Another trip around the sun is always worth a celebration, and tonight we celebrated several birthdays! Most notable those of Harrison and LeBrain. As I say “happy birthday, to the Mad Metal Man”, I also thank Tee Bone for his two new music videos! Tonight we premiered his latest hit “Fuck Pants”, and “HBD to the Mad Metal Man”. Above and beyond the call of duty my friend! Both songs were played multiple times during the show, so you can be sure not to miss them!
Party goers that were in for the long haul included:
We also had special surprise drop-in guests: Scott Peddle, Michael Morwood, T-Rev, John Snow, and Brent Jensen himself! Since the theme of tonight’s lists was “songs that make our skin vibrate”, we had to have Brent on, who contributed his own cool list.
Also thank you to Geoff Stephen, Deke, Kevin & Sarah, and Mike Slayen, who would have been on tonight if there were able. And a huge thanks to Chris Thuss, who tabulated the panel’s picks at bottom. Thanks buddy!
A great time was had by all, thank you for watching. See you next week for Polychuck!
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike and Harrison
Episode 76 – “Music That Makes Your Skin Vibrate” Birthday Party Extravaganza
Both Harrison and LeBrain have chosen to celebrate their birthdays tonight, with the online party to end all online parties. Because of this special occasion, we’re going with a Nigel Tufnel Top Ten theme of Harrison’s design this time. In an effort to be inclusive, he picked a broad topic that anyone can contribute a list for: music that makes our skin vibrate! That phrase was originally coined by author and friend of the show, Brent Jensen. And we couldn’t do a show about music that makes our skin vibrate without him. Fortunately, Brent was available and he will be dropping in tonight!
It will be a fully packed, fully caffeinated show, and therefore tonight’s format will be a little looser than the usual. Although we will be going in our usual rounds, we will also pause when surprise guests drop in to wish us happy birthday. I expect this one to be a long, lively and dynamic show, with surprises. Including two brand new songs by Tee Bone himself! I can tell you right now that at least one of them is bound to be a hit.
Additionally I look forward to a visit from Brent and whoever else can make it! While we’re at it, let’s wish Aaron and Sarca happy birthdays as they are both celebrating this week as well! (Unfortunately Aaron is too busy partying in real life to make it tonight, but we wish him happy birthday just the same!
A huuuge thanks to Tee Bone for the music videos we are going to premiere tonight. These are songs he wrote specifically for this show. Videos he curated for your own entertainment. Music that will hopefully make your skin vibrate.
We both loved and feared when cousin Geoff came to visit. So full of energy. Much more than me. We had great times, but usually tinged with a hint of destruction. This is a kid who gave himself the nickname ‘Alligator’.
Geoff’s visit in the summer of ’83 launched with a trip to the lake. My Aunt Lynda loves the cottage and so it was a special place for her too. The photos tell the stories. As a kid (and adult) I was obsessed with lighthouses, and my Grandfather made this amazing example. It had lights inside and opening doors. But you can see, we kids just treated it as another toy! It appears that Geoff knocked out one of the windows, which is hanging from the edge.
You can see us playing Star Wars at the lighthouse. I can identify my Bossk figure dangling from the top. Kathryn and Geoff were right there with me, with their figures. I look like I’m just immersed in that world. A galaxy far, far away yet in our back yard. You couldn’t have found three happier kids.
After returning from the lake, the main part of our adventure began.
Geoff’s grandparents on his dad’s side owned a huge piece of property in the country with a swimming pool, and the most amazing landscape to explore. Grassy fields gave way to trees, and I don’t think we ever hit the end of the property when we went walking. It simply went on forever. Any time we went there, it was a treat. We spent a few days at the property that summer, swimming and running pretending we were Jedi or superheroes.
I’m glad that we have some pics of that place. Not a lot. Mostly the pool. None of the sprawling real estate and endless fields behind. None of that cool organ they had in the living room. None of the steep cliff, with stairway and landings, that that went from the house down to the pool. But we have lots of the pool. Imagine “Sister Christian” playing behind as you swim.
It always came back to Star Wars. Return of the Jedi was brand new. When Geoff was visiting, we wanted to see it again in the theatre, but as explained in the story, we were vetoed by the adults. We saw Superman III instead. (Be sure to read the full story.) And, as described in many previous chapters, you couldn’t just watch a Star Wars at home like today. So we had to use our imaginations. I can easily see what we are reading in this picture.
The lightning from the Emperor’s fingers gives it away. That is the read-along record/book set for Return of the Jedi. It was the best way to enjoy the story at home. Look at the three of us reading along, lost in that world, oblivious to the camera.
