cds

🅻🅸🆅🅴 50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 16: Live At Donington & A Real Live Dead One

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 16: Live At Donington & A Real Live Dead One

A special 🅻🅸🆅🅴 episode

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK #106

Scream for me, YouTube!  Harrison and Mike will be live Friday evening, July 4, for our next episode of 50 Years of Iron Maiden.  This period is a busy one in Maiden history.  The 1992 Fear on the Road tour resulted in a live album, 1993’s A Real Live One, which contained no overlap with previous live album Live After Death (ignoring Maiden England for this comparison).  The point was value, but was that a good idea?  The intention was always to follow it with A Real Dead One, but Bruce’s announcement that he was leaving Iron Maiden in 1993 put the dampers over the whole affair.  After Bruce had played his final show and was diving into making his solo album Balls to Picasso, Iron Maiden released a double live Live at Donington to commemorate the significant 1992 live gig with Bruce in the band.

There was also a VHS release of Bruce’s final show called Raising Hell, but we will tackle that subject in the next live episode.  For this week, we are covering 4 CDs of live Maiden, plus all the B-sides.  That means you’re getting A Real Live One, A Real Dead One, Live At Donington, plus the live singles for “Fear of the Dark” and “Hallowed Be That Name”.  Every song – that is how we do it here on 50 Years of Iron Maiden.

Artwork is an interesting subject to tackle when it comes to these albums.  Derek Riggs was back after a one-album absence, to provide artwork on A Real Live One and A Real Dead One.  Donington was issued with a simple white “bootleg” cover, the Maiden logo stamped in black, and no booklet.  Some consider this release to be an early form of an “official bootleg” release.   All these albums were reissued in 1998 with some changes.  A Real Live One and A Real Dead One were combined into one, and Donington was given actual cover art this time by Marillion artist Mark Wilkinson, featuring a demonic bat-Eddie 1992 concert goers would recognise from the show.  Mark will reappear in this series down the line….

Harrison and Mike will attempt to digest all of this live Maiden tonight, live.  Join us in the comments!

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 15: Fear of the Dark

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 15:  Fear of the Dark

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK #105

In the spring of 1992, Iron Maiden returned with new music, less than two years since No Prayer for the Dying.  Album #2 for Janick Gers, and final album (for a long time) with Bruce Dickinson.  It was also the final production before retiring for longtime Maiden compatriot, Martin “Black Knight” Birch.  An historic album, significant in the discography, but of mixed reception.  We tackle Maiden’s direction(s) on this album, the first of the “grunge era” which found bands like Iron Maiden with diminishing sales.  We also had to address the new artwork by Melvyn Grant, the first Maiden album cover without Derek Riggs.

Eeeeewhhh-ZACH!  Maiden began to explore current events in their lyrics, along with some different musical directions, from ballads to Zeppelin-like dirges.   Were they chasing trends?  Harrison makes some arguments for this, while Mike bluntly states what he likes and does not like about each of the 12 album tracks.

There are more than just the 12 album tracks to discuss:  a variety of B-sides are included, such as covers of Montrose, Budgie and Chuck Berry songs.  There are comedic novelty songs (plural!) for fans only, and there are live tracks, plus one rare remix.  We tackle all of them.

As usual, Harrison discusses the tour, and how many of the songs were actually played live.  You can count on us to give you a complete picture of every era of Iron Maiden, and Fear of the Dark is one that makes for good deconstructing.  You can also count on our honesty, and Fear of the Dark is an album that divides fans…again.

Tell us what you think tonight on 50 Years of Iron Maiden.

 

Friday June 20 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T.  Enjoy on YouTube.

BONUS!  We also unboxed Martin Popoff’s new book HALLOWED BY THEIR NAME: THE UNOFFICIAL IRON MAIDEN BIBLE in a bonus episode earlier this week!

 

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 14: No Prayer for the Dying featuring Reed Little

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 14: No Prayer for the Dying

With special guest Reed Little

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK #104

Change.  Though nobody could predict what the 1990s would bring, for hard rock and heavy metal, changes were afoot.  In Iron Maiden’s case, the changes began with No Prayer for the Dying, the first album since the debut without Adrian Smith on guitar.

