#1126: Mail Shenanigans & Look at the Arkells’ Disco Loadout SIGNED CLEAR SPLATTER VINYL with Peter Kerr/Rock Daydream Nation [VIDEO]

RECORD STORE TALES #1126: Mail Shenanigans
& Look at the Arkells’ Disco Loadout signed clear splatter vinyl
with Peter Kerr/Rock Daydream Nation

Supplementals:

It has been a hell of a week.  There’s an untold story here; one that I have elected not to tell.  Let’s just say I’m out a lot of money, and other setbacks have caused me to take a step back from social media for a few days.  Just too much going on for me to deal with in a calm and cool manner.  Better to retreat into the shadows a bit.

As always, the Show Must Go On, and so I was determined to do my best on Friday May 17’s Arkells special on Grab A Stack of Rock.  It was the first show I’d done without a co-host (just a special guest) in a long while.  I felt unprepared despite a whole week of listening.  Things came together at the last minute, and all I needed was the new Arkells album, Disco Loadout Volume One, for the show to go right.  I planned to spend the afternoon listening to the CD and hoped to open up the autographed clear splatter vinyl live on the show.

The thing about going live is that it’s a double-edged sword.  The plus is you get the rush of live viewer feedback, and that sparks the show to be so much more exciting.  The negative is that when things go wrong, there’s nothing you can do about it.  That’s live for you.

My record was supposed to arrive on May 15.  It didn’t.  May 16 came and went.  Surely, it would be in my mailbox by May 17, the release date.  It had to be.

I arrived home from work early on Friday.  I raced with my heart pounding to the mailbox.  “It’ll be in there,” I reasoned to myself.  “Why wouldn’t it be?  It has to be.”

It wasn’t.

Furious, I went right to my computer and called up the tracking.

“Good news!” said Canada Post.  “Your parcel was delivered to your locked condo mailbox on May 16!”

Umm, no it wasn’t!  I picked up the phone.  I searched for a phone number.  Do you know how hard it is to call Canada Post on the phone and get a human being on the phone?  I was completely unsuccessful.

I went ’round and ’round on phone menus for half an hour.  I called my local post office, only to go to voicemail after an agonisingly long wait.  I swore up and down, and let out a primal yell that would have frightened the upstairs neighbour, had he been home.

I called Encore Records, and fortunately they had CD copies of the album in stock.  I ran downtown, grabbed the album from them (and a few other discs as well).  I was greeted there by old pal Chris, and I want to thank Encore for saving the day.  Once home, I immediately played the album once-and-a-half times, and began my show prep.  (I also picked up three other discs – a 4 CD Faster Pussycast set, the new Beatles single “Now and Then“, and the new Ace Frehley 10,000 Volts.)

I wouldn’t be able to open the signed splatter vinyl live on the show, but I filed a report with Canada Post.  It was all I could do.  There were no other options available.  Showing a CD copy wouldn’t be as exciting, but at least I had it in hand and could read the credits while listening.

The show went incredibly well; far better than I expected.  This was due to special guest Nurse Kat and her enthusiasm, and to some excellent notes from D’Arcy Briggs.  I’m really happy and proud of the show we did together.  I’d never attempted to do a show on a new album, on the day of release before.  We were treading new ground in multiple ways, and while it almost didn’t work, it ended up being one of the best shows to date.  The passion for the music came through.

Two days later, there was a knock on the door.  A tall gentleman from down the hall had a parcel for me.  It had been delivered to his unit.

How this happened, I’ll never understand but someone at Canada Post wrote the number “103” on the parcel.  Even though my correct unit number was written clearly on the parcel where the address was, this scribbled “103” put my parcel in the tall man’s mailbox.  Fortunately he is one of the good ones, and not all of them are.  Just this week, an upstairs neighbour had an expensive Amazon parcel opened and stolen.  It’s not a good feeling to have mail thieves in our building, but I have been victim twice before.  I’m glad this wasn’t the third time.

