I started making sticky notes for live streams back in the spring. It started with me simply writing “Are you ready for another Friday live stream?” and posting it on social media. They got more elaborate from there. Then I started saving them on my calendar. Over the months, I kept some of my favourite sticky notes. Here are some memories from LeBrain Trains over the past six months.
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike Ladano
Episode 43
Nobody “wanted” lockdown to happen in Ontario, but here we are. You don’t have to be alone on Boxing Day, no matter where you are. This Saturday December 26, join the LeBrain Train for a special holiday episode called “Christmas Memories”. Special memories such as:
There might be guests — or I might just open it up for anyone to join the show. You’ll just have to tune in and see.
It’s OK if you’re upset or just not in the mood. Who is these days? We have been here for each other since the start and the hope is to spread some positive feelings this week.
I’ll be on break for the next couple days. Have a drink or two, and we’ll see you Saturday December 26. Let’s get into the sweet nectar of nostalgia!
7:00 PM E.S.T.
Facebook: MikeLeBrain YouTube: Mike LeBrain
Awesome show this week! The 42nd LeBrain Train was another three hour long epic. The theme was “Best Bands You Probably Never Heard Of”. We never settled on a proper wording for it, or a proper system for keeping score. The goal was to introduce you to plenty of artists we think you’d think. And we hope you do! For the first time ever, there was no crossover with the six lists!
Lists by:
Added bonus: At the mid-way point (1:30:00 exactly) a very-caffeinated-me decided to go on an F-bomb laden rant about people who post The Mandalorian spoilers openly on social media without warnings. Please enjoy my rant!
The final score:
Huge thanks to everyone for hanging out so long! Thanks for watching and see you next week.
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike Ladano
Episode 42
This week’s episode is brought to you by the brain behind 2 Loud 2 Old Music — John himself. The man is like a music encyclopedia so it’s only fitting that he came up with this particular Nigel Tufnel Top Ten list. What are your Favourite Artists that Nobody Else Has Heard Of? Tonight’s panel will answer that question 11 times each, and hopefully give you a ton of stuff to listen to over the Christmas holidays.
Tonight’s panel:
There will also be a couple guest lists for us to run down. That means you could be getting up to 66 bands to listen to! (Depending on list crossover.) Are you excited? I am!
7:00 PM E.S.T.
Facebook: MikeLeBrain YouTube: Mike LeBrain
SCHEDULING NOTICE
There will be a show next week, but it will not be on Friday! Friday is Christmas after all. I plan to go live on Boxing Day , Saturday December 26, and talk about Christmas Nostalgia. From getting my first X-Wing fighter to the year I got Zeppelin, I can’t wait to tell you some stories.
For the following week, I am tentatively planning to go live on New Year’s Eve, Thursday December 31. I dunno what time yet…it’s not like I have anything else going on…but it’ll just be a New Year’s party. Mrs. LeBrain is planning to join me and we hope you can too!
Picking a favourite episode among the 41 (!) shows we’ve done is a bit like picking a favourite child. Impossible to do! But I took a real shine to this week’s instalment: the Nigel Tufnel Top Ten Iron Maiden Deep Cuts.
Each of us had our own personal criteria to determine if a song was a “deep cut”. For example, I chose no songs from Live After Death, or any leading tracks from an album. Harrison the Mad Metal Man decided that he would include no single A-sides, and no songs that were played live…ever.
As an added bonus to this episode, we brought back Geoff from 1001albumsin10years. The Graph Alchemist himself had to be involved, to track all these crucial Iron Maiden songs. In particular I wanted to see what albums were dominant. Geoff then went above and beyond the call of duty by bringing us a four-way Venn diagram showing all the songs that the panel had in common. Ever seen a four-way oval Venn before? You will!
The panel tonight consisted of:
These four lists were all graphed and included in the episode’s statistics.
We also had three “bonus lists” that we ran right at the top of the show. These bonus lists were submitted by:
Finally this episode also marked the debut of the brand new LeBrain Train theme song by T-Bone. So good that I played it three times. Everybody loves the song and video — let me know what you think too.
Best show ever? Definitely top five.
Shoot, do I have to do a Nigel Tufnel Top Ten LeBrain Trains now?*
Click to enlarge the graphs:
* Foreshadowing.
