A sequel to last week’s show! Last Wednesday, we covered brown album covers. This week we’re following that up with yellow album covers! I will be joining the Contrarians LIVE tonight at 7:00 PM EST for this excellent topic idea. Each of us has ten picks. The final panel is TBA but I will be with at least the following people:
Grant Arthur
John “Johnny Homework” Clauser
Jamie Laszlo
40 unique picks for yellow cover art. Yes, we will see Stryper.
THE CONTRARIANS – Yellow Album Covers – Wed. October 30 7:00 PM EST
A sequel to last week’s show! Last Wednesday, we saw quite a few brown album covers when we looked at minimalist album art. This week we’re following that up with brown album covers! I will be joining the Contrarians LIVE tonight at 7:00 PM EST for this excellent topic idea. Each of us has ten picks. I will have the honour of sitting on a panel with:
Grant Arthur
Tim Durling
John “Johnny Homework” Clauser
Jamie Laszlo
Peter “The Professor” Jones.
60 unique picks for brown cover art. I’ve given my list a twist: all Canadian artists!
THE CONTRARIANS – Brown Album Covers – Wed. October 23 7:00 PM EST
I will be joining the Contrarians LIVE tonight at 7:00 PM EST for an excellent topic idea: minimalist album covers. Each of us has ten picks. I will have the honour of sitting on a panel with:
Martin Popoff
Grant Arthur
Tim Durling
John “Johnny Homework” Clauser
Jamie Laszlo
Peter “The Professor” Jones.
70 unique picks for minimalist cover art. This outta be good. Link is below!
One of my favourite bands, going back 34 years this summer, is Faith No More. The San Fransisco band hit it back in the summer of 1990 with “Epic”, but they had been plying the rock waters for years before, including a brief stint with Courtney Love on lead vocals. It was the acquisition in 1988 of Mr. Bungle singer Mike Patton (replacing Chuck Mosely) that was the final ingredient needed to push them over the top. Even though they are undoubtedly one of the weirdest rock bands to hit the Top Ten, they pre-dated the grunge era with their funky bass, rapped lyrics, and soaring choruses.
Grant Arthur and I covered the whole shebang, including a triumphant return with the reunion album Sol Invictus. What is it? It’s a damn great episode of Grant’s Rock Warehaus. Give it a watch below!
Grant Arthur, Jamie Laszlo, Peter Kerr, Tim Durling and myself all gathered together to discuss this fun topic last night: Albums with common “nickname” titles! For example: The Beatles (the White Album), Metallica (the Black Album), and Weezer (lotsa coloured albums)! There are plenty on our lists, and I’m especially proud of one of my coloured picks.
This was my first ever panel discussion with the Contrarians, and about three years overdue. Thank you Grant for inviting me!
There will be no episode of Grab A Stack of Rock this weekend, but we’ll be back next week!
Last summer was different. I felt like I had something to prove. I lost the co-host that was responsible for the lion’s share of my views, and I wanted to pivot back to music. Grab A Stack of Rock was envisioned as an “easy” show, where I didn’t have to do any prep or homework. I was ready to work hard again and I think we did that. We brought back lists and deep dives and the show was so much better for it.
This year is a little different in another way, which is my old co-hosts are occupied. Harrison is busy focusing on his health. Other co-hosts have their own shows now. Others still are focusing on family. I can’t blame them for that. In a way, my show has been a bit like the Alice Cooper backing band. Just as he launched the careers of Kip Winger and many more, my show has launched others into the Youtube-sphere. That show out of Thunder Bay Ontario wouldn’t exist without my rocket boosters. With that in mind, I think this summer will be something of a slowdown.
This week we’re back at the cottage with John Clauser and Metal Roger. It’ll be their first cottage show.
What will the summer bring? Fewer shows perhaps, but Grab A Stack of Rock will still continue, perhaps with a few different faces that we didn’t have last summer. Some familiar ones as well. Grant from the Rock Warehaus wants to hang out on the front porch again this summer. I’m also thinking of doing a midnight outdoors show. We’ll see what the summer has in store, but one thing I don’t need to do is prove anything to anyone. We did that last year and we’re better off for it.
Park Avenue leads to…SKID ROW! But Skid Row leads to Grant’s Rock Warehaus!
This week on Grant’s Rock Warehaus, we talk about a band that Grant has been digging seriously for the last several weeks, ever since seeing former singer Sebastian Bach on an 80’s cruise. We don’t talk just Bach. We tackle the Johnny Solinger years, the unfortunate tale of Erik Grönwall’s short stint, and of course, current lead singer Lzzy Hale. Take a look at my Skid Row collection, including The Atlantic Years box set (unboxing!), my original 1991 vinyl of Slave to the Grind, my Japanese Best of Skid Row, and a rare promo single from 1995.
Grant and I tried to cover as much ground as possible. Album artwork is discussed, and a few underdog records are praised. I tried to highlight what I think are some incredible and underrated ballads that might be forgotten in the shadow of “I Remember You”. We shone a light on the talent of all the members, and questioned what they could have done differently through their career. Leading to the present day, we have some suggestions for Skid Row about their future and reissues we want to see happen.