Even though I didn’t get to unbox it live, Peter Kerr from Rock Daydream Nation was kind enough to join me for a quick look at a beautiful record.  It looks as great as it sounds.

And so the week of stress comes to a happy ending.  The other bit of good news is that the social media hiatus was a good idea.  I went on a writing bender like never before.  Expect loads of reviews this spring and summer.

Thank you to the guy down the hall, to Peter Kerr, to D’Arcy Briggs, and to Nurse Kat for turning this potential disaster story into one of triumph!

 

REVIEW: Arkells – Disco Loadout Volume 1 (2024)

ARKELLS – Disco Loadout Volume 1 (2024 Universal)

Five albums in five years.  Album #10!  First covers album.  The Arkells show no signs of slowing down!

Hamilton Ontario’s Arkells are the kind of band that clearly love music.  You get this feeling from certain bands, such as Foo Fighters, or Weezer:   that the members just love playing music, and sometimes want to bust out a favourite song for fun.  Many of the songs here are tracks that the band have played live.  Disco Loadout exudes fun from every groove (or 1’s and 0’s if you listen digitally), and yes, it does include some disco (Abba)!  11 tracks: the perfect length.  Genres range from modern pop (Robyn, Harry Styles) to classic rock (Bruce Springsteen, Hall & Oates, Huey Lewis & the News) and pop (Whitney Houston, The Jackson 5).

Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own” has a chugging “Eye of the Tiger” kind of riff, paired with a rich horn section.  Drummer Tim Oxford opts for a big beat on this one, with his usual swing.  Singer Max Kerman pours it all in, and delivers big hooks on the chorus.  Check out that bassline by Nick Dika, a thrumming pulse that gets the blood pumping.  “Dancing On My Own” gets the album off to a fast paced start, upbeat and celebratory.

Keyboardist Anthony Carone takes the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” to the right place from the start, but it’s those big thick horns that really nail the authenticity factor.  This is not a song for the meek to cover.  The Arkells have had a soulful side that really came to the fore starting with Morning Report.  This track allows them to really let it out.  Without a bump, Hall & Oates’ “You Make My Dreams Come True” continue the blue-eyed soul vibe.  A favourite song of any Toronto Maples Leafs fan, this song is sure to be a popular one in Canada.  The Arkells do a wonderful version, and though it’s hard to top Darryl Hall’s vocals, Max does an admirable job.

Harry Styles’ “As It Was” has a keyboard line similar to “Take On Me” by A-Ha.  It has a nice retro vibe and a taut bassline by Nick Dika.  I like when they change the lyric “Harry, you’re no good alone,” to “Maxie, you’re no good alone.”  It has a beat and you can dance to it, but it’s not as classic as the other tracks on this album.

Guitarist Mike DeAngelis gets to sing co-lead vocals on Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer”, and it’s a delight.  His voice is more similar to Peter’s, so when his lines kick in, it really adds to the authenticity (there’s that word again).  Speaking of authenticity, “Sledgehammer” lays on the horn section heavy once again.  This is a really fun cover.  Anthony Carone has the right 80s keyboard tons, and Oxford plays it for the beat, but not without throwing in some cool rhythmic tricks.  The saxophones are nice and thick, and you could swear it was 1986 all over again.

The first of two ABBA covers is a re-recording of “Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)”.  An earlier version was on 2022’s Apple Music Home Session.  In both versions, Nick Dika shows an expert level knack for danceable but powerful bass.  Meanwhile, Tim Oxford is absolutely killing it on the drums, nailing both the groove and a hard-hitting power.  This song is a showcase for the upper echelon rhythm section of the Arkells.  There’s even a bass solo.

Speaking of bass, it’s prominent on Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5”.  Dolly is having a moment again, so the timing is right to cover a Parton hit.  It’s just pure fun, and not too serious.  The horns are back to thicken things up with sass and melody.  Lyrically, the song actually fits in well with some of the Arkells’ earlier hits like “Oh, The Boss Is Coming!” as a protest over the big guys in the expensive suits.  Stay tuned for a great sax solo, followed by a rowdy trumpet solo, and completed by a trombone showcase!  As if that wasn’t enough, Tim Oxford gets a drum solo, before Max orders that they go “New Orleans”!  What a trip!

