🅻🅸🆅🅴 Interview With “Shandi” Bassist HARPER – Wednesday live show!

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man

🅻🅸🆅🅴 Episode

Episode 129:  Interview with “Shandi” Bassist Harper

Grab A Stack of Rock is proud to announce a special mid-week LIVE episode:  Please join Mike as he speaks to Tom Harper, professionally known as Harper, the guy who played bass on the Kiss hit “Shandi”!   And not only that, but Harper later spent time at LucasArts, helping create some of the greatest video games of all time, including Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire.  Believe us when we say that some of the stories that Harper has are not widely known, and could break the internet.

For example, did you know that the Thunderbird bass guitar that he played on “Shandi” was later loaned out to a legendary metal bassist, who played it on every song of his band’s landmark 1984 metal classic?  We’ll tell you who tonight.

Harper spent time in Peter Criss’ solo band, was friends with Ace Frehley, played with Michael Bolton, and of course played the bassline you know and love from a Kiss classic.  He has also recorded his own solo covers.  There is plenty to talk about tonight, from bass to video games.  Some of these things may blow your minds!

Since this is a special live episode, if you join us in the chat you can ask your own questions of Harper.  We already have some special guest questions to run.  Please don’t miss us tonight, this is going to be a good one!

 

 

Wednesday December 10 at 6:00 PM EST, 7:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube or Facebook.

VHS Archives #159: David Lee Roth – “She’s My Machine” – 1994 – Fox’s Wild Adventures in Paradise: The Rock and Roll Luau

A treasure unearthed, thank Fox!  Over three decades ago, David Lee Roth mimed his brand new single to an indifferent world.  Out with his new 1994 album, Your Filthy Little Mouth, a short-haired Dave put on the smiles for an audience that would have cheered for a beer fart. With his new band including guitarist Terry Kilgore, Roth unveiled his new direction: back to the roots. Again.  The event was “Fox’s Wild Adventures in Paradise: The Rock and Roll Luau”, but I was unable to find out much about this show.  My own memory tells me it was early in 1994.

Information below is provided by drummer Ron Wikso:

Yeah, that video was from the Hard Rock in Honolulu, HI and we did that show not long after I joined the band, sometime in either late January or early February of 1994, but I don’t know what date it aired…probably not long after we did it. And yes, that’s Terry Kilgore on guitar there, Jamie Hunting on bass, as well as Brett Tuggle on keyboards and vocals along with Dave and me. They cut off the ending and also made a weird cut in the middle but that’s showbiz! 🤣

Paulie Shore and Pamela Anderson were hosts.  Incredible flashback to that weird mid-90s period where everybody was pretending to get serious when they were really getting wasted!

🅻🅸🆅🅴 The Sound That Haunts You: A Beginner’s Companion to Fleetwood Mac with Tim Durling

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man

🅻🅸🆅🅴 Episode

Episode 128:  The Sound That Haunts You: A Beginner’s Companion to Fleetwood Mac with Tim Durling

 

Remember last month when we said Tim Durling has been busy?  Hot on the heels of his Night Ranger book, Tim is out with a brand new Fleetwood Mac companion!  With photos and text on every Fleetwood Mac studio album, this book is essential to fans new and old who want to read about Mick and the gang, and their incredible discography going all the way back to the Peter Green years.

Harrison “The Mad Metal Man” Kopp hosts tonight as we welcome Tim back onto the show.  You can buy the book here, or at your local Amazon.

We have guest questions lined up, and Tim will have the answers!  Don’t miss this one live, as we love to interact in the comments.  We always have fun lined up, and fun will be had!

Friday December 5 at 7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic.  Enjoy on YouTube or Facebook.

#1226: The Wayne’s World Drumsticks

RECORD STORE TALES #1226: The Wayne’s World Drumsticks

They weren’t my drum sticks, but like many things that belonged to my sister, I claimed them as “ours” not “hers”.  It was she that got Wayne’s World on VHS.  The tape came with a free pair of Wayne’s World drumsticks.  They were cheap and warped (a common issue), but they were not meant to be played.  They were intended to be a collectible for fans of Wayne Campbell and his drumming friend, Garth Algar.

