Podcast
The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast
Hosted by Mac B. · EN
The Ugly American Werewolf in London is a weekly podcast about classic rock, hard rock, progressive rock, heavy metal, early MTV, 80s music, UK vs. US chart success and all things rock! Hosted by The Wolf and Action Jackson, who interview rock legends, review classic albums and concerts of their favorite classic rock bands each week. Once a month, they welcome musicians, writers and fans to First Concert Memories to tell about one particular night where a live concert changed their life. Action & The Wolf have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge of rock music and its history - tune in to hear what they're passionate about! Proud part of Pantheon Podcasts!
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UAWIL #289: Duran Duran - 1981 & 1983
1w ago01:22:27Tap to summarizeDuran Duran's eponymous debut not only established their sound with funky bass and new wave synths but coincided with the launch of new US cable station, MTV. With their danceable beats, the boys stylish brand of new wave was perfect fot the 80s and perfect for MTV. It introduced a whole new generation of American music fans into Anglophiles including your hosts The Wolf & Action Jackson. We, like all of the MTV Generation, were not only grooving to John Taylor's funky bass but were fascinated by their fashion, haircuts and models that always seemed to find them. In the UK, they got on the charts and even went Top 10 in Australia with Planet Earth in the spring of 1981. But it was MTV that launched them to superstardom in the US. Simon LeBon's vocals complemented the textures coming from Nick Rhodes synths and Andy Taylor's guitar but his presence in the videos gave them a wider audience. The videos shot in Antigua for the Rio album are MTV greats but the macabre Night Boat was also filmed there and is creepier than Anyone Out There or Careless Memories. The Girls On Film video was censored in parts of the US and a racier edition could be found on Showtime, much to the delight of two young suburbanites. To give the US market more material in 1983 ahead of the Seven and the Ragged Tiger album which would come out in the fall, the debut was rereleased with a slightly different order and the new single Is There Something I Should Know? It went to #1 in the UK and went into heavy rotation on MTV, helping to drive the album platinum. We recall the first time seeing them on MTV, review the entire 1983 US version (with plenty of time for all the songs surrounding the debut) and rediscover some old faves. Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use code UGLY to save 10% off one ENTIRE ORDER! bit.ly/UAWILROCKS Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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UAWIL #288: Cinderella - Night Songs
2w ago01:24:16Tap to summarizeCinderella came out of the gritty streets of Philadelphia by writing hookey riffs, shout along choruses and a fun, glammy stage show. Gene Simmons tried to get them signed but it was Jon Bon Jovi who would convince his label Mercury to get them a record contract. Led by lead singer/songwriter/lead guitarist Tom Keifer, Cinderella had hard riffs and a Sunset Strip performance style that made them perfect for MTV in the mid- to late-80s. Their debut album Night Songs landed in June of 1986 and laid the foundation for more platinum albums and MTV airplay. Keifer's raspy voice can lead big sing-a-long rockers like Shake Me or Somebody Save Me or can sing a lament like Nobody's Fool. His friend Eric Brittingham provides the steady bass and Jeff LaBar lays textures against Keifer's hard riffs and trades a few licks. On the record, drums were provided by veteran studio musician Jody Cortez, though Fred Coury was brought in just in time to make the album cover (don't get Jackson started) and joined the band. Yes, their lyrics are mostly banal and cliched sexual conquests but they were of a time and Cinderella may have done that sleazy 80s rock made famous by Motley Crue and Guns N Roses as well as anyone. Once grunge came, all that was glam or "hair metal" had to go but maybe Cinderella should have been given the opportunity to reinvent themselves like Def Leppard. We think they were unnecessary casualties of grunge and while Night Songs may not be skip-free, it's a solid hard rocking 80s album with some great riffs and fist pumping choruses. What's wrong with a little fun?? Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use code UGLY to save 10% off one ENTIRE ORDER! bit.ly/UAWILROCKS Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Suzi Quatro talks not being boxed in but always coming back to rock n roll
2w ago00:02:48Tap to summarizeHappy Birthday to the one & only #SuziQuatro!! We were honored to speak with the legend herself on her new album Freedom, all she’s done in her 7 decade career & why she still loves to play live! Listen: https://megaphone.link/PAN8235644133 #legend @Suzi_Quatro Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use code UGLY to save 10% off one ENTIRE ORDER! bit.ly/UAWILROCKS Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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First Concert Memories #35: Van Halen Balance Tour with Tim's Vinyl Confessions
