Today on TVC, Tim Durling finally gives in to the alien force that is Angine de Poitrine! Joining him is superfan Mike Ladano, and music archivist Robert Lawson who recently saw AdP in concert. Yow!
What is it about Angine de Poitrine? At 333 years old (each), they have come to Earth to show us “Music 2”, the natural successor to “Music”. Many have decried the gimmick: whacky costumes, microtonal bass and guitar, loops and alien “vocals”. Is that enough to make someone play the album on repeat at work? Watch the episode and find out.
What we discovered is that all three of us have different levels of appreciation for Angine de Poitrine, but that there is something special and unique about this band. It goes beyond the quirks. Something about this bizarre music is catchy and contagious. It scratches an itch you didn’t know you had. Robert speaks of a concert vibe that he’d never witnessed before. Even Rufus agrees!
I was thrilled to be asked to join my friend John the Music Nut on his channel for the first time ever! John has been on Grab A Stack of Rock, and we’ve both been on Tim’s Vinyl Confessions and My Music Corner among other shows, but this was my debut on his channel and it was really, really cool. John wanted to do Steve Earle’s live album Shut Up and Die Like an Aviator for his series The Live Cut. Since that album was partly recorded in my home town of Kitchener Ontario, I immediately said yes. And then, something cool happened.
After posting the album cover on social media, author Robert Lawson mentioned that he was at both shows recorded for the album, and numerous other Steve Earle concerts too. It was a no-brainer to get him on too, and it’s a good thing because Robert is the star of this episode! He brought with him tickets stubs and merch that you won’t likely see anywhere else. He also has so much insight and relevant stories about the album and tour, that some Wikipedia articles might need some additions and corrections now.
Don’t miss this episode which will premiere Saturday, January 24. This is what John had to say:
On the latest edition of The Live Cut, I am joined by Mike Ladano (Grab a Stack of Rock) and author Robert Lawson as we discuss Steve Earle and the Dukes’ first live album, Shut Up and Die Like an Aviator. Released on September 17, 1991, this album features performances from October 5, 1990 at Centennial Hall in London, Ontario, Canada and the following night at Centre at the Square in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, respectively. Robert attended both of these shows and shares his stories from seeing Steve during this era. What do you think of this album as well as Steve Earle and the Dukes’ music? Please let us know in the comments!
GRAB A STACK OF ROCK With Mike and the Mad Metal Man
🅻🅸🆅🅴 Episode
Episode 126: Solidarity Forever: The Art and Soul of Stevie Van Zandt
With author Robert Lawson
Robert Lawson is a talented author (and music researcher) and friend, who actually appeared on our old show the LeBrain Train back in 2021. Tonight is his Grab A Stack of Rock debut, and his first time meeting the Mad Metal Man, Harrison Kopp.
When Robert was the LeBrain Train, it was to discuss his book Still Competition: The Listener’s Guide to Cheap Trick, a thorough and essential read. He has also penned detailed books on Nazareth and the Guess Who. This time, we’re talking about Stevie Van Zandt, the subject of Robert’s new book Solidarity Forever. This is a subject about which Robert is intensely passionate for reasons musical and spiritual. As Robert says, writing this book was “his job”.
“Little Steven” Van Zandt is a fascinating figure in rock, from his instantly recognizable stage visage, to his popular role on the Sopranos. This book will teach you about the solo career of Little Steven, and breaks down “every album, every single” just as we collectors want. Robert is also knowledgeable on many other artists in genres from jazz to rock, and we will doubtless stray off track spontaneously. And that is half the fun.
Tune in tonight and ask Robert your questions live, on Grab A Stack of Rock.
Friday November 21 at 7:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM Atlantic. Enjoy on YouTube or Facebook.
Robert Lawson is a friend and authorSolidarity Forever: The Art and Soul of Stevie Van Zandt.* He recently posted this hilarious story on social media and I asked if I could use it. It is good to know there are still new Record Store Tales to be told!
RECORD STORE TALES#1199: The Springsteen Fan that Couldn’t Math
Bruce Springsteen recently released the second instalment of his Tracks box sets, called Tracks II: The Lost Albums. It contains seven albums’ worth of unreleased Bruce Springsteen, and has received critical and fan acclaim for the quality of its songs. Robert recently had an interested customer.
CUSTOMER: “How much is the new Springsteen boxed set, like $200?”