“I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston might be the most unlikely song on this album, but of course no pressure.  The Arkells have it covered.  Once again the bass is up front in the mix, really allowing the groove to come through.

Album highlight:  “Dancing In The Dark” by Bruce Springsteen.  The Arkells have gone with a Springsteen sound before (“Nowhere to Go” featuring Jake Clemons) so they clearly know what they’re doing.  This song drives harder than Bruce’s version, while retaining all the hooks.  Some may think Max Kerman is ill-suited to sing a song by a guy with a raspy voice like Bruce Springsteen, but no issue.  Awesome track, and hopefully a future live staple.

Huey Lewis’ “The Power of Love” is a definitive 80s anthem.  Of course, the Arkells are all over it.  Anthony Carone’s keyboards are particularly noticeable, while the rest of the guys just sit back and let it groove.  Mike DeAngelis has a fun guitar solo, and the reliable horns deliver those familiar hooks that you remember so well.  Every base is covered.  A perfect version.

The album closes, as it should, on the last ABBA cover, “Dancing Queen”!  What can one say about “Dancing Queen”?  It is one of the world’s most perfect songs, but also, be wary:  to cover a song this familiar and this classic is to frolic on thin ice.  Yet the Arkells, with the combination of ace rhythm section, the essential keyboards, and horns, manage to pull it off.  Max Kerman’s delivery is pure love and enjoyment of singing a classic song.

Engineered by Harem Scarem’s Harry Hess, this album sounds absolutely fantastic, with highs and lows coming through loud and clear.  Hopes are high that a Volume Two will eventually follow!

4.5/5 stars

ARKELLS

  1. Jackson Square (2008)
  2. Michigan Left (2011)
  3. High Noon (2014)
  4. Morning Report (2017)
  5. Rally Cry (2018)
  6. Campfire Chords (2020)
  7. Blink Once (2021)
  8. Blink Twice (2022)
  9. Laundry Pile (2023)
  10. Disco Loadout Volume One (2024)

…and more to come

The Most Comprehensive Arkells Deep Dive on the ‘Net! With a Harrison Kopp cameo, a D’Arcy Briggs list, and the great Nurse Kat

Thank you once again Nurse Kat for coming on Grab A Stack of Rock to talk about a band we both love:  Hamilton Ontario’s Arkells.  It isn’t her first time, as last year we did a show focusing largely on her 13 concert experiences (now 20).  Check out Nurse Kat’s first show by clicking here!

This time, we did a deep dive.  We went album by album, from Jackson Square to today:  the brand new release, Disco Loadout Volume One.  If I do say so myself, I think this is the most comprehensive Arkells deep dive you will find.

My friend D’Arcy Briggs was unable to attend the show, but he provided ample notes and we presented his views on each album in the form of short videos.  Additionally, we ran excerpts with commentary of three Arkells music videos:  “Oh, the Boss is Coming”, “All Roads”, and “Past Life”, which allow us to view the evolution of the band.

Show highlights:

  • Concert stories with Kat, including a brilliant one about a port-a-potty in a rainstorm whilst the band played “A Little Rain”.
  • Favourite songs from each and every album.
  • A discussion on the music, artwork, and lyrics of the Arkells.
  • What is a “Michigan Left”?
  • First impressions on Disco Loadout.
  • A heartwarming Kopp cameo.

That’s right.  The Mad Metal Man himself, who also ordered Disco Loadout, made a brief cameo at the end of our show, and we love him for it.  I missed my Mad Metal Man.

Thank yous:

  • Nurse Kat for spending your time with us instead of Bob’s Burgers.
  • Harrison Kopp for saying hello.
  • Chris and Mark at Encore Records for saving the day and getting me the new album when Canada Post lost it.