3w ago00:59:49Tap to summarizeWe started First Concert Memories, the monthly series from The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast, we wanted to capture the passion of rock fans who were turned on (usually at a young age) by the power of a great live rock show. That passion comes from childhood and teenage fandom of bands that hit you in just the right spot in your heart, mind and time of your life. For our generation, that was Van Halen. The genius of Eddie Van Halen's guitar against the raw vocals of David Lee Roth catapulted the boys into superstardom as they were loved by hard rockers, guitar heads, MTV, adoring females, and record company execs. That's why we can do our 3rd FCM on Van Halen because they were that big and they changed their sets so much over the years (not to mention lineups) that there are lots of entry points depending on your age. Tim Durling of Tim's Vinyl Confessions is just a bit younger than Action Jackson and The Wolf so while our heroes first show was the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Tour, Tim first so the fellas on the Balance Tour in 1995. Van Halen were Tim's favorite band but because the band never toured Atlantic Canada where he grew up, there were few opportunities to catch them live. Once he was old enough to drive across the border with his buddies, he finally caught Eddie, Alex, Mike & Sammy in Maine in August of 1995. Tim knows Van Halen and at the time they were still his favorite band. He's even written a book on Sammy Hagar , Red on Black, so seeing his heroes was a dream come true. There were some disappointments with the opening band and the setlist was very heavy on Sammy era. But we never forget our first Van Halen concert and Tim is a rock n roll veteran who knows the real deal when he sees it. Check out FCM 2 with Greg Renoff on the 1984 Tour Check out FCM 26 with Ilan Fong on the 5150 Tour Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use code UGLY to save 10% off one ENTIRE ORDER! bit.ly/UAWILROCKS Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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UAWIL #287: Genesis - Invisible Touch
3w ago01:33:28Tap to summarizeBy 1986, the Phil Collins machine was in full gear. After coming off big solo success with the diamond selling No Jacket Required and having played on both sides of the Atlantic for Live Aid, the public (and the record company) couldn't seem to get enough of the Genesis drummer turned lead singer. The band sought to capitalize on that momentum by sharing music writing credits (each of them wrote lyrics solo) and starting from scratch in the studio at The Farm. The result would be their greatest popular success including their first #1 in the US and 5 total Top 5 Billboard hits. But it being the mid-80s, the music wasn't always the only story. They had already had some turns on MTV in the previous 5 years (especially Collins solo work) but videos for their big hits were in regular rotation for over a year, including Land of Confusion which used caricatured masks and puppets from the British show Spitting Image. The unflattering rubber dopplegangers of the band followed the exploits of Ronald Reagan fighting the bad guys as Superman and was nominated for video of the year by MTV (former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer won instead). It allowed Genesis the opportunity to sell out arenas and stadiums in the US which anchored over 100 tour dates to support the album. But does this standout from Phil Collins solo material? While Collins penned tracks like Tonight, Tonight, Tonight and In Too Deep did have eerily similar hallmarks of Phil's solo stuff, Mike Rutherford's Throwing It All Away is right out of Phil's playbook. While the Tony Bank's written Domino shows they didn't completely abandon their prog rock roots, Anything She Does is a flacid attempt at 80s pop with a video that inexplicably featured Benny Hill. The musicianship is high quality as always but the technology of the day can sound dated and does anyone want to hear Phil play electric drums? Hugh Padgham had the magic touch in the 80s and with Phil but maybe that contributes to the songs sounding generic in some places. We like the album but do we hold it in as high regard as Selling England By The Pound? We try to figure that out... Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use code UGLY to save 10% off one ENTIRE ORDER! bit.ly/UAWILROCKS Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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UAWIL #286: Iron Maiden - Burning Ambition
