Videos

“Snow” and Tell: Rock and Roll Collectables on tonight’s LeBrain Train with John and Harrison

This is a show that people have been wanting for a long time! So what do we do? We give the people what they want!

The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike & Friends

Episode 102 – “Snow” and Tell: Rock and Roll Collectables

Tonight on the LeBrain Train, Mike will be joined by John Snow of 2Loud2OldMusic fame once more, to compare collectables!  “Show and Tell” shows are always casual and fun, and this one will be special!  While our collections are modest compared to some, they aren’t too shabby and should be more than enough to keep you entertained on a Friday night.  We will be joined by Harrison the Mad Metal Man who has a couple cool things to show off as well.  What will we see?  Action figures, Funko Pops, tour programs, ticket stubs and lots more!  (Personally, I hope to see the world’s only Blaze Bayley bobblehead.)

As for me, I intend to tear apart my music room live tonight, to show you everything I can!  Some items, like my Spinal Tap and Beatles figures, are in storage.  There’s still plenty here to enjoy!  I have old newspaper clippings and all sorts of cool stuff to rediscover here.  Grab a beverage and settle for a fun Friday with us tonight!

 

Friday March 18, 7:00 PM E.S.T. on YouTube, Facebook and also Facebook!

Unboxing Four Japanese Imports – live!

Sometimes the easiest way to make a video is to do it live. Last night I unboxed four new arrivals from Japan!

There’s one seller in Japan who has dozens of items on my wishlist. They’ve helped me add many long-sought items to my library over the years. This time, I added to my Scorpions and ZZ Top collections, while taking a chance on a serious Iron Maiden rarity that was priced inexplicably cheap.

Wanna see how it turned out? Watch the short video below.

Tim’s Vinyl Confessions Ep. 355: HELIX Appreciation with Mike LeBrain

Thanks to Tim Durling for having me on his show once again for this Helix special. It was a history lesson for the viewer and a Show & Tell session for us! See our rarest, most cherished Helix items and give us an R while you’re at it, won’t you?

I did make one mistake I need to correct: It was not Rick Trembley who played at the 30th anniversary concert, but the late Ron Watson.

This is one of the best shows I’ve ever been involved with. Worth watching the whole thing.

Thanks for all the love! 10 Years of Record Store Tales on the LeBrain Train

A huge thank you to my co-host Harrison the Mad Metal Man, and my guests Tim Durling, Brian Richards, and Uncle Meat!  Being awash in the love and admiration of my friends is a really special thing, and I thank you for making my 10 Year Anniversary show perfect.  I was worried tonight’s show would be a little narcissistic.  Perhaps it is, but it did my soul a lot of good.  I feel energised to keep writing.

Highlights of tonight:

  • Some fascinating Tim Durling talk about rare 8-tracks and his book Unspooled.  Tim’s book features a previously unreleased EXCLUSIVE chapter of Record Store Tales, only available by buying Unspooled.  (Copies still available.)
  • Brian Richards reviewing the new KISS official bootleg CD.
  • Brian also showed off his Top Five Metal Compilations.
  • We revealed the true identity of one-time commenter “nolongeracustomer“.
  • Top Five Record Store Tales from Lana – a list I appreciated so much.
  • Top Five lists from Harrison and I – Reviews, and Meat posts.
  • The return of the Nigel Tufnel Top Ten – special lists from Harrison and Mike.

Thanks to my guests, my co-host and my friends who made this all the wonderful experience that it has been.  I appreciate you all.

 

Celebrate 10 Years of Record Store Tales on tonight’s LeBrain Train

The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike & Friends

Episode 101 – 10 Years of Record Store Tales & mikeladano.com

It’s my party and I’ll throw it if I want to!  10 years is a good enough excuse, right?

Join me tonight for lists, guests and tunes.  Tim Durling, Harrison Kopp and longtime reader Brian Richards are on deck.  If you wanna join the party, drop us a line!

There will also be a big secret revealed for the first time tonight!

Friday March 11, 7:00 PM E.S.T. on YouTube, Facebook and also Facebook!

