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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Episodes
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UAWIL #284: Def Leppard - Slang with Neil from Def Lep Pod
2w ago01:50:35Tap 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
2w ago01:15:00Tap 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
3w ago00:53:49Tap 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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UAWIL #282: Jeff Beck - Wired
4w ago01:08:49Tap to summarizeWe reviewed Blow By Blow by Jeff Beck last year and thought it was great (Ep 222) so we figured we'd also review Wired as it turns 50. And while Jeff did bring back producer George Martine (uh, The Beatles) he did choose to bring in some new blood. Most notably, he retained Jan Hammer - famous to the boys for creating the Miami Vice theme - and a jazz/new age legend in his own right. Wilbur Bascomb provides the bass (he's a real allstar on this record though Hammer does fill in on a couple of songs), Narada Michael Walden writes some songs and lays down the beat with Max Middleton returning on the keys to provide the foundation for Jeff and Jan to do their thing. Hearing these two playing off of each other can be intense and I wouldn't call this a rock record but more of a jazz fusion experiment. Led Boots is a heavy starter and while Jeff is happy to let others shine, he standouts extraordinarily on Charles Mingus' Goodbye Pork Pie Hat. Jan Hammer write Blue Wind starts the second side with some funk (provided mostly by Hammer on various machines) and the bluesy, jazzy jams make this record a showcase for getting talent in a room and letting them do their thing. There are no vocals on this album which makes it so surprising that it went platinum in the US. Jeff Beck never chased big fame or success, he chased tone and talent to play alongside. He willingly shares the spotlight and adds his flourishes when asked to but despite the name on the cover, it's very much a jazzy collaboration between some real pros. And he didn't think he could top it - he didn't make another studio album until 1980. 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 #281: The Rolling Stones - Black & Blue
Apr 1601:23:28Tap to summarizeShockingly, Mick Taylor turned in his resignation to The Rolling Stones in late 1974 after the Tour of the Americas had already been booked. That changed the landscape for the band immediately so they shelved plans to make a new release in 1975 and gave us the compilation Made in the Shade. While they enlisted Ronnie Wood to fill in on the tour, they brought in multiple guitar heroes to take a crack at it. Harvey Mandel (Canned Heat, John Mayall) brought funk (Hot Stuff) , Wayne Perkins added some tough southern riffs (Hand of Fate), Ronnie chipped in some reggae & latin rhythms (Cherry Oh Baby, Ney Negrita) and Jeff Beck even showed up to jam for a couple of hours. The end result didn't fit one cohesive style - it was the Stones looking for inspiration from black cultures all over the world, putting their own spin on things. Keith Richards wasn't always reliable so Mick Jagger carried forward with music he loved from all over. And they brought back some of the usual suspects in Nicky Hopkins and Billy Preston. However, Mick and Keith would cross a line with Billy that ruined their relationship forever (and we'll get into that on the show). Some might see it as a mixed bag, lacking cohesion and suffering from weak lyrics. Some Stones fans see it as an adventurous album with beloved deep tracks. Fool To Cry was an international hit but isn't huge in their repertoire so Black and Blue is often overlooked in their catalog. As it turns 50 we are getting better acquainted with Black & Blue and include a little overview of the 40th anniversary edition (which was released just months from its 50th annivesary). 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 #280: Robert Plant Live
Apr 900:54:39Tap to summarizeRobert Plant is one of the true legends of rock n roll. His vocals made Led Zeppelin the biggest band in the world and his solo career is now in its 5th decade encompassing all sorts of different musical styles and genres. But Robert isn't a man who needs to trade on his past to get by. While he doesn't forget where he comes from, he's one to always push forward to explore new sounds and new collaborators to fulfill his yearning for making music. It makes for a great night out with Suzi Dian and Saving Grace, with whom he recorded an album of celtic/bluegrass/country tunes, all of which were covers or traditionals. His voice is still very smooth and perfect for the music he's choosing to make today. He doesn't have the ferocious yawp of 70s Robert Plant but he reworks some Zeppelin classics to fit the style of his band, the music he plays and how he performs today. So you'll hear about a reworked Ramble On, a true to form Four Sticks and a raucous version of Friends. But he also gives Calling to You a makeover, as well as an amazing and soulful I'm In The Mood which he and Suzi make new again with their voices in unison. If you want to see a bunch of Zeppelin tunes performed the way they sounded on the albums, go see Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening (you can hear our review of that show from November, 2025) as it's an awesome show. But if you want to see a true legend still shine with new music and some nods to his past, you might not have a better night than seeing Robert Plant on this 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 #279: Suzi Quatro Interview
Apr 200:49:28Tap to summarizeSuzi Quatro has been rocking out live for 7 decades. Since she was a teenager with her sisters in The Pleasure Seekers in the mid-60's she has been on stage, singing, playing her bass and proving that she rocks hard, no matter what box you may try to put her in. Suzi's new album Freedom is available for purchase and download and it's a rocker from start to finish. The title track is the lead single and she discusses how she and her son wrote that one and how she immediately knew it was a new anthem for her. They bring back that old Detroit raunchy-rock riffing with Suzi's unique voice on songs like Here's Ya Boots, Nobody Held My Hand and Shakedown and she even teams up with fellow Detroiter Alice Cooper on the MC5 classic Kick Out The Jams (and yes, Suzi says the expletive after Kick Out The Jams). Hear not only about how she made this record, one of her best in years, but about her long career, about moving to England in 1971 alone, touring the world, making fun of nerdy interviewers, being a mom and being her unstoppable, determined self. Of course we ask a Happy Days question but are so glad she didn't keep reprising Leather Tuscadero so we could get more of the real Suzi Quatro over the last 50 years. Learn more about Freedom and Suzi's tour dates here: suziquatro.com 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 #33: Steve Kilbey of The Church