4w ago01:14:25Tap to summarizeIron Maiden has earned their spot as one of the biggest touring acts of the new millenium through an unwavering work ethic and delivering quality in every way to their legion of dedicated fans. As they prepare to come to North and South American to wrap up their Run For Your Lives Tour, they released a career spanning documentary, Burning Ambition, for a limited theater run before the inevitable release on DVD/streaming. As the boys have reviewed most of Maiden's 80's output and a few live reviews on their favorite heavy metal band, you knew they were going to check this out and tell you what they thought. But Maiden have offered up many documentaries over the decades (12 Wasted Years, The Early Years Part 1, 2, 3 and Flight 666) so they were curious as to how this one would be different and how many new tidbits they'd be able to glean from this one-night doc. The movie spans their whole career starting in 1975 and talks about the vision and work ethic of one Steve Harris, the founder and leader of Maiden since its inception. Because of the huge amount of time to cover, the film didn't dive deep into the making of albums, chart success or tours but gave everyone a voice (off-screen) using footage from the 50 years of the band's career. The hardcore fans may not have learned too much but to hear the stories of famous fans like Brian Slagel (a guest of UAWIL), Javier Bardem and Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine was a nice touch. Plus, they included past members, crew members and fans from around the world sharing their stories of why they are so loyal to Iron Maiden. For the most part, they highlighted how bringing new members into the band change the music for the better (and sometimes worse), how that affected their popularity and draw as a life act and how (and why) they're still going today. They hit the highest of highs in the 1980s but burned themselves out in the process. Thanks to grunge and significant lineup changes in the 90s, they went backwards a bit, especially in America where they sometimes found themselves playing to 500 people. But the reunification with Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith on Brave New World and beyond propelled them back to the top - a place they haven't left in 25 years. And of course, there's lots of Eddie in his many incarnations - perhaps the greatest marketing image in the history of heavy metal or even recorded music. While the hardcore fans may lament a lack of details or stories about the albums, it's a cool journey to see where they came from, how they rose to the top, fell down near the bottom and rose again to be the biggest (and in our opinion best) heavy metal band in the world. Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use code UGLY to save 10% off one ENTIRE ORDER! bit.ly/UAWILROCKS Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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UAWIL #285: Blue Oyster Cult - Agents of Fortune
May 1401:08:21Tap to summarizeBlue Oyster Cult translated their fan favorite live act into platinum with the 1975 live album On Your Feet Or On Your Knees. It not only gave the guys confidence going into recording Agents of Fortune but it gave each of them the funds to buy synthesizers that would allow all of them to write songs individually and bring more polished songs into the studio. The result was an eclectic mix of styles - hard rock riffs (This Ain't The Summer of Love), 50s piano laments (True Confessions), lilting confessionals (Debbie Denise) and an eternal hard rock anthem in (Don't Fear) The Reaper. Reaper would sell more than 6 million copies as a single and help propel Agents of Fortune to platinum. But it also gave them the financial leverage to upgrade their stage show as now they were headliners. Thanks to Reaper, their patented laser (which Buck admitted they should have leased and not bought) would make it's debut and receive warnings from the government about injuring fans eyes at concerts. It was a total gamechanger which allows them to continue to tour the world to this day. It was a song that made you wonder "If they can write that one, there must be more like it on the album, right?" But Reaper was the only song Buck Dharma (aka Donald Roeser) sang lead on and his only co-write. It's the only album in the catalog to feature all 5 original members a shot at lead vocals and all of them have writing credits. The different styles vary from hard rock to campy to spooky to corny and tackle varied subjects from death and eternal love to extra terrestrials and vampires. There's a lot to explore here thanks to the different styles and vocals which we appreciate so much more now than when we did as teens disappointed there wasn't another (Don't Fear) The Reaper. Agents of Fortune is still Blue Oyster Cult's top selling album to date, thanks largely to Reaper. But there's some wacky and cool stuff on this record that's worth diving into as the album celebrates its 50th. Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use code UGLY to save 10% off one ENTIRE ORDER! bit.ly/UAWILROCKS Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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UAWIL #284: Def Leppard - Slang with Neil from Def Lep Pod