Enter:  Janick Gers, former Gillan guitarist, but more importantly, an alumni of Bruce Dickinson’s Tattooed Millionaire band.  Even with a familiar face on board, Iron Maiden were bound for change.  Shorter songs.  Less progressive elements.  Stripped back music, artwork and stage show.  And one massive hit single.

Harrison, Mike and special guest Reed Little came at this album with different perspectives.  Therefore, more than any prior episode of 50 Years of Iron Maiden, our opinions differ from one another.  This makes for a rousing, fun episode!  As an added bonus, we have some 1990 Nicko McBrain footage talking about how feels about the “new” album.

As usual can you expect Harrison to go through the tour and setlist in detail.  We will also discuss the four single B-sides:  “All In Your Mind”, “Kill Me Ce Soir”, “Communication Breakdown” and “I’m A Mover”.   We will also appraise the cover art, both the original and reissue Derek Riggs paintings.

Holy Smoke, I can’t believe we have already finished the entire decade of the 80s and are moving into the 1990s!  Be sure not to miss this important episode, and the changes to follow!

Friday June 6 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T.  Enjoy on YouTube.

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

 

 

50 Years of Iron Maiden: Yes, we will be talking about the setlist…

Happy Friday everyone!  As mentioned on last week’s episode, Harrison and I are taking this week off.  Instead of an episode of 50 Years of Iron Maiden tonight, we are re-running the debut MarriedandHeels episode, in solidarity with our friend and former co-host who needs some support today.

The topic everyone is talking about is the new Iron Maiden Run For Your Lives tour setlist.  Harrison and I are itching to talk about it with you, and we will.  Soon, we’ll be recording a bonus episode to talk about this new set.

I hope everyone else is doing well this week, and we’ll see you soon once again on 50 Years of Iron Maiden.

See below for our fun and frivolous “setlist speculation” episode from a few months ago.

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

 

 

 

Harrison Be Thy Name: 50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 13: Maiden England post-show summary

Clash of the Titans!  Mike and Harrison disagree sharply on one song on Maiden England ’88 and you’ll see it happen in this live episode of 50 Years of Iron Maiden from Friday night.

In this celebratory episode, we dissect this double CD song by song, including all the encores.  We discuss, and show off, different releases.  We talk about the mix, the video, the cover art, and all the usual details.  We also allow Slash from Guns N’ Roses a minute of showtime to talk about touring with Iron Maiden.  His answer angered some Maiden fans on YouTube.

The lively comments section allowed us some back and forth, and a looseness that we don’t get with the pre-recorded episodes.  For that reason and more, this was a very fun episode!  Check it out if you missed it.

See you in two weeks, for No Prayer for the Dying with Reed Little.

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHOW NOTES:

 

Recorded 27–28 November 1988 Live at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham

Released 8 November 1989 (VHS) 1994 (CD/VHS)

Length 95:00 (video, approx.) 74:27 (audio) 100:30 (2 CD reissue)
Label PMI / EMI
Director Steve Harris
Producer Martin Birch

1. “Moonchild”

Recorded intro is from album.  New track up for #1 and a great opener it is.  Bruce’s voice is absolutely stunning here, as he goes slightly off album format and lets it rip without rasp.  Baby crying represents birth of the seventh son and is new audio.

2. “The Evil That Men Do”

New track up for #2 and Bruce still powering through, and not an easy song to power through.

3. “The Prisoner”

Back to Beast for #3, and the audience is all there for it, punctuating the riff with “YEAHS”!  Adrian sounds great on backing vocals – integral to the live version.

4. “Still Life”  (single B-side)

Finally a live version of Still Life!  It is everything you want it to be, if you are a Piece of Mind fan.  Heavy parts are faster and heavier, Bruce’s vocals are more off the hook.  He messes up the second last line:  “Coming all the time, now we rest in peace!”  Should be “Always after me”.

5. “Die with Your Boots On”

Solid workmanlike version.  Bruce has a little more fun with varying the vocal line than on Live After Death.

6. “Infinite Dreams” (single A-side)

Wisely alternating new and old material.

7. “Killers” (single B-side)

“Gimme some bad dreams, this one!”  One of the best live versions of Killers on CD.  Absolutely vicious and perfect for following Infinite Dreams.

