Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Brighton Rock: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1477

Episode Date: April 27, 2024

In this 1477th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Greg Fraser, founding member and guitarist for Brighton Rock, about all things Brighton Rock. This is the Brighton Rock #deepdive you didn't know you needed. Come for One More Try, but stay for the Duane Ward and Pat Tabler #mindblow. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, The Advantaged Investor podcast from Raymond James Canada, The Yes, We Are Open podcast from Moneris, The Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Team and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail]

It's like an old Jerry Cheebers mask almost eh? Welcome to episode 1477 of Toronto Miked! Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, a fiercely independent craft brewery who believes in supporting communities, good times and brewing amazing beer. Order online for free local home delivery in the GTA. Palma Pasta, enjoy the taste of fresh, homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville. The Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team,

the best baseball in the city outside the dome. I'll see you at the home opener at Christie Pitts on May 12th at 2 p.m. Wendell Clark and I will be there. We got a Blackhawks fan here. RecycleMyElectronics.ca, committing to our planet's future means properly recycling our electronics of the past. The Advantage Investor podcast from Raymond James Canada, valuable perspective for Canadian investors who want to remain knowledgeable, informed and focused on long-term success. Season six of Yes We Are Open, an award winning Monaris podcast hosted by FOTM Al Grego

and Ridley Funeral Home, pillars of the community since 1921. Today, making his Toronto mic debut, and to tell me all about Brighton Rock, Greg Fraser. Welcome, Greg. Thank you very much for having me on. Well, what a pleasure. When did you become a Chicago Blackhawks fan? Born and raised, I was born in the dark ages of 1963 in a northern town of Sault Ste. Marie, the home of Phil and Tony Esposito. Well, that'll do it, right?

Yeah. And Phil, when he first got signed to the NHL was with the Chicago Blackhawks and As you know, Tony Esposito became quite the staple Hall of Famer. So yeah Well, I'm jealous because I see on the t-shirt you're wearing three Stanley Cups in recent history. Like what's that? Like, oh well, I mean Like I said born in 63 before the 2010 they never won a Stanley Cup since 1961 so I my entire lifetime and then 2010 13 and 15 they won three so it was a little mini dynasty it was unbelievable it was great times but now we're back at the bottom of the bottom of the barrel there but it's okay yeah you had a great run Dave

Boland brought the cup to Mimico so that's yes well everyone gets a cup for a day right so he brought it to Mimico. So, uh, that's, yeah. So everyone gets a cup for a day. Right. So he brought it to Mimico, the blue goose. And that's as close as, uh, you know, I've come to seeing the cup here because, uh, I'm a Leaf fan and, uh, that last cup was before I was born 1967. So I'm just jealous. I'm here to tell you your team has won three Stanley cups in like HD era.

Okay. My era is black and white. So, yeah, I hear you. Well, the leaves are due. They're due. Yeah, they're due. All right. Tonight's a big game. So will you watch the leaves tonight? Oh, absolutely. I have a soft spot for the least for sure. I mean, I always root for the leaves and let's, let's to playing the Hawks. Okay. Amazing. Now I just want to shout out Tom Wilson from junk house.

Do you know Tom Wilson? I think I've met him once, but I do. I'm totally aware of him. Absolutely. He's a legend. So they made a musical based on his book, beautiful scars. And I was at the premiere last night in Hamilton at the Aquarius theater. So a lot of cool cats, like when you go to Hamilton, you're going to bump into.

One addition to Tom, you're going to bump into Ralph Ben-Murgy and Dave Hodge and Steven Brunt. Like these are the Hamiltonians I was hanging with last night. Oh no way. And I'm just here saying it's amazing, like so well done. And the music's great. And it was just so effective. And congrats to Tom. And if people get a chance to see beautiful scars at the Aquarius theater in Hamilton, do so. Absolutely. I'm looking forward to seeing it. Now, Brighton Rock, I have so many questions for you, but I want to give you

read a few tweets I received about you. One is from My Rock and Roll Heaven. Played there a few times. Absolutely. That was a legendary place. I love that place. Well, My Rock and Roll Heaven. And I have no idea, like can a venue tweet? I have no idea, can a venue tweet I have no idea but excellent underrated band So there's some high praise right off the top before we dive into Brighton Rock Tobias Vaughn actually being a little funny here Says it's a terrible candy, but a great book and a great movie

Is there a candy called Brighton Rock that you know of? Yes, absolutely. I'm trying to think about it. Like, what is it? Is it like, can you describe Brighton Rock the candy to me? Like, how did I miss it? Well, in Brighton, England, they have these Brighton shops and you can buy Brighton Rock candy. And yeah, I mean.

It's like just hard rock candy? Yeah, it's just, it's like almost like candy canes and stuff that you know what I mean? Yeah. Like old ladies would have like a bowl full of these things, maybe on the Simpsons when you lift one up and the whole thing stuck together here. Exactly like that.

Okay. And I'm here to just shout out, Queen's got a great song called Brighton Rock. So, so maybe off the top, where did the name Brighton Rock, like what inspired it? Is it the book? Is it the movie? Is it the song?

Where does Brighton Rock come from as a name of a rock and roll band? Well, kind of all of the above. Um, when we first got our record deal, we were called heart attack and uh, the record label said to us, well, we already have a band called Jack Mack and the heart attack. So we can't, you have to change your name. Yeah. So, uh, our singer at the time was reading a book Brighton Rock by Graham Green right about the mods and the Rockers And he's a big Queen fan And we were throwing names around and nothing and stuck and that name was thrown out there and we want yeah

I like that name, but I'm wondering if it's gonna be too much You know they're gonna think we're a Queen tribute But we decided let's just do it and then we've kept it ever since and and the rest is history. Yep we decided let's just do it. And then we've kept it ever since. And the rest is history. Yep. Okay. Now we got to establish who you are before we get to the Bob Roper episode of Toronto Mike. You and I are connected because you listen to Bob Roper's like I would say his Toronto Mike debut, but it was actually his podcast debut.

Like he's never done any other podcast. It's a shame because he's got so many stories. No, it's good because I want the exclusive. Like I like the idea that if you want to hear Bob Roper, a long form recorded conversation, there's one place you have to go. There's nowhere else you can go. Like I like that. It's true. I mean, that's what I love about your show. You have a lot of episodes where you go behind the scenes. I mean, you've had Kevin Shea on here. I, he's another guy that was with the rec company that he's got great stories. I'm pretty sure you had Steve Waxman on it. Yeah, I have. Yeah. Kevin brought in on here. He's another guy that was with the rec company. He's got great stories. I'm pretty sure you had Steve Waxman on it. Yeah I have. Kevin brought

in Steve actually. Well there you go. He's another guy that worked out a rec company. Those guys are behind the scenes and they never get talked about enough because you know the band reaps all the rewards from the you know but the people pushing it and making it things happen like the Bob Rober and Steve and Kevin Shea. They deserve to be noticed and they're great guys and I'm proud to call them friends. So you're saying it takes a village. Absolutely. It takes a village to have a Canadian rock and roll band.

