The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike and Deke
Saturday – Episode 73 – Brian and Rob from Suicide Star
Brian Hamilton, drummer for the awesome Storm Force, has a new band called Suicide Star! Itching to keep making music, Hamilton and his bandmates from former group Step Echo found lead singer Rob Barton online, who had recently gotten back into music. When the four decided to unite, Covid shut the world down. But that couldn’t stop them and a new album called Isolation is here to rock the summer of ’21. The CD was mixed by Hamilton and is out now.
This Friday, June 25, Brian and Rob join us on the LeBrain Train. We’ll talk about the album in depth, the members, and what it’s been like trying to launch a new project during Covid. Don’t miss this show – as usual you’ll want to catch it live and have your questions asked!
JOE SATRIANI – Joe Satriani (1984 Rubina EP, 2014 Relative Record Store Day 180 gram reissue)
In 1984, The Squares guitarist Joe Satriani quietly put out a low-key instrumental EP on his own label, Rubina records. How limited was the release? An exact figure is hard to find, but original copies today run about $500. Four of the five tracks were reissued on Joe’s Time Machine album, but the fifth track’s master tape was damaged.
This is a release most people assumed they’d never own without parting with some serious dough. Then in 2014, for the 30th anniversary, the original Joe Satriani EP was reissued for Record Store Day. Unfortunately, due to the lack of liner notes, we don’t know how this was accomplished. The damaged track, “Talk To Me” is intact and sounds just fine. Was it sourced from an original vinyl? Was it restored? You can now experience a 180 gram “replication” of the original 1984 EP that started it all.
Guitar Player magazine went nuts for the EP, which is remarkably performed entirely on guitar. Every instrument you hear is a guitar. The “drums” are Joe tapping on his pickups. The “bass” is a detuned six string. The sound effects and other “instruments” are Joe wringing every sound he could think of from his instrument. It’s truly innovative. It’s even pretty listenable.
The record opens with “Talk To Me”, which could be seen as a precursor to Joe’s uptempo guitar anthems like “One Big Rush”. In fact, there’s a familiar lick in this track that Joe used as a main hook on Flying in a Blue Dream‘s “Back to Shalla-Bal”. This track, thought long lost, is probably the best of the five and most indicative of where Joe was headed.
“Dreaming Number Eleven” is an interesting song, with a suitably dream-like opening that soon gives way to a funky beat complete with “slap bass”. The experimental side of Joe manifests in the sound of a roaring train, all performed on guitar.
Side two commences with the light and tropical “Banana Mango”, a breezy track with blazing speed laid overtop. This contrasts with the nuclear “I Am Become Death”, a gothic dirge. There is a middle section that sounds like the wind blowing through a wasteland. Then, a backwards guitar section that foreshadows part of Flying in a Blue Dream. Finally, “Saying Goodbye” is a brief but tender ballad as Joe is known to do. It is constructed from gentle volume swells.
It’s clear from this record that Joe was going to be a formidable composer, let alone player. Just as interesting as the guitar work are the arrangements. They are all meticulously constructed, and though some tracks are more listenable than others, they all make up a snapshot of who Joe Satriani would become. Within three years of its release, Joe would change rock history by Surfing With the Alien, his talents now fully expressing themselves. The Joe Satriani EP is an experimental prototype to the genius to come.
RECORD STORE TALES #911: The Pros and Cons of Rediscovery
Ever have an artist that you like listening to, but have neglected for many years? It happens. Maybe they appeal to you only when you’re in certain moods, or you have forgotten why you originally liked them. Or perhaps the albums got buried in a corner and you forgot about them. There are numerous reasons why any serious music fan might not have heard an artist they like in a long time.
Whatever your reasons are, I assume they are good ones. When I neglect an artist for a long period of time, I blame it on the haphazard way I’ve ripped my CDs to my digital library. An ongoing project due to the thousands of albums in the house (and more arriving every week), I have not done it alphabetically. I tried doing it that way, but it was tremendously monotonous, so I resumed “ripping what I feel like” instead. And if I didn’t feel like listening to somebody, I didn’t rip it, and often forgot about it.
I’ll give you an example: Joe Satriani. Recently I was in the mood to listen to all-instrumental music for a day. I went to my Satriani folder and only found five discs inside. I knew I had more, but for whatever reason, they never made it onto my hard drive. I had guesses as to why. They were albums I wasn’t as familiar with. I obviously ripped the familiar stuff that I wanted to hear rather than the stuff I needed to spend time with and grow into.
