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Part 104: A Nightmare on Cocknuckles Street
Please, people: Before you pick up your phone, and call and swear at someone, please make sure you’re calling the RIGHT DAMN PLACE! In December 2005, an angry guy called. He had a CD order that he...
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REVIEW: Spinal Tap – Break Like The Wind (1992)
SPINAL TAP – Break Like the Wind (1992) Almost a decade after the movie, the “black album” (Smell The Glove), and the near-breakup, Spinal Tap returned! Even Marty DiBergi’s documentary could not...
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REVIEW: Deep Purple – The Battle Rages On… (1993)
DEEP PURPLE – The Battle Rages On… (1993 BMG) After the ill-fated (but personally enjoyed) Slaves and Masters, Deep Purple realized the only way forward was with Mk II screamer Ian Gillan back at the...
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R.I.P. Randy Coven – guest shot by Warren Murchie
I read the news today that bassist Randy Coven had passed away at age 54 of undisclosed causes. My friend and former customer as well as a bassist himself, Warren Murchie, shared a few words regarding...
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REVIEW: Alice Cooper – Hey Stoopid (1991)
First of an Alice Cooper double shot! Tomorrow, The Last Temptation! ALICE COOPER – Hey Stoopid (1991 Sony) When Hey Stoopid first came out in ’91, fans were still reeling from the disappointment (but...
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REVIEW: Deep Purple – Purpendicular (1996 US bonus track)
“The banjo player took a hike” — Ian Gillan DEEP PURPLE – Purpendicular (1996 BMG) When Blackmore quit Purple for the second time, I had written the band off. I wasn’t too keen on the previous studio...
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REVIEW: Chickenfoot – Chickenfoot (CD/DVD set)
CHICKENFOOT – Chickenfoot (2009 Redline CD/DVD reissue) This reissue of the fantastic debut Chickenfoot CD is a decent but imperfect repackage. The music is so good, I can’t stay mad about the...
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TV REVIEW: American Dad – “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”
AMERICAN DAD! – “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” (Episode 5, season 9) Seth MacFarlane’s American Dad is a very musical show. That’s why this is the second episode I’ve reviewed so far. It’s rare to find a...
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REVIEW: Joe Satriani – Flying in a Blue Dream (1989)
JOE SATRIANI – Flying in a Blue Dream (1989 Relativity) I used to read all the rock magazines and charts as a kid, and I was surprised when Joe Satriani’s latest album cracked the top 30 in Canada....
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REVIEW: Joe Satriani – Shockwave Supernova (2015)
Purchased at BMV for $7.99 during Toronto Record Store Excursion 2016. JOE SATRIANI – Shockwave Supernova (2015 Sony) Like a manic version of “Puttin’ on the Ritz”, the title track from Joe Satriani’s...
View ArticleREVIEW: Merry Axemas – A Guitar Christmas – Various Artists (1997)
Welcome to… …Hosted by Vinyl Connection MERRY AXEMAS – A Guitar Christmas (1997 Sony) Do you have a favourite Christmas album? Perhaps you need some Merry Axemas in your life. The first one, in...
View ArticleREVIEW: Derek Smalls – Smalls Change (Meditations Upon Aging)
DEREK SMALLS – Smalls Change (Meditations Upon Aging) (2018 BMG) So very desperately, I wanted this to be good. Alas, it is very very remotely far from anything good. It’s not the line between clever...
View Article#729.4: LeBrain’s Unorthodox Top 10 of 2018
Given everything that happened in 2018 (cancer, more cancer, death), I wasn’t as tuned-in to rock and roll as I normally would be. I missed a lot of new releases, some on purpose, others by accident....
View ArticleREVIEW: Chickenfoot –“Divine Termination” (2017 single)
CHICKENFOOT – “Divine Termination” (2017 Edel coloured 7″ single) For a band with only two albums, Chickenfoot sure do milk it. After a single debut album, they did a live DVD called Get Your Buzz On....
View ArticleREVIEW: Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai – G3 Live in Concert (1997)
JOE SATRIANI, ERIC JOHNSON, STEVE VAI – G3 Live in Concert (1997 Epic) It took me 21 years to finally buy this CD. Why? It was hard to get excited about three live Satch songs, three live Vai songs,...
View Article#827: Freestylin’ 5 – Brave New World
GETTING MORE TALE #827: Freestylin’ 5 – Brave New World Oh, how so much has changed in such a short time. The conveniences I once took for granted are now dearly missed. I feel as if I am living in the...
View Article#911: The Pros and Cons of Rediscovery
RECORD STORE TALES #911: The Pros and Cons of Rediscovery Ever have an artist that you like listening to, but have neglected for many years? It happens. Maybe they appeal to you only when you’re in...
View ArticleREVIEW: Joe Satriani – Joe Satriani (1984 EP, 2014 RSD reissue)
JOE SATRIANI – Joe Satriani (1984 Rubina EP, 2014 Relative Record Store Day 180 gram reissue) In 1984, The Squares guitarist Joe Satriani quietly put out a low-key instrumental EP on his own label,...
View ArticleREVIEW: Joe Satriani – Surfing With the Alien (1987, 1999 remaster, 2017 RSD...
JOE SATRIANI – Surfing With the Alien (1987, 1999 Sony remaster, 2017 RSD Epic 2 LP reissue) On October 15 1987, the face of rock music was shaken when a little instrumental album called Surfing With...
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