Okay. So we are going to talk more about Bob Roper and we are going to talk more about Kevin Shea. He actually seeded a question for you because he was here just a couple of weeks ago. And there's a guy for a little while played keyboards in Honeymoon Suite who says hi. I'm going to talk about him in just a moment. But like, can you give me an idea of when in your life, Greg, do you realize you want to be a rock and roll star? Like when does it hit you that this is what you want to be a rock star? Well, I don't know if I just asked the same question twice. Did

you catch that? Like I literally asked the question and then I said it again, just in case you missed it. Just in case I'm is your rock star. You might not be so bright. I'm guilty. Um, I'd say well, 2000 and uh, actually I'd say when I was about 10 years old when I first started 2000, Greg, how old are you? 2000. Around 1973 I started playing guitar and you know a couple years before that show on TV was The Partridge Family and I was a big Partridge Family fan, David Cassidy, I loved the way he looked, I loved that he sang and I loved his guitars. Back then we didn't have cable TV or satellite so there was only a few stations so you had your favorite shows and you had to watch it live or if you didn't watch it. It's gone You missed it. You missed it. That's it. So I made sure you know, it's always a you know

I love the guitar guitar and then around You know 72 when I was about 9 ish I started hearing more rock songs and one particular was smoke in the water and I'm sure you've heard a lot of purple Yeah rock songs and one particular was Smoke in the Water. And I'm sure you've heard a lot of- Deep Purple. Yeah, a lot of guitar players use that as one of their- That opening riff, right? That opening riff is still killer. And there's another one back the same year

was Schools Out by Alice Cooper. Absolutely. And I remember those riffs like, wow. So I'd air guitar and then I just started and then I started getting a little older, you know? I was something 11, 12 years old and then I started getting into a band called Kiss know and I was something 11 12 is when I started getting into a band called kiss and You've heard maybe a lot of other musicians call that like a gateway to you know, rock and roll

So, you know, I thought they were larger than life superheroes and I wanted to be that like who was your favorite member? Ace of course, he's freely. Okay. Yeah, and you know, and I thought he was the coolest He had a lot of swagger on stage and he had some great melodic leads and you know the power of it So I really loved it that then I became in in the zeppelin and then it's like I gotta do this So I quit school when I was around 16 years old really yeah, how I got some grade 10 education to go I'm jealous again. That's twice in this episode Okay, yeah, so I was a full-time musician when I was 16 years old touring all through

Ontario and stuff like that and I remember I remember touring with whom exactly when you're 16. This is heart attack Who are you with? No, though? This is a band called Pharaoh like the Egyptian Pharaoh. Okay had like a wicked stage show with We're dressed up like craziness. But anyways inspired by kiss by Kiss, of course. Of course. Yes. Yes. And yeah, so we, we toured all through Quebec and Northern Ontario all over the place. And, you know, the band kind of fizzled out, but it was my first taste of writing original music. And then that's, I knew to become a rock star, you had to have your own music. So I ended up joining another band after that called Lennox.

And Lennox was based out of Niagara Falls where I do where I live been living since the last 50 years basically yeah so Lennox the guitar player that left he was a guy named Johnny D who is now the lead singer of Honeymoon Suite this is such it's all coming full circle because when you said you were 16 year old and you were like basically full time musician, I was thinking that's really young except just the other day.

In fact, it was, what is today? Saturday? Yep. Thursday. I'm going to say two days ago, I had a guy in this basement who was 15 years old playing with a band you might've heard of called spoons. Oh, absolutely.

You're talking about Robbie. Rob Bruce. Yeah. Great guy. Hi, Rob. Well, Rob says hi. That's and Rob, of course, was with Honeymoon Suite. And I'm going to ask you about Honeymoon Suite soon too. I love that guy. Rob's awesome. Yeah. So Johnny left. He was like a co lead singer and he was a guitar player for Lennox and he left the forum, Honeymoon Suite.

And being that we're all from Niagara Falls, I jumped in there and they were trying to write originals. And so we ended up making a record with a guy named Mick Ronson. I remember Mick Ronson? Yes. Yes, okay. So for those of you who don't know, he was the lead guitar player for David Bowie

and from the Ziggy Stardust from Mars Times, way back then and he was a producer. So he was a legend and he produced our record and with the intentions of getting a record deal. But the thing is we did a whole record with him with his phase one studios and we never got a record deal and everybody passed on it. It was looking back as more,

I think it might've been like a direction problem. You know, so the singer and some of the other guys in the band, including myself, we all kind of were pulling in different directions. So when that fizzled out and broke up, I knew I had to start my own band, but I had to surround my people that had, surround myself with people who had basically the same

influences me, so the direction would be cohesive. And so, you know, I got some guys and we called ourselves heart attack. And, um, but I made a point of before we went doing any live dates is to work on originals, have enough songs for record deals. So somebody came out and seen us and they said, Hey, you guys are good. Do you have anything? As a matter of fact, we do. So we started recording demos before we did any live dates,

before we learned any cover songs. And then we managed to get on the Q107 homegrown album. This is 84? This would have been 83, 84-ish. Yes. Okay. And this, by the way, I searched far and wide. I should have asked you if you had a copy, but breaking down the barricade. That's the one. I couldn't find it.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's the one that's on, uh, on the Q107 homegrown compilation from 1984, I believe. Yes. Yeah. And that's the one. And, uh, so that right away, we got attention from like record companies and stuff like that. So, uh, if I should back up for a minute, uh, Lennox was managed by a guy named Steven Prendergast. And so when Lennox broke up, he says, like, keep going, man, I like what you're doing.

If you get something together, keep me posted. So Steve managed Honeymoon Suite. So that was his only band. And then I formed Brighton Rock. So we were the second band. So we were both bands. And I kind of got off track there. I don't know where.

No, no, no. Okay. So we're going to bring Bob Roper into here now in a moment here, but, uh, checking out my notes here. I don't mean you did mention David Cassidy. So I just need to like, I'm now contractually obligated to just tell you that David Cassidy would own horses. Like they'd run it would bind and elsewhere.

He was a big horse owner. Did I know that? Yeah. And shout out to Radley funeral home, David Cassidy, sadly no longer with us, but he had this host, a horse and he needed a name. So he was friendly with a guy named Perry Lefkoe. You might know his brother Elliot. Do you know Elliot Lefkoe? Any interactions? I'm not sure. Elliot Lefkoe needs to get, uh, get,

get on the Brighton rock wagon here. But, but bottom line is, so, uh, Perry Lefkoe was good friends and is good friends with Peter Gross. Okay. Peter Gross was a longtime City TV personality. Absolutely. He's a dear friend of mine, Peter. I think he now owes me about 25, 26 favors. I'm just keeping score over here. Okay. But what did Perry tell David Cassidy to name his horse? Peter the Gross. So David Cassidy to name his host his horse Peter the gross? So David Cassidy would run a horse named Peter the gross named after City TV legend Peter gross That's awesome and on the live stream live dot Toronto Mike calm

I want to shed out basement dweller because he points out Susan day played a mean tambourine, okay She crushed it on the tambourine Absolutely. She was an early crush for me, actually, uh, Susan Day. So, uh, thanks for reminding me of the Partridge family, which by the way, came up organically on Thursday with Rob Proust and Bob O'Lek because we were kicking out bird jams and we were talking

about, oh, we could kick out songs from like bands and, uh, people who are like have names of birds in the title. And then I think Rob said, yeah, like the Partridge family. Cause of course, Partridge is a bird. So then I think Rob said, yeah, like the partridge family. Cause of course partridge is a bird. So lots of partridge family talk on Toronto mic'd here. Where does Bob Roper, the aforementioned FOTM who, uh, and again, you said you

listened to that episode and that's why you reached out and that's why I said, let's talk about Brighton rock for goodness sakes, Greg, get over here. But you, it, it sounded like you had heard other Toronto mic'd episodes before. Like, so Bob Roper wasn't your gateway to Toronto. Oh no, no, I've been listening for a while. I love your show. It's fantastic. Now that's music to my ears, Greg.

More on that please. Well, Bob Roper, like he's, I'm pretty sure he was the one that signed honeymoon suite. So, um, he was our manager, my manager at the time, Steve, and was going, hey, I got this other guy you got to keep your eyes on. And then we got on the Q107 Homegrown Contest. So he was well aware of who we were. And then, you know, we got some more songs together. So then we had to, you know, do some showcases and stuff like that. So once we did do a showcase for Bob, and I remember he definitely wanted to hear us and he liked what he heard

some of the originals. He wanted to see us live but so he had to throw something together. I can do something next week or two weeks from now so we had to throw a show together. So it was I forget where it was might have been Mississauga or something like that. So we get this place and sure enough there's a snowstorm. So we get there and there's like eight people in the crowd. It's like, oh my god Well, hopefully Bob doesn't show up Maybe he can't make cuz you know, we'd hate for him to see this right sure enough

There's Bob and we play like half a set and then our sound system or PA system cuts out I know stops and now we got to stop. It's like oh my god. What else could go wrong, right? Right, but Bob Bob loved it because man you guys got all the energy. I love, love your attitude. You got some good songs. You guys are on your way. You know, keep, keep, keep it going. You know, send me some more songs, more songs. And then he signed us and you know, without guys like Bob Roper, you know, I mean, our last record was released in 1991. So that's over 30 years ago.