“I forgot about this song,” I mumbled during “Up in the Sky” from Crystal Planet. I remember buying that CD. It was 1998 and I was living with T-Rev, and I was excited about new Satch. I wanted to touch base with my instrumental roots that began when I bought Steve Vai’s Passion and Warfare back in the summer of 1990. I also made sure we carried Satch in-store. It sold well enough for us, but I remember being underwhelmed listening to it. I couldn’t distinguish a lot of the songs, and I found it a bit overlong. I guess I rarely revisited it for those reasons.
Getting out Crystal Planet again, I might not have been wrong, but there are some cool songs buried within. The title track has a really cool rhythmic, metallic riff. “House Full of Bullets” For ballads, “Love Thing” is pretty sweet. There is good stuff here that I missed out on for a few years due to neglect.
Other artists that I have recently dove back into include Steve Vai and Jethro Tull. Undeniably, two more challenging artists. Their music is not designed for simplicity. I’ve always found Vai’s Fire Garden difficult to digest. A single disc, it was originally intended to be a double, but still contains the same music because Steve discovered it would all fit on a modern CD. It’s dense. As such, it never made it onto the hard drive. Until now. Same with Tull’s A Passion Play.
There’s a negative side to this rediscovery as well.
Upon playing these old Satriani, Tull and Vai albums once more, I started looking up their discographies. Reading about the albums I had, and the ones I didn’t have.
“Oh!” I exclaimed. “Satriani has a box of all his studio albums plus a bonus disc!”
“There’s a Thick As A Brick deluxe box now!”
“I still need to get an original vinyl Flex-Able Leftovers to get all the tracks!”
Don’t worry. I didn’t order all that stuff. The only purchase I made was an RSD reissue of Satriani’s first self-titled EP. Original copies go for $500, but I found a reasonably priced RSD copy. It was within budget so that’s on its way. And that’s it. I didn’t go hog wild.
Had this album come out 30 years ago, it might have been called Smith/Curran. According to our good pal Andy Curran from Coney Hatch, Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith has been looking for a project like this for quite some time. The right partner arrived with soulful singer/songwriter/shredder Richie Kotzen. As heard on the nine-track debut, everything clicked. It was Smith’s wife Nathalie that introduced the two. Friendship turned to jamming, and jamming turned to writing and recording. We owe Nathalie a huge debt of rocking’ gratitude.
Fans of Kotzen, either via his solo work or the Winery Dogs, won’t be shocked by what they hear. It is the Maiden fans who are in for an adjustment. Not that Smith/Kotzen is wimpy — it isn’t at all — but it is vastly different from the traditional metal that Maiden peddle in. This is a soul/blues/rock fusion from the heart.
None of the nine songs should earn a “skip” in your player. Each one boasts a wicked blend of guitars and voices. Who would have thought that two players and singers, so different in style, would mix so naturally? You can usually pick out who is playing what, but it all works as one monolithic gestalt. The whole thing is brilliant. You can choose your own peaks, because everyone will have their own favourites.
“Running” should be an uptempo high point in anyone’s scorebook. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the power ballad “Scars” (if you want to call it that). Over six minutes with heartfelt playing and harmonizing over a slow riff — pigeonhole it any way you like. The guitar tones on this album are rich and sometimes trippy. Fans of both guitarists are in for a tour-de-force of feel.
Another high water mark is “Glory Road” which may be a slower blues, but boasts a melodic power chorus that you can imagine Iron Maiden pulling off successfully. That gives way to a wicked series of solo trade-offs that blow the mind and punch the gut all at once. But if you really like Maiden, there is no way you will not recognize the one and only Nicko McBrain on the Purple-y “Solar Fire”. (The drums on the rest of the album are performed by Kotzen and Tal Bergman, which Richie and Adrian share bass duties.) Picture the Coverdale/Hughes/Blackmore vibe. An album highlight, “Solar Fire” is as hot as the stellar eruptions it’s named for.
Pick a song — “I Wanna Stay”, “Some People”, “Taking My Chances”, or “‘Til Tomorrow” — all are excellent choices. Smith/Kotzen has nine remarkable tracks to choose from. They’ve all been road tested, and given fair play at home and on the porch. Though they vary in tempo and direction, all nine promise excellent, memorable melodies and powerful playing. This is an album for the summer of 2021 — an album we need.
There’s a wily fox that’s been prowling the grounds up at the lake. This weekend I caught my first real sight of him. I saw him twice in one day. He has no fear of humans. He is usually carrying prey in his mouth. I’ve named him Reddy, after Reddy Fox from the classic children’s cartoon The Green Forest.
