#740: Things I Wish I Recorded, But Didn’t

GETTING MORE TALE #740: Things I Wish I Recorded, But Didn’t

Regrets? I’ve had a few. I think I have a pretty cool collection of videos, but at the same time, there are tons of things I wish I’d taped.  I remember them all clear as a bell, but have no way of showing you.  Instead, you can only read about these bizarre MuchMusic events.  Fortunately, I have a really good memory.

Here are the things I wished I recorded but didn’t.

1. Randy Bachman on MuchMusic – Canadian Federal Election 1993

Much had a unique idea to get young people engaged with voting. They brought in music stars to interview the politicians that were running for Prime Minister in 1993. Additionally, they didn’t talk to just the “big three” parties, but invited plenty of second and third tier candidates as well. 14 candidates in total.

Neil Peart from Rush interviewed the eventual winner, Jean Chrétien of the Liberal party. I have that on tape. What I don’t have on tape is the schmuck they stuck poor Randy Bachman with!

Bachman did the best he could, but the candidate was really flakey and wouldn’t stop mentioning how his platform was all on a floppy disc.  Get the floppy disc and read the full platform!  He gave one to Randy, which was utterly pointless.  Poor Bachman and the Floppy Disc Guy!

2. Vanilla Ice interviewed by Natalie Richard 1991

Totally out of my wheelhouse.  Turned out to be pretty funny.  Vanilla Ice was on his way out. This interview did not help. Natalie asked him “Where do you fit in the stratosphere of music today?” His answer was to laugh and say, “Wow, that question went right over my head, I don’t even know what that means!”

3. Daniel Richler hosting the Power Hour 1987

Daniel Richler is the adopted son of the famous author Mordecai Richler. I grew up with his dad’s books, so I was thrilled when he got to host the Pepsi Power Hour one time in ’87. I said at the time it was the best episode they ever did. I loved all the songs (not always the case with an hour long show) and recorded five of the videos.

Unfortunately, I didn’t record Daniel’s segments between the songs, which was a shame. The guy was hilarious and I remember he did one entire segment with the camera upside down. I tended to record only music and interviews to save tape.

4. Living Colour with Michael Williams 1988

They had a Living Colour contest. All you had to do was guess the number of braids in Corey Glover’s hair! He shook his hair around for the cameras. It didn’t help with counting, but it was funny and cool!

5. Thelonious Monster 1989

I’m not particularly a fan of the punk rock pioneers, but I was intrigued when they played a song live at the Much studios called “Sammy Hagar Weekend”. “He actually liked the song!” said the Monster. “That’s how dumb he is. He didn’t know we were making fun of him.” One of those moments I wish I had recorded.

6. Lemmy and Philthy Phil

Motorhead were too scary for young me! But they were funny. I wish I had this one on tape. “What do you think this is, a holiday?!”

7. The Def Leppard Pepsi jacket

Finally, not just a video I wish I had, but also an article of clothing.

It was the Hysteria era, and MuchMusic were giving away a hell of a prize. I wanted it so badly. All I got on tape was the address to enter the contest, and a very brief grainy view of the Def Leppard jacket.  It was a white jacket, unlike any I’d ever seen before. It came fully equipped with a speaker system built into the jacket! You could walk around, play your music and have it coming right from your body. The jacket also came fully stocked with a Walkman and all the Def Leppard albums on cassette.

I really, really wanted that jacket, but even some video footage of it would be cool today. I pictured myself walking around in my Leppard jacket, with “Pour Some Sugar On Me” coming from somewhere in my chest. How could the ladies possibly resist?

 

 

VHS Archives #43: The best Blackie Lawless (W.A.S.P.) interview you’ll ever see (1989)

“The object of being an artist is to stir the minds of men…Unless you’re saying something musically, lyrically, or you’re touching people emotionally somehow, you are not an artist.  You are a factory that makes records.” — Blackie Lawless

Erica Ehm was never gun shy about her distaste for W.A.S.P., yet she helmed the best interview I’ve ever seen with frontman Blackie Lawless.  It’s not a shorty either, so grab a beverage.

