GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man Episode 74:Â The “B” Section with Johnny Metal
Johnny Metal Homework is back for the third week in a row, to grab some stacks of rock! As a sequel to our “A” section show, this time we are diving into some killer “B’s”. You’ll be seeing my Black Sabbath, Bon Jovi, and yes…Blaze Bayley. This episode will exclude box sets which have been shown off before on their own dedicated episodes. CDs only; no vinyl, cassettes or 8-tracks on this week’s episode.
John says it won’t be as crazy this time (no 74 CDs from a Christian parody band), but it will be heavy! The big section is loaded with “Big” bands (Wreck, Sugar, House), and plenty of “Black” (Sabbath, Country Communion, Label Society, Star Riders, Jack). Let’s take a deep dive into some Japanese imports, rarities, and heavy hitters.
Join us live!
Friday October 11 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 8:00 P.M. Atlantic. Â Enjoy onYouTube or on Facebook!
Johnny Metal earned a new nickname tonight: Johnny Homework! His meticulous research and notes provided a solid backbone of knowledge on which we arranged an awesome discussion. The topic: the now-classic Christopher Guest mockumentary A Mighty Wind!
Together with Uncle Meat and Dan from Off the Charts, we tried to cover every aspect that we love about this movie. We went deep on the following topics:
The cast
Our favourite bands
Our favourite songs
Favourite scenes
Fred Willard
The Kiss at the End of the Rainbow
The ending
Additionally, we looked at CDs, vinyl, and a very nice songbook from Johnny Homework. Gotta get that physical product in.
GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man Episode 73:Â A Mighty Wind Appreciation, with Dan Chartrand, Uncle Meat & Johnny Metal
In 2003, Christopher Guest unveiled his third improv comedy movie, following Waiting For Guffman (1996) and Best In Show (2000). While each film has its focus (a small town play; a dog show), it was 2003’s A Mighty Wind that “tapped” into the spirit of music that made Guest a fan favourite in the first place. This time it’s folk music!
The Folksmen are a fictional folk band that actually opened for Guest’s “other” band, Spinal Tap. Ironically, all three members are the same: Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer. Together with Mitch & Mickey (Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara) and the New Main Street Singers (Jane Lynch, John Michael Higgins, Parker Posey, Paul Dooley et. al.), the bands have reunited for a big folk show in New York City.  As he often does, Fred Willard stole the show in this film.
This hilarious comedy boasts an incredible soundtrack of originals and one cover (“Start Me Up”), and tonight I’ll be joined again by Dan Chartrand and Uncle Meat to discuss it. With them will be John “Johnny Metal” Clauser, who has wanted to do this topic with us for some time now.
You might not be as family with A Mighty Wind as you were with This Is Spinal Tap, but you won’t regret spending an hour with us tonight. It may not be heavy metal, but good music is good music, and this soundtrack is loaded with great songs. Join us tonight!
Friday October 4 at 8:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 9:00 P.M. Atlantic. Â Enjoy onYouTube or on Facebook!
A huge thank you to Marco D’Auria of the Contrarians, Dan Chartrand of Off the Charts, and the near-legendary Uncle Meat for comprising our expert panel tonight. The subject was Spinal Tap, the band and the music. It may be fair to call Dan a “superfan”, as he had some Spinal Tap rarities that I don’t. Dan provided some cool physical product, including CDs and LPs of This is Spinal Tap, Break Like the Wind, and he even unfolded his Back From the Dead CD packaging to show us what it looks like when it’s a little paper stage set.
Taking a cue from another big Spinal Tap fan, Peter Kerr, I stole a tactic from Rock Daydream Nation and did some discussion questions in rounds. Here’s what we tackled:
Were you ever in the blissful unawareness that Spinal Tap was a fake band? Or were you always in on the joke?
Evaluate the musicianship of Tap.
Pick a favourite song from the soundtrack.
Pick a favourite song from Break Like the Wind. Â
And a quick discussion of Back from the Dead.
Along the way we discussed the history of Tap, both real and fictional. We had a look at the DVD for the Return of Spinal Tap, and had a chat on that subject. I peppered the panel with trivia throughout the night. We had an insightful discussion about talent, and the three actors who played the central characters: Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer. We speculated on director Rob Reiner’s role in the songwriting, and technical aspects of the writing and playing. Did Harry Shearer play fretless bass on “Break Like the Wind”? I don’t know, but we do know he can play upright bass thanks to his role in A Mighty Wind. In short, the music and movie were given as much appraisal and analysis as we could do in an hour.
Meanwhile in the comments, Pete Jones provided quote after quote after quote, from a variety of Tap interviews and performances. Thank you Peter! And thank you to everyone who watched and joined in. Â
I started the show with a quick unboxing, from Australia’s Ash Geisler, who has been a huge supporter of the show. Thanks again Ash for watching, and for sending me this awesome package. I guarantee some of them will be getting a review.
One topic I didn’t get to mention on the show, but did come up among the viewers: Spinal Tap II is coming to theaters in 2025. How do you feel about this? Let us know in the comments. I for one don’t think it’s necessary or a good idea. The cameo-laden cast seems gimmicky, but Rob Reiner is back is the director’s chair.
Thanks for watching, and if you didn’t, the link is below. This is one I’ll be watching over again. Â
NEXT WEEK:Â A Mighty Wind with Dan Chartrand, John Clauser & Uncle Meat!
GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man Episode 72:Â 40 Years of Spinal Tap: The Music with Marco D’Auria, Dan Chartrand and Uncle Meat
Tonight we’re gonna rock ya, tonight!
Formed as the Thamesmen in 1964, Nigel Tufnel and David St. Hubbins scored a hit with the single “Gimmie Some Money” / “Cups and Cakes”. The band soon employed bassist Derek Smalls. After a name change to Spinal Tap, the band wandered through progressive rock, jazz fusion, funk, reggae, hard rock, and heavy metal. In 1984 they became a household name with the release of the documentary film by Marty DiBergi, called This Is Spinal Tap. It is hard to believe it has been 40 years since that film brought Tap to the silver screen.
Tonight, Contrarians Marco D’Auria and new face Dan Chartrand will join Uncle Meat and I, as we Tap into the history of this great band’s music.
From rock and roll (“Gimme Some Money”) to hippie flower power (“Listen to What the Flower People Say”, “Rainy Day Sun”) to heavy metal (“Stonehenge”), few bands have struggled to find a direction like Spinal Tap has. Now with DiBergi back on board, the band are primed to release a new documentary film on their more recent exploits. Our panel tonight will try to avoid talking about the drama (puppet shows, air force bases, girlfriends) and focus on the music. And what music it is! Nigel Tufnel is one of the most critically acclaimed guitar players in the world, not just for volume but also for pioneering the art of double his guitar solos with voice. David St. Hubbins is such a legendary lead singer, that Ronnie James Dio wouldn’t allow him to sing lead on Hear N’ Aid’s “Stars” for fear of breaking the board. And Derek Smalls? His solo album Smalls Change proves he’s not a one-trick moustached pony.
Join us tonight, and Tap into the music of Spinal Tap.
Friday September 27 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 8:00 P.M. Atlantic. Â Enjoy onYouTube or on Facebook!
I got my Ms. Pac-Man Plug and Play working again! In combination with an expansion cartridge, this gave me access to Dig Dug, as well as Pole Position. Join me as I play the first game of each of these in a year.
I did pretty well in Dig Dug, but turned in a disappointing Pole Position score. The controller is cool; if you twist the joystick it acts as your steering wheel.
I played two games of Ms. Pac-Man, with the first being the best.
Finally, I dug up the Atari 2600 Flashback machine and played a game of an Atari classic: Yar’s Revenge. Join me as I explain this game in extremely technical terms.
This could be the last weekend for good drone flying weather at the lake. Here’s what I made, and some great tunes for you to enjoy. First up we have a Thursday night flight to the tune of “The Roller” by Liam Gallagher’s Beady Eye. Then we have two Deep Purple instrumentals on an unedited Friday morning flight: “Son of Aleric” and “Contact Lost”.
Notably, the water levels are noticeable lower than two weeks ago, and the river entrance has dried up. I took the drone a little further to the river than on past flights. Got up to max altitude each time. Lots to see here, and some cool flying techniques that really leave you feeling like you’re gliding along with me.
The third flight on Saturday morning might be the most beautiful. The water was so clear, and the reflections from the sun made for beautiful flying. I soared in close to some boulders, and took a look across the river for the first time. There I found an big boulder we used to sit on as kids. The music for this video is “Blue Ocean” by Flying Colors.
Apologies to those who missed the beginning of today’s show; we decided to go early by 15 minutes.
Thank you for joining this fun Friday hangout! Jex and I both had stacks of CDs to show off, as well an an 8-track tape, a “gas station cassette”, and some vinyl. Recent arrivals, gifts and thrift finds were on hand today.
Additionally, we offered our opinions of the current goings-on with P. Diddy aka Puff Daddy. This discussion came by request of my mother. Jex and I avoid details but have some thoughts on a couple Diddy-related movies we enjoyed.
If you watch from the beginning of the show, you will see me land my drone live on the LakeCam. Yes that’s right – LakeCam was back on Grab A Stack of Rock with more wildlife sightings than ever before!
Thanks for watching! See you next week at 7:00 PM for Spinal Tap with Marco D’Auria and the Meat Man.
GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man Episode 71:Â The Last Hurrah – One More Cottage Afternoon Show of 2024 with Jex Russell
UPDATED – WE ARE GOING LIVE EARLY – 3:45 est / 4:45 atlantic
It is fall! The summer 2024 season of Grab A Stack of Rock rolls to a conclusion.
If all goes well, Jex and I will ring out cottage season just as we rang it in: With an afternoon episode of Grab A Stack of Rock! There has been a lot (a lot!) going on with both of us lately, so this will not be a big list show or a gigantic show-and-tell. This is just your chance to come and chill with Jex and I on a Friday afternoon at the cottage. We do have CDs, and I have some vinyl to show off. An unboxing, some new music, and some conversation starters!
As always, the comments will be on, and we will be chatting with you, live. The plan is for a relaxing atmosphere to end the week, and plenty of musical talk. Maybe even some current events…
Join us live to take part; if not you can check it out on YouTube or Facebook after the fact!
Here’s to an awesome 2024 cottage season, as short as it felt. Thanks Jex for making this happen two years in a row. Fear not; we have lots of fall rock action in store, and a winter season to come!
Friday September 20 at 4:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 5:00 P.M. Atlantic. Â Enjoy onYouTube or on Facebook!
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