So the fact that you still even remember my name or the band's name, that goes back to guys like Bob Roper, you know, taking a chance on us because he could have passed. I mean, the guys like that back then when REC companies had the muscle, they're getting bombarded from bands like Daily from demos and demos, sign my band, sign my band, sign my band, look at me, look at me. But enough about the killer dwarves. But you know for Bob to take a chance on us, especially at that time because we were a harder edge band, harder rock and that wasn't always a sure thing on radio and radio was huge

back then. It was everything, that and much music. So he took a chance on us and it paid off and we're lucky enough to do three records with Warner and you know I've got the tour all through North America and Germany and England stuff like that so yeah thank you Bob Roper and Kevin Shea and Steve Waxman and Stan Kuhlman and Roger Desjardins too bad he's not around that guy would have endless stories for you man legendary I missed another one here okay so Warner so Warner and you know, this is a question. So Warner is known in this country as WIA? Yep. Okay. So Warner Electro Atlantic.

Okay. Do you have any idea why that is? I should have asked Bob Roper that one. You hear I can ask Kevin Shea next time he's by, but what was the deal there? Like why is it called Warner in the States, but up here called WIA. I'm assuming because instead of trying to have three record companies of Warner and Electra Records and Atlantic they just kind of combined it, merged it in. That's less competition to sign a band like Brighton Rock. Yeah and what's the same thing in Europe was the same thing WIA International so you know we were on WIA records in, but in, in America, we were signed with Atlantic, Adco Atlantic. So yeah, for the first record. So I'm going to kick out a song from Young, Wild and Free, which is your,

your debut album with WIA. And thank you Bob Roper for signing Brighton Rock and making Greg Fraser's day here. But can you please shout out who is in the band at this point? So is it still the original member from 82? Like the original members from 1982? Yeah, like when the band got signed, we had Johnny Rogers on keyboards, Stevie Screebs on bass, Jerry McGee who was no longer with us on lead vocals, and Mark Kamrasan on drums and myself.

You're the guitarist. I'm the lead guitar player and we did three records and yeah. Okay, let's get into some music. Let's hear some Brighton Rock and then I have more notes along the way and more questions obviously, but let's open with this one. Coming down on you, distant winds blowing You know what you have to do, yeah Yeah Changes within stages Is all that keeps you going

Show them all the right moves Yeah If this cruel world gets you down You You came to rock, Greg. Yes indeed. Now, you know, you pointed out sadly Jerry McGee no longer with us. That's him on lead vocals, right? Gone far too soon. I did not realize he was only 58 when he passed away.

Yeah, it's such a tragedy. Yeah, miss that guy dearly. That's awful. That's awful. But tell me a bit, tell me a bit more. So this is the debut album, Young, Wild and Free, and this is your first single? Is that right? That was the first single and first video and that put us on the map. It was a very exciting time for us. As you know, back then in the mid-80s, much music, MTV were huge. And our dream was to be on there, to be on much music and MTV and stuff like that.

And sure enough, we got on there and it was very exciting for us. Back then, that was huge to be on video, like a station like that, because it puts you across the country immediately. It's everything, right? It's everything, and those days are gone. I mean, radio's pretty much dead.

It's just, it's all classic rock. There's no, they don't really break any new bands anymore. Video doesn't really exist. People don't, there's no video channels that people are glued to anymore. So it's hard to really get noticed. But back then it was everything. So, you know, for us to be on Much Music and we all of a sudden we're going

all west and people know who we are. It's like, wow, this is incredible. Who was here? Moe Berg was here talking about when Much Music started playing I'm an adult now. And yeah, all of a sudden overnight from, you know, sea to shining sea here in this great country, kids are listening to your music. It's it was like the most popular radio station in the country. Absolutely. I mean, the thing about that too is it turned me on to music that I wouldn't normally listen to because, you know, you never knew when your video was going to pop on and I always was curious so I just leave it on all day and if they did play it I want to hear what they were going to say. That was the thing,

what are they going to say, you know? Right what are they gonna say you know right but in the meantime you're turning you're hearing other stuff that I wouldn't necessarily listen to on the radio stations I would listen to because I'd listen to more rock-orientated but all of a sudden they're playing you know Culture Club and then Thompson Twins and the something you know going hey I like this kind of stuff too I'm a sucker for a well-written song so did you like spoons I absolutely love the spoons oh. Oh, for sure. Great hooks, great songs, great keyboards. You have to say that.

Keyboards were the whole part of that. I mean, the keyboards were the reason why that band went as far as they did. But oh no, the Spoons are fantastic, man. Great band. So I'm digging kicking out these jams with you. I'm going to play one more from the first album before I read the question from Kevin Shea. So here we go. Never can escape the night Racing hearts meet at the neon lights Entangled in dark feelings Still some hearts stand alone

But soon he sees the light The further on, the sooner the night This love may arrive But keep him lying So loud Can't wait for the night So loud. You know it's alright, alright First of all, I should say That song was one of their initial demos. That particular song was pretty much what got Bob Roper's attention. That chorus. He said, that chorus is a hit.

Can't wait for that. So keep that up. Yeah, so this is bringing back a lot of memories. Any thoughts that pop in your head as you listen back, just share them. Like don't worry about stomping on your own song. This is your episode, but it's almost like pop-up video, you know, if you have a thought on a song or something you hear in the song you want to point out? Well, it's, it's, you know, I don't normally listen to my own music and so this is, you know, a lot of memories are flooding back, like making the video for this and like I'm actually getting kind

of goosebumps here right now. Love it, man. As we're talking. Mission accomplished. Yeah. Yeah, this was such a great time, you know, to realize your dream is just starting to come true and things are happening and everything was so exciting. And, you know, all of a sudden going to a mall

and somebody recognizes you and it's like, what? This is awkward. Like, are you sure? No know I seen you much music so oh my god and that's when our manager goes from now on you guys must be camera ready because you never know you know don't be walking around in your sweatpants and stuff like that you got to be camera ready in case somebody recognizes you now so I'll change for you there and in this song okay so it's and I don't know what this means in Canada, you'll tell me now, but this album was certified gold. It was certified gold, but we never actually, that became gold after we broke up. Our second record is gold. We do have... Okay, well we just, you know, I do this thing, we just started it, but every quarter it's called

FOTM Cast. I'm not gonna get that name right. FOTMM cast and I got a couple of guys who come over and we review everything from the Previous quarter in the TMU the Toronto Mike universe. So next FOTM cast will be talking about this but I did play a song from the next album to tease this because we all Remember a song in a moment, but just before we get to the album take a deep breath I got to read the question from Kevin Shea. But I'm also trying, can you help me understand? So, what radio stations are playing this? Like, is Hits FM playing this?

Q was playing this for sure. Q was playing it. Hits FM was just starting too, as a matter of fact. So they were coming out. Shout out to Paulie Morris. Paul Morris, yeah. White House of Rock. Yep. Yeah. Yeah.

So they were just starting as our record was releasing. So it was all new territory for us. So yeah, they would play us. And you know, the rock stations across Canada would play us. And you know, thank God for that. I mean, it was such a fantastic time. It was so exciting, like I mentioned. And then, you know, you mentioned about the gold record.

If you look at the, there's a picture of us receiving a gold record and you'll see Kevin Shea in the picture you know so it's awesome. I was sent a picture of you receiving a gold medal and I just want to shout out somebody else who's in the photo because he sent it to me let me give a big actually there's a lot of people I could ask so the guy who sent it to me is Bruce Barker from rock 95. Love that guy, Bruce. Fellow FOTM. He sent me this photo and the band's in it, but you know, who else is in here?

