Another Friday and thankfully another weekend! To make that weekend even more enjoyable, we have brought you another batch of releases. With over 40 to choose from, there is bound to be something to your liking. If not, sorry…I did my best!! I only have one I am interested in and if you follow this site, it will be obvious which one that is…plus it is marked in Blue. Let me know what you want to hear or what may have been left off the list so everyone knows to expect it. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!
Kiss – Off the Sounboard: Donington 1996 – (Universal Music / Simstan Music): We are now on the third edition of the Off the Soundboard Series and that is two for this year. Rumor has it one more will be coming. This one is Reunion Era Kiss so I am excited about this one as the original 4 are back!!
Another week of over 40 albums being released which means there is something for everyone. Heck, if you make it down to the end there is even a Christmas album by Kelly Clarkson. Yes, it is time for Christmas albums to start coming out. I know, too soon!! I have a handful I would really like to hear and one I’d really like to buy, but KACHING!!! My choices are highlighted in Blue. Let me know what you want to hear and let us know what I may have missed so everyone can see what they might be missing. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!
The Alarm – History Repeating: 1981-2021 – (Twenty First Century Recording Co): A Double CD of the band’s 40 year career!! Man, I am feeling old as I have been listening since the beginning. There are are a several unreleased songs as well as all their hits. I believe there are 44 tracks and definitely worth grabbing!!
 Judas Priest – Reflections: 50 Heavy Metal Years of Music Box Set: I would love to get the big deluxe box set but it is well over $400 and I am sure worth every penny. I might need to sell some things or take out a second mortgage for this one. After just finishing the Judas Priest Review Series on the site, this would be a great way to top it off!! With a giant cherry on top!! Or you can get the one disc greatest hits album if that floats your boat. Either works.
A friendly reminder that Ryan Williams will be joining us on a Special Saturday Edition of the LeBrain Train…
Mike LeBrain and I will be interviewing a well-respected engineer and mixer in the music business who started out working with one of the biggest producers of all time Brendan O’Brien. Not a bad way to learn the business. Join us why we walk through Ryan’s career and all the great bands he has worked with and some interesting stories about some things that happened along the way. By the way, Ryan is my brother-in-law so I know the deep dark secrets…kidding…or am I?????
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike and John Snow
Saturday July 3 – Episode 74 – Ryan Williams
Have you ever had anything with your name on it nominated for a Grammy award? Ryan Williams has — for his work on Train’s Drops of Jupiter, Velvet Revolver’s Contraband, and Kelly Clarkson’s Stronger. And we’ll be talking to him about it on Saturday’s LeBrain Train.
Join John Snow and I for this special Saturday episode with a very in-demand engineer. How much demand? Well, besides Stone Temple Pilots, he’s either engineered or mixed for Matt Nathanson, 3 Doors Down, Lifehouse, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Pearl Jam, Outkast, Staind, Michelle Branch, The Panic Channel, Phil Collen’s Delta Deep, Korn, Static-X, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Biffy Clyro, 10 Years, Atreyu, Mastodon, Billy Idol, P!nk, Sugar Ray, Deftones, Adam Lambert, Coheed & Cambria, The Black Dahlia Murder, Bush, Neon Trees, and Beck. He even has a co-write on a Kelly Clarkson song. Is that enough demand for ya?
This is going to be a great chance for us to pick the brain of a guy who has literally worked with the biggest names in modern music. You do not want to miss this one — catch it live so we can ask Ryan your questions!
Mike LeBrain and I will be interviewing a well-respected engineer and mixer in the music business who started out working with one of the biggest producers of all time Brendan O’Brien. Not a bad way to learn the business. Join us why we walk through Ryan’s career and all the great bands he has worked with and some interesting stories about some things that happened along the way. By the way, Ryan is my brother-in-law so I know the deep dark secrets…kidding…or am I?????
The LeBrain Train: 2000 Words or More with Mike and John Snow
Saturday July 3 – Episode 74 – Ryan Williams
Have you ever had anything with your name on it nominated for a Grammy award? Ryan Williams has — for his work on Train’s Drops of Jupiter, Velvet Revolver’s Contraband, and Kelly Clarkson’s Stronger. And we’ll be talking to him about it on Saturday’s LeBrain Train.
Join John Snow and I for this special Saturday episode with a very in-demand engineer. How much demand? Well, besides Stone Temple Pilots, he’s either engineered or mixed for Matt Nathanson, 3 Doors Down, Lifehouse, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Pearl Jam, Outkast, Staind, Michelle Branch, The Panic Channel, Phil Collen’s Delta Deep, Korn, Static-X, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Biffy Clyro, 10 Years, Atreyu, Mastodon, Billy Idol, P!nk, Sugar Ray, Deftones, Adam Lambert, Coheed & Cambria, The Black Dahlia Murder, Bush, Neon Trees, and Beck. He even has a co-write on a Kelly Clarkson song. Is that enough demand for ya?
This is going to be a great chance for us to pick the brain of a guy who has literally worked with the biggest names in modern music. You do not want to miss this one — catch it live so we can ask Ryan your questions!
Welcome to the last Friday of October and the last set of new releases for the month. Halloween is coming up in a few days and maybe there is something on here that will be a treat for you…or maybe you buy it, it sucks and then it is a trick…either way I hope there is something for you. The ones I am interested in are highlight in Blue.
 Stereophonics – Scream Above the Sounds – (Stereophonics / Parlophone): These Welsh boys are back with another new album. After 20 years together, they haven’t missed a beat. They are on a steady diet of one new album every two years and without fail, he were are with their latest. If you don’t know them, check them out and see why they are top of my list this week.
 Red – Gone – (Provident Label Group): This Christian metal band is straying from their Christian roots with this album and delivering a mainstream rock record. They even do a Sia cover on the album. This could be interesting. I will definitely cue this one up as well,
2017 is upon us and always fun anticipating what new albums are and will come out in the year. Â There are quite a few we already know about, but some haven’t been officially announced or even a date set yet. Â From what I have gathered around the internet, here are the bands that should have new albums out in 2017, but no dates announced yet. Â The ones I want will be highlighted in Blue.
To continue my Throwback Thursday of the last two weeks, here are my Favorite albums of 2011 (in no particular order):
Soren Andersen – Constant Replay:  This is an incredible debut album.  The album name is accurate as it was on constant replay back when I got it.  There are so many great songs and no fillers.  I just love “Song About You”, “Black Lady”, “Lavender in My Calendar” and “Cold Shock”.  Soren has toured as the lead guitarist in the Glenn Hughes Band and played on numerous albums including Mike Tramp.  Put it on and enjoy the ride.
Did you ever watch American Idol? I am sure at sometime over the last 15 years you had to have seen some shows.  I probably watched the first 4 seasons in full and then would only watch when they got down to the Top 10 in the next 4 seasons and then I would just watch when I could.
However, I did watch the final season, mainly to see who they bring back, and I actually enjoyed watching it.  There were a few standouts and their final 4 were all pretty decent. My daughter loved MacKenzie Bourg and I was a fan of Trent Harmon and La’Porsha Renea (who I thought was going to win until Trent’s performances on the finale). And Dalton had some pretty good moments (I love his cover of “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol)
Watching the final season reminded me that they really did have some good artists even though most of them were crap. I also found it funny that some of the people that lost did better than the winners – can we say Chris Daughtry & Adam Lambert. Of course everyone knows some of the winners were spectacular – Kelly Clarkson (3 Grammy Awards) and Carrie Underwood (7 Grammy Awards). And one even won an Academy Award – Jennifer Hudson (also 1 Grammy).