The record itself is spinning on my parents’ system behind us, the very system that I later made my own. It seemed so huge then; not so big in the pictures. All of our records — mine and my parents too — would have been in that cabinet behind us! Also barely visible just behind me is my beige Fisher-Price mono tape recorder. That thing was indestructible.
The three of us sat there, listening and reading as Darth Vader turned back to the light. In a few short years, everything would have changed. The decor, the media we listened to, and the entertainment we consumed. Star Wars was on its last legs and the next record to enter that cabinet was not Star Wars. It was not from a movie at all, although it certainly tried to be. A band called Styx would soon be replacing John Williams on the platter. Who could have guessed that this picture of us enjoying a Star Wars record together would the last time?
However, rotten moods eventually fade and I thought I would try to fulfill my social obligations on Tuesday. I picked up Jen and we went to go visit my parents. They had special donuts for us and a birthday card for me.
I couple weeks ago, I was talking to someone about having the vaccine, and the province re-opening. She asked me “What kind of things are you looking forward to doing now that you are vaccinated and things are opening back up?” I have simple needs so I answered, “I’d like to go shopping at Toys R Us and a record store.” So far I’ve done one of those two things. Realizing I had a birthday coming too, I added “and I’d really like to watch TV with my dad.”
Watching television with the old man is an experience. The way he flips channels, his running commentary…I haven’t watched TV with my dad since Christmas 2019. I realized yesterday that the only birthday present that I really needed was to watch TV with my dad.
He had Pawn Stars on. I sat on the couch, and after an hour had gone by…I started to feel normal again.
A guy was selling “rare” picture discs. The Pawn Stars offered him $60 for five. I had one of the five! It was a shaped picture disc for Iron Maiden’s “The Clairvoyant”. I paid $10 for it back in 2001.
The Pawn Stars explained that the discs were not a gold mine, because picture discs have an inferior sound, which is true. Still, $60 for five discs is $12 each USD. And I only paid $10 CAD. So that’s not bad. The same guy also had “Infinite Dreams”, some Pee-Wee Herman, and a Ghostbusters disc.
It was the first time I’ve been in the same room as my parents without worrying about masks, viruses, and sanitizer. It was the first “normal” visit in a year and a half. It felt strange, and then it felt normal.
All I wanted was to watch TV with my dad for my birthday. I got what I wanted.
JETHRO TULL – Stand Up (Originally 1969, 2010 2 CD & DVD Chrysalis Collector’s Edition)
Stand Up, from its wonderful cover art (including a fun Jethro Tull pop-out!) to the music in the grooves, is probably my favourite Tull platter. One basic reason is that it sounds like a transitional album, and I’m often drawn to those. It combines the remnants of the blues jams that they specialized in from the Mick Abrahams era (1968’s This Was), and their growing experimental side. It’s kind of the best of both worlds, and it always sounded great — even better on this new remaster. Stand Up has since been remixed by the very talented Steven Wilson (2016’s Elevated Edition), but if you wanted a CD copy of the original unaltered mix, this 2010 edition is what you need. (This mix is available on a DVD in the Elevated Edition, but not CD, and they each contain different bonus material.)
“A New Day Yesterday” has the task of opening this new era of Jethro Tull on LP, and it maintains the blues direction. Then immediately, “Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Square” brings on the hippy side, with bongos, psychedlic jamming and the world’s greatest rock flautist. “Bourée” proves it, as he jams jazz-rock style along to J.S. Bach. Only Tull can make Bach swing as they do on “Bourée”. From the upbeat jamming “Nothing is Easy” to the exotic “Fat Man”, this album begins to open up Tull’s diversity. “Reasons For Waiting” brings on a lush, orchestrated side of Jethro Tull that some would call pompous and others would call delicate and quaint. But then they just flat out rock — with flute — on album closer “For a Thousand Mothers”. It’s truly the first diverse Tull album, going from corner to corner to explore whatever their hearts desired.
The Collector’s Edition contains valuable bonus music aplenty. The first disc alone doubles the length of the album. It has every bonus track from the previous 2001 remaster, which are the A and B-sides of two standalone singles. These are the swinging’ “Living In the Past”, filler “Driving Song”, the powerful (with horns!) and awesome “Sweet Dream”, and my favourite, “17”. It adds in a mono single mix of “Living In the Past” with some subtle differences. Two BBC live sessions are included via four live tracks, including “Bourée”. There are even amusing radio spots. And that’s just the first disc.