Next week is a re-run of Top Five Bald Artists.  Speaking of which, I may look a little different this week.  Spot the change!

 

 

My notes:

 

Jackson Square – 2008

  • Deadlines – heaviest tune?
  • Oh the Boss is Coing!
  • Ballad of Hugo Chavez – “Night of the sun”
  • Heart of the City – anthemic
  • The Blueprint – sounds awesome a-capella

Michigan Left – 2011

  • Book Club
  • Michigan Left
  • Coffee
  • Bloodlines
  • Whistleblower

High Noon – 2014

  • Too many good songs to mention, but has the best first three song opening of any Arkells album.  Add in Leather Jacket and we have a winner

Morning Report – 2016

  • Too many good songs!  Knocking at the Door, Hung Up, Making Due, My Heart’s Always Yours, Savannah, Passenger Seat, A Little Rain, And Then Some

Rally Cry – 2018 – sudden change in cover art style, more political than personal lyrics

  • Hand Me Downs, but the version with Frank Turner is even better
  • American Screams

Campfire Chords – 2020

  • Three new songs:  Years In The Making, Quitting You, A Little More

Blink Once – 2021

  • All Roads
  • Strong
  • Nobody Gets Me Like You Do
  • Years In The Making
  • Arm In Arm

Blink Twice – 2022

  • Past Life (Cold War Kids)
  • Teenage Tears (Tegan & Sara)
  • Nowhere To Go w/ Wesley Schultz (Lumineers) & Jake Clemons

Laundry Pile – 2023

  • Life
  • Skin

Disco Loadout Vol. 1 – 2024

  • Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)

Disco Loadout! The Arkells Discography ranked on Grab A Stack of Rock with Nurse Kat

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man
Episode 60: Disco Loadout! The Arkells Discography Ranked!

Please welcome back superfan Nurse Kat, returning to discuss the Arkells one more time!  Last time she was on, she talked about seeing the band 13 times in an 18 month span.  Now, a year later, I wonder how many more times she’s caught the band live?

The occasion?  Today’s release of the new covers album Disco Loadout Vol. 1, featuring songs by Hall & Oates, Peter Gabriel, Abba, Bruce Springsteen and Whitney Houston among others!  The Arkells have always had a knack for covers, and today they put their money where their mouths are with their first full-on covers album.  Our copy is pre-ordered and we hope to have it in hand to show tonight.

Kat and I will be talking favourite songs, from album to album, and then I will attempt to rank all 10.  A daunting task; I will not be relying on my written reviews for this job.  I will listen to them all with fresh ears and try to figure out a ranking.  We will even be running clips from our favourite videos.

Tune in tonight for the epic of Arkells appreciation!

 

Friday May 17 at 8:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 5:00 P.M. Pacific.   Enjoy on YouTube or on Facebook!

REVIEW: Pretty Maids – Red, Hot and Heavy (1984)

Thank you to Thor Blackmore for this CD!

PRETTY MAIDS – Red, Hot and Heavy (1984 Sony)

I ignored Pretty Maids when I first heard of the band.  “Pretty Maids?  What kind of name is that?”  Shallow kid stuff, but impactful, because now in 2024 this is my first real listen to Pretty Maids with intent.  Red, Hot and Heavy was the debut album for the Danish hard rock band, after a self-titled EP in ’83.  The six-piece band had some moderate success with the album, so let’s have a listen.

Opener “Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi” is actually an excerpt from Carl Orf’s “Carmina Burana”, and is credited as such on the back.  It’s just a few seconds.  The real opener is “Back to Black”, a scorching metal number with tempo and riffs sharpened and at the ready.  The raspy vocals of Ronnie Atkins differentiate the song from the works of other metal groups such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.  The keyboards give a highbrow neo-classical vibe.  It’s heavier and fuller than Dio, but with all the drama and guitar solo shenanigans.

