Tenet was my favourite movie of 2020. Slim pickin’s for certain but a movie I thoroughly enjoy for its entire 150 minutes. But you don’t have 150 minutes today, the last day of Christmas holiday before we go back to the grind! All you need is 3 minutes to see how Cracked remade Tenet for only $20. You need not have seen the film to enjoy this — just the trailer.
GETTING MORE TALE #871: The Final Pathetic Excuse to Squeeze the Last out of the “Best of 2020” Series
or, Best of 2020 Part 8
I end this Christmas holiday the best way I can: spinning Masters of Metal Vol. 2, the very album that started me on this metal journey 36 years ago. It’s an interesting contrast. The old cliché, “It was a day much like this one…” doesn’t apply. It was nothing like this Christmas. The Christmas of 1984 and my resultant entire life happened because my best friend Bob Schipper came over on Boxing Day to play Snoopy and the Red Baron on the Atari 2600 while listening to Masters of Metal. If not for that one special social interaction, would I ever have Felt the Noize? Would I have Run to the Hills while warning of Another Thing Coming? The kids of 2020 didn’t have the chance for that life changing experience this year.
So in solidarity with my friends and in the spirit of that holiday in 1984, my fellow creators and writers, I give you an R.
This has not been an easy season, but here we are — (here we “R!”) — we made it. It’s 2021 and our creativity has fuelled us to survive 2020. I would like to thank every person who has shared the screen with me in 2020 on Season One of the LeBrain Train web show: Greg, Pat and Brian from Storm Force. Steph Honde, Brent Jensen, Frank Loffredo, Jennifer, Deke, John, Aaron, Robert, Sarah, Kevin, Harrison, Eric, Geoff, Troy, Max, Mike Kovachik, Aaron Lebold, Mom, Dr. Kathryn, Tyler, Saige and Michael Morwood. You have been a part of something positive in a year that needed you!
I don’t dare speak of goals or hopes or plans for 2021. Survival is enough. In order to continue surviving, I want to keep doing what I do. In 2020, despite all the crap that we endured, I still managed to do 44 episodes of the LeBrain Train, plus a bonus 45th episode in memory of my Uncle Don Don via his CD collection. I even finally reviewed every single Judas Priest album, completing a goal from 2012.
Some last minute interesting stats for 2020: The Top Search Terms of 2020. Some are oddly specific!
Well, that’s it for Masters of Metal Vol. 2, both sides done. My vinyl today sounds better than the old cassette tape in 1984, but I like creating a setting when I write. Vinyl back in its sleeve, that’s my cue to peace out! Back to our regular, everyday schedule tomorrow. If there is one last thing to share with you that I’ve learned, it’s that writing about music online is an interactive experience. Since contact in our lives is precious, I’ve really enjoyed the collaborations that happened in 2020. Adversity inspires creativity and you all rose to the occasion. There was some good creative chemistry in 2020, a precious thing to find, and I hope for more in the future!
Part 1: The Year in Review
Part 2: Sunday Screening – Top Live Streams
Part 3: Top TV & Movies
Part 4: Guest Lists from Frankie & Michael
Part 5: Nigel Tufnel Top Ten Albums of 2020
Part 6: Iron Tom Delivers the Lists
Part 7: The Stats of Doooom
Big thanks to 2020 for making this our most successful year at mikeladano.com yet. The final tally is:
284,513 hits from 135,708 unique viewers. This is a massive uptick from our previous best year, 2018, which received “only” 215,440 views. Thank you pandemic, because that’s what this totally is. I had no new ideas for 2020; I had given up on “growth”, only for 2020 to come to the rescue with a goddamn pandemic!
One way you can tell this uptick had nothing to do with me: All the top hits are old, old posts with deep roots on Google searches.
The death of Eddie Van Halen caused October to be our best month ever, and helped push Van Halen to #1 this year as well as contributing to the record hits overall. The Van Halen Zero review is now the most popular thing I’ve ever written, having been read 12,294 times.
By comparison, the best-read “new” post this year was:
I guess the message here is: recycle, recycle, recycle!
Hits by country in 2020: Top Five usual suspects – the same countries as last year, just in a barely different order!
I already posted the stats for Youtube views on live streams, and I’ve also already done my look ahead at 2021.