The second disc is an entire concert: Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, 4 November 1970. This would make it a show from the Benefit tour, the album which followed Stand Up. It includes songs from Benefit, such as “Sossity; You’re a Woman”. It also previews the future Aqualung classic “My God”. It is, of course, a great live show…it’s Jethro Tull in their youth after all! Hear Ian Anderson go nuts on the flute solo!
Another highlight is “Dharma For One”, stretched out to 13 minutes to include a bonkers Clive Bunker drum solo. The wicked slidey guitar on “A Song For Jeffrey” is really hot on these tapes too. By this time, John Evan had joined as Tull’s pianist which adds another dimension. Check out the intricate work on “With You There to Help Me”.
Then, as if that wasn’t enough, there is a bonus DVD which contains a DTS 5.1 mix of the whole concert — audio only, however! If you have the equipment to play it, then enjoy. I will usually resort back to the stereo mix on CD but the 5.1 mix offers some additional depth.
For “things you will only watch once” (or twice if you’re reviewing your collection), the DVD also includes a 45 minute Ian Anderson interview from 2010 to check out. The split with Mick Abrahams is one of the most interesting parts though the story of the impasse is familiar. It simply boiled down to styles, and Ian didn’t want to be limited to just one. As such, he considers Stand Up to be the first real Jethro Tull album; the first to tentatively embark on their world-wide musical journey. Of course Mick had to be replaced, and Ian discusses three guitarists that tried out, including you-know-who. Martin Barre was chosen of course, given a second chance after a poor first meeting.
Barre’s furious solo work on Stand Up‘s blistering “We Used to Know” more than justifies the choice.
The packaging is gorgeous, coming packed in a thick, sturdy digipack. Artwork like this deserves a proper showcase, and unless you buy an original LP, this is about as good as it’s going to get.
A mid-afternoon swim on Saturday turned into a sleepless Sunday night. The sunburn wasn’t that bad, but we lost track of time in the water and my back was really red. Saturday night I was OK, but Sunday I was not. I feel asleep with no shirt on, on top of the covers, with the air conditioning blasting right onto my back. I woke up in the middle of the night with the worst chill I ever had in my life.
I’ve never had the shivers so bad. It took a Visions In Sound sweatshirt, lots of blankets, and a Jen, but a couple hours later I was warmed up again. I haven’t felt a chill like that since the flu of 2009. I hid under the covers and was sweating for the rest of the night. The lack of restful sleep meant an exhausted Monday.
Birthday Monday, didn’t have any solid plans. Having dinner with my folks was a possibility but I was not feeling well from the lack of sleep and sunburn. Maybe it is age, but it was the second worst sunburn I’ve ever inflicted upon myself. And it was my own fault too; no sunscreen. I’d forgotten how rotten a sunburn can make you feel. Combine that with the effects from the chill the night before, and I was in no mood to be social. A quiet night at home would do.
Except it wouldn’t.
Jen went out in the afternoon to the mall. I wish she wouldn’t spend so long there. We’ve had so many seizures there, usually at the end of her day when she was getting ready to head home. When I started getting confusing text messages from her that didn’t make sense, I knew that it was happening again. I happened to be finished work at that exact moment, so I jumped in the car. It took 10-15 phone calls before she finally picked up. During the seizure she lost her groceries and mobility device. What a nightmare. She recovered all her stuff but…wow.
Not the worst birthday I ever had, but definitely in the bottom five.
The one thing I really appreciated is all the birthday messages. They were the best gift, but the one I really loved was this one from Darr Erickson. Darr wins the 2021 round with this champion of a comment:
Thank you Darr, and to everyone else who wished me a happy birthday this year. And even if you didn’t, thank you anyway, because I know you were thinking it.
This Friday on the LeBrain Train, we’ll have the real celebration. Harrison the Mad Metal Man has chosen to celebrate his own birth on Friday, so it’s a double party! It will be a list show with the theme: Songs that make our skin vibrate! We have have a full panel as well as drop-in guests. Spoiler alert: Brent Jensen will be there! (And he always shows up!)
Help us this Friday to make it a much better celebration. Hope to see you then.
RECORD STORE TALES #920: Wild in the Streets Helix – Center in the Square, Kitchener, 1987
We simply could not wait to see our first real concert.
As soon as the date was announced, we got tickets: Helix with a band called Haywire opening. Center in the Square, downtown Kitchener. We were second row mezzanine. Bob and I were so psyched to finally see our first real rock concert.
We wanted to bring a banner that said “HOMETOWN HELIX”. We dreamed big.