It’s all here, on Grant’s Rock Warehaus with your host, Grant Arthur!
This weekend on Grant’s Rock Warehaus, we tackled a band that needs and deserves more attention: Canada’s Kick Axe!
“Nobody’s talking about Kick Axe!” said Grant. We aim to change that with this show. Please give it a watch! What are your favourite Kick Axe songs?
This show almost didn’t happen. I wanted an expert on Kick Axe, so I asked Derek Williamson of Thunder Bay Ontario, who saw Kick Axe live back in the day and also interviewed the guitarist Larry Gillstrom. He stonewalled me three times, so we decided to do it without him.
Show notes are below, if you want the Cole’s Notes version, but you’ll have to watch the video to get our album rankings.
Formed 1976, Regina Saskatchewan as “Hobbit”.
Original lineup:
Victor Langen, bass, vocals
Gary Langen, drums
Larry Gilstrom, guitar
Ray Harvey added on guitar.
Moved to Vancouver BC, Gary Langen leaves band replaced by Brian Gillstrom, Charles McNary hired as vocalist.
1981 – Playboy Street Rock – live track called “Reality is the Nightmare”.
1981 – Weekend Ride / One More Time (Harvey on vocals).
Produced by Bill Henderson and Brian Too Loud McLeod of Chilliwack.
Wrote “Heavy Metal Shuffle” which opened Vices later on. Attempted to record an album but never released it.
McNary replaced by George Criston, who brought in power, range and soul as well as a unique sound.
1984 – Signed to CBS in Canada, approached Spencer Proffer to produce because they wanted the same sound as Metal Health by Quiet Riot. Proffer liked the band personally and thought highly of their musicianship. Album Vices released on Pasha in the US.
Recorded existing material (2 songs re-written with Proffer) in Hollywood at S.I.R. 30 Days in the Hole – a cover, like Cum On Feel the Noize, but not intended to be a hit, just a showcase for their talents. Released on the soundtrack to Up the Creek.
Ran into Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler – supposedly approached Criston to replace Ian Gillan in Black Sabbath. Proffer was working with both bands.
Vices is their best album. Proffer intended it to be a concept album about vices. Not a bad song. Bangin’ backing vocals. Music video for On the Road to Rock made major impact in Canada, with the comedic video attracting attention. The Vices mascot was one of my first “rock buttons”.
Vices did not perform to expectations, but Kick Axe wrote three songs for the next Black Sabbath album: “Wild in the Streets”, “Hunger”, and “Piece of the Rock”, later recorded by W.A.S.P. and King Kobra. Kick Axe did not want to lose Criston to Sabbath. “Piece of the Rock” is one of the rarest Kick Axe tracks, only released on a 2005 issue of Rock the World.
1985 – Second album – Pasha wants band more streamlined for radio. Brought in Pasha staffer Randy Bishop to help on lyrics. Co-wrote 5 songs and co-produced Welcome to the Club. Some of the heaviness is blunted, in favour of better song structure and melodies. Recorded at Metalworks in Toronto. Cover art by Hugh Syme, which the band never understood the meaning of.
Band brought in cover of Joe Cocker’s version of “With A Little Help From My Friends”. Rik Emmett, Lee Aaron, Andy Curran, Alfie Zappacosta and more on backing vocals. Very cool music video made of the recording session.
Pretty solid album, though not as banging throughout as the original. The cover tune is completely different, but really excellent.
The band and Proffer blame lack of sales on parent label Epic. No support. Toured with Autograph, Krokus, Night Ranger, Helix and Triumph.
1986 – Ray Harvey returns home to deal with family matters. Joins Rock & Hyde as touring guitarist (Bob Rock & Paul Hyde).
The Transformers soundtrack released. Hunger, and Nothing’s Gonna Stand In Our Way released as Spectre General. All done by Proffer, without knowledge of the band. Due to pseudonym used, no benefit to band happened.
Still signed to CBS in Canada. Next album picked up by Roadrunner in US.
Rock the World (initially “Fuck the World”) recorded as four piece. Self-produced primarily by Larry due to lack of funds provided by CBS. Recorded at Right Trak in Vancouver. Also forced to mix the album themselves. The cover tune this time is The Chain by Fleetwood Mac.
Band breaks up – sherrifs seize equipment due to unpaid debts. Later immortalized in the song Rocking Daze on Kick Axe IV.
2002 – Kick Axe reunite with Gary Langen returning, this time on lead vocals. George Criston remains active in country and more soulful music. Has expressed no interest in returning to rock. Has not participated with reissues. Has worked as a guitar tech for Sarah McLachlan, Dido, Avril Lavigne, and k.d. lang.
2004 – Kick Axe IV self produced. Best song Rockin Daze written by Brian Gillstrom. Decent album but not memorable long-term except for Rockin Daze. Gary Langen has a style of voice reminiscent of Phil Naro.
2008 – Gary Langen leaves band, replaced by Daniel Nargang.
2023 – Run to the Thunder, first new song in decades, to be followed by new album.
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.
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!
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.
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 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!
mikeladano.com 