Dan Chartrand

#1176: End of Isolation

RECORD STORE TALES #1176: End of Isolation

I’ve been in isolation nine days.  A positive Covid test and some weird symptoms have kept me house-bound, and of course Jen was only a few days behind me.  She tested positive with symptoms about four days later.  The true test of a marriage is if one can survive Covid isolation together, twice.  I am happy to announce we are still married!

On Thursday January 23rd, I started feeling an irritation in my throat.  I went home early.  I recorded a 50 Years of Iron Maiden episode with Harrison and Melissa Nee, feeling absolutely wiped out by the end of it.  I went straight to bed.  I woke up the next morning knowing I would not be going into work.  I felt stinky rotten, but without a cough or congestion.  Just my throat, a lot of body pain, a foggy head and fatigue.  I tested myself, and you know how that went down.

While it was longer and harder than my first fight with Covid, it never turned into anything serious.  Fighting the fatigue was the hardest part.  I started working from home on the Monday, putting in full days, but delaying my recovery by not resting enough.

My experience with Covid was not just different physically this time.  Mentally, the toll was different.

During my first round with Covid, I was dreading working from home, but gradually warmed up to it.  On my second round, I was looking forward to working from home, but tired of it quickly.  My lack of enthusiasm might be due to feeling worse this time, but I spent my time differently.  I didn’t listen to any music, at all, while I worked.  I didn’t do any easy chores like laundry while I worked.  All I did was cook the odd meal.  A lot of Spam.  I’m into Spam now.

I didn’t do anything creative for that whole time.  Physically, I didn’t want to continue sitting in that chair (as comfy as it is) any longer once my work day was done.  I did do a quick video with Dan Chartrand on both our YouTube channels – check it out.

It was just a bummer of a time otherwise, as Jen and I learned how to navigate her personal space clashing with mine!  The monotony of the food too; that was starting to wear.  We ordered in a lot.  I had a McBreakfast one day (I ordered so much that it did last the full day).  We tried ramen for the first time.  We got a pizza.  The days blur together.  After I wound up each work day at 4:30 PM, I hung out on the couch for a while, but was starting to feel tired by 5:30.  It was a struggle to stay awake, and I didn’t want to go straight from work to bed.  It is hard balancing what one wants to do, with what one needs to do.

Because I wasn’t able to do much creatively (and also because our next guest also has Covid), Harrison and I paused 50 Years of Maiden.  I think I’m ready to jump back in, but already the show schedule is daunting.

Today I’ve sat down and listened to music properly for the first time in nine days.  I chose the debut by Rose Tattoo, a band we’ll be talking about very soon on Grab A Stack of Rock.  But I’m nervous; nervous that I won’t be able to keep up or maintain my motivation.  I have the Contrarians, Grant’s Rock Warehaus, and Grab A Stack all in the coming week.

Feels good to be negative though.  I plan on going music and Lego shopping today.  Otherwise taking it easy.  Writing this is my creative endeavour for today.  Let’s enjoy the rest of it.  Allons-y!

 

 

A Mighty Wind is Blowing with Dan Chartrand, Uncle Meat & Johnny Homework

Johnny Metal earned a new nickname tonight:  Johnny Homework!  His meticulous research and notes provided a solid backbone of knowledge on which we arranged an awesome discussion.  The topic:  the now-classic Christopher Guest mockumentary A Mighty Wind!

Together with Uncle Meat and Dan from Off the Charts, we tried to cover every aspect that we love about this movie.  We went deep on the following topics:

The cast

  • Our favourite bands
  • Our favourite songs
  • Favourite scenes
  • Fred Willard
  • The Kiss at the End of the Rainbow
  • The ending

Additionally, we looked at CDs, vinyl, and a very nice songbook from Johnny Homework.  Gotta get that physical product in.

Thanks for joining us!

 

 

A Mighty Wind Appreciation, with Dan Chartrand, Uncle Meat & Johnny Metal

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man
Episode 73:  A Mighty Wind Appreciation, with Dan Chartrand, Uncle Meat & Johnny Metal

In 2003, Christopher Guest unveiled his third improv comedy movie, following Waiting For Guffman (1996) and Best In Show (2000).  While each film has its focus (a small town play; a dog show), it was 2003’s A Mighty Wind that “tapped” into the spirit of music that made Guest a fan favourite in the first place.  This time it’s folk music!

The Folksmen are a fictional folk band that actually opened for Guest’s “other” band, Spinal Tap.  Ironically, all three members are the same:  Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer.  Together with Mitch & Mickey (Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara) and the New Main Street Singers (Jane Lynch, John Michael Higgins, Parker Posey, Paul Dooley et. al.), the bands have reunited for a big folk show in New York City.   As he often does, Fred Willard stole the show in this film.

This hilarious comedy boasts an incredible soundtrack of originals and one cover (“Start Me Up”), and tonight I’ll be joined again by Dan Chartrand and Uncle Meat to discuss it.  With them will be John “Johnny Metal” Clauser, who has wanted to do this topic with us for some time now.