What do these stats show us? The power of both Eddie Van Halen and a worldwide pandemic. I’m pleased that people chose to read my stuff at those times, but I’d give just about anything to get Eddie and our normal world back. Since I can’t, I can only tell you this: I don’t plan on stopping in 2021! And that’s about all I can say. 2020 taught us that life doesn’t give a shit about your plans. I had plans in 2021 and they didn’t involve sitting in this little space live streaming. This time there is no plan except give ‘er. The universe tends to unfold as it does.
I wish you nothing but peace, happiness and harmony in 2021. Let’s give ‘er together.
I haven’t stayed up til midnight on a New Year’s Eve in a dog’s age, but I did it tonight…for you!
Tonight’s drop-in special ran over three hours and we still failed to squeeze in Aaron from the KMA. Huge apologies to my buddy Aaron. Hopefully I’ll make it up to you next week for the ZZ Top show.
Special guests tonight were invited to drop in and read their Nigel Tufnel Top Ten lists, and each guest chose their own theme for their lists! Guests included:
Once again sincere apologies to Aaron for not getting to him in time.
I also played some music tonight, five songs that make my skin vibrate (and don’t set off copyright strikes). Enjoy the show
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike Ladano
Episode 44 – Special “Season One” Finale
Got nothing to do tonight? Join the club! Better yet, join the stream! This week’s special episode takes place on Thursday December 31. It will be a drop-in show, meaning folks will drop in and say hello, and read their own Nigel Tufnel Top Ten lists. It will be any topic, from music on down to favourite children’s breakfast cereals. Several guests so far confirmed. I have a list planned myself, and it’s a very special one!
Special time:
9:00 PM E.S.T.
Facebook: MikeLeBrain YouTube: Mike LeBrain
Iron Tom returns with his 2020 list of awesome, a little bit of commentary, and plenty of Youtube videos for you to check out!
Let the ‘Wheels on the Bus’ take you on a tight funky ride…
Great album for the shit-storm that was the last four years. However, I’m not sure I’ll be partying to some of it four years from now….
The coolest dude on the planet being a one-cool-man-band….
Emphasizing the humanity over politics plays well….
After the quality of the last few albums, I don’t know why I was surprised by how much I liked this one… Keep going boys….
This band has been pretty consistent over the decade and have produced another great thrash album that is as catchy as it is heavy….
1974-recorded and 2020-released and enjoyed…I read that Young thinks that the album is ‘the unheard bridge between Harvest and Comes A Time’ and he’s right….
A pleasant surprise…no gimmicks just solid consistent heavy metal.
A little uneven but the highs more than outweigh the lows… The videos may be unintentionally hilarious but the rock fire remains….
Fans of well crafted rock with tasty twin guitar will enjoy….
A heavy riffy old-school thrashfest that does not let up….
It doesn’t quite match the strength of his last two, but that’s only because Isbell has set the bar so damn high for himself… This is an excellent album in its own right….
Ian’s and Lombardo’s presence help Mr. Bungle deliver little on the experimentation, but some great straight-up thrash….
Riffy modern occult rock with excellent vocal harmonies….
Who knew there were deserts in Sweden? These Kyuss-wannabies make a good case that there are….
Wishbone Ash fans will have lots here to enjoy….
Instrumental Stoner from France… Groovy cool shit… And there are two more 2020 releases I haven’t checked out yet….
A fresh coat of paint on some metal masterpieces and some pretty cool covers….
Yes, Crimson and Gentle Giant fans will find much to like here….
Vintage 70’s guitar rock for 2020 and they are from Brampton….
2020 may have sucked, but the music didn’t. This year I bought and reviewed more new releases than ever before, which I narrowed down to the Nigel Tufnel Top Ten studio albums of 2020 listed below.
I would like to dedicate this list to my good pal Uncle Meat who originated the concept of a “Nigen Tufnel Top Ten” earlier this year. It has become our thing.
BEST ALBUMS OF 2020
11. Now or Never – III
10. Mr. Bungle – The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo
8. Kim Mitchel – The Big Fantasize
6. Stryper – Even the Devil Believes
5. Harem Scarem – Change the World
4. Dennis DeYoung – 26 East Vol 1
Storm Force’s debut album goes straight to #1 on their very first appearance! No surprise here. I’ve been raving about this disc since February and I owe it to Superdekes for putting these guys on my radar in the first place. This is a well-deserved #1. Age of Fear is an uplifting album with depth. It’s a thoughtful, heart-pounding blast of classic hard rock.
Deep Purple’s Whoosh! and AC/DC’s PWRUP prove two things: old dogs that both learn and don’t learn new tricks can all be champions. (I call this theory “Schrödinger’s Dog”.) Deep Purple’s growth continues while AC/DC managed to tap into the vein of success that always worked for them. Both records deserve their spots in the Top 3.