Wayne’s World was a worldwide phenomenon when it was released to cinemas in early 1992.  I myself went to see it twice in the space of 24 hours.  When it was released on VHS just in time for Christmas, it was everywhere.  You could buy it at the grocery store if you wanted to.  Mike Myers and Dana Carvey’s loveable metalhead characters had become cultural icons in a very short span of time, with “Not!” and “Yeah, right!” becoming immediately popular punchlines in youth culture.  Myers has a knack for that kind of impact.  He did it again in the late 90’s with Austin Powers and “Oh, behave!”

Drums were always an instrument I was fascinated by.  I would sit on the edge of my bed and play air-drums to my favourite songs.  When Kathryn acquired the VHS tape/drum stick bundle for Christmas, I upped my air drum game.

I set up some pillows on my bed and practised smacking them with my…her sticks.  It looked and sounded stupid, but it was physically fun to do!

Switching gears a moment, when final exams rolled around, I spent a lot of time studying.  It is a tedious task, but I had a proven method.  I would comb through my class notebooks, and make a set of point-form notes on all the key subjects and sub-subjects.  Then I would reduce those notes to a list of keywords.  I would then memorize the list of keywords.  It was very mechanical but it worked.  If I could remember that list of keywords, I could trigger the memory of what I wrote in my point-form notes, and retain enough of the facts and figures to  pass the exam.

Memorising a list of words and phrases is a tedious, mechanical task.  It lent itself well to rhythm.  So, eventually I would get to the point where I would be in my room reciting this memorized list, pounding out the words to the beat of the Wayne’s World drum sticks.  Pillows on the bed, notes scattered about, and me saying seemingly random words like, “Max rebellion”, “Francs”, “Rhine/Rhone”, and other phrases designed to trigger a memory of a series of historical events.  Pounding out the words with the drum sticks hitting the pillows in little thuds.  Eventually I drove all those words into my head, in order!

That’s the true story of how a pair of warped Wayne’s World drumsticks that weren’t even mine helped me pass my Ancient History classes.

REVIEW: Evil Elvis – Evilest Elvis (2025)

EVIL ELVIS – Evilest Elvis (2025)

Evil Elvis is back in 2026 with his new album Atomic Psycho, but you can get a taste of the new tunes on his new compilation:  Evilest Elvis!  KC Carlisle is a Toronto psychobilly artist who has a reputation for a hot live show, great musicianship, and horror-inspired lyrics.  The tunes range from punky spunk to loungy rock.

 

 

The songs:

“Cat Woman” from 2017’s Undead Or Alive:  The rambunctious chorus of “Here, kitty kitty” will keep you rocking while that bassline keeps things moving!

“Zombified” from 2001’s Evil Elvis:  Now we’re on a slow nocturnal groove, perfect for those spooky nights.  This smooth, smoky tune has an intoxicating quality.

“Evil Love” – new song from 2026’s Atomic Psycho:  The master of the drum, Cleave Anderson from Blue Rodeo, makes his Evil Elvis debut here.  It is incredible to think that this veteran drummer from one of my favourite bands is now burning down the house with Evil Elvis.  On this one, EE channels the original Elvis a bit on the chorus, but in ways the King could never have foreseen.  “I’ll kill your fuckin’ parents and make it look like suicide!” he growls.  “Evil Love” indeed!  Cleave absolutely proves his punk rock mettle here.  A promising song.

“Too Fast For You” – a 2015 single that ended up on Undead Or Alive, is a personal favourite.  There’s an Alice Cooper vibe here, of the Detroit variety.

“Surfin’ To Hell” – from 2011’s Tattoo’d Fuckwit.  This adds surf rock sounds to the repertoire.    The guitar solo is manic panic fun.

That concludes “Side Eh” of the album, and on to “Side B”:

“My Evil” from 2017’s Undead Or Alive:  A jaunty number with organ and a shuffle beat.  This impressive song has lush backing vocals, on a chorus that reminds me a little bit of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.  Possibly the best track on the album and a song which deserved to be a hit somewhere somehow!  “GO!”

“I Wanna Wed (The Undead)” is a funny title, from 2001’s Evil Elvis.  This has the most traditional rock and roll sounds, like something out of a 1950’s graveyard.  Just pure fun, with a Halloween dance party vibe.