8. “Can I Play with Madness” (VHS only)

Backing vocals are flatter live (Steve?) but this is the first live version released of this now-classic single.  Bruce throws in lots of extra “yeah yeah yeah-hah” lines.  Set tends to focus on newer songs for the next batch.

9. “Heaven Can Wait”

A song for those who might be worried about their ultimate disposition up there or down below!  Top notch live version of this now-overplayed song.  It was fresher back then.  Faster; drags less especially in the woah oh oh section.  (I also like “That’s it – end of the song!” at the end.)

10. “Wasted Years”

And finally a live version of Wasted Years!  First real time Bruce struggles with the song, but it still sounds brilliant.  It’s a challenging song of course.  Minor differences in Adrian’s solo too.

1. “The Clairvoyant”

This single sounds great live; tad faster.  This is not the live version from the previous single A-side.

2. “Seventh Son of a Seventh Son”

Without any introduction, we go forth into the concert epic.  Replacing Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the song proves its mettle in filling that role.  Perhaps superior to the album more?  More drive, Bruce more off the chain?

3. “The Number of the Beast”

Back to the classics not much to say here.

4. “Hallowed Be Thy Name”  (VHS only)

Vocally awesome – Bruce holds that one note nice and long.  Equal to the Live After Death version?  Vocally Bruce is weaker, but singing it more “straight” without weird accents.  Davey’s solo – bonkers!  Adrian’s – composed intensity!  Pick scrapes galore!

5. “Iron Maiden”

“Yeah let it rip!”  Oldies to the end, with plenty of Di’Anno era rock.  This operatic version of Iron Maiden is fast and fun.

6. “Run to the Hills”  (2013 CD)

Abrupt sonic shift; you can hear  that these are the “bonus tracks”.  The obligatory Run to the Hills is here and there’s not much more to say.

7. “Running Free” (2013 CD)

Great version here.  Pay special attention to Nicko’s drum fills, which are animated and plentiful.  Bruce says this is the biggest indoor crowd they have played to in England.  Bruce does tell them that they are recording a video.  No big long “I’m Running Free, yeah!” section – just a couple times.

8. “Sanctuary” (2013 CD)

A smashing closer!  Steve’s bass is perfect in the – prominent enough to hear his upper neck melodies but not dominant.  Bruce does a short “Yeaaaaah” thing, but not as annoying as before.  Lets the crowd do it.

🅻🅸🆅🅴 50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 13: Maiden England

50 Years of IRON MAIDEN episode 13:  Maiden England

A special 🅻🅸🆅🅴 episode

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK #103

50 Years of Iron Maiden arrives at the cottage for the first time!  Like we have for past live albums such as Live At Hammersmith and Live After Death, Harrison and I will be doing this episode for Maiden England as a live broadcast.  Much like Live At Hammersmith, this album often falls under the radar.  It was recorded for a home video release, directed by Steve Harris.  Unusually, this home video spawned one single, “Infinite Dreams” live.   A live album was an afterthought and was not even released as one until Bruce Dickinson was out of the band in 1994, and even that CD was missing two songs from the VHS for time reasons.  It was finally reissused as a full show in 2013; an expanded 2 CD set with the encores restored.

The band were recorded on the Seventh Tour of a Seventh Tour, over two nights in Birmingham, playing a number of new songs from the album.  They also resurrected a couple from Somewhere In Time, and Piece of Mind, that were a delight to hear.  Reaching back to the Di’Anno years, they provided a pleasing setlist full of fresh songs and refreshing oldies.  Harrison and I will break it down for you, and hopefully entice you to give it a listen.

For physical media, we have a CD copy of the “Infinite Dreams” single from the First Ten Years box set, the 2013 double CD reissue, and the 1994 CD/VHS combo pack.

Please drop in and say hello for this special live analysis and appraisal!

🅻🅸🆅🅴 Friday May 23 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T.  Enjoy on YouTube and Facebook.

Past episodes:

Handy YouTube Playlist:

GREAT Friday with Ash Geisler and Johnny Metal

A record-setting Grab A Stack of Rock Good Friday afternoon was had yesterday afternoon!  With co-hosts Johnny Metal and Ash Geisler (awake at 4:00 AM just to do this show!), we had views exceeding the legendary 2023 Good Friday show that featured, as Jex’s mom put it, “a good view”.

