2loud2oldmusic.com

Music DVD Showcase with Harrison Kopp and John T. Snow on Grab A Stack of Rock

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

Episode 48:  Music DVD Showcase

A long-overdue gander at our music DVD collections, tonight we will examine live DVDs, compilations, documentaries and more.  Kiss, Def Leppard, Metallica, Motley Crue, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Marillion, and much much more.

Frankly I don’t watch music DVDs very often, so there will be things in my collection I am just rediscovering!

Joining me tonight will be John T. Snow of 2loud2oldmusic, and my trusty co-host the Mad Metal Man.  I cannot wait to see what these two music collectors have to show.  My collection is quite large, even though I stopped buying music DVDs a while ago.  We might not get to them all – a sequel show may be in order!

We have a special Top 5 list from Peter Kerr, and a really cool announcement to boot!

Hope to see you tonight in the comments section!

 

Friday January 26 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 8:00 P.M. Atlantic.   Enjoy on YouTube, Twitter, or on Facebook!


Next week:  Feb 2 – an interview with Marco D’Auria! Co-hosted by Jex Russell, we’re talking MYSTIQUE: Standing on the Firing Line!

Feb 9 – our 50th show! – Doctor Kathryn returns with Jex Russell and her cassette collection from the 1980s!

 

 

The Y&T Album Review Book Chat with author Tim Durling, and contributors John Snow, Jex Russell and Mike Ladano

The very first Y&T book is outDown For the Count:  The Y&T Album Review is the name, and Tim Durling is the author.  Tim was kind enough to join Jex, John and I on a Friday night to talk about it.  Mr. Durling’s humble nature and musical knowledge was on full display as we discussed:

  • How the book came together, and why it has a discussion-style format.
  • Assembling the panel.
  • Y&T’s lack of big-time success.  The why’s, the wherefore’s, and the what-might-have-beens.
  • Fans in waiting:  turning new people on to Y&T.
  • Contacting Hugh Syme.
  • Working with Sean Kelly.
  • The importance of artwork, a good logo, and music videos.
  • The Y&T discography.

Please support the music community and check out the book if you can!  We are all very proud of Down For the Count, and you might just discover a new favourite band.  That’s all we really hope for in the end.

Thanks again to Tim, John and Jex for a great show.  Tune in next week for a pre-recorded solo show called Too Much Music.

Go for the throat!

 

 

Down For the Count with Tim Durling and Friends

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

Episode 46:  Down For the Count with Tim Durling and Friends

The very first Y&T book is outDown For the Count:  The Y&T Album Review is the name of the book, and you can get yours on Amazon right now.

Joining us this week is series regular, and now author of two books, Tim Durling!  Why Y&T?  Why a book about this band, and their discography?   It is true that Y&T never made the impact that they seemed destined for.  We’ll discuss this and much more:  the nuts and bolts of publishing a rock book and assembling the cast of characters who helped along the way.

Speaking of characters, co-hosting this week will be book contributors John T. Snow and Jex Russell.  How did they get involved, and what was their part to play?  How did Tim get Sean Kelly and Hugh Syme to contribute?  Find out tonight, and by all means pick up this excellent book today.

LIVE Friday January 5 at 8:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 9:00 P.M. Atlantic.   Enjoy on YouTube or on Facebook!

 

The Adventures of Tee Bone Man: Tee Bone Man’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve

THE ADVENTURES OF TEE BONE MAN
PHASE TWO: THE MULTIVERSE SAGA

Chapter Twenty-Three: Tee Bone Man’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve

By: Mike, Harrison, Aaron, John and Michael

The stage was, quite literally, set!

Deke’s Palace hadn’t been this abuzz with activity since its early days as a whiskey distillery. Back then, it was technicians in lab coats scurrying about their business. Today, it was the finest road crews that the Great White North possessed, summoned together for a concert unlike any other.

On the very roof of Deke’s Palace, a mighty stage had been erected.  Somewhere in the world, a retired Gene Simmons was crying in his cheerios that Kiss had never managed a stage show like the one being assembled on this day.  For today, Tee Bone Man and Superdekes have arranged the ultimate concert.  Massive speakers were being hoisted by crane, while Deke observed from the snowy ground below.  He glanced over his glasses, checked something off a checklist, gave a thumbs up to the crane operator, and walked over to a nearby Tee Bone Man.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this for a change, but we’re right on schedule!” shouted a cheerful Deke over the grind of machinery.

Tee Bone smiled.  “I told ya!”  He patted his friend on the back.  “Thanks for doing all the hard work on this one Deke.  If those guys thought last year’s Christmas party was something else, wait until they see what we have ready to roll for New Year’s.”

Deke laughed.  “Well, it’s our friend the Metal Man who helped arrange the bands tonight.  But yes, those guys will not see this one coming.  I think it’s safe to say that nobody’s ever seen a show like the one we’re putting on.”

“Staging it on the roof of Deke’s Palace was your idea, and a brilliant one at that,” complimented Tee Bone Man.

“Thanks!” beamed Deke.  “It was the only space big enough for the entertainment we have planned.  The backdrop will be pretty epic, and the industrial heaters we rented will make it feel like a spring day outside.”

“Do we have final numbers on attendees?” queried Tee Bone Man.

“Not everyone has RSVP’d yet,” answered Deke from behind a screen as he looked up the data.  We have 65 ‘yes’ responses, 14 ‘no’, 23 in the ‘maybe’, 95 who have not read the email yet, and Max the Axe who responded with a postcard that just said ‘you gotta’.”  Deke paused to shake his head.  It was Tee Bone Man who recruited Max into the Northern Nights, while Deke had his reservations!  “Some of the ‘yes’ respondents include Aaron, Snowman, Metal Man, the Mars Man, King of the Sharks, and the Durling Foundation.  They said they’d be sending some reps.  Strangely, they are to arrive by dirigible…”

“We should open up a large batch of tickets to sale for the public,” said Tee Bone, skeptical that everyone would make it to Thunder Bay Ontario for a concert in the middle of winter.  “Help us recoup some of the cost for the equipment rentals.”

“Rentals are covered,” said Deke as he checked another item off his list.  “Thank the Snowman.  He’s  covering the whole show.”

“What about booze and herbal remedies?” asked Tee.

“Max the Axe sent a care package a week ago.  It also contained a VCR and a number of 8-track tapes, but I haven’t ascertained why,” answered Deke matter-of-factly.

Tee Bone turned somber a moment.  “And what about Moustachio?”  Their friend had disappeared months ago through some kind of energy portal.  “Think he’ll make it to the party or am I just wishing upon a star?”

“He won’t be making it,” said Deke as he patted his friend on the back, “but he’s alive out there somewhere.  There’s no evidence he didn’t survive.  He’ll be back.  Maybe not this year, but we’ll get him back.”

A brisk wind blew snow in the faces of the two friends.

“I think these guys have this under control,” said Deke as he packed away his clipboard.  “Let’s go inside, get some hot cocoa, and talk song requests.  Right now, only you, me and the Metal Man know who’s playing.  We’ve custom picked musicians for each of our friends, but we haven’t thought about what we wanna hear yet!  We have lists to make!”

