Videos

1981: In Depth with LeBrain and Friends

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

Episode 88 – 1981 in Depth

For those about to rock, we salute you!

Last year, Deke and I went in-depth on key releases from the year 1980.  This year, Deke did an excellent followup with his friend Muc, on albums from 1981.  When Deke and I tackled 1980, we were still using Facebook Live, with all its limitations and frustrations!  We still did an incredible show, and I’ve been chomping at the bit to do it again.  This time I am able to beef up the panel to four.

These shows have a different format from the usual.  Each of us picks three albums from the year 1981, and we discuss them in depth.  From the facts & figures, to the historical context, and personal impact, we will cover it.  I won’t reveal the 12 albums total we will be discussing, but you won’t be disappointed.  Expect variety.  We will also tackle world history and pop culture of the year, and might even have early video footage of a very young Uncle Meat in his first acting role!

Your panel are as follows:

  • Myself (LeBrain)
  • Australia Guy (Harrison — who was not even born in 1981)
  • Dr Dave (Dave Haslam)
  • Uncle Meat (Eric Litwiller)

This Is Max the Axe, on the LeBrain Train

Max the Axe went off the rails of the LeBrain Train, and we were hanging on for the ride!

This wide ranging interview with all four Max the Axe band members included the following subjects:

  • How they got their nicknames (fan question from Jeff Taylor and Tee Bone)
  • Drinking
  • Recording on 1″ analog tape vs. digitally
  • Trying to make a record during the pandemic
  • Gigs (or lack thereof)
  • Cover tunes
  • A 40 year-old tune that sounds current today
  • New track “Iron Cross”
  • New track “Droid” (which neither Meat nor Dave heard of before tonight)
  • Remixes of “Scales of Justice” and “Randy” for a new release
  • Lyrics, storytelling and getting political
  • LeBrain’s Cinco De-Listo Top Five Max the Axe songs
  • Meat’s “retirement” & future of the band

Thank you to Harrison the Mad Metal Man who helped me helm this car crash that you just can’t look away from!

NEXT WEEK:

Harrison and Uncle Meat back to discuss key albums of the year 1981!  This is both a sequel to a show I did least year with Superdekes, and also a sister show to Scotch On the Rocks’ own special on the year 1981 featuring Deke and Muc.  I was unable to participate in that show myself, but still wanted to celebrate four decades of great albums from that year.  Join us next week!

Max the Axe brings the Oktoberfest Cheer on tonight’s LeBrain Train

The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike and Harrison

Episode 87 – Max the Axe band interview

Hear ye, hear ye!  One band has consistently rocked us all since before the start of the pandemic.  That band is Max the Axe, and tonight we will have 3/4 of the group with us.

They are:

  • Mike Koutis/Max the Axe – lead guitar
  • Eric Litwiller/Uncle Meat – lead vocals
  • Dave Haslam/Dr. Dave – lead drums

This will be their first-ever interview together, and Harrison the Mad Metal Man will be with me to quiz the band on the new EP Oktoberfest Cheer.  The current crisis had a huge impact on its making and eventual release, and Max is eager to tell the story.  The EP certainly brought a lot of joy as we crawled through the second year of this pandemic.

On a serious note:  Please give this a “share” on your social media and help the guys out.  It’s no secret that views have been down, but every time we do an interview show, we sell a CD or two to a viewer.  You can help by sharing this show and maybe some of your friends will watch too.  I guarantee a great night and some great tunes!

Andy Curran is Back with Unison Fund

From Thunder Bay Arena Rock – Scotch on the Rocks

Andy has partnered up with the Unison Fund which helps out those in the Canadian Music industry that are going through tough times.

Andy has some pretty cool stuff lined up and is doing his part so I reached out to him late last week to see if he wanted to come on the show and talk about it.

So tonight live at 7pm, Andy joins myself and Mikey for a chat on this and perhaps a few other questions we will toss Andy’s way…

Special Thanks to Tee Bone who was whipped up another cool ad for Scotch On The Rocks!

Cheers Pal!

Sunday Screening: LeBrain Train Season Three intro by Tee Bone, rev 006

We are nothing if not perfectionists! Tee Bone was determined to get every single guest* we’ve ever had on the LeBrain Train into this intro vid, and I present to you the new updated version that we’ll be using on the next episode.  This time Tee Bone started using actual show clips in place of screen grabs in some shots, and I’ll tell you, seeing all that smiling and laughing brings warmth to my heart.

Can you spot everyone?