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike Ladano
Episode 41
It had to happen eventually: the return of Harrison the Mad Metal Man, and our first Iron Maiden list show! It’s the Iron Maiden Deep Cuts this time, a subject sure to generate tons of discussion. Of course, B-sides are fair game, as are Blaze Bayley cuts!
No spoilers but I can tell you that Harrison is being very stringent about what certifies as a “deep cut”. However, this is a “no disqualifications” episode, so nobody will be getting killed by Eddie tonight.
Iron Maiden’s gonna get ya no matter how far.
The Nigel Tufnel Top Ten lists (concept by Uncle Meat) are always a pleasurable diversion, especially when we keep track of the stats! To that end, Geoff from 1001albumsin10years will be back tonight to bring us more graphs! We also hope that the Meat Man himself will be joining the fun with his hard-laboured list.
We have not had Harrison on the show since May, when we counted down the Nigel Tufnel Top Ten Judas Priest albums.* Because of the time difference between Canada and Australia, Harrison and I did the last show in the morning here. He also had an awesome moustache. This time we’re doing it at the usual 7:00 PM E.S.T. (He can be the one to get up early this time.) Will the moustache remain?
7:00 PM E.S.T.
Facebook: MikeLeBrain YouTube: Mike LeBrain
Nigel Tufnel Top Ten Judas Priest albums
* The last time Harrison was on also happened to the first show broadcast from the cottage. A very special show for me because of both location and guest.
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike Ladano
Episode 40
This special 40th episode of the LeBrain Train is brought to you by T-Bone! That’s right folks — after months of isolation in the wilds of Lake Superior, finally we have the one and only T-Bone from Thunder Bay joining us this week. Deke and I will be talking rock with a true original. On the docket this week:
…and lots more
T-Bone has contributed to list shows in the past but this is his first real live experience on the LeBrain Train. T-Bone’s past submissions to the show were all Nigel Tufnel Top Ten lists and you can check out his rock pedigree in the following shows:
We hope you enjoy tonight’s rock as we chew the fat with T-Bone.
7:00 PM E.S.T.
Facebook: MikeLeBrain YouTube: Mike LeBrain
This no-disqualification episode was brought to you by Coffee!
First of all — Thank you to all the participants this time out, including Kevin (Buried on Mars) and Deke (Arena Rock). While these two gentleman did appear, they did not do the traditional Nigel Tufnel Top Ten lists and so they are not among the songs below. To access their “bonus tracks” you are going to have to watch the video!
Second — The MVP this week was Sarca Sim from Caught Me Gaming. Not to belittle the effort that anyone put into their lists (as you’ll see), but Sarca utilized an additional caveat: her list was 100% CanCon. A difficult, impressive and rewarding feat.
Third — You can decide for yourself if anyone deserved to be disqualified this week. Have Stavesacre or Wesley Willis ever had a legitimate hit? Is Toto a one hit wonder band? You decide.
Finally — Really, everyone was MVP this week. It was a marathon session. The feedback I have received so far has been excellent.
“I was howling for a lot of it. Michelle kept saying ‘what are you laughing about'” – Chris S
“It was like watching an SNL skit” – also Chris S
“Max is a one hit wonder on this stream lol” – also Chris S
“Love it!!!!!!!!” – My mom
Any songs that were repeated are highlighted below. There are not many. Enjoy these tracks!