With that, Tee Bone Man was airborne!  “Race you to the door!” he cackled as he soared away.


Show Night

Backstage was buzzing, but security was tight!  Absolutely nobody was getting close to the dressing rooms.  Deke had hired the best and only the best.    Groupies in scantily clad outfits and sky-high hair were waiting for a glimpse at anyone with a musical instrument.  Nobody had seen a thing.

The stage was black, but mountains of amplifiers could be made out with the naked eye.  A web of lighting hung overhead.  Enough seats for every invitee were waiting, some already filled.  Meanwhile, hundreds of people filed into the general admission section as Tee Bone opened sales to the public.  It seemed unfair, he reasoned, to deny the public a chance to see this historic event.  A webcast was set up to stream, and people were expected to tune in by the tens of thousands.

At side stage, from his own observation area, sat the little black squirrel named Ripper.  Moustachio’s faithful companion, Ripper had been living with Tee Bone and Superdekes every since Moustachio disappeared.

“Squee!  Squeeee squeeee!” cried the little squirrel.  Tee Bone Man answered the call and was soon by his side.

“What’s up, little buddy?” asked Tee Bone as he petted the animal to calm him down.

Ripper pointed to the giant stacks of rock power around him, Marshalls all.  He pointed to his ears and shrugged.

“Oh!  You’re worried about the volume!” said Tee Bone as he snapped his fingers.  “I forgot!  Deke made these for you.  Happy New Year, Ripper.”  In the palm of his head, Tee Bone presented a teeny tiny pair of military grade earmuffs.  “These will protect you, little guy.  Enjoy the show alright?”

Ripper nodded yes with glee and put on the muffs.

Tee Bone strolled around the area, looking for his friends.  Taking a seat near the front of the stage was an unmistakable Meaty Man.  Tee Bone raced over with a smile on his face.

“Meaty Man!  You made it!  We really weren’t sure!  We haven’t seen you since we saved you from the Sasquatch, in what seems like ages ago.”

Tee Bone offered a hug and the Meaty Man accepted.  He lit a cigarette.

“Well, ya know,” he shrugged.  “Someone sent me a plane ticket, so I figured what the hell.”

“That would have been me!” screamed the Snowman as he appeared from the crowd, hand extended for a shake.  “I had to make sure you didn’t miss this show tonight.”

The lights began to suddenly dim.

“You guys take your seats!  I gotta go!  Enjoy the show!” said Tee Bone Man as he departed once again.

A few spotlights came to life on stage.  There was a low hum.  People shuffled into their seats as a few more lights began to move about, as if hunting.  Then a voice boomed!

“THUNDER BAY ONTARIO!  You wanted the best…and you got more than you bargained for!”

Then the floodlights exploded into brilliance, and a fully suited Tee Bone Man was standing there on stage, arms extended into the air!

“Get ready for the party of your lives, Thunder Bay!  Deke’s Palace is proud to present…the Stars of Rock Heaven!”  A slideshow of faces from rock stars past scrolled on the massive screens behind.  John Bonham, Lemmy Kilmister, Ronnie James Dio, Jeff Hanneman…and so many more.  An audible gasp could be heard from the crowd.  A few mumbles and whispers.  “Could it be?  Could it really be?”

As if to answer that question, a spectral Ronnie James Dio, all aglow with the afterlife, joined Tee Bone Man on stage!

“Ladies and gentlemen, here’s our MC Ronnie James Dio to introduce our first performer!”  Tee Bone allowed Ronnie to take the center stage.

“Thunder Bay!  You are the kings of rock and roll!” shouted Ronnie.  “But you know, we don’t want to rock you too hard right from the beginning!  This first performer is a special request for someone called the ‘Meaty Man’!  Are you out there somewhere ‘Meaty Man’!”

From the front, the Meaty Man could not believe what he was seeing or hearing.  He looked around, pointed at himself, mumbled “Me?” to the Snowman next to him, and stood.  A spotlight caught his figure as he rose.

Dio pointed.  “There he is!”  The crowd cheered.  “Thunder Bay, we’re starting acoustic tonight, so please welcome to the stage, from Kitchener Ontario via Rock Heaven…Mr. Paul MacLeod!”

From backstage, a man with an acoustic guitar, white T-shirt, and a black beanie cap emerged.  He waved to the crowd and sat on a stool.

“This is a song called ‘Down on the Streets’,” he announced and began to play.

A tear hit the Meaty Man’s eye.  He just watched in silence as his friend played the song.  He smiled, turned to the Snowman and simply said “Thank you.”

Paul played a brief four song set.  “Giants”, “The Trickster” and an acoustic version of Hibakusha’s “Moped Song” rounded out his show.

“Thank you Thunder Bay!” waved Paul as he exited the stage.  “I’m due back in Rock Heaven, but it was great playing for you!  Enjoy the rest of the show!”  He vanished into the frosty air.


 

It took a while for the pandemonium and energy to subside enough that Dio could be heard, as he stood in front of the throng. Arms wide in a gesture asking for a lower volume, Dio smiled. This was what it was all about, and the excitement was palpable.

Finally, what could pass for a hush spread through Deke’s Palace, and Dio smiled again. “Are you having a good time?” he shouted into the mic. The crowd roared! “I said… are you HAVING A GOOD TIME?” The crowd roared again, impossibly louder this time. Grinning, Dio waved for hush again and got it. He had their attention.

“Ladies and gentlemen, friends and allies, we are here tonight to witness the Stars Of Rock Heaven. This is a night for the ages, a night to remember, a night of all nights. We’ve already had rock royalty on this stage, and more are coming!”   He saluted the crowd in “devil horn” fashion and they responded with cheers.

“And now we will add to the rock royalty to grace us this evening, so please direct your eyes to center stage.” The stage was dark behind Dio, but there came a sudden, gentle beat from a drum set. The drummer was using brushes, tastefully, immediately locking into the pocket.

The lights slowly came up, and everyone gasped and cheered at the same time as they recognized a familiar face, and Dio gleefully shouted into the mic, “Ladies and Gentlemen, it is our great pleasure to introduce… Mr. Charlie Watts!” The crowd exploded with excitement and, at the acknowledgement, Charlie simply nodded his head in the crowd’s general direction, back ramrod straight with perfect posture and determined, as he was, to maintain his tasty rhythm.

Dio’s grin widened as he turned to face the crowd again. “Oh folks, we’re not done yet. Let’s add another Charlie!” The crowd was hanging on his every word. “Now, he may not be royalty of rock, but he is royalty of another level… won’t you please welcome to the stage the one, the only, the legendary… Mr. Charlie Parker!”  And the place went nuts.

Knowing it would take a few moments for them to be heard, Watts simply kept the beat and then, when it was time, when the groove felt right, Parker raised his sax to his lips, embraced the beat Watts was laying down, and instantly grabbed the crowds rapt attention with a wondrous duo version of “Bluebird”. Hot on its heels came a snappy “Relaxing At The Camarillo”, and so on into the rest of the set. Both Charlies there, in their glory, lost in the music, together in music heaven, revelling in the joy of it all, knowing these were duets for the ages, and knowing that this was as it should be.