May 701:50:35Tap to summarizeBy 1996, Def Leppard needed to try something different. Their 80s heyday had long since passed and the grunge/nu metal era made them unwanted icons of a forgotten age. They got a new wardrobe, split up to write their songs and even left the stylized Def Leppard logo off of their album Slang to tread new paths without longtime producer Mutt Lange. Some saw it as a reaction to grunge as it sounded nothing like Hysteria or Adrenalize which had preceded it - the high harmonies and big, hooky riffs were gone. But Def Leppard fans saw it as the boys stretching out after a decade with Mutt and expressing themselves as mature men dealing with life on their terms. Though The Wolf and Action didn't take to this album when it was released May 13, 1996, a teenaged Neil from Def Lep Pod was all about the Slang record. It came at the right time in his life and Neil knows Slang (as he does so many things Def Leppard) back to front and then some. He knows every demo version of every song and brings not only his generational point of view of the English fans story in contrast to that of Action and The Wolf. Vivian Campbell finally earned songwriting credits on a Def Leppard album and his solo write Work It Out was the 1st single released in the US. Gift of Flesh is as heavy as anything in their catalog and All I Want Is Everything is a huge favorite among the Def Lep faithful. They experiment with Indian instruments on Turn to Dust and achieved three #1 hit singles on the UK Rock/Heavy Metal chart. Though it's the first Def Leppard album to not achieve platinum status in 15+ years, it's an album with individual viewpoints that goes in many directions and offers fans something different than anything else in their catalog. Listen to Neil on Def Lep Pod Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use code UGLY to save 10% off one ENTIRE ORDER! bit.ly/UAWILROCKS Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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First Concert Memories #34: Rage Against The Machine with Ryan Condal of House of the Dragon
May 101:15:00Tap to summarizeOn First Concert Memories 34 we welcome friend of the show and 2 time former guest Ryan Condal, Co-Creator and Executive Producer of House of the Dragon, onto our monthly podcast about those special moments growing up when your favorite rock band is everything. Ryan transports us back to New Jersey in the late 1990's when he took his buddies and his little brother to see Rage Against The Machine with openers The Wu Tang Clan. Hear the astute and well read Ryan talk about learning history through the lyrics of Rage Against The Machine and warming up for lacrosse games with it blaring over the field. He espouses about the tones and funky sounds of guitarist Tom Morello laying the foundation for the anti-establishment lyrics from Zack de la Rocha. For Ryan's generation, Rage represented more than just the teenage angst of bands like Nirvana or Smashing Pumpkins - they educated kids on why the world was unfair and what they needed to do to change that. As The Wolf and Action Jackson are not only years older than Ryan but their musical tastes always skewed older for their own generation, they loved hearing from Ryan how RATM was such an important factor in molding his musical tastes but also his understanding of the world we live in. In addition to managing House of the Dragon, Ryan also runs a killer podcast - The Stuff That Dreams of Made Of - talking about classic movies, movie memorabilia, props in their collections and so much more. Check out Ryan on The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use code UGLY to save 10% off one ENTIRE ORDER! bit.ly/UAWILROCKS Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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UAWIL #283: Stewart Copeland's Police - Deranged for Orchestra
Apr 3000:53:49Tap to summarizeStewart Copeland, drummer/composer/host extraordinaire and one time member of The Police, spoke with us on Ep 275 about his love for working with orchestras. And he praised the city of Louisville (where The Wolf finds himself after a 4 year European tour) for the quality of the city's orchestra. Because though his days in The Police may be over, his love for the music and performing has not waned. So when he told us he'd be bringing his Police - Deranged for Orchestra performance to The Ville, we knew we had to check it out and tell you what we thought. Asside from the more than 50 members of the Louisville Orchestra and longtime conductor Bob Bernhardt, Copeland brought along singers Amy Keys, Carmel Helene and Ashley Tamar, guitarist Rusty Anderson and bassist Armand Sabal-Lecco (with Stewart on the drums most of the time). While they played the big hits like Roxanne, Every Breath You Take and Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, they also dive deeper in the catalog with tracks like The Bed's Too Big Without You and Murder By Numbers. Some of the songs he stays true to the original song but some are so "deranged" that even the biggest fans can't identify the songs until the vocals begin. It's amazing that he doesn't meet the orchestra until the day of the show and then after 2.5 hours of rehearsal, they put on a killer show. I would also call this a family friendly show so if your town has an orchestra and can host Copeland and his derangements we highly suggest not only seeing the show but bringing the whole family. Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use code UGLY to save 10% off one ENTIRE ORDER! bit.ly/UAWILROCKS Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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