R: “Actually double that.”
CUSTOMER: “It’s $600???”
R: …sigh…
* Solidarity Forever is the definitive account of the musical journey of the music legend of Disciples of Soul, Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, and anti-apartheid project Sun City fame, Little Steven Van Zandt. Following Van Zandt’s unforgettable sixty-year (and counting!) career from his beginnings with the Asbury Jukes and Springsteen to leading the Disciples of Soul, from touring, arranging, and producing timeless music to playing an onscreen gangster in The Sopranos and Lilyhammer, Solidarity Forever is packed with a level of detail that will impress devotees and enchant new fans.
Every song, every album, every single, live shows; bootlegs, production credits, covers, activism-everything is covered here and presented alongside fascinating interviews of over forty past and present band members and Van Zandt himself. A stunning work of music journalism and love letter to rock ‘n’ roll, Solidarity Forever delivers Little Steven’s story and the timeless messages of his music like never before.
“This is no time to be fighting each other What we need, what we need is solidarity.”
Tremendous fun and a lot of learning tonight in the School of Jazz! Author Robert Lawson has a jazz collection to die for and we got a small taste of it tonight. The panel for Saturday Jazz consisted of four experts and one newbie:
Robert Lawson (serious author and hardcore jazz collector)
As the talk veered from Miles Davis to Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus and more, my wishlist grew and grew and grew. Stay tuned to the end to see some of Robert’s most enviable box sets.
As we often do, we started the show with some unboxings. Check it all out below! See you next week.
Upcoming schedule:
Friday March 11 – The 10 Year Anniversary Show – Record Store Tales and mikeladano.com (with Harrison and Tim Durling)
Friday March 25 – 2 Years of the LeBrain Train (with Tee Bone and Robert Daniels)
Friday April 1 – The Prank Show (With Chris Thuss and Michael Morwood)
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike & Friends
Episode 100 – Saturday Jazz
When a guy with the musical intelligence and credentials of author Robert Lawson asks if he can participate in your Saturday jazz show, you say yes!
Much like Donnie in The Big Lebowski, I’m out of my element here. A casual jazz fan like me cannot compete with the knowledge of the guests this week. It’s a Cinco de Listo Top Five Jazz records and the panel consists of:
2021: the year of the hamster wheel. It sure felt like we were spinning our tires all year! Sometimes inching a little forward in the mud, only to slide right back. What a year. But we did get some great music out of it.
Here at LeBrain HQ, if you go strictly by the numbers, there were two bands that dominated the year, both oldies acts from the 1980s: Coney Hatch and Iron Maiden! They (or members thereof) appear numerous times in the lists you’re about to read. Not so “oldies” after all eh? Five appearances for Iron Maiden, and a whopping seven for Coney and its members!
Even I was surprised by the lists this year! All my favourite things, and the stats of 2021, are curated below.
Not even disconnections and bad internet can keep a good man down. Robert Lawson — author of great listener’s guides on Cheap Trick, Nazareth and The Guess Who — persevered and eventually defeated the internet demons plaguing the start of Friday’s show. Hang in there folks — it starts rough but gets better!
This free-flowing chat covers numerous topics:
The Guess Who and Burton Cummings
Nazareth and “the kids”
Cheap Trick encounters
Band management
Rarities
Aerosmith’s Done With Mirrors
Martin Popoff
Sean Kelly
Gene & Paul
5150
King Kong
When it comes to Cheap Trick, Robert gets raw and tells it from the heart. You’ll have to see for yourself but we appreciate Robert’s candor and willingness to relive some emotional moments in his rock and roll life.
Thank you Deke for introducing me to Robert, and thank you Robert for being patient and generous with your time tonight!
REMINDER – The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike and Meat
Saturday – Episode 72 – Jacob Moon
“Jacob is an incredible Canadian talent.” — Andy Curran
If you only know Jacob Moon from his jaw-dropping Rush cover of “Subdivisions”, then you are in for a treat. That viral video catapulted him to Youtube fame, but he is about so much more than just covers. With nine albums to his name (so far), Jacob has been around. When guys like Andy Curran sing his praises, you know he’s seriously good at what he does. He has also won the admiration of Rush, Marillion, and many more. What’s it feel like performing a Rush song in front of Rush? Let’s find out from Jacob himself!
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mikeladano.com 