Robert Lawson & the School of Jazz – Saturday LeBrain Train

Tremendous fun and a lot of learning tonight in the School of Jazz!  Author Robert Lawson has a jazz collection to die for and we got a small taste of it tonight.  The panel for Saturday Jazz consisted of four experts and one newbie:

  • Yours truly (LeBrain – jazz novice)
  • Uncle Meat (jazz expert)
  • Dr. Dave (an actual doctor)
  • Aaron (Keeps Me Alive resident jazzbo)
  • Robert Lawson (serious author and hardcore jazz collector)

As the talk veered from Miles Davis to Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus and more, my wishlist grew and grew and grew.  Stay tuned to the end to see some of Robert’s most enviable box sets.

As we often do, we started the show with some unboxings.  Check it all out below!  See you next week.

Upcoming schedule:

Friday March 11 – The 10 Year Anniversary Show – Record Store Tales and mikeladano.com (with Harrison and Tim Durling)

Friday March 25 – 2 Years of the LeBrain Train (with Tee Bone and Robert Daniels)

Friday April 1 – The Prank Show (With Chris Thuss and Michael Morwood)

Saturday Jazz featuring Robert Lawson on a special LeBrain Train

The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike & Friends

Episode 100 – Saturday Jazz

 

When a guy with the musical intelligence and credentials of author Robert Lawson asks if he can participate in your Saturday jazz show, you say yes!

Much like Donnie in The Big Lebowski, I’m out of my element here.  A casual jazz fan like me cannot compete with the knowledge of the guests this week.  It’s a Cinco de Listo Top Five Jazz records and the panel consists of:

  • Yours truly (LeBrain – jazz novice)
  • Uncle Meat (jazz expert)
  • Dr. Dave (an actual doctor)
  • Aaron (Keeps Me Alive resident jazzbo)
  • Robert Lawson (serious author and hardcore jazz collector)

Saturday March 5, 7:00 PM E.S.T. on YouTube, Facebook and also Facebook!

Upcoming schedule:

Friday March 11 – The 10 Year Anniversary Show – Record Store Tales and mikeladano.com (with Harrison and Tim Durling)

Friday March 25 – 2 Years of the LeBrain Train (with Tee Bone)

 

VHS Archives #123: Poison’s Bret Michaels and Rikki Rockett talk to Steve Anthony on MuchMusic – 1988

I love this vintage interview clip. If anyone in rock holds the title of “Captain A.D.D.”, it would have to be Poison’s Bret Michaels! This scattershot blurb on good press vs. bad press goes about a million miles per hour, but it’s all fun.

VHS Archives #122: Rockhead – Ear to the Ground

CBC had a music program called Ear to the Ground in the early 1990s.  Their Rockhead episode aired at the tail end of 1993 (judging by the New Year’s ads).  Rockhead, of course, included producer extraordinaire Bob Rock on lead guitar — and as a writer and musician, he’s as good as the bands he produced.  But what made Rockhead special was not Bob himself.  It was the singer he discovered, Steve Jack, a new screamer who could easily compete with the big boys on the scene.

Apparently Bob Rock experienced some resistance from people who thought being a successful producer should be enough.  This is discussed alongside some killer live and rehearsal footage.  Drummer Chris Taylor and bassist Jamey Kosh also get some camera time to talk about the boss!  Other topics:

  • Four years of effort to get the record out
  • Going from unknowns to opening for Bon Jovi in Europe
  • Being true to your roots
  • The evolution of the songs and trying to say something “a little more deep”

The problem with the show Ear to the Ground was that they played a lot of music, but not complete songs.  This meant it was both light on interviews, and light on music.  Sort of a soupy in-between.  You be the judge.

I left in one ad for the Kids in the Hall!  Enjoy.

 

Tim’s Vinyl Confessions Ep. 353: Journey Talk with Mike LeBrain

I did another taping with Tim Durling on early Saturday morning, my favourite time on my favourite day.  The subject:  a band that just announced the title and tracklisting of their new album Freedom:  Journey!

It’s been a crazy time for Journey, with plenty of lineup upheaval and uncertainty. Tim and I address all this while going through our favourite Journey rarities from the catalogue. We discuss every Journey lead singer: Greg Rolie, Robert Fleischmann, Steve Perry, Steve Augeri, Jeff Scott Soto, and Arnel Pineda. Enjoy this chat as we gear up for the next chapter of Journey!