“Wolf Woman” – from 2006’s Viva Las Vampire:  If you have a thing for a woman with body hair, you will probably love this ode to werewolf love!

“Heavenly Body (From Outer Space)” is the second of the new songs to come from 2026’s Atomic Psycho.  The bassline plays a bit of the Twilight Zone theme before Cleave rings the band in with a thumping beat.  We’re off to space this time!  The backing vocals provide a the hooks on the chorus.  Once again, the musicianship and singing are really top notch here.  The guitar solo is way fun!

“Let’s Make Sin” from 2011’s Tattoo’d Fuckwit:  “Come on baby, let the sinnin’ begin!”  Vampire love is fun way to end the album.  But wait!!

There’s more!  Two “XXXtra Tracks” bring the total track count to 12.

“Backseat Love” – from 2017’s Undead Or Alive.  A fun duet with one foot in the 1950s and the other in the grave!

“Hey Space Girl!” – from 2001’s Evil Elvis.  The roughest, most garage-y song on the album.  An ode to a woman from Mars that’s here to stay.  “Hey space girl, wanna see my laser gun?”

This album was dedicated to photographer Ron Boudreau, a staple of the Toronto scene who took pictures of many of the bands I loved.  Rest in peace Ron.

4/5 stars

 

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 26: Dance of Death with Lana Teramae

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 26:  Dance of Death

With special guest Lana Teramae

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK #127

Brave New World was a new beginning for Iron Maiden, but the real test to any reunion (or new lineup, for that matter) is “can they do it twice”.  Dance of Death was Iron Maiden’s chance to repeat or exceed.  The road-seasoned lineup was hot with new ideas and got back to work with Kevin Shirley producing once again, but the new album was no re-hash.  The band pushed boldly on.

Joining us for the first time on Grab A Stack of Rock is Lana Teramae, an old friend and writer for Metal Express Radio.  Time zones once again collide in new ways, as Lana is the only guest from the state of Hawaii to ever join us!  Harrison and I have not worked with Lana since our old show (the LeBrain Train), so it is wonderful to have her on with us once again.  Her interviews with many of our heroes on Metal Express Radio might make us jealous, but when we started this series we wanted to include Lana.  She chose Dance of Death of the albums up for grabs.  In her words:

Check me out on Grab A Stack of Rock with Michael Ladano and Harrison Kopp as we discuss one of my favorite Iron Maiden albums, Dance of Death! The episode is set to premiere on YouTube on Friday, November 28, at 2:00 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time. I’m nowhere near as educated as these lovely gentlemen when it comes to Iron Maiden. I was just there for moral support!

Lana offered a new perspective that we have not often seen on the show:  that of a fan that is not a “super-fan” like Harrison and myself.  Lana may prefer Judas Priest to Iron Maiden, but she brings a new voice to the series and several insightful observations on this album that might be considered one that sometimes falls through the cracks.

After finishing an exhausting discussion on the 11 album tracks, we break down every B-side from the three singles:  “Wildest Dreams” (including DVD single), “Rainmaker” (Japanese CD single with two extra tracks), and “No More Lies” (boxed single with unlisted bonus track).  There is a lot to talk about with these B-sides as they included rare Iron Maiden jams, exclusive live versions, and unusual remixes.

As usual, Harrison takes us through the tour, though not too too much, since we will cover the live album Death on the Road in a future episode with special returning guest Jex Russell.  And, of course…we have to address the atrocious cover art.

On a personal note, this was the final episode recorded at the cottage in the 2025 season.  Will 50 Years of Iron Maiden still be going when we re-open in April 2026?  It might be possible as there is still a flurry of albums, live records, singles and compilations left to go.

Join Mike, Harrison and special guest Lana Teramae tonight.  We always try to comment along with you.

Friday November 28 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T., 2:00 PM Hawaii Standard Time.  Enjoy on YouTube.

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

VIDEO: INCOMING!!! Mega Mail & a Holy Grail!!