It could have been minutes, it could have been hours, but as the final notes of “Going, Going, Going, Gone” reverberated throughout the venue, everyone knew they had witnessed a true, momentous event.


 

The arena went dark.  A spotlight followed Dio as his spectral form returned to manic applause. He hit center stage, and looked down at the Snowman, who now was nervous as to why Dio was staring directly at him!  All Dio said was “Snowman…this band’s for you.  Here they are…CRAZY TRAIN TO HELL”!  The arena again went dark, and a menacing sound reverberated around the arena, as if a train was coming!  A bright light shone from the back of the stage, and it looked like a train was definitely coming! Smoke filled the air.  There was a nervousness in the crowd…then up from the stage came Randy Rhodes, as he threw out the riff to “Crazy Train”.  Everyone lost their minds…and for The Snowman, that wouldn’t take much!

Randy ripped through the opener, and then Bon Scott suddenly appeared and started singing the song like we’ve never heard before.  And the name of “Crazy Train to Hell” now made a lot more sense.  “But who is that playing bass, and who is destroying those drums?” wondered the Snowman, as if on cue, a poof of smoke, and Cliff Burton appeared on bass!  And then…Eric Carr on the drums!  Eric was the first metal drummer that the Snowman ever saw in concert.   He let out a huge “Woohoo!” and everyone around him looked at him like he was an idiot!  They all wondered who he was, and what the hell was he screaming about. The Snowman wondered if no one else could see them, and then the crowd suddenly could, and understood what was going on. The audience commenced screaming and the volume was almost unbearable!

After “Crazy Train”, it went dark again and as if by magic, Cliff was now front and center.  Metallica fans were about to get a treat as Cliff started playing “(Anaesthesia) Pulling Teeth”.   It was simply wicked.  People in the front were practically melting from the heat of Cliff’s bass, as it was aflame, as his fingers flew up and down the fret board.  It was a sight to be seen.  The Snowman was virtually in Rock and Roll Heaven, and wondered how Tee Bone and Superdekes were going to top that!

The arena went dark yet again and an explosion of fire lit the stage, as Eric Carr’s drum set suddenly appeared front and center.  Eric was standing up on his seat dressed in that leopard print leotard that no man should ever wear, but Eric could pull off.  He started destroying the skins and played a quick solo but then the band came back out and “Carr Jam” went in to full force.  Randy played those riffs, and the Snowman had to sit down as he felt faint from getting to hear Randy, Cliff and Eric play this amazing song. It was more than he could take.

Snowman was beside himself, and he thought he had witnessed the coolest thing ever, but it wasn’t over yet!  Bon Scott came back on stage and stood next to Randy.  He gave him a wink and Randy started playing “Highway to Hell”.  The noise from the crowd almost shattered every window in the Palace, as a few heads might have actually exploded.  Bon Scott sounded as gritty and nasty as always, and the song ended a set that was like a dream come true for so many to get to see these monsters of rock play one more time.  It was surreal.  It was insane. It was a Crazy Train to Hell.  The Snowman stood their like a idiot with a big grin slapped across his face.


There was darkness and silence as the audience at Deke’s Palace waited patiently for the next surprise.  Ripper the Squirrel hopped from his vantage point, earmuffs on, and excited by the next band inspired by his good friend Moustachio.  This time, there was no introduction from Dio, for the band had something else planned….

The stage had been shrouded in darkness since Crazy Train to Hell had left, and patience was starting to wear thin throughout the crowd. Then, the faint sound of drums came from the back of the stage. Rat tat-atatatat, it slowly grew louder as the silhouette of a man walked up to the microphone.

“Are you ready Chuck?

“Uh-huh”

“Kelly?”

“Yeah”

“Clive?”

“Okay”

“Well alright fellas! Let’s gooooooooo!”, screamed the unmistakable voice of Brian Connolly.

The stage exploded in a spectacle of light and sound as the band kicked off the “Ballroom Blitz” into top gear. Joining the shimmering Connolly on stage was rock and roll legend Chuck Berry with his fiery lead guitarwork, Iron Maiden’s Clive Burr on drums, and Electric Light Orchestra veteran Kelly Groucutt pulling double duties lending both his bass-playing skills and silky backing vocals to this talented quartet.

“Oh yeah! It was electric!”, sang Brian, “so frantically hectic!”.

The lyrics were familiar, but the sound was completely fresh. The lucky people in the crowd had never heard anything like this before. The song finished to rapturous applause, and the band wasted no time launching into their next number.

Over the course of twenty-five minutes the crowd was treated to a suite of classic rock and roll songs, all rendered in spectacular fashion. As the closing notes finished on an electrifying take on Buddy Holly’s “Well…All Right” (featuring a guest appearance by Tee Bone himself lending a second axe for the smoking dual-guitar riff made famous on Santana’s version), no one thought that things could get any better. But then they did.

Because the celebration of rock was about to culminate in a larger than life performance of “Roll Over Beethoven”, featuring none other than Ludwig Van B himself. Turns out he and Chuck had really hit it off there up at the great gig in the sky when the Father of Rock and Roll had passed in 2017. To think the maestro composer first demanded entry into Rock Heaven because he had a bone to pick with Chuck!

And with both Chuck Berry and a member of ELO on stage, this was quite possibly the definitive rendition of the song, bringing the two arrangements onto one glorious performance. Eight minutes of rocking, rolling, playing and soloing closed out a night of some the greatest live performances in history.

As the curtain fell on the stage, Tee Bone came up to say a few words.  He strolled out from the curtains into the spotlight one more time.

Backstage, Deke was checking off a checklist.  “Up last…it’s time for the closer, Metal Man’s band.”

Simultaneously Tee Bone looked down at his notes on clipboard.  “Wow, what a lineup he secured!  I heard he wanted the entire original lineup of Lynyrd Skynyrd, but Tommy Lee booked them for tonight instead.  Well, I’d better go introduce the MC for this set…”


“Ladies and gentleman, aliens and otherwise!” shouted Tee Bone.  His guitar was over his shoulder.  He attempted to do his best Paul Stanley impression.  He strummed a power chord.  “People!  I said, peeeeople!”  He sang the words into the microphone, sweat now beading on his nose.  “I said peeeeeople!  Lemme hear ya!  Put your hands together…for Elvis Presley!!”  Tee Bone exited in a flourish as Elvis himself sashayed onto the stage, glowing and striking his most famous poses all the way.

Elvis walked to center stage and gave his famous, “Thank you very much” to the crowd. “Our final performance tonight features Ronnie James Dio on vocals, Criss Oliva on guitar, Jimmy Bain on bass, Jon Lord on keyboards and Cozy Powell on drums. I give you now, Deep Black Rainbow!  Thank you ma’am!”