Unfortunately Jex Russell was heading out of town for his Easter weekend, and was unable to attend (though Johnny Metal had him on a shirt).  Ash showed off some cool Australian finds, from pop punk to harder edged tunes.  Johnny Metal’s new arrivals included the complete CD catalogue of Dr. Kathryn Ladano, so we spent a little time talking about brain injuries and the album Anatomy of the Recovering Brain.  Of course, Johnny Metal also brought plenty of metal, including one LP that tied into 50 Years of Iron Maiden.

As for me, I had three main things to focus on:

  1. A brand new record sent to me by Dan Chartrand, from OfftheCharts…and some bonus music, of his own band Dead Culture Society!
  2. A batch of new music that arrived this week.  My thoughts on Epitaph by April 16th, Dreams On Toast by the Darkness, and Rock N Roll Party Tonite by Mystique.
  3. An absolutely epic purchase of rock CDs from old friend Len Labelle.  More to come on this in a future video showcasing even more CDs from the bulk purchase.

If you liked this episode, then join us next week for our 100th.  We’re going to have a party!

 

Good Fridays Past:

Good Friday Afternoon April 7 2023:  @MarriedandHeels and Jex Russell began the tradition for a special episode celebrating California music, Easter manicures, and shiny silver boots!  Our first Good Friday afternoon episode, we did it at this time slot to enable @MarriedandHeels to join us from California.  It was a fun afternoon, and look how shiny those boots are!

Good Friday Afternoon March 29 2024: Top 5 Albums From Our Birth Years with Jex Russell and Uncle Meat.  This was a special episode!  Jex and I wanted to continue the Good Friday tradition, but this was a special reunion for Meat and I, who had not done a show together in a year and a half.  Jex surprised me – and my surprise is in the thumbnail image!  A blessed good show!

NEXT WEEK:  OUR 100TH EPISODE!  A LIVE MIX TAPE WITH JEX, HARRISON AND JOHNNY METAL!

 

🅻🅸🆅🅴 GOOD FRIDAY AFTERNOON! New Music Mania with Ash Geisler and Johnny Metal

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man
Episode 99:  Good Friday Afternoon – New Music Mania with Ash Geisler and Johnny Metal

A Good Friday tradition:  For the third time, Grab A Stack of Rock goes LIVE this afternoon with special guests and special music!  We have a ton of new music here to discuss at Grab A Stack of Rock HQ.  You’ve heard all about the new Darkness album Dreams On Toast?  Well now it’s my turn.  I have SEVEN COPIES (six physical and one digital) to get all the tracks, and I will be discussing my impressions.  I also have the new Rock N Roll Party Tonite EP by Mystique, and some vinyl from Dan Chartrand from OfftheCharts to unbox!  What could be inside?  You’ll be electrified.  Time permitting, I may also show off my massive haul from a forthcoming video on a big, BIG purchase.

We’ll see how much we can get through, because joining me will be Ash Geisler and Johnny Metal, with their own new musical scores to show off.  What could be new in southern Australia and the state of Alabama?  We’ll find out this afternoon!

The Good Friday afternoon episode is a tradition now in its third year (see below).  Sadly, Jex Russell could not be with us this time, but Ash and Johnny should be up to the task, even if the time zones make it tricky.  Remember, this episode is LIVE so join us for the fun and let us know in the comments that you’re with us!  See you this afternoon to Grab LOTS of Stacks of Rock!

Friday April 18 at 3:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 4:00 P.M. Atlantic.   Enjoy on YouTube or Facebook.

Good Fridays Past:

Good Friday Afternoon April 7 2023:  @MarriedandHeels and Jex Russell began the tradition for a special episode celebrating California music, Easter manicures, and shiny silver boots!  Our first Good Friday afternoon episode, we did it at this time slot to enable @MarriedandHeels to join us from California.  It was a fun afternoon, and look how shiny those boots are!

Good Friday Afternoon March 29 2024: Top 5 Albums From Our Birth Years with Jex Russell and Uncle Meat.  This was a special episode!  Jex and I wanted to continue the Good Friday tradition, but this was a special reunion for Meat and I, who had not done a show together in a year and a half.  Jex surprised me – and my surprise is in the thumbnail image!  A blessed good show!

NEXT WEEK:  OUR 100TH EPISODE!  A LIVE MIX TAPE WITH JEX, HARRISON AND JOHNNY METAL!