The first time I saw the fox, I was on the front porch rocking away as I often do. The porch did a lot of rocking this weekend. The star of the show was the new album by Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen. The debut Smith/Kotzen CD is turning into an early summer favourite. In particular, the song “Running” is quite incredible. I didn’t know how well the two very different singer/guitarists would mesh. Like cream and coffee. Glowing review to come.
Styx, Kiss, Queen, Ace Frehley, Rush, and Marillion all saw a lot of porch action this weekend. I was playing one of them when the fox ran past again, this time up close and personal. I saw a flash of red and then the movement. He was swift. He moved with the steady determination of a wild animal completely disinterested in its surroundings. He was within six feet me of when he strode past. It made a hacking sound. It did not care that I was there, nor anyone else that he galloped past on his way to wherever he was going.
On neither appearance did I have any chance of grabbing a picture. There was no way. It happened in two seconds. There only chance would have been if he walked past during the rare instances I was running my lake cam. But he never did. I know I’ll see him again. His blatant disregard for humans means he’ll be back. He wasn’t phased by the Schnauzers barking at him either. He’s like a Borg, only interested in one thing and that’s where he’s going. So long as you’re not in his way, he’s completely disinterested. He moves swiftly with no hesitation and no pause. It was an interesting thing to feel so completely outside of nature at that moment.
I’ve been coming to this place for almost five decades. I missed a few summers, but a fox is a rare sighting indeed. We’ve had plenty of rabbits, porcupine, skunks, and even a few deer and one bear. Foxes are elusive. Not this guy though.
I doubt I will ever be quick enough to get a picture of that fox, but I will make sure to keep my eyes open for a sighting. At least we know he’s not afraid of the sound of music. I have the new Styx on deck for next weekend. Let’s see what happens.
Yesterday’s guest on the LeBrain Train was Jacob Moon, the talented singer/songwriter who shot to YouTube fame with his incredible cover of “Subdivisions“. Shot on the same rooftop, “Come Talk to Me” is another video worth checking out. This Peter Gabriel cover shimmers with its own brilliance. Check out Moon’s innovative guitar technique here. Please enjoy!
The LeBrain Train reunites old friends — it is what we do! Whether it be Mike Fraser and Andy Curran, or members of the community at large, we enjoy bringing people together. We also enjoy improvisation, both in our music and in the live show. This time, flying by the seats of our pants, we reunited Jacob Moon with old friends from his past. By the stories told, you can call this episode This Is Your Life, Jacob Moon.
Watch as Meat, Trevor and Jacob relive their favourite memories, musical and otherwise. Observe as Meat forgets how to count up to eleven. Enjoy as Jacob performs some of his favourite impressions. Ed Grimley? Check. Tom Waits? Check. Nigel Tufnel? Top ten!
In a LeBrain Train first, Jacob gave us the show’s first full musical performance. Steve Earle’s “Someday”, live by Jacob Moon, is a LeBrain Train exclusive musical performance! He also gave us a partial version of “Downtown Train” with some hilarious impressions.
We took viewer questions and a celebrity guest question from Andy Curran. Discussion subjects included:
The making of “Subdivisions”
Musical adventures with Trev and Eric
“Christmas Goalie”
Playing a Rush song in front of Rush
Playing the Marillion weekend
Looping and technical stuff
Streaming live
Thank you Meat, Trevor and especially Jacob Moon for an awesome Saturday show. Jacob, I am honoured and flattered to have you play live on my little show! I cannot thank you enough.
Not even disconnections and bad internet can keep a good man down. Robert Lawson — author of great listener’s guides on Cheap Trick, Nazareth and The Guess Who — persevered and eventually defeated the internet demons plaguing the start of Friday’s show. Hang in there folks — it starts rough but gets better!
This free-flowing chat covers numerous topics:
The Guess Who and Burton Cummings
Nazareth and “the kids”
Cheap Trick encounters
Band management
Rarities
Aerosmith’s Done With Mirrors
Martin Popoff
Sean Kelly
Gene & Paul
5150
King Kong
When it comes to Cheap Trick, Robert gets raw and tells it from the heart. You’ll have to see for yourself but we appreciate Robert’s candor and willingness to relive some emotional moments in his rock and roll life.
Thank you Deke for introducing me to Robert, and thank you Robert for being patient and generous with your time tonight!