Pat Tabler, Dwayne Ward. These are Toronto Blue Jays that are in here. Absolutely. And it's, it's funny because they actually, our third record, Love Machine, that they both sing on that record with us. So we have a song called Hollywood Shuffle, another one called Bulletproof. And we have these group chants. Whoa.

Okay. Slow down. This is huge. Okay. This is huge. So Toronto Blue Jays, Dwayne Ward and Pat Tabler. Oh, this is gets even better. Okay.

Hold. I don't, I want every detail, but I know they went to metal works and they cut backing vocals out. And I got to see if I've loaded up here. Mike, did you do your job? Okay. So Hollywood Shuffle they're on? Yeah.

Now this is a third album, Hollywood Shuffle, right? Third one, but another song called Bulletproof. Okay. I don't have... Okay. Especially... I'm sorry. I'll play...

I have Hollywood Shuffle. I can play it now and then you can tell me every detail about Dwayne Ward and Pat Tabler. Okay. Okay. it now and then we you can tell me every detail about okay, warden pat tabler okay. This is the third album so we're out of order now, but Hey! Action on every street, going against the wall I'm gonna make you a man, you know I'm gonna make you a man I'm gonna make you a man, you know I'm gonna make you a man I'm gonna make you a man, you know I'm gonna make you a man I'm gonna make you a man, you know I'm gonna make you a man Let me be your foe Together we can die I'll do what you want me to Oh no

Show me that Hollywood shuffle Woah I say that Hollywood shuffle Yeah, woah, hear the woah I oughta give her nothing to do This is fucking huge, Greg. Do you understand? You're shaking the universe as I know it here. So they were just fans of the band?

How did that come to be? Tell me everything. Bruce Barker, he's a great rock and roll fan, but he's a great sports fan too. So he would merge, so he would say, you have no idea, a lot of these athletes, they all want to be rock stars. And you know, a lot of the rock guys wanted to be athletes. 100%. You know, and there was another guy that really wanted to meet us. We never hooked it up was Dave Steeb.

Wow, I would have shut this thing down, man. Yeah, he was a big fan of us. Dave Steeb, big Brighton Rock fan, wanted to be on a track? You wanted to be on? When we were recording, he was kept trying to come down in the studio, but he could never get down there. But I must mention the song, Bulletproof. You know what, is it on YouTube?

I'll... look, I can do this. Come on, come on, Greg, I can do this. Bulletproof. Hold on, Brighton Rock. That's a Google search, everybody. OK, stand by, stand by, this is important. Oh, it's a live version.

Oh, we don't want the live version. Well, they're not in the video. OK, well, hold on, we're going to go back and find this album cut. Show you a little video. You can't hear listeners. Can't see you. That's okay. There's there's me, Eric M and Dwayne Ward. Dwayne Ward. This is massive, man. Like I'm a huge blue J fan, especially from back then. We're playing catch there. Let me, that's amazing.

I'm trying desperately in real time to find this song. Okay. So I just want the, I'm gonna go to YouTube here, bear with me here, but keep, tell me more about, uh, okay. So J's and yeah, so the song, one of the other songs was called bulletproof and then there's a football, we used to call them football chance to get all the guys together. Whoa. So when Dwayne, he was middle relief before Hanke would come in, right? A hundred percent. He was a setup guy for Hanke. Right. So when the pitcher, when they announced the pitcher and he starts entering the field, the pitcher can pick the music that they come on to.

Right. That's the song. So when Dwayne Ward would come out during the World Series, this is what you heard. You heard this, my guitar riff playing from Bulletproof, from Bulletproof as he's walking out in the field and now coming, now pitching middle relief Dwayne Ward. The 1992 World Series? Yes. So when he's walking out on the field, you're hearing my guitar playing Oh my god, check it out. That's me. And he goes. You know what what you deserve a World Series ring as far as I'm concerned okay that's huge yeah so that word was amazing amazing oh god he was amazed for sure but he used to love hard rock and this song would pump him up he goes and the title goes I'm

bulletproof I'm gonna go up there and I'm but so that would be his his motto and yeah it was it was fantastic and then when they won the World Series, it was, you know, it was huge for Canada. But it was exciting for us because we kind of felt like we were a part of it in a small way, you know, and you were a part of it. Big way. What do you stop being so humble? So Duane Ward, who typically and he pitched amazing in that World Series, as I recall, but he would typically set up Hanky to pitch the eighth. That's right. And then in ninety World Series, as I recall. But he would typically set up Hanky to pitch the eighth. That's right.

And then in 93, he was a closer. Yep. We repeated. But I love that guy. And he'd give us box seats. He'd give us box. He'd give you box seats. Whoa!

You hear that? OK, so in that chorus, just so I'm clear here, and this is important because we're going to talk about this at the FOTM cast, both Pat Tabler and Dwayne Ward are in that chorus? Right, you hear the band guys going whoa and Pat Tabler and Dwayne Ward are doing it with us. We're all together sharing a mic. You know Dwayne Ward I'm not surprised for some reason but I'm shocked Pat Tabler

was down with it. I didn't know he was a metalhead. Yeah well he liked all music but Dwayne, we became closer, we kind of hung out with Dwayne more. He'd give us box seats for free. We'd go down to watch a Jays game and hang in the box and yeah, we'd just go out and hang out and go meet after a game. Let me see if I can pick out Dwayne's voice. Oh yeah, for sure I hear it. Come on.

How can you miss it? But we'd miss him after a game and say, man, I'm good. Was it Texas Longhorn? I guess. He loved this Mexican restaurant. So we'd meet him after a game. All right, man, we'll see you there. Yeah, that was awesome times, for sure. Goodness gracious. Just amazing to hear that story. And I got to say big thank you to Bruce Barker because this photo sparked all of this I'm just looking at the photo now and I saw this photo I'm like how the

heck is this photo at Metalworks with Brighton Rock and Dwayne Ward and Pat Tabler you just told the story yeah yeah Bruce was awesome for that I mean yeah I remember one time we did a celebrity baseball game it was like the rock and roll all-stars against the rock and roll media. So you'd have different guys in different rock bands. So it would be Brighton Rock and Honeymoon Suite and we'd be playing against the media. So we'd be playing. You know, I need more. You need more. Who else would be involved? I remember Alfie Zappa Costa sang the national anthem and almost brought me to tears. I mean,

he sang it with no music and I was like, Oh my God. He just made his Toronto mic debut. He did last month. Yeah. Oh, what a voice. Like a holy man. I'll never forget that. But we're playing against like an 18 year old, Eric Lindros, um, um, against, and then the rock and roll media was a Rick, um, John Derringer was on there. And, uh, what'd he call it from whatever happened to that guy? Coaches, coach, his corner, Rama claim. Yeah.

All those guys. And, uh, yeah, that's so that was all through Bruce Barker. I mean, he would, uh, he was, he was quite the connector. Absolutely. Good guy. Good FOTM. I hope you're listening and getting your, uh, your props here, Bruce, big Bruce. Okay. Shout out to Bruce. Not as big as he used to be though. Yeah. Love you, Bruce.

The ever shrinking Bruce Barker. Oh, I know. Can barely see him, the invisible man. That's right. That's right. Love the Blue Jay mix with the Brighton Rock there. And again, so we did skip, but here's a question. So I'm reading the article. Like this is an actual article that Bruce Barker saved. Cause you know, when you're in the paper with Duane Ward and Brighton Rock and of course Pat Tabler, who was money when the bases were loaded, right?

Whatever. What did he bet? 500 of the bases loaded or something like that. He was unbelievable. Unbelievable. Great first baseman too. But you want to know what the headline is? The headline of this article, Greg, this is, I need to answer this here. It says Brighton Rock readies fourth release love machine. Okay. That's the headline of this article, Greg, this is, I need answers here. It says Brighton Rock, Ready's fourth release, Love Machine.

Okay. That's the headline of this article. But didn't you tell me a moment ago, only three releases or... Well, we had a four song EP before, um, before we actually re we did. That's the fourth one. Yeah. Cause I know Love Machine. That's what we just heard from Love Machine.