* caveat

  1. LeBrain
  2. Deke
  3. Patrick Gagliardi
  4. Greg Fraser
  5. Brian Hamilton
  6. Polychuck
  7. Frank Loffredo
  8. Kevin “BuriedOnMars”
  9. J.
  10. Sarca Sim
  11. Rob Barton
  12. Dr. Kathryn Ladano
  13. Steph Honde
  14. Trevor “Assthwaite”
  15. Jacob Moon
  16. Geoff Stephen
  17. Aaron “KeepsMeAlive”
  18. John “2Loud2Old” Dreyfuss
  19. Rob Daniels
  20. Gimli
  21. Max the Axe
  22. Eric “Uncle Meat”
  23. Brent Jensen
  24. Tee Bone Erickson
  25. Ryan Williams
  26. Robert Lawson
  27. Dravonous Helsing
  28. Tim Durling
  29. Marco the Contrarian
  30. Saige Weeping Willow Creations
  31. Martin Popoff
  32. Scott Peddle
  33. Mike Slayen
  34. Lana Music Forever
  35. Erik Woods
  36. Mike Fraser
  37. Andy Curran
  38. Sean Kelly
  39. Bonnie Ladano
  40. Phoebe
  41. Paul Laine
  42. Dan Fila
  43. Shawn Minden
  44. T-Rev
  45. Harrison the Mad Metal Man
  46. Michael Morwood
  47. and LakeCam!

 

VHS Archives #114: Alice Cooper – The Trash Hour (1989)

September, 1989:  I raced home from school to watch the Pepsi Power Hour’s big Alice Cooper interview, called the Trash Hour.  Alice picked the songs, but they are edited out for YouTube.  You can see what he picked for yourself, as Alice literally takes out the trash.

Host Laurie Brown had a great rapport with the Coop.  Driving a brand new Trash Truck, Alice is funny and informative on the following subjects:

  • Trash rock
  • New album and signing with Epic
  • Writing 22 songs with Desmond Child
  • Saving the Hollywood sign
  • Cameos in Prince of Darkness and Shocker
  • Horror as comedy, staged violence
  • Band alumni gone solo

The Trash Hour works out to a tidy 15 minutes without the music and ads.  Make sure you catch the ending.  Have a good Sunday!

VHS Archives #113: Eric Martin & Paul Gilbert – July 1991

Happy birthday to Paul Gilbert!

This video is from 30 years ago:  in the MuchMusic studios with Eric Martin and Erica Ehm, talking Mr. Big!  “Thank God for Pat Torpey!” they say as the praise the (late) great drummer.  Lots of ground covered here:

  • Formation of the band
  • The blues and their roots
  • Touring as a “long camping trip”
  • Singing lessons and demonstrations!
  • More carrots, celery and radishes

You’re gonna love this.  Also note, it’s one of my few non-Power Hour recordings.

BONUS:  Today’s appearance on Tim’s Vinyl Confessions’ Mr. Big special

 

Positivity and Inspiration: Dan Fila on the LeBrain Train

This was a fully loaded episode folks!  Thanks to my co-host John Snow and thanks to special guest Dan Fila…and surprise guest Shawn Minden!

Here are some of the facts/stories/news/scoops ahead:

  • Hooking up with Sven Gali
  • The lowdown on a brand new Sven album
  • New songs coming with the assistance of Mr. Andy Curran [SCOOP!]
  • Maybe even a leaked song title
  • Playing some Maiden and Priest…soon!
  • Dan’s craft, educating, and being a positive influence
  • Dan’s influences and seeing them live
  • Practice practice practice
  • Varga
  • Working with David Bendeth
  • Hypodust
  • An endorsement with Pearl Drums
  • Anvil
  • and of course Neil Peart

Dan, thanks so much for sharing your time and stories.  Hope to talk again soon!

NEXT WEEK:  Max the Axe!

Dan Fila of Sven Gali & Varga rocks the LeBrain Train tonight

The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike and John

Episode 86 – Dan Fila

In the early 90s, there were a number of great bands from southern Ontario that rattled my speakers pretty hard.  Two of those bands were Sven Gali and Varga, who had their videos on rotation both on MuchMusic and my VHS collection as well.  Today, one man occupies the drum stool for both bands, and that man is Dan!  Please join my co-host John Snow and I tonight as we welcome Dan Fila to the show.

We’ll be quizzing him on both bands as well his other industrial rock project called Hypodust.  We’ll be talking drums.  We’ll be taking questions.  This is no “Prototype”, this is as real as “Now”!  Join us live tonight!

Friday November 5, 7:00 PM E.S.T. on Facebook: MikeLeBrain and YouTube: Mike LeBrain.

VHS Archives #112: Russ Dwarf & Dee Cernile at Phase One

Another short one from the Power 30 with Teresa Roncon.  At Phase One studios, a quick visit with Russ Dwarf (Killer Dwarfs), Dee Cernille (Sven Gali) and Gord Prior (Blu Bones).  At the time Sven were in the middle of touring with Def Leppard, and the Dwarfs were “takin’ ‘er easy for the summer”, but the new album mentioned by Russ never came to be.

You can see what I have been saying all this time, about the Power 30 having shorter content than the superior Power Hour.  Sure, there were technically more minutes of metal per week, but not the kind of extended content that I’ve brought you recently, such as The Axemen Cometh and Waltzing With Helix.