Youtubin’

Youtubin’: Strange Fruit – “The Flame Still Burns” from the film Still Crazy

I think it’s safe to say that the 1998 British film Still Crazy is my favourite movie about a fictional band.  Yes, that means I like it better than the “big one”.  I definitely prefer it to Rock Star.  It’s just plain better, from story to performance to music.  I never cried during Rock Star, but I do weep during Still Crazy when guitarist Brian makes his triumphant return to the stage during “The Flame Still Burns”, as sung by Jimmy Nail.

Foreigner later recorded “The Flame Still Burns” in 2017. It was co-written by Mick Jones.

I live a life that’s surreal
Where all that I feel I am learning
My life is like an ever spinning wheel
Fueld by a fire that’s still burning

And in time, it’s all a sweet mystery
When you shake the tree of temptation
Yeah and I, I know the fear and the cost
Of a paradise lost in frustration

And the flame still burns
It’s there in my soul, forever I know
And the flame still burns
From a glimmer back then
It lights up again in my life

Ooh I, I want my thoughts to be heard
The unspoken words of my wisdom
Today as the light starts to glow
Tomorrow who knows who will listen

But my life has no language of love
No words from above are appearing
But in time, in time the fire will grow
With a reason for hope and believing

And the flame still burns
It’s there in my soul, forever I know
And the flame still burns
From a glimmer back then
It lights up again in my life

Oh, keep rolling, keep that flame still burning
Keep on rolling while the world keeps turning
Ah, keep rolling
Yeah, keep rolling
Ah, yeah, ooh

And the flame still burns
It’s there in my soul, it’s there in my soul
And the flame still burns
Yeah, it’s there in my soul, forever I know
And the flame still burns
From a glimmer back then, oh yeah

And the flame still burns
Oh, it’s there in my soul, oh, it’s there in my soul
And the flame still burns
From a glimmer back then
Oh, it lights up again in my life
In my life

Advertisement

Youtubin’: Tim’s Vinyl Confessions – Ep. 403: Standing On The Firing Line/The Story Of Mystique review

This movie has been getting a lot of deserved attention and praise. Tim Durling takes a deep dive here, adding to the tapestry of words woven around this great “shoulda been” band! There’s even some talk about what could be coming.

Youtubin’: PS Audio – High end heavy metal

Here comes Paul McGowan with a question for you audiophile metalheads!

As a non-audiophile, this will never be my bag, but it’s interesting anyway. “Wall of sound” – that’s what I want. He’s right that most of those albums are loud and compressed. Here’s how to maximize the sound of your heavy metal.

Youtubin’: PS Audio – Why audiophiles hate electronic music

The title of this video by PS Audio’s Paul McGowan is misleading. He doesn’t hate electronic music — at all. In fact PS Audio are releasing some on their label Octave Records. They key, says Paul, is “plenty of bottom end”.

I sure would love a tour of their listening rooms. Once in a lifetime experience for a guy like me.

Youtubin’: PS Audio – Does the CD layer of an SACD sound better?

Paul McGowan is back with another question I’ve always wondered about.  Audiophile customers at the Record Store would claim that the CD layer of Super Audio CDs sounded better than a regular CD.  That didn’t seem likely or even possible.  Paul clears it up here, and I’m not surprised at all.

VIDEO: The Contrarians Showcase – Mike LeBrain

Thank you Marco from the Contrarians for this honour.  I really loved doing this interview, and I really appreciate the chance to talk about myself and the things I love the most.  I got to tell some of my favourite stories, and plug Grab a Stack of Rock with the Mad Metal Man.  I also did a horrific Australian accent.  Please enjoy!

And Marco…thanks again, this meant the world to me.

Youtubin’: Jang’s Lego Reviews – Star Wars TIE Bomber

If you caught this week’s episode of Grab A Stack of Rock, then you know that California Girl showed off a brand new (January 1) Lego Star Wars TIE Bomber.  This baby first appeared in The Empire Strikes Back in 1980.  I had the original blue & black Lego version, but this is the first update since that edition.

If you’d like a closer look at this beast, check out Jang’s Lego review below.  Jang is one of the most thorough and intelligent Lego reviewers on YouTube and I always check out his content when I’m curious about a set.  Here he breaks down the build, the parts, the features, the value, and the problems.  Check it out.

Youtubin’: The Darkness – “Last Of Our Kind”

A month ago, Grant Arthur and I spent an hour talking about the Darkness. In another month, we’ll talk about Hot Leg, Stone Gods and British Whale!

One of the songs/videos that came up in our chat was their epic rocking “Last Of Our Kind”, certainly one of the best songs in their repertoire.  What a striking video, and their first with drummer Rufus Tiger Taylor.  Emily Dolan Davies played on the record and in the first video for “Open Fire” but left to be replaced by Taylor.  He found his own way to stand out visually, as you’ll see.

It’s unusual but not unheard of for bands to recruit their fans as extras.  But nobody did it like the Darkness.  This video is a hoot, and there’s one somewhat bulky man in a Darkness shirt who hams it up and steals the show.

I have a a couple favourite parts in this video:

0:38 – Mystical Frankie
1:13 – Spinny spinny!
1:34 – 1:38 – “Then there were none”

The whole video is brilliant and we really need to give a shout out to Justin Hawkins for his dancing.  The man can move.  He can sing, he can play, and he can move!  If he wasn’t so damned ugly they’d be the biggest band in the world.

Youtubin’: My #1 song of the year

I didn’t make any lists this year, but click the link to find out my #1 song of 2022.

2022 was the year of budget cuts here at LeBrain HQ.  The cost of living goes up as does the price of plastic.  New albums by Queensryche, Lee Aaron, Skid Row and Envy of None went unheard here this year.  However, new releases before the cuts including Journey, Tony Martin, Ghost, Scorpions, ZZ Top and Def Leppard were enjoyed year ’round.  We are grateful that in 2022, bands I love are still making new music and touring.

My #1 song is an uplifting tune that I could not get out of my head.  I sang it aloud in the car, at the beach and in the woods with not a care in the world.  That’s how picking a #1 was so easy.  It could only have been one song.

2022 in a nutshell.

Youtubin’: Megaprojects – The Canadian Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve

I’m Canadian and I still never heard of the Maple Syrup Mafia before. For he who controls syrup, controls breakfast. Apparently.  Who know that a syrup shortage was such a concern?  And that there was a strategic reserve of it?

This is an interesting video covering the history and production of maple syrup…and more than you wanted to know!