The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike Ladano
Episode 46 – A Chat With Martin Popoff
Join SuperDekes, Uncle Meat and myself TONIGHT as we talk to the guy who, frankly, got me writing reviews in the first place! It was Riff Kills Man that inspired me, a book that I’ve been re-reading this week only to find new revelations. I love when I feel validated by a review in one of Martin’s 90-odd books.
Martin’s extensive bibliography (he is the Isaac Asimov of Heavy Metal) includes definitive tomes on Accept, Rainbow, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and just about every other band with legendary status. As my re-reading this week has shown me, Martin has a way of describing music that just resonates. It’s a talent that I have long envied.
Please spread the word, and welcome Martin Popoff to the LeBrain Train tonight!
I am pleased to announce this week’s guest: none other than Martin Popoff, Canadian music scribe extraordinaire! Martin will be joining us to talk about his many books, YouTube shows, and assorted awesomeness. It is a conversation I have been hoping to have for, oh, 20 years (give or take).
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike Ladano
Episode 46 – A Chat With Martin Popoff
Join Super “Ironballs” Deke (who hooked it up with Martin), Uncle Meat and myself this Friday as we talk to the guy who, frankly, got me writing reviews in the first place! It was Riff Kills Man that inspired me, a book that was passed around from friend to friend like a kid passes along a nudie mag. “Have you ever heard Gillan? Budgie? Thin Lizzy?” These were the words muttered as we handed the book onto the next recipient!
Martin’s extensive bibliography (he is the Isaac Asimov of Heavy Metal) includes definitive tomes on Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Rush, Motorhead, Max Webster and just about every other band with legendary status. Through all that I kept my treasured copy of Riff Kills Man safely in my desk at work. I’d write Amazon album reviews on my lunch break, and I had to have Popoff nearby to consult in case of confusion or doubt.
Please spread the word, and welcome Martin Popoff to the LeBrain Train on Friday January 15!
I haven’t stayed up til midnight on a New Year’s Eve in a dog’s age, but I did it tonight…for you!
Tonight’s drop-in special ran over three hours and we still failed to squeeze in Aaron from the KMA. Huge apologies to my buddy Aaron. Hopefully I’ll make it up to you next week for the ZZ Top show.
Special guests tonight were invited to drop in and read their Nigel Tufnel Top Ten lists, and each guest chose their own theme for their lists! Guests included:
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!
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:
Reader KK
The Mighty Holen
Michael the Box Set Wizard
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?*
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”
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”
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”
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”
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.
Superdekes (Thunder Bay Arena Rock) & Vinnie Vincent (KISS)
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.
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!
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.
Thank you to Sarah and Kevin (Caught Me Gaming and Buried On Mars respectively) for co-hosting, and for some amazing Nigel Tufnel Top Ten Led Zeppelin songs lists! Thank you to Aaron (Keeps Me Alive) and Uncle Meat (no affiliation) for adding your lists to the mix. We heard about some brilliant songs tonight with some personal touches of what makes them so special.
But the hero of the night is Graph Wizard Geoff from 1001albumsin10years! Thanks to him, we can call some clear winners or losers in this race!
Or can we? You’ll just have to watch to find out!
If you don’t feel like watching the whole thing, you can just check out Geoff’s cool graphs below!
A hearty thank you to Kevin / Buried on Mars, Aaron / Keeps Me Alive, and Eric / Uncle Meat for appearing on this episode of the LeBrain Train! (Conceiving, in Kevin’s case.) And a salute to Derek Kortepeter for submitting a cool list as well. The subject was Van Halen deep cuts and we brought ’em to ya. Any that we forgot came up in viewer comments. And a great show was had by all!
At the start, Kevin and I killed some time looking at some new arrivals, and talking about the forthcoming new punk EP by Max the Axe. (I have a copy and it is killer.) If you want to skip that and go straight to the lists, then start at 0:20:25.
There are plenty of services online for cutting your own music to vinyl these days. The one that caught my eye was VinylArt.co, based out of Wales. This company will cut picture discs with your chosen artwork and (legal) music to four sizes: 5″, 7″, 10″ and 12″. How well does it work? Read on to find out.
MAX THE AXE – “Randy” (Live at the Boathouse) (VinylArt.co custom picture disc)
“How many times can you say Randy?”
The first thing I need to note is that I didn’t choose a song to put on vinyl for its fidelity. The prime factor behind me spending my money wasn’t to test the product for review, it was to make something that I wanted for myself. It had to be something that you can’t get physically — I wanted to create my own physical product for something that only exists digitally. In 2018, I recorded a song by Max the Axe when they played the Boathouse, and a few people commented that they liked the video. I think the live version of “Randy” they played that night was outstanding. It had bite and presence. Singer Eric “Uncle Meat” Litwiller really gives his all in this version, particularly on the chorus. I decided to turn that version, recorded on my phone, into an “official bootleg” live record. Sound quality wasn’t even a concern in that regard.
VinyArt.co seem to market these records as keepsakes more than a way to play music. For example, you have two packaging options: a coloured paper sleeve, or a frame. You don’t buy frames for records you plan on playing. I planned on playing my Max the Axe “Randy” bootleg. I wanted it to sound decent. Does it?
Actually yeah. It sounds OK for a picture disc. There is surface noise that you can hear during the fades. As you can see from the waveform image below, you also lose volume with a picture disc. By nature it is not going to sound as clean as the original mp3 file that it was made from. However VinylArt “master” the track as part of the process, and it does sound full and beefy enough for my needs.
Unaltered vinyl at top, original mp3 at bottom
It’s a very easy process. All you have to do is upload a photo, and a track that you own (or one from their library). Then you choose the record size. The smaller the cheaper, but also the less music that will fit. A 5″ record can only handle up to four minutes, so I had to go with the standard 7″ single. The records are one-sided with a smooth white finish on the B-side. With shipping to Canada, the whole thing cost me $55 CAD and took just over a week. They track the whole process for you, from photo printing to audio mastering to record cutting.
Keep in mind picture discs do not typically offer the same quality as pure black vinyl, but this is something I wanted for myself as a keepsake. The bass is nice and fat and the vocals clear as a bell. Except for the fade-in and fade-out, which are noisy, it sounds like a vinyl record should. About what I expected.
Now Max the Axe can boast that he has been bootlegged to vinyl, and a decent one at that. I can claim to own the only copy in existence, a limited edition of one! The rarest record in my collection.
VinylArt.co aren’t going to make your music sound better than the source material, but it will sound like vinyl. Your music, on a playable picture disc! I plan on ordering something from them again, so if repeating a sale is a way to judge a company, then VinylArt gets the passing grade. And so does Max the Axe!
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