The title track is slower and nastier.  A rallying cry for metal heads, “Red, Hot and Heavy” doesn’t pretend at being anything more than it is.  A slow metal banger, perfect for fist-pounding and shouting along with at the concert hall.  The shout chorus is custom made for the stage.  The duel guitar solo is pretty cool.  A stock metal chugger, but there is a need for a drum-bashing, stompy riff-rocking concoction such as this.

The highbrow keyboards return on “Waitin’ for the Time”, a very European sounding song which builds from a ballady opening to an upbeat pounder.  Sounds a bit like the Swedish band Europe during their Wings of Tomorrow era, with a hint of Def Leppard in the riff.  It’s an excellent song with light and shade, and a complete musical journey without exceeding five minutes.

“Cold Killer” begins with news broadcast dialogue, and then goes in a fast and ominous music unlike the other songs.  The rather clunky lyrics are about the weaponization of space, a hot topic in 1984 with Reagan’s “Star Wars” program in the nightly news.  But…clunky.  “There should have been a paradise, instead there’s a killer out in space.”  We’ll give them credit for trying at least, which is more than could be said for many bands of the 80s.  Musically it’s a terrifically fun ride through sweet guitar riff and solo action.  The keyboards add a progressive vibe, though some might say pretentious.

The anti-war theme flips over onto side two, with “Battle of Pride”.  Again, it’s not poetry, but the lyrical theme was very popular in metal at the time.  Musically it’s a fast Dio-like rocker with the keyboard accents giving it a different flavour.  Ronnie Atkins’ rasp continues to separate Pretty Maids from other bands, but by the time we hit side two, the ear is craving more variety in the voice.

“Night Danger” is a pure blitzkrieg, now more in the wheelhouse of a band like Accept.  These guys are not slouches when it comes to riffs over 80 mph in speed.  The irony is that, even at that speed, the song doesn’t really go anywhere.  It’s speed for its own sake, and that’s actually fine, because it’s plenty fun and doesn’t need to be anything else.

Acoustics join the electric guitars on “A Place in the Night”, one of the most impressive songs on the album.  Mid-tempo melodic rock, and dialing down on the vocal growls, is exactly what the album needed at this point.  The chorus explodes with passion and power at the right moment.  The keyboards add to the mixture by thickening up the melodic accents.  Brilliant deep cut late in the album.

“Queen of Dreams” has an Yngwie vibe again, though Malmsteen wouldn’t put as much emphasis on the other instruments.  The keyboards add a regal synth-trumpet sound over the guitars, but when the drums kick in, there’s no nonsense.  It’s that kind of metal that is obviously influenced by Deep Purple and Blackmore’s Rainbow, but amped up for the 80s.

The surprise is the closer:  a cover of Thin Lizzy’s single “Little Darling”.  Formerly a horn-laden rock classic, Pretty Maids heavy it up a bit and increase the tempo.  Though “Little Darling” will always be a personal favourite, I don’t think Pretty Maids did it any favours.  Their backing vocals are too shrill for the chorus, and without the horns, it loses that something special.  A swing and a miss for Pretty Maids, which is terribly unfortunate.

Red, Hot and Heavy is a strong debut.  Obviously the band grew and expanded their sound, and still continue today.  This is the foundation.

3.5/5 stars

VIDEO: Unboxing Music and a Surprise from @Darcyska!

Do you ever order a lot of music and then forget about it?  I was confused when I saw this parcel from Quebec on my desk.  Do I know anyone in Quebec?  Thomas Polychuck, and that’s about it.  While I am expecting a parcel from Polychuck soon, this wasn’t it.

I was confused at first, but one disc in this package indicated who it might be from.

SPOILERS: Read after watching!

D’Arcy Briggs is a friend from the Darcyska YouTube channel.  I’ve been on his show before, as has Jex Russell and John Clauser.  I recently sent him a care package which he showed on his channel, and he returned the favour!  The sending address threw me, which is why I seem confused at first.