Elvis quickly exited stage left leaving the audience to gawk at the red lights as they rolled back the stage revealing a medieval setting with two fully armoured knights holding two-handed swords at either side, and a castle behind Cozy’s drum kit. While everyone was taking in the scene, they were brought back to reality by an explosion and familiar guitar riffs. Before anyone realized, Deep Black Rainbow were on stage engaging all with “Stand Up and Shout.”

After the Dio classic, the band yo-yoed between the Rainbow and Deep Purple: “Man on the Silver Mountain,” “Black Knight” and “Tarot Woman.” Ronnie’s voice being as sound as ever, spoke to the crowd, making sure they were enjoying the show. When the crowd roared back their approval, the band launched into “The Last in Line,” which was accompanied by bright lights shining out to the audience.

By this time, any doubts as to how guitarist, Criss Oliva, would handle unfamiliar songs were consigned to the bin, as his solos more than showed he was up to the job. Still, everyone went nuts when they played “Hall of the Mountain King” with Ronnie’s vocals adding a fresh perspective. Criss continued to awe the audience with a four minute guitar solo. When the rest of the band returned, they slowed things down with Rainbow’s “Temple of the King.”

At this point, Deep Purple Rainbow showed they still had the creativity when the unveiled their first original, “Deceive the Devil,” which the audience ate up. The laser battle going across the stage between the two knights might have helped. When the light show dimmed, it perfectly set the mood for the Black Sabbath classic, “Children of the Sea.”

In the eyes and ears of the audience, Deep Black Rainbow could do no wrong. Jon amazed the crowd with a mesmerising keyboard solo before the band returned and nailed “Woman From Tokyo.” Cozy followed with a drum solo, and after a few minutes, Jimmy joined in with him on bass. That led to another original, and two more Dio classics: “Rock and Roll Children” and “Rainbow in the Dark” in rapid succession.

It might have looked like it was going to be all over when they played “Long Live Rock and Roll,” when Ronnie got the audience participating. However, the band had one more trick up their sleeves. After the singalong, with the band in full swing, a mechanical dragon just like the one used on Dio’s “Sacred Heart” tour rose from behind the drums blowing smoke from its nose! It remained to the very end, and even took a bow with the band.

There was no way the audience would let things go that easily. In unison, they roared for Deep Black Rainbow’s return. It was only when throats started to go collectively sore that the band came back.  Then, Dio, beckoned to the side of the stage.  “Come on!” he motioned.  Then Elvis appeared, waved to the crowd, and grabbed a microphone.  Chuck Berry returned to the stage, duck-walking to center stage as the crowd screamed in approval.  Criss Oliva followed, plugging in his electric guitar so familiar from the Gutter Ballet album cover.  He was followed by Randy Rhoads who plugged into another stack of amps.  The final guitarist, Tee Bone Man himself, had the honour of standing between the two legendary axemen.  His face was humble and his eyes were made of joy.

Eric Carr and Clive Burr emerged, carrying tambourines and shakers.  Brian Connolly and Kelly Groucutt were behind them with microphones in their hands.  Cliff Burton just had a beer, while the two Charlies weren’t quite sure how they fit in, but were just glad to be there.  Paul MacLeod had returned, and simply grinned at all the rock majesty from the side of the stage.

Ronnie James Dio saluted the lucky fans, who were then treated to three encore songs.  First, “Highway Star,” then “Holy Diver”.

“We have time for one more!” Ronnie announced. The familiar guitar riff of an all-time classic sent all into mass hysterical frenzy.  Criss and Ronnie led the procession as everyone joined in the party that was “Smoke On the Water”!  An amazing light show accompanied the iconic hit, and if Richie Blackmore had been there, he would have taken out a court injunction against Criss Oliva, forbidding him to play it again, as he totally nailed the guitar solo. Jon Lord followed on with one more amazing keyboard solo and then a brief drum solo from Cozy.  Charlie Parker’s saxophone joined in for “Smoke”, while everyone sang along to the indelible chorus.  When they left again, this time for good, the audience screamed their heads off, and cigarette lighters lit up the entire seating area. Ronnie graciously thanked everyone for coming and enjoying the show, and for being so wonderful. All of Deep Black Rainbow came together, took their final bows and a few heavenly hugs.  The band glimmered bright, and faded away in a giant cascade of stars.  Tee Bone remained alone on stage.  Speechless, the man stood before them for an achingly long silence.

“Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, friends from near and far…I don’t know what to say!” He paused, unsure how to finish.  Ultimately, he went with his guts.  “People…let’s see the Kiss Avatars top that!  You just witnessed the greatest rock show of all time!  Let’s hear it!”  The crowd screamed in eternal gratitude, for there would never be a show like this one.  “Now let’s count, because it’s almost midnight!”  A massive clock was projected on a screen behind him.

“10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…wooo!” screamed the rapturous attendees.

“Happy New Year!” screamed Tee Bone at the top of his lungs.  “Welcome to 2024!”

Tee Bone basked in happiness, as Deke came out to give his best friend a hug.  This had to be the best New Year’s Eve celebration ever.


Epilogue 1:  In Space

Jen watched the simulcast from her tiny screen in the Galaxy Explorer.  She smiled, knowing how much her Brainiac would have loved seeing the Kiss guy on stage.  Her favourite performer was probably Chuck Berry, but she also really liked the Paul MacLeod song.  Dio also reminded her of her Michael.

There was a tap on the bulkhead by her station.  It was Captain Frank.

“Good evening, Specialist,” smiled the captain.  “Happy New Year.  It’s lights out for you in 15, just a reminder.  We have a load-in tomorrow and we’ll all need our rest.”

Jen grinned and removed her glasses.  “I was just about to get some sleep,” she answered.  “I was watching the big New Years concert.  You wouldn’t believe who they had on stage.”

The Captain chuckled.  “I heard it was going to be Kiss, kicking off another tour!”   They both laughed.

“It was a bit bigger than that,” answered Jen, “but I won’t spoil the show for you.  You’ll have to see it for yourself.”

“Sounds good, Specialist.  See you in the morning, G’night.”

“Good night Captain,” said Jen.  “And good night my Brainiac, until we meet again.”


Epilogue 2:  The aftermath

It took a full three days for Tee Bone Man and Superdekes to sleep off the show they had hosted.  The tundra of Thunder Bay was completely thawed by the sheer heat generated by the music, not to mention the pyro.  This resulted in several road closures, cutting off Thunder Bay from the rest of Canada, with the hardtop cracked and sinkholed.  It was like an earthquake had hit the small city.  Many concert-goers were stranded in Thunder Bay until safe passage could be assured.

The Thunder Bay Times had written an article about the concert, praising the surprise factor of the performers, the music, the song selections, and the technical aspects of the show.  They had, perhaps surprisingly, also lambasted Tee Bone and Superdekes for long lines, especially to the washrooms, and a cumbersome online ticket sale interface.  Of course, the three day traffic jam to leave town dominated the news for three cycles, and even made the international morning talk programs in the US and UK.  Tee Bone Man was finding himself the uncomfortable face of the infrastructure breakdown and traffic issues that everyone was talking about.