Apr 101:01:51Tap to summarizeSteve Kilbey, the long-time lead singer, bassist & lead songwriter for The Church has had a career that spans half a century. As he has just taken the band around Australia on their The Singles Tour and prepare to hit the US with it this summer, we checked in with our entertaining friend for the first time since ep 200 of The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast. Though we start out as we do with all First Concert Memories episodes - by reliving a special moment in our guest's live that revolved around a live rock show - we veered to take a holistic look at his career rather than rehashing a night from long ago. Steve saw The Easybeats - Australia's answer to The Beatles - in short pants at age 11 and had to fight off teenage girls for drum sticks and from there he knew playing music live was something he could and would do. Steve regales us with stories of growing up in Oz, importing UK & US rock magazines so he'd be ahead of the curve and how his father, a musician that moved his family from the UK in search of a better life, was a huge supporter of his once he found his passion. Kilbey also talks about being disappointed in seeing his favorite bands live (T. Rex, Roxy Music did not give fantastic live performances when he saw them) and how that affects his approach to live music today. He navigated the cover and blues bands to find his sound and testifies that learning how to use a 4 track TEAC recorder gave him the confidence not to back down to the engineers and producers once he started to work in studios. He also is a bit regretful of how he treated his bandmates in the early days when it came to playing on his songs. However, he and The Church would figure a way to work together and produce some of the best guitar music of the 80s and beyond. The band in its current configuration seem to be humming on all cylinders and are ready to take on the USA again. We found Steve to be honest, reflective, and funny. Not necessarily regretful but aware of who he is and how he has gotten to where he is. In 6 years, this was instantly one of our very favorite conversations with a man who has written thousands of songs and isn't stopping anytime soon. Check out US tour dates for The Church: thechurchband.com 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 #278: Rick & Oliver Wakeman Live
Mar 2601:00:30Tap to summarizeAs we've learned after 6 years of doing the show, once you interview someone you have a greater interest in seeing them play live. Maybe because you're invested in their career, maybe because they've shared stories of the inspiration for their music or maybe you just find them charming and want to support them. All of the above are true for Oliver Wakeman as he's been on our show several times and has shared stories about growing up with a famous father in Rick Wakeman. And because Oliver shared that Rick wasn't able to be around much as he was growing up and didn't really sit down with him at the piano, when we heard they were touring together as Wakeman & Son, we knew we had to see the show. The nearly 2 hour show gave both Rick and Oliver opportunities to play their solo material but they also accompanied each other which made for a special evening. Early on they played a suite of Yes music and jumped back and forth between compositions each of them wrote and played on. Rick also treated us to a suite of The Six Wives of Henry VIII, some outtakes from Journey To The Center Of The Earth and King Arthur. In between songs, both of them regaled us with stories and Rick offered up his legendary wit, especially when it was about needing bathroom breaks at his age. The icing on the cake was Oliver making time to see The Wolf and The Wolfcub after the show. He was as generous with his time as he was with his talent and we saw both the Wakemans enjoying their time together as father and son which was wonderful to see. It's a brief tour but if you have the chance, definitely see Wakeman & Son before they head back to the UK. Keep up with Rick Wakeman: https://www.rwcc.com/index.php Order Oliver's album Mother's Ruin and learn about his 2026 tour dates at www.oliverwakeman.co.uk Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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UAWIL #277: Rush - 2112
Mar 1901:26:47Tap to summarizeBy early 1976, things were looking bleak for Rush. Despite their relentless touring schedule and 3 albums - Rush, Fly By Night, Caress of Steel - the record company wasn't happy. The band called the Caress of Steel Tour the Down The Tubes Tour as their crowds got smaller and their record didn't sell. Mercury records wanted radio friendly hits or something more like the Zeppelin-y first record or they would drop the band. Instead of changing their sound and bowing to the powers that be, they decided to do their own thing. That thing was a full side of an album with 7 distinct parts of a suite called 2112. Instead of sappy love songs, they created a planet that had come under the rule of The Solar Federation whose priests rule thanks to a supercomputer that has all the answers and has taken away individuality and creativity. It doesn't sound like a chart topper does it? However, the hard rock, prog rock and AOR fanbase absolutely loved it, eventually sending it to triple platinum. From the epic Overture and fan favorite The Temples of Syrinx to the coda Grand Finale, the boys take you on a tale of the individual vs. the system (borrowed from Ayn Rand). Alex Lifeson's guitar work shows why he's so beloved and why fans in the 80s wondered what happened to him? Neil Peart's drumming is extraordinary but so are his lyrics which create a world through intelligence, faith and forthrightness. But that's not the whole album. A Passage to Bangkok talks about all the places you can visit to score some good pot. The Twilight Zone is an ode to their favorite sci-fi show while Something for Nothing teaches that you can't wait around for someone to give you a break - you have to make your own. Alex and Geddy Lee each take a stab at writing the music and lyrics on their own on Lessons and Tears, respectively, but the real magic comes when all 3 meld their own powers into something that is much greater than the sum of the parts. It's the album that not only put Rush on the map but saved their careers and set them up for success for decades. Yes - we will be checking them out this summer and we will be talking about it - watch this space for updates!! 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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