REMINDER – The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike and Meat
Saturday – Episode 72 – Jacob Moon
“Jacob is an incredible Canadian talent.” — Andy Curran
If you only know Jacob Moon from his jaw-dropping Rush cover of “Subdivisions”, then you are in for a treat. That viral video catapulted him to Youtube fame, but he is about so much more than just covers. With nine albums to his name (so far), Jacob has been around. When guys like Andy Curran sing his praises, you know he’s seriously good at what he does. He has also won the admiration of Rush, Marillion, and many more. What’s it feel like performing a Rush song in front of Rush? Let’s find out from Jacob himself!
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike and Deke
Friday – Episode 71 – Robert Lawson
Robert Lawson is the author of some excellent listener’s guides: Still Competition (Cheap Trick), Wheatfield Empire (The Guess Who), and Razama-Snaz! (Nazareth). Join Deke and I as we quiz the writer on these books, the experience of writing them, and rock fandom in general. This show is guaranteed to be a fun hang. Make sure you catch it live — have your questions locked and loaded for Robert!
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike and Meat
Saturday – Episode 72 – Jacob Moon
“Jacob is an incredible Canadian talent.” — Andy Curran
If you only know Jacob Moon from his jaw-dropping Rush cover of “Subdivisions”, then you are in for a treat. That viral video catapulted him to Youtube fame, but he is about so much more than just covers. With nine albums to his name (so far), Jacob has been around. When guys like Andy Curran sing his praises, you know he’s seriously good at what he does. He has also won the admiration of Rush, Marillion, and many more. What’s it feel like performing a Rush song in front of Rush? Let’s find out from Jacob himself!
“And when the night comes to the city I say…I’m sleeping my day away.” – D.A.D.
D.A.D. – No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims (1989 Warner)
There we were sitting in Bob Schipper’s basement after school on some Thursday in late 1989. Suddenly Bob’s attention was caught by a music video. We always had our eyes open for unique guitars. Neither of us had ever seen a two string bass before. The neck was insanely thin. The song was called “Sleeping My Day Away”, and the band was D.A.D. — Disneyland After Dark. They already had two albums out in their native Denmark, but this was their first North American single.
It wasn’t just the bass. Even the song was unique. Anchored by a simple three-note lick played on a fat hollowbody guitar, the song had an edge we were unfamiliar with. The singer, Jesper Binzer, had a cool rasp. He wore a tie in the video and the bassist (Stig Pedersen) wore a medic’s helmet! Bob loved ’em. So did the music magazines. It’s a shame that didn’t translate into North American success.
When the bassist’s medic helmet erupted with fireworks during the guitar solo, I didn’t know what to think about D.A.D. Were they serious? Were they a joke? I should have just listened to the music, but it wasn’t easy to find their album.
D.A.D.’s No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims is made up of 12 sparky rock tunes. They range from 2:04 at the shortest to 4:36 at the longest. If guessed that punk rock must be an influence, you would be correct. No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims has that energy and sneer, crossed with the melodic sensibilities of classic hard rock. Also a knack for a memorable lyric; not the easiest task when English is your second language.
“Jihad! I’m gettin’ mad! And there’s no fuel left for the pilgrims,” sings Jesper, somehow stretching the word “mad” into two syllables. “Jihad” is an adrenaline-fueled blast, revealing the band’s punk rock roots. But they slow it down to a strong beat on “Point of View”, a melodic bright spot with more of that catchy hollowbody echoing hooks. “Rim of Hell” slows it down further, turning up the menace. “They throw the best damn parties at the rim of hell,” goes the hook, and you’ll be ready to jump in by the end.
“ZCMI” brings AC/DC to the table, adding to the stew of influences. Iggy is definitely in D.A.D.’s record collection too. “Girl Nation” is another catchy highlight, with Jesper imagining an interstellar “female civilization”. Elsewhere, the chorus “I win with a Siamese twin!” tells us where Jesper’s mind is. It’s certainly a unique lyrical theme in music. “Wild Talk” edges into Kiss territory; but it’s Kiss when Bob Kulick was secretly playing guitar! Closing on “Ill Will”, thrash metal is the final genre to be conquered!
No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims contains no duds, and has nothing to skip. Though “Sleeping My Day Away” is clearly the best song, it is among a very strong batch. D.A.D. have that punk rock sense of humour that runs through the album. A reckless, who-gives-a-shit attitude that hints this band will do anything so long as it’s fun to do. It’s a great little album that didn’t particularly fit in with any of their peers coming out of Hollywood.
mikeladano.com 