After my ill fated dumpster dive, I cheered myself up by opening some mail!  In this video, you will see my surprise as I open:

  • One parcel from Australia, courtesy of the Mad Metal Man, containing bonus tracks and a Holy Grail CD I have wanted since 1999.
  • One parcel from Amazon, featuring a new release that dropped from $30 to $20.
  • A science fiction book by an Australian author.
  • A surprise from Mr. Durling!  A band that he recently published a new book on…

You can hear in my voice how my injured body is weakened…but not defeated!

 

#1225: A Mighty Great Fall

RECORD STORE TALES #1225: A Mighty Great Fall

 

The big plastic bin of garbage lay before me, to take out as I go.  We had a bathroom pipe break the day before, so in the plastic bin was not just your average garbage, but also an impressively rusted bathroom drain pipe.  I tucked my two cell phones (work and personal) into my shirt pocket as I always did, and picked the plastic bin up with the legs.  Navigating the simple act of taking out an awkward bin of garbage is tricky at age 53.  Carrying the brunt of the weight against my chest, I walked the garbage out to the dumpster.

I opened the lid a crack, struggled a bit, and heaved the trash into the dumpster.  Job done, and off to work.

I’m a nervous nelly and I’m always checking my pockets.  Right front pants; keys.  Left front pants; wallet.  Front right shirt…front right shirt.

Shit.

My phones.  Both of them.  Gone.

I ran back to the dumpster and opened the lid in the pitch black.  Fortunately, one of my phones was lit up.  They must have fallen in with the garbage, when I dumped the contents of the plastic bin into the dumpster.

I’ve never gone dumpster diving in my life.  I have zero experience in this.  Well, I was about to get my wings.  I calculated the risk as I lifted myself up.  I got my right leg up.

“This is easy,” I actually thought to myself.  “I wonder if they design these things so you can get in if you have to.”

I lifted my whole body over the edge, and lost control of the situation quickly.  I tipped over to the left and landed with a mighty crash on my left side.

“Fuck!” I might have shouted.  I don’t remember.  That’s when the adrenaline kicked in.  Even though I could not see, one lit-up phone led to another, and I retrieved both.  Nothing gets the adrenaline flowing like being stuck in a dumpster, and so I somehow lifted myself back up and out.  I landed on both feet this time.  I truly do not know how I did it, but as soon as I hit the ground, I began slowly walking it off and focusing on breathing.  It only occurred to me later what would have happened if I landed on something sharp.

I was convinced that nothing was broken, so I got in the car and went to work.  When I got there, I felt the adrenaline wearing off and more pain settling in.  I tried to move a box of documents to be shredded and couldn’t even budge it.  That’s when I changed my mind and decided to go to the hospital.

According to my notes, I was admitted right around 7:30 and discharged at 1:00; not a bad turnaround.

The nurses and attendants with all very helpful and sympathetic.  They helped me out of my chair when I needed a lift.  Between all the nurses and doctors, I think I told my story five times.  Each time, it was hard not to laugh at the stupidity.  That’s when I realized how much it hurt to laugh.  It was a fairly easy wait.  I bought with me a book, which was noted by the triage nurse.  “Oh, I see you brought a book, smart!”  I mumbled something about thinking ahead, but what came out was more or less gibberish.  The book I had with me was, of course, dystopian fiction: 2546: Harbinger of The Equinox by Australian writer Violeta M Bagia.  I ripped through the first 60 pages before I was let go.

X-rays were thorough.  Nothing broken.  It’s not as simple as that though, as this is an injury that can get worse if not cared for.

They gave me three yellow pills and three white pills.  I could definitely feel their effects as breathing became easier.  Getting up?  Not so easy.  Still working on that.  It requires a system of sequential movements that I haven’t quite mastered yet.

I got myself home.  My mom bought me a sandwich.  It was the first food I’d had all day.

I can’t see any marks on my body, but I sure bet that will change in the coming days.

Having sat long enough, now I move to go lay down a while.  Wish me luck.  I’m sure this isn’t the end of this story.

 

 

VIDEO: What Is Mike Studying For?

Harrison recently interrupted Mike in the middle of his studies. But what is Mike studying for? Check out the announcement!

VIDEO: Evilest Elvis: Unboxing the new compilation by Toronto Psychobilly star!

20 years is a long time, but not for the undead!  Check out the new XX anniversary compilation, Evilest Elvis, by Evil Elvis!  A review will be coming.