That's the third. And it's funny cause we, we, we went out of order. So we talked about the, the first album, Young, Wild and Free. And then we played songs from Love Machine, which came out in 91. But there's an album in the middle with a huge jam. Like it seemed to be everywhere. I was thinking, where was I hearing it?

And I think, so I think I was hearing it on top 40 stations. If we get that in a minute, like CFTR. Yep. Okay, because I listened to a lot of 680 CFTR at this time, 1988 when this album was released. So here's what we're going to do. We've been talking a lot about baseball. There's a, there's a rock star who played a lot of slow pitch and he might've been in that rock and roll game. I don't know, but I'm thinking about Rick Emmett from Triumph.

Rick Emmett loves playing baseball. Yep. So did he ever play ball with you? Do you ever play Rick? We played hockey together Yeah hits FM Speaking of which we we had a hockey team and we play against NHL old-timers so Rick would be on our team and Galen and guys from Coney Hatch and you know, of course in Brighton Rock and stuff like that and we play against the old the old-timers I remember facing off with like the likes of Norm Allman and you know and Eddie Shock was the referee I remember him chasing me around trying to cut my hair on the ice he's bringing

head scissors like where why would he have scissors on him well like like Brutus the barber I think yeah which is good by the way which is a great segue to Jake the snake who I'm gonna get to in a minute okay these are all my WWF wrestlers but this guy goes by Jake the snake. He's a good Hamilton guy. We're going to get to him in a minute. Remember those ads like you say, Oh, you know, you got chocolate in my peanut butter and the guys got, you got peanut butter, my chocolate. And then they tasted it. And I'm like, this is a great combination. Like to me, that's music and sports.

Absolutely. I love it when they mash up like, uh, like here, but what I'm giving you is I'm giving you this book. It's right there for you. It's the history of Toronto Maple Leafs baseball. They play at Christie Pits and their home opener is on May 12th at 2 p.m. And by the way, I'll be there. Everybody listening, there's no ticket, okay?

You just show up at Christie Pits, which is Bloor and Christie, and you watch a great baseball game and then you're gonna see some cool FOTMs. And the reason I brought up Rick Emmett is because he's gonna be there. So Rick Emmett will be there, we'll honor him up Rick Emmett is because he's going to be there. So Rick Emmett will be there.

We'll honor him before the game. Wendell Clark's going to be there. Rick Vive is going to be there. Steven Brunt's going to be there. Steve Paikin's going to be there. Mike Apple, and what's called Mike Emmett. But I mean, some real cool cats. So you're invited too, Greg.

Everybody's invited. I just finished listening to your episode with Rick Emmett. I know it was a while back, not too long ago, but it was fantastic. And matter of fact, Brighton Rock got a chance to tour with Triumph in Canada and that was their final tour. And as a matter of fact, the very last show they had when they broke up, we were opening for that show. I mean, and because of that, we got, speaking of dreams coming true, opening for Triumph, we got to play Maple Leaf Gardens, the Montreal Forum,

Ottawa Civic Center, Halivax Metro Center, Quebec Colisee, Kitchener Gardens, London Gardens, you name it, you know. So thank you, Rick Emmett. Amazing, and another band you opened for is gonna come up when I read Jake the Snake's question. So thank you, Rick Emmett, and he'll be at Christie Pitts May 12th. Come out and say hi to us. I'll have my gear there, so I'll be

recording. So that's the home opener for the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. You got your history book. You got some fresh craft beer from Great Lakes Brewery. You bring that home. And where is home these days? Niagara Falls. Okay, good for you. Niagara Falls. So you're bringing the beer. Awesome. I was pretty close to you yesterday when I was in Hamilton. Okay. So you got your beer. You got your, uh, in my freezer upstairs is a large lasagna from Palma pasta.

They're in Miss Sagan Oakville. So I've been hearing about this on your podcast. I'm curious. You're going to try it now. Nice. Let me know what you think. Awesome. Peter Gross highly endorses it.

So you'll enjoy. Thank you so much. We've already shut it out. Ridley funeral home, but they did send over a measuring tape for you Greg, you never know you got to measure something. Okay, you got to measure myself for a coffin? Is that what we're doing? As you wish, as you wish. Shout out to Ridley Funeral Home. There's a wireless speaker courtesy of Monaris, this card goes with that speaker. It's like Christmas here, what's going on? It is like, you know what, too much swag, I'm taking half of it back. Too much for you my friend. I

feel guilty, I should have brought you something you didn't bring me anything Jesus I gotta I gotta look at the sir. My car between the seats gotta be something any coffee left in there Okay, but why am I giving you a wireless speaker from Monaris Monaris doesn't make speakers because Monaris Wants you to listen to season 6 of yes. We are open This is an award-winning podcast from Monaris and it's hosted by Al Grego. And I took a note on the latest episode, they're dropping episodes from season six and Al went to Canmore that's in Alberta. That's the home of Sarah and Joe Titus. They own Going With The Grain and we learn about their, their small business. They

restore hardwood floors in Canmore, and their husband and wife team. And there's a great story there. They've been doing it for over 20 years. There's been struggles along the way. Al gets the whole story, and we get to enjoy it on season six of Yes, We Are Open. So you can listen to that.

Awesome, I appreciate that, thank you. Well, while I got you subscribing to podcasts, get your financial life in order by subscribing to The advantaged investor podcast from Raymond James, Canada It doesn't matter Greg if you manage your own financial investments, but I always use some help You know you help you know for I needed to know like what is this TFSA? What's that? Like what's an RESP my goodness, you know our RSP is the whole mix there So lots of best practices and advice on the advantaged investor.

And I'm sure Greg back in Niagara Falls, you've got a drawer full of like cables or old devices or old electronics. Possibly. Absolutely. Don't throw that in the garbage. Greg. I'll come to Niagara Falls and I'll get you. You're going to go to recycle my electronics dot CA and put in your address and find out where you can drop it off to be properly recycled. So the chemicals don't end up in our landfill.

You got it. Got it. Kevin Shea, heard you were coming on. He says, hello. Hi, Kevin. How's your buddy? Well, you know, I can have, I can broker the deal. We can hang out with Kevin maybe at the Leaf game tonight.

Kevin, can you get two tickets for me and Greg, please hurry hurry? But he wants me to ask you about Monica schnar Yes, what can you share with the listenership? Okay, Monica schnar Well, we have a video for a song called one more try and that's probably our big one of our biggest singles I kick it now that is I think sure I think that might the, if you go find a hundred random people in a subway and you play all of your songs, the one that will, I think, hit the most is this one.

My opinion here. I'm not gonna lie, I'm not gonna lie How can I understand all this things that you do to me When I just don't think it's right When I look into your eyes, I gotta run away from them Cause I just can't win this fight, no Ooh, I can't even reach you But you're gonna hear what I've got to say One more try, just forgive and forget

Cause it's not over yet, oh One more try, just don't turn away There's no turning away No What are you thinking as you listen to One More Try? Like I mentioned earlier, just a lot of memories flooding back. You mentioned Monica Snar. You know what? I never knew. I've never known. In fact, I had an opportunity to have her on the program, but it was going to be via Zoom.

Oh. I think she's near like, Collingwood or something like that? Could be, yeah. Something like that. And I actually politely turned it down because if I'm gonna have Monica Schnar on the program, she's in the basement. Of course. Gotta fulfill some fantasies here.

Okay, but please, tell me about Monica Schnar. She's in the video for One More Try? For this song here, One More Try, we have a video and at the time, For this song here, One More Try, we have a video and at the time, back then that's when models were like rock stars, you knew Cindy Crawford and all that, like you knew their names. Now not so much, but back then every year you would have supermodel. Linda Evangelista? That's right, yeah.

