoy on YouTube.

SPOILER – Do Not Read if you intend to watch the episode.

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

What’s coming up on Grab A Stack of Rock? And why is Dan wearing his lifeguard hat?

A quick conversation between Mike and Dan…what’s up with the hat??

 

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: The Greatest Iron Maiden Tribute Album You Never Heard – Food For Thought

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN bonus episode: The Greatest Iron Maiden Tribute Album You Never Heard – Food For Thought

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK #130

This is an episode that we have been looking forward to since the very start of this series.  Tribute albums wouldn’t usually figure into our Iron Maiden story, but this is one that we felt so strongly about that there wasn’t even a question.  Check out Sweden’s Food For Thought, who did the best Iron Maiden tribute you’ve never heard.

With 19 tracks spanning the debut album all the way to Dance of Death, Now That’s What I Call ‘Kin Music / What Are We Doing This For? (2003) is the coolest tribute album you’re likely to hear.  Each track is performed in a unique style, from metal to folk to electronica, often in the style of known artists.  Therefore if you would like to hear “Sanctuary” done in the style of Deep Purple’s “Speed King”, you will hear it on this album.  What if Lemmy was in Iron Maiden?  Or Bon Scott?  All those questions will be answered tonight.

Harrison and Mike break down the album’s 19 tracks, including deep cuts, hits and a B-side. We also play song clips to illustrate our points.  It might not be an easy album to find, but our goal is to get your shopping for Food For Thought at the episode’s conclusion.

We hope you enjoy this episode and ultimately the album!  Tune into the premiere as we always like to interact in the comments.

Friday December 12 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T., 8:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube.

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist: