As you listen to the song, you’ll witness a test flight of my new Potensic Atom SE drone. I took it 118.8 feet in the air on this test run, with a great view of Highway 8, from Hofstetter Park. I even landed it on home plate of the baseball diamond! This drone will get me some awesome cottage footage this summer.
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Aaron and his dad picked me up in Kitchener around 10:00 AM. Of course, I made them pose for a drone photo before we left! BMV in Toronto opened at noon, so we had plenty of time, and conversation was good. The weather was cool, breezy and sunny. It was the perfect day. In fact it may have been the most perfect weather we ever had for a Toronto excursion.
I gifted Aaron a copy of Tim Durling’s Y&T book, Down For the Count, and Aaron gifted me two T-shirts, two CDs, and one Hot Wheels. You will see these in the video that I spent the day filming.
“I’ve never seen somebody so excited for video editing!” remarked Aaron. Of course! When you had a day like we had, you can’t help but be eager to show it to the world! I spent 2.5 editing it on Monday night. The video tells the whole story. We strolled the streets of Kensington Market, and we sifted through the aisles and aisles of CDs. We only planned on hitting two stores: our regulars, BMV and Sonic Boom. We had a bonus stop at Paradisc Bound (first visit since 2012). We scored at every single store!
“We’re going to do best at BMV,” predicted Aaron, who was correct, but we didn’t do poorly anywhere. BMV won for prices and used CD selection. Sonic Boom, unfortunately, has started pricing certain discs according to Discogs highs. An old copy of Iron Maiden’s No Prayer for the Dying was jacked up because the cover art changed on the remastered editions. An out of print Helix Get Up! EP was going for a ridiculous $40 on CD, even though all the songs are duplicated on the Power of Rock and Rollalbum. Used cassettes, the kind that people used to dump in Thunder Bay landfills, were sometimes $10 each — same as they sold for when they were brand new. A Razor album was $200 on used CD. These are things they never jacked up back in 2018 when I was last there. Something has changed, and it wasn’t cool. Ultimately I did pay a lot of money for two used CDs at Sonic Boom. Ultimately I decided I wanted them, even though I was paying way too much.
BMV was just awesome. I scored eleven CDs and four records there, for a total of $107. Some were things I was trying for the first time, others were albums I needed to help complete some collections of certain bands. (One record was a gift that shall not be appearing here, for obvious reasons.) We lost track of time easily. I have no idea how long we were in BMV, but long enough to find what we wanted and then some. Of note: Their old 3-for$10 bin has changed. It is now simple $2.99 each. Perfect!
Aaron’s dad was exploring Toronto on his own, but was waiting for us when we met up for lunch at Pauper’s Pub. There are so many great places to eat in our little area of Toronto, but we hit the Pauper’s Pub every single year. That’s an endorsement. Service was great and so was the food. I had some blackened salmon, and unlike many places, it wasn’t dry and tasteless. It was tender and loaded with flavourful roasted veggies.
We made our way through the sights and smells of Kensington on our way to Sonic Boom. There, a giant Arkells display took up the front window. The band played there two weeks prior, selling copies of their new 7″ single “Big Feelings”, which was sold out in one day and not in stock. In fact they only had one Arkells left in stock, period.
We did well enough at Sonic Boom, though the store is becoming more…corporate? “Like a bigger Sunrise Records,” said Aaron. Lots of Reaction figures, Funko Pops, socks, and other assorted accessories. We were not there for those things. Reaction figures are $30 a pop now and prohibitively expensive, even though they had Phil Lynott, Cliff Burton, Lemmy, the Beastie Boys and more. When we come to Toronto, we focus on the real deal: the music. I bought two “holy grail” items albeit overpriced, that I was hoping to find in Toronto but didn’t expect to.
I grabbed a Mango Pepsi to wet the whistle as we walked back to the car, meeting up with Aaron’s dad along the way. He was a little bit behind so we had to kill 15 minutes. Paradisc Bound was right there, and they had a record that I had been wanting since I first started in music retail back in 1994. It was right there in front of me. It was meant to be! For $15, I added one final score to my tally. The funny thing was, I had just been talking about this record with Jex Russell last week…and there it was. Elvis truly is everywhere. (That’s a clue, though you will see the record in the video.)
The drive home was a little stoppy-starty, as Toronto traffic is. It took us one hour to get back up to Highway 401, and another hour back to Kitchener. Aaron and his dad drove two more hours back to Owen Sound…and they wouldn’t let me pay for lunch! Nice guys, those two. Aaron had to work Monday morning, too!
If you want to see every single thing we scored, check out the video. Can’t wait to return!
BRIAN MAY – “Too Much Love Will Kill You” (1992 EMI/Parlophone CD single)
The first time that most of us heard “Too Much Love Will Kill You” was in 1992, at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert. Surely one of the biggest and most spectacular such events ever hosted, Queen played a scorching set with guests that night. One of the highlights was a song that Brian May humbly said was the best he had to offer. That song was the ballad “Too Much Love Will Kill You”, which Queen recorded but did not release on The Miracle (until 2022). For that album, the band chose to only include songs written solely by the four core members. “Too Much Love Will Kill You” was co-written by Brian with Elizabeth Lamers and Frank Musker. A few months after the concert, May would release his solo version of the song on his album, Back to the Light, and also as a single. (There is now a deluxe edition of Back to the Light, containing all the songs from this single.)
“I’m just the pieces of the man I used to be,” croons May after a a delicate intro. A song about being torn between two lovers, you somehow actually feel sorry for the guy who’s trying to choose between two women. “Too much love will kill you, just as sure as none at all.” May’s version is different from Queen’s, with lush orchestration taking up much of the space. It’s absolutely gorgeous! Queen’s version was as well, and it may be difficult to choose between versions. Brian takes a lovely acoustic guitar solo, which is so rarely heard from the master of electric layers of bliss. His vocals are impassioned, perhaps even more than Freddie’s were. Though loaded to the gills with strings and accoutrements, it’s a spellbinding version.
Second on the single is a rocker named “I’m Scared”. If it were a Queen song, it would be one of the harder-edged. It’s a speedy ride through an amusement part of guitar and drums (by Cozy Powell, with bass by his Black Sabbath and Whitesnake compatriot Neil Murray). Brian talk-sings for most of it, which works well, especially when he mockingly has trouble getting his words out towards the end. It’s a performance, and the chorus ain’t bad regardless of the vocal storytelling. It’s too weird for radio, but could be one of those cool deep cuts.
Track three is the “guitar version” of “Too Much Love With Kill You” which, believe it or not, is an instrumental. Brian’s electric guitar takes the place of the singer. It’s a cool and unexpected version. It’s an incredible, lyrical version. Brian takes liberties and doesn’t play the vocal melody note for note, but you can make it out just the same. This could be one of May’s greatest guitar performances, simply because he uses his instrument to speak in a way that very few guitarists can do for four minutes straight. He changes voices, he adds luscious trills, and it’s an absolute knockout.
The last track is a re-do of lead single “Driven By You”, with Cozy and Neil. Brian played bass on the album version. This version is hard and punchy. The song is a melodic rock classic. If it had come out a couple years earlier, it could have been a summer hit. Cozy and Neil were in Brian’s live band, so having them re-do the track for a B-side probably made sense. It’s really strong, and the bass and drums are both in your face. Diehard fans will absolutely be able to recognize the legendary rhythm section. Cozy in particular has a signature sound, and Neil does as well to a lesser degree.
What a great single, combining rarities with hits and a deep cut. A total score.
RECORD STORE TALES #1133: Mike and Aaron Return to Toronto – Today!
It has been a long, strange last few years, hasn’t it?
Aaron and I went record hunting in Toronto almost annually, for years, ever since 2012. The goal was to buy music. Lots, and lots of music. Records, CDs, whatever. We always did very well, and I began documenting everything for YouTube. The video series has proven to be very popular. But Aaron and I haven’t been to Toronto since 2018. Why?
2018 was our annus horibilis. Jen was sick. Cancer. She survived. Her mother did not. The only reason I went to Toronto with Aaron that summer was because “Mum” insisted. “Go with your friend,” she told me. Within six months of Jen beating cancer, we lost “Mum”. I loved her mom. I don’t say that lightly. We were very close. Because Jen is the kind of person who can sleep in until noon given the chance, her mom and I would patiently sit together, drinking coffee and watching old movies. Our favourite topic to discuss was, of course, Jen! Jen didn’t like this too much. She hated when we talked about her! God, I miss her mom.
2019 was the summer we spoiled ourselves, and I elected not to go to Toronto that year. Jen and I celebrated our 11th anniversary, since we missed our 10th in a hospital waiting room. In 2019 I got fat, grew my hair long, and spent as much time at the cottage as I could. Since 2018 was the year without a summer, I vowed to take advantage of every minute from that moment on.
We all know was happened in 2020, which dragged on into 2021…
I became something of a hermit during this time. Most of my friends would tell you they don’t see me often. The one I’ve seen the most is Rob Daniels. (Watch this space for a video!) I haven’t seen Meat in over two years…Scott Peddle I saw last year…same with Max the Axe. What friends have I seen? Not many. I’m an introvert by nature, and if the pandemic did any damage to me, it was to give me an excuse to burrow into my little hole and not come out. And so I haven’t gone to Toronto with Aaron since then. I did have lunch with him in Port Elgin last summer, but our record shopping excursions remained on hold.
It takes a lot of mental energy for me to force myself out the door and to be social, but Aaron really makes this easy. He does all the driving. He’s pleasant company. So is his dad, Wayne, who also comes with us to Toronto.
So, today, Aaron and I return to Toronto with Wayne. We’ll be hitting up BMV first in the morning. Then Pauper’s Pub in the afternoon, followed by the finale at Sonic Boom. I am not bringing a list. I’m winging it. I am waiting to be surprised and ready to be spontaneous.
Wish us luck. Mike and Aaron are returning to Toronto!
January, 1991. Faith No More were huge. MuchMusic’s Kim Clarke Champniss asks the question: How do you feel about being classified as a metal band? Does Faith No More even care? “Epic” was a huge hit. Would it have been even without the record company phone calls made to MTV? Check out Roddy Bottum’s answers.
Meanwhile, Mike Patton grins and Mike Bordin plays hide & seek.
This is a monumental interview from my VHS collection. I wore this tape out, as you can tell! Judas Priest’s Rob Halford provides a lot of detail on the goings-on in 1988, that you don’t often hear. That was the year of Ram It Down, Stock Aitken & Waterman, “Johnny B. Goode” and much more! Hear about all that, English tax collectors, Lita Ford and more. Watch as Michael Williams presents Rob with a gold record for Ram It Down, and Priest…Live!
Topics discussed:
Why did Priest choose Canada to open the Ram It Down tour?
Priest’s longevity and why they have lasted so long.
The rotating drum seat: Spinal Tap? Why so many drummers?
Why did the guy’s pants fall down in the video for “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming”? (“The day’s not complete without an exploding head!”)
Why did Priest work with Stock, Aitken & Waterman in January of 1988, and what did they record? (Hear an excerpt from “You Are Everything”.)
“Johnny B. Goode” and how it came about.
How do they keep going day after day on a year-long tour? Are they still hungry for it?
What happens next with Judas Priest?
Violence in heavy metal.
Please enjoy this classic Rob Halford interview that I almost wore right out as a kid. Lots of info here that is interesting to this day!
Grant Arthur, Jamie Laszlo, Peter Kerr, Tim Durling and myself all gathered together to discuss this fun topic last night: Albums with common “nickname” titles! For example: The Beatles (the White Album), Metallica (the Black Album), and Weezer (lotsa coloured albums)! There are plenty on our lists, and I’m especially proud of one of my coloured picks.
This was my first ever panel discussion with the Contrarians, and about three years overdue. Thank you Grant for inviting me!
There will be no episode of Grab A Stack of Rock this weekend, but we’ll be back next week!
Congratulations to clouddog2393 for making the WTF Comments list in 2024! There were lots of crap comments that didn’t make the list, but here’s clouddog with two about Angus Young.
“The funniest thing about AC/DC is seeing a balding, skinny 70-something old man running around the stage still trying to act like the rock star guitarist he was back in the 70s. Pathetic really.”
He then dropped an almost identical comment three minutes later:
“The funniest thing about AC/DC is watching a balding , skinny OAP [Old Age Pensioner] running around the stage pretending to be the rock star guitarist he was back in the 70s. Pathetic really.”
No, what’s pathetic is taking your time out to comment on a video you didn’t even watch or care about. That’s pathetic. So is ageism. With luck and good health, all of us will be 70 one day. We should all be so lucky to be able to do something we love doing at that age. I look at Angus today and marvel that he looks better than I do right now.
Congrats to clouddog2393 for this WTF of a comment. Erik Woods, John Snow and others had some fun with him below.
On April 26 1991, AC/DC brought The Razors Edge to Dublin, Ireland. MuchMusic were there!
Two lucky contest winners (Jerry and Kulwinder) got to co-host the Pepsi Power Hour backstage with Dan Gallagher, Angus Young, and Brian Johnson. Not only that, but they got to do it from Dublin! Brian is jovial, and Angus often lets him answer. The time is brief, but this interview covers the following subjects. The answers are almost always comical, so be sure to watch this excellent tape!
How does Brian maintain the energy levels on stage?
Is it loud on stage?
What video Angus wants to see.
What fans can expect at Donington.
What do you get out of playing live?
How does Brian keep his voice conditioned so well?
Watch Brian get the MuchMusic name wrong, twice! This interview is light, comedy gold. Enjoy!
A sharp looking Brian Vollmer was accompanied by new Helix guitarist Greg Fraser (Brighton Rock) in a Slayer shirt for this acoustic performance! The show was Start Me Up on Saturday afternoon, and Natalie Richard was the host. It’s A Business Doing Pleasure was the new album, and it was a slightly more acoustic affair for the band.
Topics discussed:
Inspiration for writing the new songs, and working with Marc Ribler.
Special guests on the new album.
Sleepin’ in the doghouse again!
Doing an album after losing Paul Hackman.
Touring the new album.
A stunning acoustic version of “Tug of War” from the new album (and the only performance available with Frase on guitar).
Brian’s morning routine (which he still maintains today).
The super-8 videos used in “That Day Is Gonna Come”, and what inspired the song.
The very first platinum album that MuchMusic received – Walkin’ the Razor’s Edge by Helix!
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