Here’s what he sent:

  • Star Wars “Nien Nunb” figure 3.75″ action figure!
  • Big Shiny Tunes Bonus CD (1999) Levis exclusive CD
  • Vincat – I Like Their Old Stuff Better (2005)
  • One Drop – One Drop  (year unlisted)

One Drop looks like reggae, and it looks like they actually have a lot of albums out.

I look forward to checking out some new music with my new copilot!

#1125: Purple Rain, Purple Sky – Five New Things at the Lake

RECORD STORE TALES #1125: Purple Rain, Purple Sky

“I want to do something new this weekend,” goes the eternal complaint. Even with Lake Huron in front of us, and a lush green paradise all around, sometimes I still moan about doing the same things every weekend.

There is so much you can do, but only a couple days to do it all.  It’s easy to fall into comfortable habits and just…relax.  However, the cottage is too special to just relax.  Surely, I’ve had some of the best sleeps of my life there, but you don’t want to sleep your day away, as easy as it can be.

As always, we started the trip on the front porch.  We always like to listen to music on our night of arrival, as the sun sets.  This time, we chose Prince’s Purple Rain, which I didn’t own last year.  This music was new to the cottage, and it was an absolutely incredible experience.  I danced around the porch to “Computer Blue”, but the sun was setting just as Prince began singing about the “Purple Rain”.  It was a surreal experience hearing Prince sing “Ooo, ooo, ooo,” as the orange and pink clouds slowly let the sun sink beneath the horizon.  It felt like Prince was there in the forest somewhere, just out of sight.

New thing #1 achieved:  “Purple Rain” at sunset.

We always like to experiment with food.  Believe it or not, we have not made homemade burgers at the lake in decades.  Why?  My dad used to hate cooking them, as they’d fall to pieces on the grill.  Not anymore.  Thanks to a tip from my good buddy Thuss, we now are making our own homemade burgers.  The secret:  Freeze them.  Once frozen, those patties stay together and do no break apart.  For our first batch, this was our successful blend:

  • Lean beef (Jen wanted extra lean but I said no)
  • Ground thick cut bacon
  • 1 egg
  • Bread Crumbs
  • Parmesan flakes
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Paprika
  • Chili flakes
  • Minced fresh garlic
  • Minced fresh onion
  • Ketchup
  • Mustard
  • Olive oil

I don’t know how much of that we could actually taste, but it was fun and the result was juicy and perfect.  And then next batch is already in the freezer waiting to be cooked up, with a new set of ingredients including local beef.

New thing #2 achieved:  Perfect homemade burgers on the grill.

But wait, there’s more!  Thanks to a new, deep cast iron frying pan, we also fried our own french fries.  No more oven baked fries, or air fries!  Only the real deal.  They were crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and perfect all around.

New thing #3 achieved:  Golden brown french fries.

To quote ZZ Top:  I AM your burger man.

“My charcoal’s getting red hot,
Put your order in my hand,
Won’t you let me show you what I got,
Sizzling in the pan.”

I woke up on the Saturday morning as I often do, bright and early.  It was damp and cold with not a single human to be seen, myself excluded.  It’s a good time to spot wildlife.  There have been bears in the area, but I did not see one.  Instead, I saw a red canid coming up the path from the beach.  A fox?  I had not seen our local fox up there in at least a year.  This animal had the gait of a fox, but not the bushy red and white tail.  This animal had a thin, bony tail, and its frame was larger than a fox.

It was a coyote.  My first coyote sighting, ever.  I’ve heard them at night, but never seen one in the fur before.

New thing #4 achieved:  Coyote sighting!

I knew there was no way I’d be able to grab my phone in time.  I simply watched the confident, unafraid animal stroll down our little dirt road as if he was the only one in the world.

Of course, all of this would pale in comparison to the Aurora Borealis.  I’d never seen the Northern Lights before.  I did my best to describe the experience, but words and pictures do not capture the awe.  It felts as if we were all under a huge electric dome.  It is something I’ll never forget even if I never see it again.  It began suddenly and dimly, before the lights were all you could see anywhere, in every direction.  The lights reflected off the waters, and created beautiful patterns in the ripples.