Mike – LeBrain
11. Blue Cheer – “Summertime Blues”
10. Spacehog – “In the Meantime”
9. Kik Tracee – “You’re So Strange”
8. Wesley Willis – “Alanis Morissette”
7. Marvelous 3 – “Freak of the Week”
6. Tal Bachman – “She’s So High”
5. The Kings – “This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ to Glide”
4. Blotto – “Metal Head”
3. sandbox. – “Curious”
2. E-Z-O – “Flashback Heart Attack”
1. Loudness – “Crazy Night”
Rob – Visions in Sound and Gimli the Cat
11. Alien Ant Farm – “Smooth Criminal”
10. Arlo Guthrie – “City of New Orleans”
9. Frank Stallone – “Far From Over”
8. Prelude – “After the Gold Rush”
7. J Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers – “Last Kiss”
6. The Crazy World of Arthur Brown – “Fire”
5. Zager and Evans – “In the Year 2525”
4. Paul Hardcastle – “Nineteen”
3. Information Society – “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)”
2. Yello – “Oh Yeah”
1. MECO – “Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band”
John – 2loud2oldmusic
11. Red Rider – “Lunatic Fringe”
10. Modern English – “I Melt With You”
9. Dexy’s Midnight Runners – “Come On Eileen”
8. Aldo Nova – “Fantasy”
7. Frankie Goes to Hollywood – “Relax”
6. Cutting Crew – “(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight”
5. Kix – “Don’t Close Your Eyes”
4. Saigon Kick – “Love is on the Way”
3. The Darkness – “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”
2. Gnarls Barkley – “Crazy”
1. Portugal. The Man – “Feel It Still”
Eric – Uncle Meat
11. Bobby Pickett – “Monster Mash”
10. Nick Gilder – “Hot Child in the City”
9. Neneh Cherry – “Buffalo Stance”
8. Deee-Lite – “Groove is in the Heart”
7. Ace – “How Long Has This Been Going On”
6. Haircut 100 – “Love Plus One”
5. Tracy Bonham – “Mother Mother”
4. Donnie Iris – “Ah Leah”
3. Modern English – “I Melt With You”
2. Martha and the Muffins – “Echo Beach”
1. Gnarls Barkley – “Crazy”
Max the Axe – kind of a big deal
11. Donnie Iris – “Ah Leah”
10. Toto – “Hold the Line”
9. Atlanta Rhythm Section – “Imaginary Love”
8. Holly McNarland – “Elmo”
7. Moist – “Push”
6. Youth Gone Mad – “Crime Rate ’88”
5. Stavesacre – “Shiv”
4. Demon – “Liar”
3. The Trojan Ponies – “Deny”
2. Cheech and Chong – “Earache My Eye”
1. Eddie Murphy – “Party All the Time”
Aaron – KeepsMeAlive
11. The Surfaris – “Wipe Out”
10. Rusted Root – “Send Me On My Way”
9. Dan Baird – “I Love You Period”
8. Billy Falcon – “Power Windows”
7. Coleman Wild – “It Doesn’t Matter”
6. Marc Cohn – “Walking in Memphis”
5. Us 3 – “Cantaloupe (Flip Fantasia)”
4. Blind Melon – “No Rain”
3. Sublime – “What I Got”
2. Timbuk 3 – “The Future’s So Bright”
1. Mountain – “Mississippi Queen”
Sarah – Caught Me Gaming – special all Canadian list
11. Alta Moda – “Julian”
10. Cats Can Fly – “Flippin to the A Side”
9. The Kings – “This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ to Glide”
8. Eight Seconds – “Kiss You (When It’s Dangerous)”
7. Idle Eyes – “Tokyo Rose”
6. Len – “Steal My Sunshine”
5. Neo A4 – “Say This To Me”
4. Daniel Lanois – “Lotta Love to Give”
3. John Bottomley – “You Lose and You Gain”
2. Maestro Fresh Wes – “Let Your Backbone Slide”
1. The Northern Lights – “Tears Are Not Enough”
Additional resources – Todd in the Shadows – “One Hit Wonderland”
Nine participants. Epic lists. Utter chaos!
The theme for this week’s Nigel Tufnel Top Ten list was One Hit Wonders! This was a special “no disqualifications” matchup so anything went. Are Toto a one hit wonder band? Max the Axe thought so even if the majority disagreed.
You panel this week:
With special appearances by:
I wrote down all the songs chosen, so when given some time I’ll post all the lists for you to examine in more detail. But after an almost three hour show, I need to go get something to eat.
Added bonus: A quick look at the new Thin Lizzy 6 CD rarities box set called Rock Legends.
It’s a long show, but fucking hilarious. Enjoy.
Everybody wants to come on board this week!
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike Ladano
Episode 39
It’s One Hit Wonders this week! We’re keeping the definitions loosey-goosey, but still diving into those songs that never had a followup hit. This week’s topic was brought to you by Max the Axe, although I believe Holen suggested it some months ago as well. Either way, there has been demand for a show about One Hit Wonders. So here ya go!
One reason you don’t want to miss this one: A record NINE participants will be appearing!
With special appearances by:
As usual there will be a special unboxing for the early birds who show up before 7:00 pm. Otherwise, check out the One Hit Wonders All-Star Special on the LeBrain Train, Friday November 27.
7:00 PM E.S.T.
Facebook: MikeLeBrain YouTube: Mike LeBrain
mikeladano.com 