The hotel and bed-and-breakfast business in Thunder Bay, usually struggling and sluggish, was now booming.  In three days, they had posted enough profit to cover their budgets for the next three months.  The conversations around the water coolers, pro and con Tee Bone and Superdekes, started locally but began to spread all over the world.  Was the concert a good or bad thing?  What about that exploding restaurant in Kitchener Ontario a month or two ago?  Trouble seemed to follow these two, wherever they went.  Twitter was filled with discussion, much of it hostile.  People began changing their avatars to Tee Bone Man’s face, or his face with a line through it.  It was getting…ugly.  This was something new for the two heroes.

Somewhere in Ontario, sitting in her plush red armchair, a woman read the latest article on Tee Bone and Superdekes, the concert, and the casualties.  She stroked a miniature Schnauzer, black and grey and white and snoozing peacefully, on her lap.  The woman turned the page to the obituaries.  It had become habit, since suffering her own loss at the hands of these two so-called “heroes”.   Angrily, she stopped herself, hastily balled up the newspaper and threw it into the fireplace.  The fire briefly expanded and brightened as the paper turned to ash.  The dog, startled, jumped off her lap.

She stood.  She picked up a large black case.

“It’s time we paid Tee Bone Man a visit,” she growled.  The Schnauzer growled, in perfect musical harmony.  An orange portal opened, and the two stepped through.

To be continued…in Tee Bone and Superdekes Go Back to School Parts 1 and 2!

 


THE ADVENTURES OF TEE BONE MAN:  PHASE ONE – THE SQUIRREL SAGA 

THE ADVENTURES OF TEE BONE MAN:  PHASE TWO – THE MULTIVERSE SAGA

 

 

THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES OF EDIE VAN HEELIN’

THE WRITER’S ROOM

 

The Writer’s Room

 

 

#1092: Grab A Stack of Rock (Recap 4)

RECORD STORE TALES #1092: Grab A Stack of Rock (Recap 4)
A recap of all our shows to date as we gear up for the first anniversary

Recap 1:  Episodes 1-10
Recap 2:  Episodes 11-20
Recap 3:  Episodes 21-30


Show #31, Aug 11 2023, featured another Nigel Tufnel Top Ten list!  Harrison said to me, “I think we need to get Rob Daniels back on.”  Rob said “OK!  How about TV Show Themes?”  With Harrison and Rob, we counted down our Top 11 Themes.  List shows are proven to be popular, but this one was really cool.  Jex Russell sent in his own list to read, and we had minimal crossover.  You’ll be shocked to learn that Star Trek ranked high on my list.  For “Ask Harrison”, we featured the debut of musician Jazz King asking the question!

This was a very busy period, and I had no choice to take some time off the show so I could do some other significant collaborations.

For Tim’s Vinyl Confessions, we premiered a previously-recorded special on Flash Gordon with Jex Russell and Rob Daniels!  For Grant’s Rock Warehaus, I was honoured be Martin Popoff’s replacement on his Helix special, covering the years 1990 to 2003.  I also returned on Peter Kerr’s Rock Daydream Nation for a discussion on Coverdale-Page.  This was my first time working with John Clauser, who figures into the story later on.

Show #32, Sept 1 2023, allowed me to bring on Rock Daydream Nation’s Peter Kerr for the first time.  Also for the first time:  two Australians in one show!  The topic, chosen by Harrison, was What Bonus Tracks Should Have Been on the Album?  A very popular list show, this one also had Jex Russell on board.  Peter shared the link far and wide which helped with the views.  I personally think it’s one of the best lists we’ve ever done.  Lots of love for Black Sabbath here.  We also unboxed the second edition of Tim Durling’s book, Unspooled!  You can get yours on Amazon right now.

Show #33, Sept 8 2023, was another personal favourite.  It took place on the cottage porch on a beautiful afternoon, with Jex Russell!  The subject this time, in honour of Durling’s second edition, was music books!  I hauled up to the lake a huge box of my music books, hardcover and softcover alike, signed and unsigned:  Sean Kelly, Martin Popoff, Michael D. LeFevre, Robert Lawson, Dale Sherman, Neil Peart, Aaron Lebold, and so many more!  Jex didn’t have any of his books on hand, so instead we ran an old video from his YouTube channel CineBrosSupreme featuring his collection.

Show #34, Sept 15 2023, featured a first-timer!  All the way from Ramsgate UK came interviewer and soundtrack specialist Jason Drury!  I’ve been trying to work with Jason on a live show for over three years, but the time zones made that difficult.  Finally, he was back in Canada and we got him on board with his friends Rob Daniels and Erik Woods.  For Erik, it was his first time on the new show as well!  Harrison joined us for a fun discussion about Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and more.  Jason provided his Nigel Tufnel Top Ten Star Wars movies (basically ranking them all in order) to go with the lists that the rest of us did in 2022.  It was wonderful to finally get to chat with Jason in real time. Another very popular show.

At this point, my hair was getting unruly.  I hadn’t cut it since March and it was time.  Therefore, I planned a stunt.  A repeat stunt albeit, but a stunt indeed:  I shaved my head live on the show!

Show #35, Sept 22 2023, came as a surprise to Kevin the Mars Man who was not informed in advance of my shenanigans!  All he knew was that we were doing another list show:  Top Five Bald Artists! Harrison couldn’t attend this afternoon cottage show, but I honoured him by putting Blaze Bayley at the very top of my list. Kevin and Jex also brought awesome lists. Importantly, we spotlighted the courage it takes for an artist to go bald publicly, like Joe Lynn Turner did.

Show #36, Sept 29 2023, was a night off for me!  I relaxed at the cottage while Jex and Harrison went “LeBrainless” again!  Harrison wanted to get the show “back to basics”.  Grabbing and showing off stacks of rock!  I popped on at the very end to show off my Aerosmith Greatest Hits 6 CD set from Japan, which took a healthy critiquing.  Jex and Harrison showed off some Twisted Sister, Paul Di’Anno, Alice Cooper, Concrete Blonde, Slade, Judas Priest and a batch of DVDs.  A lot of interesting items in this stack of rock.

Show #37, October 6 2023, was largely in honour of Eddie Van Halen who we lost three years prior to the day.  John Snow had his new Hagar Years box set on hand.  Tim Durling and Rob Daniels also joined Harrison and I, with rare books, 7″ picture sleeves, rare soundtracks, and…José Feliciano!?  You never know what you will see on Grab A Stack of Rock!

Show #38, Oct 13 2023, was a special one to commemorate Friday the 13th!  Harrison, Rob and I were joined by Peter Kerr for our Top Five Songs about Monsters.  We chose actual classic monsters, and some metaphorical monsters as well.  Jex Russell had a written list, as did John Snow. Greed, addiction, werewolves, space aliens and more! We hope you like our choices. We tried to go outside the box and bring you songs you might not have thought of yourself, though Ozzy and Alice were expected and did appear!