New thing #5 achieved:  Aurora Borealis

New experiences are not always possible at the lake, nor are they always necessary.  Sometimes it’s enough to just sit on the porch and watch the days go by.  After 52 years of coming to the exact same location, to have so many new sights, sounds and flavours in one weekend was unexpected.

The cottage is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get!

 

#1124: Aurora Borealis

RECORD STORE TALES #1124: Aurora Borealis

52 years of coming to the cottage, since my very birth, and there are still new things to see.

I used to think I was too far south to ever see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis).  Certainly it has never happened before.  However, we are heading into a Solar Maximum, which means a high point in the sun’s 11 year cycle of activity.  The sun’s magnetic field is a twisty turny-thing, and every 11 years, it gets twisted up into an increasingly excited state, and the sun ejects massive eruptions of particles into the surrounding space.  When our Earth eventually collides with the charged particles, they create brilliant shows of light in the sky.  There are both northern and southern borealis, and in northern Canada, people can see the lights easily.  Where I live in the southern tip, we never see the lights!

May 10, around 10:15 PM, the lights came to visit the shores of Lake Huron.

Jen and I headed down to the beach, as the Boston Bruins were getting mauled by the Florida Panthers.  I kept my eyes north, assuming that was where I would see the lights.  Disappointed, I shouted back at Jen, “There’s nothing yet.”

I noticed something as I looked back at her.  The sky was “hazy”,

“Is that it?” I asked Jen as I looked straight up.  There was a cloudy streak across the sky.

Then I looked south and saw the horizon glowing green.  The northern lights were not coming from the north!  They were all around us, in every direction, like a glowing curtain!  It was not at all what I expected to see.

The light show peaked for about 15 minutes, on a very cold night.  The lights shifted and changed, ever so slowly, so that you barely noticed.  You could stare at a band of green until it faded and was suddenly replaced by swirls of red.  The moon was a sharp crescent and it cut a hole through a band of green, as did a handful of bright stars.

Photographs and videos, of course, only tell part of the story, and only insofar as technology can capture.  The real colours and the subtle wispy cloudy bands we saw are lost in photos.

Directly overhead appeared to be the center of it all.  Radiating out from a central point were bands of cloudy white, like a celestial starfish.  Jen and I pondered this and wondered if the solar particles were hitting at that point.

I wish I had been listening to “Purple Rain” at that moment.  It did almost look like purple rain at times.

Jen and I had a moment on the previous night, listening to “Purple Rain” during sunset.  It was an uplifting, somewhat surreal moment to hear Prince soloing and singing over the sight of the glowing sky.  Imagine if we had it playing during the borealis!

The bone-chilling cold of the Kincardine night cut our visit short, but I can now say I’ve seen the Northern Lights.

Bucket list achieved.

 

The Best Music Videos, and a Stack of Nostalgia with Dr. Kathryn and Jex Russell

And the Oscar for Best Music Video Re-enactment goes to:  JEX RUSSELL!

Folks, Jex could not make it to the show live tonight, but he prepared his list in advance and appeared by video.  And folks…Jex knocked it out of the park this week.  That’s all I’m going to say.  Jex also provided physical product in the shape of vinyl for his picks.

Between Jex, Dr. Kathryn and I, we ended up covering some of the best music videos for:

  • Canadian content
  • Impact and influence
  • Cool factor
  • Mid-80s metal icons
  • Pop classics
  • Obscure gems

What we didn’t cover, the comments section did!  Thank you for watching and commenting on this show.  On a personal note, this was a technical challenge this week as I had to manage 21 individual video files for presentation, but fortunately it went off with very few glitches!

If you watch only one thing today, watch Jex Russell’s #1 pick.

See you next week with D’Arcy Briggs and Nurse Kat as we celebrate the release of the new Arkells album Disco Loadout!