Helix were hot on the road for their new album, Wild in the Streets. We’d seen the video and knew what their stage show was going to look like. The stage set played on the brick wall artwork from the album cover, with two ramps on the sides, that resembled the “fangs” in the Helix logo. We thought those ramps were absolutely badass. We couldn’t wait to see Brian Vollmer slide down mid-song,
We were not interested in Haywire — too pop. The two girls in front of us were obviously Haywire fans. They had the shirts and were going nuts for singer Paul MacAusland. Bob and I didn’t think much of him, especially when he laid down flat on his face on the stage. “That’s his stage move?” we questioned. Bob liked the guitarist, but I wanted to hear some “real” rock, not this.
A kid from our school, Brian Knight, was there in the loges on the side. He boasted the next day at school that Helix were not that good; he had seen better. Ironically he later went on to roadie for Helix. He could be seen in the 1991 MuchMusic special Waltzing with Helix. He was also acknowledged in Brian Vollmer’s book Gimme An R, albeit his name was misspelled “McKnight”. Sadly, Brian passed away this year.
What Brian claimed was simply untrue. It might have been our first real rock concert, but it was a hell of a first. We didn’t know a lot of the songs but we knew the hits and some of the deep cuts from Walkin’ the Razor’s Edge. They certainly played everything we wanted to hear, including the new single “Dream On”, “Wild in the Streets”, “Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'”, “Rock You”, “Heavy Metal Love”, “(Make Me Do) Anything You Want”, “Kids are all Shakin'”, and “Deep Cuts the Knife”. They also played a new tune that we found amusing. It went, “Bend over and kiss your ass goodbye” (“Kiss It Goodbye”). Fritz Hinz took a drum solo, and turned around and shockingly revealed his bare bottom with nothing but a jock strap. We laughed – we were easily entertained!
The highlight of the show was when Vollmer climbed the loges, and then ran all the way across the mezzanine, right past our noses! We could hardly believe it. Bob reached out his hand but Brian didn’t slap it. I simply made a fist, like “right on man”! It was amazing how we’d been watching this guy climb up, and then make his way in our direction…and then he ran past and it was over in a second! Before we knew it he was on the other side, and climbing back down to the stage again. We knew he had a reputation for climbing on top of things and doing somersaults, but we sure didn’t know that was going to happen when we bought our tickets!
Helix didn’t make as much use of the side ramps as I thought they would, but they did put on a hell of a show. Doctor Doerner played that big doubleneck that we wanted to see so bad, and of course the “Wild in the Streets” guitar. We got to see all their stage moves and tricks, and yes, the women in the audience were unlike any we’d ever seen before outside of a video.
We got all the songs we wanted, plus a few we didn’t know like “Dirty Dog”. They put on one of the most energetic shows that I’m ever likely to see. It was the MTV/MuchMusic era and all we had seen before were music videos. The quick cut-and-paste editing of a music video is hard to compete with. Helix had to work hard on stage, and they went above and beyond that night.
Not a bad “first”. What I did notice was that Vollmer’s voice sounded thinner than on album. I wondered if all concerts were like that? I couldn’t believe how deaf I was afterwards! Both of us were experiencing this for the first time. It was a strange sensation and we must have been yelling in the car the whole way home, when my dad came to pick us up.
We couldn’t stop talking about Helix for days. Weeks. They didn’t really have to win us over; they were hometown heroes to us. Instead Helix just cemented our loyalty. It is said that a great rock show can change a life. In this case, it simply affirmed everything we had hoped.
Having recently joined the “interview no-show” club, let’s have a look at some other no-show related interviews. Things go off the rails when Mean Gene has to interview a missing Captain Lou Albano. He also has to confront Kamala the Ugandan Headhunter about some interviews he missed up in St. Louis. Have a look at the WWF when things go off the rails!
Dave Lizmi was a no-show, but that can’t stop the LeBrain Train from rolling.
We’re good at improvising, so tonight’s show was a discussion of favourite concert memories and rock star encounters. Encounters such as: Rush, Kim Mitchell, Cyndi Lauper and more. Have you heard the story of Lauper asking T-Rev for directions in Sarnia? Or Uncle Meat blowing pot smoke in Geddy Lee’s face? You will after watching this!
Thank you T-Rev for your understanding, and thanks to Uncle Meat for pinch-hitting at the last minute. Apologies to you for the change of plan. I talked to Dave a few days ago, and he was good to go. I don’t know what happened. But we rocked it anyway!
Also — a couple of minor announcements were made, although as we’ve seen, anything can change. Let us know what you think.
mikeladano.com 