Blackie was doing press for W.A.S.P.’s “get serious” album The Headless Children.  He was invited to co-host the Pepsi Power Hour (live!) in 1989.  Erica wasn’t about to throw softball questions, but it’s quite clear that Lawless wins her over.  Blackie is remarkably forthright, with a dash of humour.  He also picked the tunes for the show, and you’ll find out what songs he chose and why.

The myriad subjects discussed:

  • What “Headless Children” means
  • What led to Blackie’s change of lyrical direction
  • The P.M.R.C.
  • The Decline of Western Civilization Part II and Chris Holmes
  • Being shot at
  • The Who’s reunion tour
  • Responsibility
  • Helix
  • Horses
  • Nazis
  • and much, much more.

The Headless Children is the main focus, and for good reason.  It’s an amazing record, and a terrific interview.

 

VHS Archives #42: Rick Hughes of Sword on the Pepsi Power Hour (1987)

MuchMusic introduced me to Sword when they premiered the white hot “F.T.W.” back in 1987.  When Rick Hughes stopped by the Pepsi Power Hour a few months later, I was ready to record!

With sometimes-host Christopher Ward, Rick discussed touring with Motorhead and what Lemmy’s really like.  He also touches on the long awaited second Sword album, on-stage injuries, and what the metal scene was like in Montreal at the time.

Check out this smashing live interview with the always cool Rick Hughes!

#739: Aces High

GETTING MORE TALE #739: Aces High

I am fortunate, oh so very fortunate, that I still have my old VHS tapes.  Watching them again, over 30 years down the road, has been the closest I’ve ever come to real time travel.  These tapes were my childhood!  I sat in the basement, remote control in hand, recording as much music as possible from, well, MuchMusic!

The Pepsi Power Hour was in its infancy, with J.D. Roberts in the hosting chair.  One by one, each video rolls out in the order I recorded them.  In many cases that means the order in which I first heard them!

The good fortune that I even have these tapes goes further, back to my parents.  They had pay TV, meaning we had MuchMusic when it first began, not when it became free in the late 80s.  They bought a VCR and pretty much let me monopolise it when the Power Hour was on.  Even though it was the middle of the big “Satan scare”, they let me watch the Power Hour, unlike the Dolphs, the weirdo neighbours across the street.  They didn’t even let their kids watch Dr. Who.  Here I am watching Ronnie James Dio slaying people with his sword in “Holy Diver”.  A few clips earlier, a bathing suit clad teacher was dancing on desks in a Van Halen video.  Then there was Kiss.  Were they really “Knights in Satan’s Service”?  My mom asked me that question, but she didn’t stop me from watching.  That couldn’t have been easy, considering the subject matter of “I Love It Loud”.

So I kept recording videos, and stored the tapes safely, as if knowing that 30 years down the road I’d be wanting them again.  Iron Maiden came up frequently on the earliest tapes, and I can’t help thinking of my dad.

The only Iron Maiden videos my dad liked were “Aces High” and “The Trooper”.  He approved of the lyrics and explained them to me in historical context.  I knew all about the Battle of Britain long before I hit the age that they teach you about it in school.  I knew the Charge of the Light Brigade, what a “Cossack” was, and where it happened.  That’s because of Iron Maiden and my dad!  He used it as educational material.  He really seemed to like those lyrics.

Today, my friend Tom who is a teacher uses rock music in the same way — to teach.

“Aces High” was always a personal favourite.  Not only was it a great song, but also a great video.  The single had some of the best cover art you could find on a Maiden vinyl.  “Aces High” received many spins, on the turntable and the VCR alike.  At that age, my sister was like a little shadow, and copied me with everything.  We watched videos together.  We also went to the same school.  In one class, she and her friends were asked about their favourite songs.  My sister said “Aces High” but they wrote down “Ace Is High”.  Come on, people!  It’s not that kind of song!  She was in the 4th grade.

Now I sit, watching my tapes, reliving old memories fresh and new once again.  What a lucky guy I am.

 

VHS Archives #41: The Beatles Help! home video TV ad

I found this ad in the commercials as I was fast-forwarding a tape. In 1987, MPI Home Video released The Beatles movie Help! on VHS for the first time. But wait, there’s more! Order now, and get Sixties Headlines for free! Regular price: $74.95? Holy shit! The 80s were expensive!

VHS Archives supplemental: How they put on a KISS concert (1980)

I was going to put this video online myself, but a more complete version already exists. No point in duplicating it, but I still wanted to make a post for it.  I had this in my VHS collection on one of my 1985 tapes.

I didn’t know what show this was from, since it came from the “Balasz Tapes” recorded off my next door neighbour.  I watched and treasured it, because it was the only video I had of Peter Criss as a kid.  My only Catman footage.  Not to mention it was Kiss!  Kiss in makeup too, and there wasn’t much of that in the mid-80s.

This was from a TV show called 3-2-1 Contact, and it’s a pretty cool demonstration of what goes in to putting on a Kiss concert.

George used to complain about one detail.  The sound tech shows how he can use a harmonizer to create the Gene Simmons “God of Thunder” monster voice.  “He does that with his own voice!” protested George.  As for me, I’m more upset that the sound tech thinks it was Darth Vader who says “My the Force be with you”.

From way back on the Dynasty tour, check out this really cool Kiss clip.

 

REVIEW: Quiet Riot – One Night in Milan (2019 CD/DVD)

QUIET RIOT – One Night in Milan (2019 Frontiers Deluxe Edition CD/DVD)

James Durbin made me a believer.

On paper, the current Quiet Riot shouldn’t be my thing.  A band with no original members and a frontman from one of those singing contest shows?  No thanks.  Except it’s actually good.  After years of flailing around with different replacement singers, Frankie Banali finally hit gold when he got James Durbin.  Wisely, Frankie chose to do a live album with him.

One Night in Milan is a terrific live CD/DVD set, aided and abetted by a singer who is 100% into it.  Durbin has charisma and the frontman chops, but importantly, he’s not trying to be Kevin DuBrow.  He still uses the striped mike stand, but otherwise Durbin is his own person.  His range is out of this world, and though his voice may grate on some ears, he sounds terrific to this listener.  The whole lineup, including Alex Grossi on guitar and veteran Chuck Wright on bass, has gelled.

Quiet Riot get points for doing the opposite of what most bands do.  They didn’t ignore their 1990’s albums!  “Whatever It Takes” (from Down to the Bone) and “Terrified” (from “reunion” album Terrified) sound awesome live.  “Terrified” in particular has been a long time coming, a true hidden classic from a forgotten era.  On the other hand, there are only two songs (“Freak Flag” and “Can’t Get Enough”) from their newest album Road Rage.  There’s only so much room on a live CD, and it’s otherwise stuffed with stone cold Quiet Riot classics.  It’s cool to hear deeper cuts like “Condition Critical”, “Thunderbird” and “Let’s Get Crazy” live.

The DVD, featuring all the songs from the CD, is even more convincing.  Banali continues to thunder like no other drummer, a true phenomenon.  There’s more stage talk included, and Banali introduces “Thunderbird” performed live for the first time ever with piano.  Durbin is always the focus on stage, although Wright and Grossi are both mobile, entertaining performers.

If you’re just not into Quiet Riot without Kevin DuBrow, that’s fine and you should stick to what you like.  However it’s safe to say that James Durbin has saved Quiet Riot from becoming a pointless parody of itself.  With James center stage, this band has a future again.

4/5 stars

 

 

VHS Archives #40: Dokken interview (1987)

I always liked this interview clip.  Jeff Pilson seemed so friendly and enthusiastic.  Don, meanwhile, didn’t even know how many songs were slated for the Back for the Attack album!  I think he forgot “Mr. Scary”.

Back for the Attack wasn’t out yet, so Laurie Brown asked Dokken about Under Lock & Key.  Check it out!

VHS Archives #39: Dee Snider says “Don’t drink and drive!” (1984)

This public service announcement from Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider mostly likely aired on an episode of Toronto Rocks’ Midweek Metal Mania show, the prototype for the Power Hour. It’s probably from 1984 or 85. I don’t know its exact origin because this comes from one of the “Balasz Tapes” — stuff originally recorded by next door neighbour George and then taped by me in one of our childhood recording sessions.

It’s lower quality because it’s a tape of a tape, but I think it’s still pretty cool.