You might not be as family with A Mighty Wind as you were with This Is Spinal Tap, but you won’t regret spending an hour with us tonight.  It may not be heavy metal, but good music is good music, and this soundtrack is loaded with great songs.  Join us tonight!

Friday October 4 at 8:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 9:00 P.M. Atlantic.   Enjoy on YouTube or on Facebook!

“Tap” into the show! 40 Years of Spinal Tap: The Music with Marco D’Auria, Dan Chartrand and Uncle Meat

A huge thank you to Marco D’Auria of the Contrarians, Dan Chartrand of Off the Charts, and the near-legendary Uncle Meat for comprising our expert panel tonight.  The subject was Spinal Tap, the band and the music.  It may be fair to call Dan a “superfan”, as he had some Spinal Tap rarities that I don’t.  Dan provided some cool physical product, including CDs and LPs of This is Spinal Tap, Break Like the Wind, and he even unfolded his Back From the Dead CD packaging to show us what it looks like when it’s a little paper stage set.

Taking a cue from another big Spinal Tap fan, Peter Kerr, I stole a tactic from Rock Daydream Nation and did some discussion questions in rounds.  Here’s what we tackled:

  • Were you ever in the blissful unawareness that Spinal Tap was a fake band?  Or were you always in on the joke?
  • Evaluate the musicianship of Tap.
  • Pick a favourite song from the soundtrack.
  • Pick a favourite song from Break Like the Wind.  
  • And a quick discussion of Back from the Dead.

Along the way we discussed the history of Tap, both real and fictional.  We had a look at the DVD for the Return of Spinal Tap, and had a chat on that subject.  I peppered the panel with trivia throughout the night.  We had an insightful discussion about talent, and the three actors who played the central characters:  Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer.  We speculated on director Rob Reiner’s role in the songwriting, and technical aspects of the writing and playing.  Did Harry Shearer play fretless bass on “Break Like the Wind”?  I don’t know, but we do know he can play upright bass thanks to his role in A Mighty Wind.  In short, the music and movie were given as much appraisal and analysis as we could do in an hour.

Meanwhile in the comments, Pete Jones provided quote after quote after quote, from a variety of Tap interviews and performances.  Thank you Peter!  And thank you to everyone who watched and joined in.  

I started the show with a quick unboxing, from Australia’s Ash Geisler, who has been a huge supporter of the show.  Thanks again Ash for watching, and for sending me this awesome package.  I guarantee some of them will be getting a review.

One topic I didn’t get to mention on the show, but did come up among the viewers:  Spinal Tap II is coming to theaters in 2025.  How do you feel about this?  Let us know in the comments.  I for one don’t think it’s necessary or a good idea.  The cameo-laden cast seems gimmicky, but Rob Reiner is back is the director’s chair.

Thanks for watching, and if you didn’t, the link is below.  This is one I’ll be watching over again.  

NEXT WEEK:  A Mighty Wind with Dan Chartrand, John Clauser & Uncle Meat!

40 Years of Spinal Tap: The Music with Marco D’Auria, Dan Chartrand and Uncle Meat

GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man
Episode 72:  40 Years of Spinal Tap: The Music with Marco D’Auria, Dan Chartrand and Uncle Meat

Tonight we’re gonna rock ya, tonight!

Formed as the Thamesmen in 1964, Nigel Tufnel and David St. Hubbins scored a hit with the single “Gimmie Some Money” / “Cups and Cakes”. The band soon employed bassist Derek Smalls. After a name change to Spinal Tap, the band wandered through progressive rock, jazz fusion, funk, reggae, hard rock, and heavy metal.  In 1984 they became a household name with the release of the documentary film by Marty DiBergi, called This Is Spinal Tap.  It is hard to believe it has been 40 years since that film brought Tap to the silver screen.

Tonight, Contrarians Marco D’Auria and new face Dan Chartrand will join Uncle Meat and I, as we Tap into the history of this great band’s music.

From rock and roll (“Gimme Some Money”) to hippie flower power (“Listen to What the Flower People Say”, “Rainy Day Sun”) to heavy metal (“Stonehenge”), few bands have struggled to find a direction like Spinal Tap has.  Now with DiBergi back on board, the band are primed to release a new documentary film on their more recent exploits.  Our panel tonight will try to avoid talking about the drama (puppet shows, air force bases, girlfriends) and focus on the music.  And what music it is!  Nigel Tufnel is one of the most critically acclaimed guitar players in the world, not just for volume but also for pioneering the art of double his guitar solos with voice.  David St. Hubbins is such a legendary lead singer, that Ronnie James Dio wouldn’t allow him to sing lead on Hear N’ Aid’s “Stars” for fear of breaking the board.  And Derek Smalls?  His solo album Smalls Change proves he’s not a one-trick moustached pony.

Join us tonight, and Tap into the music of Spinal Tap.

 

Friday September 27 at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T. / 8:00 P.M. Atlantic.   Enjoy on YouTube or on Facebook!