All those names, so every year you'd have supermodel of the year and this particular year, Monica Schnarr, at the ripe old age of 17 years old was crowned supermodel of the year and being Canadian somehow between a record company or I'm not really sure or management, we got her to be in our video is like the she was like a photographer. The Tawny Kataen of Brighton Rock. Look, I know what you're doing. Yeah. Right? For sure. Get her on top of the hood of a car.

Yeah, but like I mentioned, she's only 17. So we. Well, you know. You know. No comment. But yeah, so I mean, she's in the video. She's a great part of the video. She looks fantastic.

And we're glad that she's part of it because people to this day still remember that name. And we're friends on Facebook and stuff like that. We still wish each other happy birthday and Merry Christmas and stuff like that. But yeah, it'd be great if you can get her back on. I'm sure she's good. I've never had her on. I'm sorry. I didn't want to zoom with her. Yeah, that's right. Am I wrong? Like I didn't want to zoom with you either. Like it's

not just a, like a sexist thing or something. I'm like, I want to do a Brighton rock. I want you in the basement. Absolutely. Strong preference. I even Bob Ray. Okay. I assigned a task to Steve Paykin. I said, Steve, get me Bob Ray in the basement and Steve goes off and does stuff. Bob Ray lives in New York city. He's a very busy guy. He's like working for the UN or something. Eight hours away, no big deal. But I held, I said, no, I'm not zooming with Bob Ray

and he's scheduled to be in the basement in June. Is that right? That's right. So Bob Ray can be in the basement in June. I think Monica Schnarr can make her way to the basement at some point. So at least she could do. Yeah, you don't have to draw, I mean, anyway,

you know, I'm all over the place here, but I'm like, she could be here for another reason and just drop by for 90 minutes. So we can talk about, I would just spend an hour talking about the one more try video like that. That's, that's all I want to talk to you, Monica, about one more try. I'm going to send her clips. When you post this, I'm going to send her a copy of this for sure. You better check this out.

Big fan, Monica. And I, she's been on several, I would say at least two or three podcasts I produced as a guest on other people's programs who are willing to like do it by Zoom. So she's due to get down. Yeah, she's as due as the Toronto Maple Leafs, right? I hear you. All right. So this album again, take a deep breath.

This is the second of the three albums you made and this is your most commercially successful album. It's our biggest selling. Yeah. It was, I saw it was, um, I think one more try was number 11 on the, Oh no, no, sorry. The album was number 11 on the top 50 Cancon albums of 1989. Like it was number 11 and this, uh, album peaked at number 22 here in, uh, in Canada. And this was the big singles. So I'm listening to it in the headphones.

Now you know what I'm thinking? I'm'm thinking how was this not a hit in the United States like it's got it's got that right sound for the moment it sounds great I know we lost our record deal like I mentioned for our first record we were signed to Atco Atlantic and then we didn't set the world on fire in America so we got dropped so our second and third record were basically just Europe and Canada. We couldn't get released in the States and which is a struggle but it's a struggle for a lot of Canadian bands.

But you had, okay fine, but number one hits by, and these bands are related and they're just popping in my head right now, but Sheriff? Yep. Alias? Yep. They're all connected, see? For sure. But these, that sound in this, like I listened to that in the headphones.

And it's like, you could be played right, right there with mist, you know, miss not a Canadian band, but Mr. Big. I agree. Extreme. It could be right next door to extreme. Come on. Yeah. Yep. Well, I mean, but you love bites by deaf leopard. Come on. Let's go. But all those bands you mentioned, you know, are, they're all heavily managed. Like the biggest managements in the world, that's you need that kind of muscle behind, you need a

big record behind you, or you're just not gonna get noticed. We're just a, you know, one of a million other bands that trying to fight to get notice and, hey, look at our listen, look at us, you know, and I appreciate what you're saying, I agree. I think that, I don't think there's anything distinctly Canadian about, I think it's got a great hook, it's got great vocals The whole band sounds tight like to me. That's a hit single. Yeah on south of the border. I agree. Thank you So we just gotta go back in time and we need somebody to push this single to MTV or whatever and you got a Monica schnarr is in the video. Come on. It's all lining up, right? Is there any disappointment like it? Yeah, I mean, I hope you have no regrets in life. Of course, but is there any thoughts of like, man, if something, if we just had somebody

as an advocate for us in the United States, push this, everything, you know, you would've been like, I dunno, I was hanging with Kevin Hearn yesterday. I haven't even a name check everybody I was hanging with yesterday, but Kevin Hearn from Bare Naked Ladies and you know, they could tour the States. You know why they had a number one Billboard Hot 100 album. That's huge. That's huge. Well, I mean, it's like anything to get a single, not album. I don't know why? They had a number one Billboard Hot 100 album. That's huge. That's huge. Well, I mean it's like anything. A single, not album. I don't know why I said album. Go on. Yeah, but getting notice in the States is next to

impossible. I mean look at Tragically Hip. I mean you know they could sell out arenas in a blink of an eye in Canada and then go down in the States and not be noticed at all. Why is that? I mean there's only a handful of bands you can think of in the last 30 years. You're talking about Rush and Triumph and Nickelback and Bare Naked Ladies. And, uh, and only the one, one number one for Bare Naked Ladies. Uh, they had a few other like top 40 hits, but, uh, but if you think about how many bands from Canada can go into America right now

and fill out and sell out an arena. Like zero, right? I mean, except for these legacy bands, like, Oh, Oh Phil and headline and fill an arena, right? Nickelback That's it and rush is no longer active as you try if it's no longer who else and even triumph would have to be a Bigger bill right now to fill up an arena. That's right liner So really yeah, you're looking at nickelback can do it and I'm just gonna think about a Canadian band that can do that I'm thinking thinking you're right. That's it. That's what I mean. So, so what does that tell you right there? I mean, there's a lot, I mean,

you figure bands like, I mean, okay, I should maybe mention Brian Adams. He could still do it. But he's a, he's not a band. He's not a band, but other than- Brian Adams could do it, right. So, I mean- Then he can bring in, if you're going to bring in Brian Adams, you can bring in Neil Young, right? Like that's why we got to stick to bands here, right? That's right.

Other than Nickelback is an open question you and I are pondering and I'll throw it out to the live stream there. Other than Nickelback, is there an active Canadian rock band that can headline an arena in the United States and sell it out? That's right. Okay. I don't think there is. Yeah. And then what does that tell you? I mean, this, you know, 70s, 80s, 90s, all the 2000s and there's still this bullshit version of the, guess who I keep hearing about. Oh Jesus, you've been following that drama? Wow.

Of course, Robert Lawson keeps me posted, but now they can't even play songs that Bird and Cummings wrote. What are your feelings on that? Do you think? Here's what I think. I think it's bullshit that they present themselves as the band who, you know, who gave us American

Woman and everything else. Like I think for sure they're really just a cover band that has almost nothing to do with the original, with the bands that had the hits. Like I want to know more what you think because you're a guy like Brighton Rock for goodness sakes. What's your perspective on what's happening with the current iteration of The Guess Who? Well I'm kind of mixed on it because you know the truck the drummer the drummer. I'm pretty sure he's the guy that owns the name and Like legally they can do it I but but I think there's a difference between like like are you legally allowed to do it and is it bullshit right? Well, I mean it's kind of tough

I'm not I'm kind of mixed on it like I know We're Burton Cummings is coming from me like people. Like I know where Burton Cummings is coming from. Like people are coming there thinking that Burton Cummings is going to be singing. But they sign albums. Like they're signing Wheat, Fitts, Fitts, Fitts, Fitts, Fitts, Soul, whatever their stuff was. Like they're signing it as if they're the Guess Who. And then notice where they're touring, right? They're not touring anywhere savvy enough to know that this is like a pale imitation of the actual Guess Who.