Show #39, Oct 21 2023, was the third LeBrainless episode, at a special time.  Jex had spent the day with Tim Durling at a Record Faire.  Meanwhile, Harrison had recently attended a record show too.  On a Saturday night, with Aaron “Mr. Books” on hand, the pair showed off some of their recent finds.  There was some cool stuff here, on CD, cassette, DVD and vinyl.  I came on at the very end to unbox the new Sven Gali Bombs and Battlescars, and a disc by Toronto’s Evil Elvis!  A fun way to finish off the last cottage weekend of the season


 

…And that’s it for recapping, as we look towards the future.  We have lots planned, and no intention to quit this time.

Our one-year anniversary happens to coincide with Show #40, October 27 2023.  One year before (on the 28th, to be exact) I was feeling the itch to go live once again, and so I messaged Harrison that morning.  “Are you free if we decide to go live tonight?”  We didn’t have a name, a theme song, or a plan.  Grab A Stack of Rock was born.  Despite the highs and lows of 2022-2023, it was a bright spot of our week for the last year.  I can’t wait to see what another year will bring.

We started out as a casual gathering, to show off our music collections.  It’s currently more than that, with lists and special guests once again.  In fact this week we’ll have a new one who has never been on the show before, John Clauser from My Music Corner!  Tim Durling, Peter Kerr, Rob Daniels and Harrison will also be back.

Because it’s one year, we’re doing Top Songs About the Number One.

Thanks for Grabbing a Stack of Rock.  Hope to see you celebrating with us!

 

#1092: Grab A Stack of Rock (Recap 3)

RECORD STORE TALES #1092: Grab A Stack of Rock (Recap 3)
A recap of all our shows to date as we gear up for the first anniversary

Recap 1:  Episodes 1-10
Recap 2:  Episodes 11-20


Show #21, May 26 2023 was chock full of guests!  I had more scores from Max the Axe’s Trillion Dollar Treats to show.  John Snow, Tim Durling, Harrison Kopp, Jex Russell, and Dr. Kathryn (via video) all had new stuff, including brand new releases and rarities. This was a cottage show once again, and plenty fun one at that.

Show #22, June 2, 2023, was one we did for ourselves.  My wife Jen has found Lego to be helpful in her healing, and so we have started to buy Lego again.  With that in mind, Harrison, Rob and Dr. Kathryn came on board to show off Lego and toys.  Jen returned as well, with her Spice Girls Lego set!  Dr. Kathryn revealed the secret to identifying Lego blind minifigure packs, though this is now obsolete due to Lego transitioning to boxes.  This show was tremendous fun despite the limited appeal.

Show #23, June 9, 2023 happened at the cottage!  For that reason, my co-host Jex and I decided to do a special list show.  After many comments and requests, the Nigel Tufnel Top Ten lists were back.  With Rob Daniels sending in a list via email, Jex and I counted down the Top 11 Albums to Play at the Cottage! Jex debuted his new moustache for this episode, giving Harrison a run for his money.  “We’re back, baby!” I announced.  This popular show proved that lists were still a viable way to go forward, and they would be critical for the rest of the year.

Show #24, June 16 2023, almost never happened.  Jen had a bad seizure and face-planted on the sidewalk.  Her entire face was black and blue (and not like the rock band).  “The show must go on,” she insisted, and so it did.  A huge thank-you to Aaron and Harrison for carrying the show that night.  Jex Russell did a brief cameo to show off some rarities, but otherwise the topic was one of our most popular historically:  Iron Maiden!  We looked at rarities, vinyl, bootleg CDs, beer and menus!

Jen needed some time to recover.  Her face was a total mess.  The community came together with support and eventually her beautiful face returned to its normal colour.  No broken bones.

Show #25, June 23 2023, was another very special one with a brand new guest.  I wanted to talk about my new favourite band, the Arkells!  What’s an Arkell?  Watch this show and find out.  Live from the cottage, Aaron and I were joined by megafan Nurse Kat.  She saw the band in four different countries 13 times in just 18 months, and has since added many more concerts to her resume. I provided a Nigel Tufnel Top Ten Arkells tracks list. With Kat’s concert footage and fan photos, this was a night to remember.

Show #26, June 24 2023, was the second show in one weekend!  A morning show at that!  Jex Russell joined me to look at a giant box of cassettes that I found in my parents’ basement.  This turned out to be a popular one with the physical media crowd. Inside that box were a number of store-bought cassettes, and ones that I had recorded with home made cover art.  It was a real trip of discovery, and only one cassette was destroyed in the process.

For laughs, we parodied a former cast member at the start of the show.  All in good fun.  Strippers are people too.

Show #27, June 30 2023, we celebrated Canada Day at the cottage with Jex, one day early.  We chose our Nigel Tufnel Top Ten Canadian bands that are little-known outside of Canada.  This turned out to be the most popular non-heels episode we’ve ever done. It is certainly an episode that I am very proud of. The Spoons, Varga, Teenage Head, National Velvet, the Beaches, Kick Axe, and more. This is a show you definitely want to catch up on if you missed it the first time. I even created a graph for it.

After that much activity, I took another break on July 7, but only to gear up for another busy week!  I had a taping with Tim’s Vinyl Confessions on the 8th, with Rob and Jex.  On July 13, I did a show with Grant Arthur on the Stone Gods and Hot Leg for Grant’s Rock Warehaus.

Show #28, July 14 2023, was a brand new thing for me and something I had been wanting to do a long time.  For the first time ever, Harrison was host as I took the night off for the first “LeBrainless” episode!  Harrison and Jex Russell tacked their Top Five Alice Cooper albums, a well-overdue list show.  They did a great job without me, and it was a joy for me to just watch Grab A Stack of Rock for a change instead of hosting it.

Show #29, July 21 2023, was back at the cottage!  We had Tim Durling, Grant Arthur, and Aaron KMA on hand to celebrate the birthdays of Harrison and Mike.  I showed off my massive birthday hauls and recent arrivals. I also ran a fun slideshow of old birthday party photos from the 70s to the 90s.  This was the first birthday show since 2021, since by this time in 2022 I had quit live streaming.  A wonderful way to have a birthday party with friends far away.  Tim Durling played guitar for us!  We also unsealed the new Grab A Stack of Rock 7″ picture disc by Tee Bone Erickson, from vinylart.co.  Tee Bone’s first ever music on vinyl!

I took Friday July 28th off to do a super-secret taping with Peter Kerr of Rock Daydream Nation.  This ended up to be our “rock court” episode on Vinnie Vincent, with Reed Little as judge.  A very rewarding show that led to more tapings in the coming months!

I wanted to do something special for Show #30, which I called “The Dumbest Thing You Will See on YouTube.”  Why?

Show #30, Aug 4 2023, featured me breaking the seal for the first time on my Metallica Master of Puppets box set, purchased four years earlier and still sealed. This was something I wanted to do on camera, because it’s not every day that some idiot unseals a box set that goes for up to $1600 online.  We also looked at new arrivals in stickers, vinyl, and Alice Cooper deluxe CDs.  Max the Axe attempted to drop in, but was thwarted by technical issues.  We’ll try again one day.  Perhaps the coolest thing about this episode was showing the brand new Paul Shortino cameo for Grab A Stack!