It was a thrill for me to learn that Dennis DeYoung both read and enjoyed my review of his newest album 26 East Vol 1. It’s a terrific, Styx-like conceptual work that will please the old fans. As will the new albums by Harem Scarem and Stryper, who didn’t stray far from their successful classic hard rock formulas. Kim Mitchell and Sven Gali on the other hand dared to be different. Kim went laid back and acoustic, while Sven Gali went with their heaviest uninhibited inclinations. As for Mr. Bungle, it has been 21 years since their last album California. All four Bungle studio albums are completely different from one another — four different genres. For The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny, they teamed up with Scott Ian and Dave Lombardo to re-record their first thrash metal demo tape. And it could be their best album since the self-titled debut in 1991. Not bad for a bunch of songs they wrote in highschool.
Corey “Mother Fuckin'” Taylor makes his debut on any list of mine with his solo album CMFT. It’s a surprising collection of commercial hard rockin’ tunes. Also appearing for the first time is Now Or Never (NoN) with their third album called III, featuring singer Steph Honde. It’s an excellent, dramatic metal album with light and shade.
BONUS LISTS
Most disappointing: Ozzy Osbourne – Ordinary Man
Song of the year: “LeBrain Train“ by T-Bone Erickson
Single of the Year: Mammoth WVH – “Distance”
Ultimately whether or not you liked the new Ozzy, its success or failure falls at the feet of producer/guitarist Andrew Watt. He is already working on the next Ozzy album, so….
Huge thanks to T-Bone Erickson for the “LeBrain Train” theme song, which amazingly and unexpectedly became the song of the year in 2020! Weird how that happened. No bias here I assure you.
Finally, Wolfgang Van Halen finally released his first solo music under the name Mammoth WVH. The non-album single “Distance” is dedicated to his late father Eddie. Though musically it’s a modern power ballad, the lyrics and especially the music video evoke serious emotion. Well done Wolfgang. Can’t wait to check out his album in 2021.
TOP FIVE LIVE OR COMPILATION ALBUMS IN 2020
5. Metallica – S&M2
4. Thin Lizzy – Rock Legends
3. Sloan – B Sides Win Vol. 1 1992-1997
2. Def Leppard – The Early Years 78-81
1. Iron Maiden – Nights of the Dead – Legacy of the Beast
There were a lot of cool rock releases in 2020, so we need more lists! Of course the brilliant new live Maiden deserved some loving attention. Meanwhile, Sloan, Def Leppard and Thin Lizzy have continued to put out quality collections of rarities & unreleased material, well worth the time and money you’ll spend on them. The Sloan collection is a vinyl exclusive and the first in a series of LPs re-releasing some of their B-sides and non-album and bonus tracks. Finally, Metallica delivered the goods even without Michael Kamen on S&M2, a very different live set than the first S&M. That’s the way to do it!
BEST LOCKDOWN SINGLE
5. Queen + Adam Lambert – “You Are the Champions”
3. Marillion – “Made Again 2020”
1. Alice Cooper – “Don’t Give Up”
A LOOK AHEAD AT 2021
It’s naive to assume that major touring and concerts will return in 2021. This appears highly optimistic at present, with Covid still ravaging the landscape and vaccinations only just beginning. Instead of looking ahead at things like the resuming Kiss tour, or the Motley Crue reunion, we should continue to put our faith in new music.
Accept have a new album due January 15 intriguingly titled Too Mean to Die. It is their first without bassist Peter Baltes. Steven Wilson has a new record out at the end of that month. In February we get new Foo Fighters, The Pretty Reckless, Willie Nelson and Alice Cooper. Greta Van Fleet, Weezer, Rob Zombie, Ringo Starr, and Thunder will be back soon too. Many other bands are writing and recording without an announced due date. Ghost, Marillion, Scorpions, Megadeth and even Ratt are hard at work to make next year suck a little less. Support the bands by buying the music.