Like they're playing places in America where they don't really know better. That's right. That's right. They're preying on the ignorance. And I think it's I think Cummings pulled that move, which will cost him a lot of money in the wallet. But I feel like that was like the final move to stop it. And I don't know, I feel like I kind of root for the guy because he's the he I feel like I kind of root for the guy because he's the talent I was root for the talent. Well you're very interested in your perspective. Yeah you wouldn't want to you know your name be tarnished it's like people walk away and say they don't know that it's Burton Cummings say

they just remember the name guess who and they go thinking they're okay I want to go I love that band let's go check them out and then they walk away going hmm I don't know that wasn't so great and now that reflects on Burton Cummings. So it's Jim Cale who owns the name he's the he owns the name the drummer is actually unable to tour most of the time but Jim Cale owns the name so legally they're fine because if you own the name you own the name. Like who owns the name Brighton Rock? Do you know who owns it? I own it now buddy and I'm gonna start a band. It was you, you bugger. it? I own it now, buddy. And I'm going to start a band.

You, you butter. No wonder I'm not getting any royalties. We're going to be playing one more try everywhere at the festivals across the country. But, but do you know who owns the name? I don't at this particular time. Bob, Bob Roper, please send me an email. Do you own it, Bob? Kevin Shea owns it. He's holding on to it for you. But fascinating to watch what's going on with the the faux Guess Who. You know, I root for the talent, like so I root for Cummings. But I understand if I were putting on my

Lorne Honigman hat, my lawyer hat, I'm sure Jim Cale's well within his right to call whatever band he wants the Guess Who because he owns the trademark on it. But it's still stinky bullshit. It basically it's it's a glorified cover band but even still if you hear you know foreigner and stuff like that mick jones the the guitar player he barely shows up to any of the gigs anymore if any so there's lots of times you go see foreigner and there's not one original guy on stage but having said that i did see them in the casino in Niagara Falls a few years ago and they were fantastic. Like I was blown away how good, like the singer was unbelievable.

So at that point, the name is not being tarnished because the people walk away going, wow, that was great. I really enjoyed that. Are the guests who doing that right now? Are people walking away going, hmm, that was unbelievable or they're going, that was great I really enjoyed that are the guess who doing that right now are people walking away going hmm that was unbelievable or the guy that was okay and that's I think that's where Burton Cummings is coming from you know like hey we have a legacy and you're tarnishing that legacy you know and so I mean if they were to present it like as founding member of

guess who maybe make a point of doing that and keeping Burton Cummings and Randy Baxman's names out of it and making it clear. I'm sure it wouldn't be an issue. Keep he stay tuned and fascinating fascinating. Shout out to Robert Lawson. We'll keep our eye on this one here. Jake the snake. I teased him earlier. So I want to get this out before I ask you more or more questions about one more try. And then you can say to me, can we get off one more try already? That's my goal here.

It's all good. I'm a matcha man guy, by the way. Oh yeah. Okay. Well, he's a big baseball player himself. Absolutely. Yeah, you know the story. Okay.

And now shout out to Stu Stone who produces a Dark Side of the Ring there. Does a lot of those interviews you see on Dark Side of the Ring. Jake the Snake, not Roberts though. I don't think it's Roberts. He says a nice This is me tweeting that Brighton Rock episode is happening. He says I remember their first big gig Honeymoon suite and Brighton Rock in Hamilton, Ontario at Copse Coliseum It's got a new name

Coliseum. I drove by it yesterday. It's got a new name. The, uh, we're used, they were used to fill the arena for filming for the filming of Bob Dylan's movie hearts on fire or something. Hearts of fire or something. I'm going to give you the right name. This is an important program. We don't, we don't mess around here. Hearts of fire. That's right. Yeah. And then he says, uh, Brighton rock also opened for Boston at Cops Call of Siemen. That was a dream come true. Okay, tell me about that because Midtown Gord, can't wait to hear this episode.

He's seen you many times at Rock and Roll Heaven and he said he saw you open up for Boston at Cops Call of Siemen 88. What was that like? Well, it was the beginning show of the Boston tour for them. So this was like their final, I guess, rehearsal. So what they did during the day, they set up all the lights and the sound system and they did a complete rehearsal of the show to nobody.

So we got to watch their whole show with nobody else there. Yeah, they practiced all the lights and lasers and did all the lights and lasers and, and did all the songs and make sure everything's just perfect. Cause this was their first show of the tour. So that alone was fantastic, you know? And, uh, got the mingle with the guys a little bit backstage. Couldn't be nicer. I remember, uh, they were playing ping pong. I got a big kick out of that. Well, he's rockstar is playing ping pong and all things, you know?

But that was unbelievable. I mean, uh, when the Boston record first came out, I think it was 1986. So I was like about 13 years old and the guitar and everything that that record to this day, I still consider it a man. Not 86. You mean 76, 76. Yeah. So this is with more than a feeling on more than a feeling and long time. You know, Kurt Cobain was nervous about releasing smells like teen spirit because he said that the guitar part sounds too much like more than a feeling Oh, and when you hear it now like more than a feeling And you can hear it in smells like teen spirit

Oh now I'm gonna have to listen to that which is another single Kevin Shea had to push to a Canadian rock station That a boy Kevin. He's the reason why you heard the word Nirvana. Did you know Kevin Shea is the baby on the cover of Nevermind? I knew that. Yes. That's a fun fact. He'll never live that down. See, I know you know Toronto Mike, you can roll with it, I'm digging this.

Helix is another big favorite band of Jake the Snake. You want to talk about Helix for a moment? Sure. I played in Helix for a little over three years when Brighton Rock broke up. This is going right into the grunge area. So why did Brighton Rock? That's the big question. Why did Brighton Rock break up? When our third record was getting released, everybody that signed us and it was part of pushing Brighton Rock at the record company were no longer there. So it was all a new breed of people. So the writing was on the wall that we weren't going to get the push we did for that record and we desperately needed American management.

So our dream was to get American management and an American record company behind us because we were just signed exclusively to a Canadian label. So it means we're dead in the water in the States and we really wanted to break the States. So we asked them if they could let us go and pursue that. So eventually they did let us go and we had some interest down, some major management down there and it was looking good. Then it kind of fell through and then it all kind of fizzled out and this was like 1992 right right when grunge was starting and it's like hmm let's take a break and just yeah your sound I was

wondering how that affected your sound because you know you hear about bands I don't like poison and stuff and they kind of had to yeah this grunge sound didn't jive with the metal no well the the new kids of today all the new high school kids They didn't want to hear that old stuff. They wanted to hear their their favorite new bands, which were grunge so we everybody that our genre music got kind of pushed aside and And rightly so I mean this happens with every generation I mean when the 80s were kicking in people didn't want to sound like the 70s that sounds too dated You know, you didn't want to sound like Deep Purple. You didn't want to sound like the seventies. That sounds too dated. You know, you didn't want to sound like deep purple.

You didn't want to sound like this and that, right? You wanted a new fresh sound and that's what was happening in the nineties. You know, kids want to identify with third new bands and stuff like that. So, yeah. And did you listen to the Brian Vollmer episode of Toronto mic'd? I haven't got a chance to listen to that, but I'm sure he's, there's another guy that's got some great, stories I mean he's a he looks did some major touring all through Europe tour with kiss and stuff like that so yeah he was

he's got a great great stories behind him for sure absolutely did you ever win did Brighton Rock how many Junos were Brighton Rock nominated for we were nominated for most promising group first, most promising group of the year, and we lost to this little band called Tragically Hip. I saw this is 1990, so yeah you were nominated for most promising group of the year and Tragically Hip beat you out, but it's amazing to be nominated for that award. For sure, and then we were nominated for Hard Rock Group of the Year and we lost we lost to a group called Rush. No shame in that. Yeah, and we were also nominated for album cover of the year for the second record, Take

a Deep Breath, which was Hugh Syme did that album cover. He did all the Rush covers. So we were nominated for a Juno with that. I'm not sure who ended up winning the Juno for that one. But yeah, so three nominations, zero wins. Well, that's, you know, honor being nominated. Absolutely. It was as the Brighton rock here. So Brighton rock breaks up. Okay. You're going on doing other stuff. Like you're, you're in Helix and you're doing all these things. Uh, I'm curious.