To be continued…

#1092: Grab A Stack of Rock (Recap 2)

RECORD STORE TALES #1092: Grab A Stack of Rock (Recap 2)
A recap of all our shows to date as we gear up for the first anniversary

It has been a heck of a year…but it has been a year already!  Grab A Stack of Rock debuted with no name, on October 28, 2022.  It was an impromptu decision to go live, and fortunately Harrison and Uncle Meat were on board.  This week, we are celebrating one year of Grab A Stack, with a special list show and special guests.  More on that later.

We recapped the first ten shows earlier this year, but let’s look back at everything since!


Coming off the biggest show we ever did, Show #10, which has over 1200 views currently, we decided to get nerdy next!

Show #11, Jan 13 2023, saw Rob Daniels, Tim Durling, and Kevin “Buried On Mars” Simister beamed down with Harrison and I to talk Star Trek!  It was Kevin’s first time with the new format, and he really brought the Trek. Tim and I were both in uniform, and Harrison had some cool MAD Magazines to show. This was a really fun episode to do, even though that uniform isn’t very comfortable!  Soundtracks, books, action figures and much more were shown!

Show #12, Jan 20 2023 was the debut of Dr. Kathryn, and what a debut it was!  This was a Karate Kid / Cobra Kai talk, with Rob Daniels and Harrison Kopp.  Dr. Kathryn blew everyone away with her expertise on the subject, while showing off some cool stuff including a video from actor Sean Kanan.  The stories that night were absolutely incredible.  Any fan of Cobra Kai needs to check out this chat!

Show #13, Jan 27 2023 was a brainchild of Tim Durling:  Reissue record labels!  You know that Tim is a format head, and one of his passions is comparing different printings of albums.  Many record labels make their fortunes on reissues.  Rock Candy, La-La-Land, Sony Legacy, and so on.  We took a good look at some cool things from our collections.  Rob Daniels and Harrison Kopp were on hand once again!

Show #14, Feb 3 2023 was MarriedandHeels episode 2.

I took a couple weeks off, but did some informal mini-episodes (un-numbered) while I rested and recuperated after several weeks without a break.

Feb 11 2023 featuring the debut of Jen on Grab A Stack of Rock!  I wanted to get her more involved within her abilities.  She can’t look at a screen for very long without feeling some effects from it.  In this short episode, we unboxed my Marvel Legends T’Challa (Black Panther) figure, just for fun.  Jen was a natural! This was a test stream to see how it would work with two of us on one computer, and it worked great!

Feb 19 2023 was another fun mini-episode.  I had just received the excellent cassette, Landings, by Grace Scheele.  An instrumental concept cassette (cassette!) about the moon landing, Grace hand-packaged each one in aluminium foil.  I had to unbox it live, and I had to have her on hand when I did it.  Thanks for coming to hang with me, Grace!  People, check out this episode and see what love and care looks like when it goes into a physical product.

Show #15, Feb 24 2023 was monumentally important, for it featured a new guest that would have a huge impact on Grab A Stack of Rock.  This was the foreshadowing of a new era, because Jex Russell (or the “Friendly Frenchman” as I called him back then) came on board for the first time.  Nice to meet ya!  We had John T. Snow back on, for the first time since 2022.  Tim and Harrison also returned for this musical gathering of fans.

Show #16, March 3 2023 was MarriedandHeels episode 3, with Harrison Kopp.

March 10…now, that was a night.  I had my guests lined up.  Jex and Harrison were coming back to do a test stream.  Streamyard added a new feature, allowing guests to stream the show to their own social media.  About 30 minutes before showtime, I barfed.  10 minutes later, I barfed again and cancelled the show!  I barfed seven more times that night and drank about four large things of Gatorade.

Show #16.5, March 24 2023, was not an official episode.  We did the test stream, successfully!  John Snow, Rob Daniels, Jex Russell and MarriedandHeels joined in.  We unboxed some Japanese imports, and we covered Whitesnake, Bon Jovi, Kiss, Star Wars, and more.  Most importantly, we successfully streamed to the guys’ Facebook pages for the first time.

March 31 was a week off.  Why?  Because apparently when we went live on March 24, I had Covid!  You certainly could not tell!  Watch that episode and tell me if I look like a guy with Covid.  The following morning, I felt tired and scratchy, so I tested myself.  Yep:  positive!  While I never really got sick (just tired), Jen sure got it bad.  I was negative the following week, and back at work.

Show #17, April 7 2023
, was the final MarriedandHeels episode, with Jex Russell.

Though her shows were excellent for views, I didn’t pick up new readers or viewers.  It was a failed experiment, like putting a big round peg in a little square hole.  At least I tried.

I took April 14 off so I could do an excellent discussion on the Neurotic Outsiders, with Grant Arthur, on his show Grant’s Rock Warehouse.  We also opened the cottage that weekend, meaning the first ever front porch shows on Grab A Stack of Rock were about to happen!  Following this, we took April 21 off.

Show #18, April 28 2023 was the cottage show I had been waiting all year to do!  It was another simple one:  new arrivals.  Kevin the Mars Man was back, as was John T. Snow and Harrison Kopp.  Thankfully those guys carried the show, because I was checked out that night.  And everything came to a head the following Friday.

Show #19, May 5 2023, was supposed to be Metallica with Kevin, Tim and Harrison.  I was going to show off my Black box, but the show was cancelled last minute when drama finally exploded into its inevitable conclusion.  The “heels era” was over, and we were about to get serious about music.

Show #19, May 12 2023, was the first of the new era!  New life was breathed into the show on this day.  My planned co-host (see above) crapped out and didn’t show up, but thankfully Jex Russell did!  I also invited Grace Scheele back on, because we did a demo of her cassette!  I had a whole box full of treasures that I picked up from Max the Axe’s garage sale, including a Kenwood tape deck.  Grace’s cassette sounded awesome on it.  Additionally, this was a test of a new time slot:  3:00 PM on Friday afternoons in the summer.  To my utter disbelief, views were high!  The show went on for two whole hours, as I spun classic Max the Axe videos.  It was a fantastic show, and the time slot worked.  I was worried I could not get enough viewers on Friday afternoons.  I was wrong…very gladly wrong!  From this point forward, most cottage shows would be in the afternoon, and Jex would co-host them.  I called it the “no more heels tour of 2023”, and it was off to a hell of a start.  We even had a chipmunk sighting on camera!

May 17, 2023 happened when I received the new Van Halen Right here, right now live album on vinyl.  I had taken the afternoon off work, and I thought, why not go live?  Dare I say why not?  It was a mini-episode unboxing, and it too was a success despite the fact that most of you should have been working!

Show #20, May 19 2023, was another first for the show:  our first star interview!  Spencer “Spenny” Rice of Kenny Vs. Spenny fame agreed to talk wresting, and talk we did!  Co-host Marco D’Auria really rocked this one, with his encyclopedic knowledge of so many eras of wresting.  Spenny may have been the star, but Marco was the star!   All I could do was sit back and enjoy!  Thank you Spencer Rice for doing this, and thank you Marco for killing it.  It was an honour for me to share the screen with you.