FRANKIE THE MAN OF MYSTERY
Here’s my list, for what it’s worth. Turns out I didn’t go watch many movies in theatre, but did stream a lot of content. It also seems I like watching cartoons and anime, but that’s not really a surprise. – Frank
Film and Streaming
Blood of Zeus, Netflix
Castlevania Season 3, Netflix
Dragon’s Dogma, Netflix
The Mandalorian, Disney+
1917
The Boys season 2, Prime
Bill and Ted Face the Music
Altered Carbon Season 2 Netflix
October Faction, Netflix
Bosch, Prime
Music
Testament, Titans of Creation, track “Night of the Witch”
Static-X, Project Regeneration Vol 1., track “Hollow”
Sepultura, Quadra, track “Raging Void”
Trivium, What the Dead Men Say
Five Finger Death Punch, F8, track “Scar Tissue”
MICHAEL, MAX THE AXE’S STUNT DOUBLE
Gorillaz – Song Machine
Warbringer – Weapons of Tomorrow
Lamb of God – Lamb of God
Run the Jewels – RTJ4
Poppy – I Disagree
The Chats – High Risk Behaviour
Oliver Tree – Ugly is Beautiful
King Gizzard – K.G.
Testament – Titans of Creation
Atomic Bitchwax – Scorpio
Runners Up
Flaming Lips – American Lips
Midnight – Rebirth by Blasphemy
Deep Purple – Whoosh!
Jeff Rosenstock – No Dream
Blue Oyster Cult – The Symbol Remains
Best movie:
I’m not a Christopher Nolan junkie, nor a spy thriller fan, so it’s quite a surprise that I loved Tenet as much as I did. I think I understand 95% of it now, and I’ve only watched it three times, so that’s not bad. Seriously, I think John David Washington is great, as was the whole cast. One normal and one inverted thumb up for a movie I file in my science fiction collection. Great stuff.
Best shows:
5. Jeopardy! – final season with Alex
4. Star Trek: Picard – Season 1
3. American Dad! – Season 17
2. Star Trek: Discovery – Season 3
1. Star Wars: The Mandalorian – Season 2
Jeopardy’s never made my lists here before but watching Alex Trebek keep on going and going only weeks before his death is awe-inspiring.
American Dad had a better than average season this year. Some of the episodes this year will go down as the series’ best: “Brave N00B World“, “300“, and “First, Do No Farm”. The latter features a new Weird Al Yankovic called “Rabbitage” based on — you guessed it — “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys. The season also featured pop star The Weeknd in an episode called “A Starboy is Born”.
I’m jumping the gun a little bit on Discovery as the season hasn’t ended yet. However, setting the season over 900 past the days of Kirk and Spock has opened the show up to new possibilities and…discoveries. It has been a great season with some standout episodes that felt more like The Next Generation than anything since. Contemplative episodes with minimal (sometimes zero) violence. Trek is back, and Discovery is currently the superior show, even over Picard, which was pretty good itself.
And finally we have Mandalorian, which despite an unimpressive initial teaser trailer went on to be the show we always hoped it could be. And it was Bill fucking Burr’s Mayfeld that really pushed it late in the season, adding some much needed character development. All this made it so much more delicious when Giancarlo Esposito’s Moff Gideon did all the moustache-twirling villain stuff at the end. Then we get Boba, more vicious and primal, and the stoic but intense Jedi. Bonus points for doing what Qui-Gon Jinn failed to do in Episode I: just crush the fucking droid with the Force already! Thanks, Luke.
2020 was the Year Without a Marvel. Boo.
Well, I didn’t write the song, and this makes ZERO sense out of context, but yeah, that was me screeching out a Beastie Boys parody last night on @AmericanDadTBS pic.twitter.com/duEI6hgH1t
— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) July 28, 2020
Strictly going by YouTube views alone (not including the two Facebook channels), here are the Nigel Tufnel Top Ten live streams in 2020 by views. Pick one to watch and enjoy!
11. December 18 – The Best Bands You Don’t Know – 83 views
10. June 11 – Live Albums – 85 views
9. October 24 – Steph Honde – 89 views
8. (TIE) December 4 – T-Bone – 100 views
7. (TIE) November 27 – One Hit Wonders – 100 views
6. (TIE) November 20 – Brent Jensen – 100 views
5. September 4 – Storm Force – 102 views
4. October 9 – A Tribute to Eddie Van Halen – 106 views
3. October 16 – New Release Friday – 110 views
2. December 11 – Iron Maiden Deep Cuts – 128 views
1. November 6 – Frank Loffredo – 167 views
You want my personal recommendation instead of just going by the numbers? No problem. I have some special favourites that I’d love for you to watch. Any time we had a special guest interview was cool, so watch: Steph Honde, Storm Force, Frank Loffredo and Brent Jensen. Beyond that….
My Nigel Tufnel Top Ten personal favourite (non-interview) live streams in chronological order:
Thanks for watching in 2020 and making all this possible!
mikeladano.com 