 

#1137: A Little South of Sanity: What I’ve Been Up To…In Photos

RECORD STORE TALES #1137: A Little South of Sanity: What I’ve Been Up To…In Photos

Madness reigned.

As you may be aware from the last cottage video, disaster struck when we returned home on June 23.  My old shelves, which I’ve had over 40 years, finally fell apart, and a few hundred of my precious CDs hit the ground.  Some were damaged, some just have broken cases.  This was a pretty traumatic experience for a collector.  After considering quitting the hobby for good (more grief than it’s worth?), and wasting time and money with a carpenter, I decided to rip my music room apart and see what I could do.

I moved everything around to make space, and then got to work.  I chose a couple bookshelves on Amazon.  They’re not ideal for CDs, but the music is off the floor now.  Shelves are better than floors, even if the discs are in stacks and not rows.  The two shelves I chose can hold 350 lbs each.  More than enough.  They arrived on Saturday.  In the time it took to listen to all of Aerosmith’s double live A Little South of Sanity, Jen and I had the shelves built.

A Little South of Sanity more than describes the week I had, mental health-wise.  I told people I was done with physical music, and therefore the show and site would be ending.  I’d move on to drone videos.  I really was ready to sell it all.  Looking at my damaged Metallica Live Sh*t box set, which was mint when I bought it in 1997, was heartbreaking.

The new bookshelves were so surprisingly easy to put together (even we could do it!), that I ordered a third to replace an old ugly wooden unit.  Then, I began sorting.  I’m maybe halfway through putting everything back in alphabetical order.  The discs used to be scattered through three rooms.  Now I’ve got it down to two!  In the end, there will be two CD towers, three of these new bookcases, and a few shelves for box sets.

It’s a work in progress.  On Sunday, I spent six hours filing.  It felt amazing to see my entire Iron Maiden collection in one place again (excluding box sets and abnormal sized boxes).  Soon, all my Deep Purple, Marillion, Aerosmith and Kiss will join them.  It’s a long process hindered by a shortage of space, but it’s coming together.

By Saturday, my mental health was good enough that Jen and I went out to the Farmer’s Market for the first time together since her dad was alive.  We stocked up on schnitzel, sweets and cheese curds, but the main reason we went was actually quite epic, and relevant.  We met, in person, the incredible Nurse Kat.  She is the first Grab A Stack of Rock guest that I didn’t know previously, that I have now met in person.  And she too had great success, finding lilies to replace the ones eaten by a rabbit.  In happy coincidence, both she and Jen were decked out in AC/DC gear.  So it was success all around!

I will say with cautious optimism that this summer is looking up.  Wish me luck and hope that nothing got permanently destroyed in my music avalanche of 2024!

 

 

 

Too Much Music? Grab A Stack of Mike’s CD Collection

How much music constitutes too much music?  This was a question I asked rhetorically during the recording of this 50 minute episode of Grab A Stack of Rock.  It is clear, whatever the number is, I have hit it and then some.

We had an interesting show and tell tonight, including the below:

  • Stir of Echoes, a 2008 band of Ray D’Auria’s (Mystique)
  • A Harem Scarem box set
  • A Max Webster box set
  • A defective Black Sabbath CD
  • An Iron Maiden bootleg with Blaze Bayley
  • Some gifts from Rob Daniels
  • White Snake
  • A Def Leppard bootleg
  • Some Rush and some jazz
  • Japanese import Deep Purple
  • Promo DLR
  • Deluxe Foo Fighters
  • Alice Cooper
  • Greta Van Fleet
  • A gift from Kevin Simister
  • A lot, lot, lot, of sealed Marillion
  • An avalanche!

This pre-recorded episode was an experiment and I think it went very well.  I was able to interact via the comments on YouTube and we had a lively discussion on the side.

While I will always prefer going live, these shorter solo shows will offer an alternative way of making it through the cold snowy winter together.  Thanks for watching and dropping the comments.  This was fun!

Next week will be a re-run, but Mike and the Mad Metal Man will be back on January 26 with John Snow and Tim Durling to show off music DVDs.  Then, on February 2, Marco D’Auria will be back to talk about the new 95 minute version of the Mystique movie that has been getting glowing accolades at festivals.  These will both be live shows and I hope you can join us!