 

 

To be continued…

Van Halen, books, rarities, soundtracks and new things! Mike, Harrison, John, Rob, & Tim present Stacks of Rock!

Three years ago, we lost Edward Van Halen, and we are still mourning him today.

Fortunately, on this same day comes the new Van Halen – Hagar years remastered box set.  John T. Snow has a copy and showed it on the show.  I also brought out all my Van Halen CD rarities.  My cassettes and vinyl were seen on prior shows of Grab A Stack of Rock and LeBrain Train respectively.

John also presented a recent singles box set by Ace Frehley, A Candlebox box (ha-ha),  some Rock Candy Night Ranger reissues, and the new Darkness Permission to Land set!

Harrison the Mad Metal Man showed us a Maiden / Blaze Bayley bootleg CD, some books, some Deep Purple, and…José Feliciano!?  Breaking new ground on Grab A Stack of Rock!

Rob (Visions in Sound) had some interesting soundtracks from theme parks, and an obscure Humphrey Bogart film.  He also had a stunning 2 CD reissue of John Williams’ Superman score.

The mighty Tim Durling (Unspooled: An Adventure in 8 Tracks) had some picture sleeve 7″ singles that were quite lovely.  He also had some books to show, and some Ritchie Blackmore-related CDs that he says are for an upcoming project he’s working on.  Hmmm…

A super fun show.  Be sure to tune in next week when we do our Top 5 Songs About Monsters!  See ya!

 

CDs, vinyl, cassettes, 8-tracks and more! “Snow & Tell” with John Snow, Rob Daniels and Tim Durling

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

Episode 37:  Snow & Tell with Mike, Harrison, Rob, John & Tim!

A full house tonight for some show & tell…or “Snow & Tell” as we like to call it when John T. Snow is in the house!  We also have Tim Durling (Unspooled: An Adventure in 8 Tracks) and Robert Daniels (Visions in Sound) joining us for what should be a fun hour.  What will we see?

  • New arrivals?  Check
  • Physical music?  Check
  • Head shaving stunts?  No!

As usual we will have an Ask Harrison question, lots of stories, and lots of laughs.  Join us live so you can take part.

 

LIVE Friday Oct 6 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 8:00 P.M. Atlantic.   Enjoy on YouTube or on Facebook!

#1086: Seven Tales for Seven Photos

RECORD STORE TALES #1086: Seven Tales for Seven Photos

Instead of one new Record Store Tale, today I present seven mini-stories!  With photo accompaniment.


#1087 A:  Canadian Redneck

Found this guy on my Facebook one morning.  No idea who he is.  Looks kind of familiar.  “Hey ya’ll!” he said, apparently on his vacation.  “Take a vacation from yourselves once in a while!” he said.  Should I be taking advice from this guy?  Something tells me no, but something also tells me yes….

I’ll give this guy credit for one thing, whoever he is:  great hair.  That’s a classic style he’s sporting there.

#1087 B:  A Couple Turkeys

Fall has arrived and it’s turkey season.  I snapped this selfie up at The Beef Way, north of Kincardine Ontario.

Regular readers here know we take food very seriously.  We had some bad luck earlier at a Kitchener store called Robert’s Boxed Meats.  I am here to tell you that we will never shop at Robert’s Boxed Meats ever again.  Twice he sold us spoiled beef, and the last time was an expensive tomahawk steak.

The Beef Way sold us three freshly butchered tomahawks this summer, not to mention some T-bones, porterhouses and ribeyes.  He also sold us the best bacon I’ve ever had in my life, some amazing “fry-pies”, and condiments & jams.  It is a shame the Beef Way is so far from home, but we won’t be wasting any more dollars at Robert’s Boxed Meats.  Which is a shame, since Robert’s is the only place within 100 kilometers that sells A5 Waygu steaks.  Just not worth the risk.  Don’t be a turkey; don’t buy from Robert’s.  One pack of spoiled meat is an isolated incident.  Two is a problem.  You have been warned.

#1087 C:  Jen is Joining Tee Bone Man!

Harrison has created a prototype Jen figure for the Adventures of Tee Bone Man!  But this is not her final form, and we have her own Jen In Space spinoff planned.  I have purchased a number of different hair pieces and hats for Jen as she ventures into space on board the Galaxy Explorer.

You will just have to keep reading Tee Bone Man to see how she fits into the story.  Though she has been mentioned in the past, a few people asked me “Why is Jen not in the Tee Bone Man stories?”  The truth is there isn’t a good reason, aside from the fact that we don’t write together very well.  We never have.  We tried to write our own Trailer Park Boys fan fiction when we first met, and we immediately realized we do not collaborate well with the written word.  At all.  We’re better off creatively with me writing and her knitting!

However, this winter we’re going to start integrating her character into the story — wish us luck!

#1087 D:  If It’s Too Loud Then You’re Too Old

The porch is my happy place.  Music sounds better out there in the great green open!  And I play it loud.  It’s easy to forget how easily sounds carry at the lake.  You’d think the trees would act as a sound baffle, preventing the music from carrying.  You’d be wrong!

Maybe it’s the lack of city background noise, but if I am cranking it really loud, you can hear the tunes almost all the way down at the beach.  At normal volume, passers by can hear it from the road.

And they know I’m playing music way cooler than they are!

A few weeks ago, a couple kids were biking down the road with some kind of speaker on their bikes.  They were blasting “Kickstart My Heart” by Motley Crue.

“GOOD SONG!” said one kid to the other.

I just laughed, and remembered being told to turn that song down when I was their age, about 34 years ago!

 

1087 E:  Green Lamborghini

Driving home from the cottage on October 1, I snapped a photo at a stoplight.  I know, I know.  You’re not supposed to handle your phone at any time in a car, even a stoplight.  But I could not resist this beauty.  Two kids crossing the road filmed this car as it sat low to the ground, ready to rip.

He did not “rip” though; he drove the speed limit the whole way, even on Highway 8, which surprised us.

It was a pleasant drive home, with only one guy zipping in and out of passing cars, and it wasn’t this guy.  It was some guy whose car sounded like a weedwhacker when he gunned it.  Lambo Man just kept going the speed limit.

Good going, Lambo Man!

1087 F:  A Penny For Your Thoughts

I just found these coins in my music room:  one of each major denomination of Canadian coinage.

#1087 G:  The Face of Terror

Ah, childhood photos.  Always good for a laugh…or pure horror!

My parents took me to meet “celebrities” a couple times.  Once was David Prowse, dressed as Darth Vader.   He even signed his autograph as “Darth Vader”.  That terrified me…but just look at Bert and Ernie here!

I may be smiling, but I was terrified and did not want to be there.  Bert was tickling me.  I was not amused!  I wanted the hell out of there!

Somewhere out there is a guy who used to dress as Bert and tickle kids to get them to smile.

Parents, never do this to your kids!  They will only post the photo to shame you down the road!