And then sadly, of course we already mentioned this, but Jerry McGee dies of cancer in 2020. So, uh, like, is there a Brighton rock? Like if I wanted to throw some money together and get Brighton Rock to play an event, is that, who would be the singer? Is that possible? What's going on with Brighton Rock today? Well Brighton Rock is no longer. I currently have a new band called Stormforce and we released our debut record in 2020. But we, released our debut record in 2020, but we, without Jerry, to me, it's not Brighton Rock. I mean, and not only that, there's nobody that can, can sing when he sings.

He's got an incredible register in his voice that not too many people can sing. I mean, he hits anybody that's a vocalist out there. He can hit high E notes and not falsetto. That's in his real voice. So try doing that. Hit a piano or hit an I, a high E note in your real voice. It's next to a possible. So if we did get a singer, it would have to be somebody like Darby Mills from head pins or somebody that's got that high register that can pull it off because there's zero male singers that I know that can pull it off. I mean, uh, even when I was in Helix, when I first joined-

Palmer's like a opera singer or something. Yeah, and he goes, Hey, we should do a couple of Brighton Rock songs. And then he started trying to sing along to one more try. And he realized he can't hit those notes either. Fascinating. Brian's a fantastic singer. Like you mentioned, opera train, he's got a,

but not anybody can not ever, it's like Steven Perry from Journey. not too many people can sing like that You know, there's only hand they found a Filipino guy who can do it. That's right That's I mean, I'd go all the way to Philippines to get somebody that could do it, you know Shout out to the Philippines. I want to play another Brighton Rock song before before we wrap things up because one more try So one more try just to go back to that because I really do want you to say now Can we get off one more trial? No, no, bring it on. I love it.

But it was, now I want to play the Gino clip for you. Maybe I'll play the Gino clip for you real quick here, and then we'll get back to Gino Vanelli. Yeah, Gino Vanelli. So here's because that's a reference, people who listen to the Lexicon episode. So this is a minute of Gino on Toronto miced here. I love it.

Ask me the question, we'll do wild horses. I was gonna actually, cause I tried to go in chronological order here. The sun goes down on the Arizona plain. The wind whistles by like a runaway train. Hey, hey. It's a beautiful thing. It's me and you in a flatbed truck a foot of red mornin' just my luck in

the middle of spring. That's awesome. Now what does she want to know? Here it comes. I want to know if you at the time regarded Black Cars as any sort of, I joke said it's still called a comeback. Can we get off Black Cars? My god.

There was only half an hour more on Black Cars before. We can move on to another cut from the same album here. I got more Black Cars questions. You know what, you're breaking my heart, Gino. Can we get off Black Cars? I'm going to wake up in the middle of the night tonight in a cold sweat. Did Gino really say it? You remind me of my parish priest.

Get off of it. I said, so there's the origin of the, can we get off black cars? It's can we get off one more try? One more try though is, um, is that, so that's your biggest hit, I suppose. Uh, yeah, that did really well for us in England too. That particular record went over there and sold out the marquee and everything. And, uh, yeah, so that, yeah, that was a big song for us in England too. That particular record went over there and sold out the marquee and everything. And yeah, so that, yeah, that was a big song for us. Big jam for you here.

And CFTR was playing it. So this would be a top 40 here. Yeah, that's, that was pretty tough for us because like I mentioned, we're more of a hard edge band and for us to get AM radio back then was a miracle because we weren't expecting, we thought no way they would touch us and they were, they were accepting us. So that was a great, great time, great memories and loved every minute of it. I'm standing still, don't know what to do You played me oh so well A new direction, you're on the move But only time will tell A sudden action, holding on, can you you feel Something I don't understand

A chain reaction when I stood by you As you were moving on Now I'm waiting for your answer, baby It's a waiting party, cry I'm just, you know, it's funny. I was just listening to the production. That was the record, Take a Deep Breath, our second record. It was produced by Jack Richardson. And for those of you who are not aware, Jack Richardson is a legendary producer who managed or produced The Guess Who? He managed or

produced early Alice Cooper stuff like that so when you speak of the junos when you have producer of the year you're winning the Jack Richardson producer of the year award so yeah and yeah I'm just thinking about Jack right now he's got a son Garth Richardson who's a legendary producer you should maybe get him on he probably have to do zoom though he's on Vancouver you know I'll make exceptions for the severely geographically challenged people yeah like that for sure but he did rage against the machine and stuff like that so he's yeah he did he engineered our first record Garth so

he's got some great stories too absolutely basement dweller on the livestream talks about storm storm force he says they sound great. I heard a couple of the songs on YouTube, but he also says Phrase Gang was also great. That's my solo group. I had two records, Phrase Gang, F-R-A-Z-E, Phrase Gang. You can get it on Spotify and YouTube and all that stuff. Yeah, we did two records. Second one was mixed and produced by Bo Hill from 80s fame. He did, you know, Rat and Winger and all those bands and Warrent and all those 80s hair bands. He's a big, when you listen to Round and Round by Rat, that's Bo Hill's production. So. Wow. And speaking of Jack Richardson, he also produced Swords Sweet Dreams album.

Yes, he did. Remember that's when Max Webster, I don't know if it was Kim Mitchell's first record or was it still Max Webster who did that song Battle Scar? Of course, yes. With Rush? That's Garth. That was Jack. Kim was on the program and we talked about it. Absolutely.

And Jack Richardson is the one who produced that. He was the one that got all the drum kits, all the two drum kits, which was unheard of back then. Having tried to mic up two drum kits and two bass and guitars and that's all. Yeah, Jack Richardson rang it all together and that's a killer Canadian staple song for sure. I thoroughly enjoyed this, man. I loved going back in time and getting the full story,

like the origin story, how it all ends, the complete Brighton Rock story. I hope you enjoyed yourself. I did. Thank you so much for having me on. I really appreciate this and looking forward to maybe talking to you again in the future. And if you ever in the Niagara Falls area, let's get together. I have a couple of brown pops. I'm in, I'm in, I'm in. We can get some Great Lakes Brewery over there. Now Storm Force, if somebody wants to hear more or maybe catch Storm Force

somewhere, like give us the Storm Force on the way out here. Give us. Yeah, we have a website, Storm Force dot C.A. And we're all all the platforms, Spotify and Amazon and iTunes, stuff like that. Yeah. Check us out. Not to be confused with Space Force. That's different. Storm Force. We Force is a great... Storm Force, we've got a new record we're working on right now, hoping to have it open

in the next six months. One more try for you, Greg. Here we go. Fantastic. You're not winning a Stanley Cup this year, but you've won six. We've won many more, but all before I was born, so I don't know if I should brag about that. There's only six teams back then. I always think, oh, we won the great cup.

It's like, yeah, there's like eight teams or something like odds are you going to win a great cup or two along the way. Uh, I hope everybody enjoyed this in the live stream and yeah, you're now an FOTM, friend of Toronto Mike. Thanks Mike. And don't leave without your lasagna.

Cause I want their full review of the Palma pasta lasagna. Sure. It's amazing. review of the Palma pasta lasagna. Sure. It's amazing. And that brings us to the end of our 1,477th show. Nice.

Nice. You could follow me on Twitter and blue sky. I'm at Toronto Mike. How can we follow you, Greg? I'm on Facebook, just Greg Fraser. I think I got a couple of of I got hacked there the one day So I started a new one, but I got unhacked So I got okay two profiles there and Instagram and Twitter and all that's all of them both. Okay

Much love to all who made this possible. That's Great Lakes Brewery palm of pasta recycle my electronics dot CA Raymond James Canada the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team Raymond James Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team, Minaris, and Ridley Funeral Home. See you tomorrow! Another musician will make his Toronto mic debut tomorrow. It will be Kip Harness making his Toronto mic debut. Two o'clock on the livestream by the way, Basement Dweller, if you want to make an appointment to be there, I'd love it.

See you all then Oh, you know that's true because everything is coming up rosy and green Yeah, the wind is cold with the smell of snow, it warms me today And your smile is fine and it's just like mine and it won't go away Because everything is rolling great Well I've been told that there's a sucker born every day