The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast

Though there has been lots of timeless music made over the years, punk music was the most tied to a certain time as any genre. The enormous explosion that was The Sex Pistols, the band who embodied the punk genre more than any other band, ended just as quickly in early 1978. After a media hyped tour of the US, where Malcolm McLaren had them play small venues in the midwest to encourage outrage, the band had been through enough and were done. Johnny Rotten announced on stage that the band was breaking up and a year later Sid Vicious died. For several generations since, The Pistols are mythic figures with one album, legends of chaos and a few video clips. But in 1978 Amy Linden, veteran rock writer and co-host of the Immaletyoufinish Podcast, was a 19 year old living the dream in San Francisco. She'd wanted to see The Sex Pistols at the Winterland Ballroom January 14, 1978 but tickets sold out instantly. Fortunately the night before an industry player hooked her up with tickets and she not only went to the show but even hit the backstage after party. Amy, who's written about, lived with and survived punk bands for decades, talks about the immediacy of the show and how mesmerizing Johnny Rotten was to behold in all his nasty glory. We dive into the performance and atmosphere but we let Amy guide us through parts of her cool life. Her first Pistols show was their last and it changed her life forever. Great stories from a badass punk rock chick! Hear Amy weekly on the IMMALETYOUFINISH Podcast Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1975, Led Zeppelin were at the height of their rock god power. They'd made 5 albums that sold off the charts, especially in the US where they enjoyed the fruits of their labors on the Sunset Strip. They were a top touring act that could fill arenas and stadiums with four of the best individual musicians in any band. They founded Swan Song Records to not only handle their own records but even signed acts like Bad Company and Detective to the label. So after some time off they headed back to Headley Grange where they'd recorded for Led Zeppelin III & IV in early 1974 to lay down some tracks. The results were among the heaviest, funkiest, longest, most epic and groovy songs in the Zeppelin catalog. But because they made more than 1 LP's worth of material, they decided to dust off a few tunes from previous sessions, rework them and fit them all into what would be Zeppelin's only double album, Physical Graffiti. The first album to ship platinum in the US, it would eventually go 16x platinum (but only 2x platinum in the UK). Hitting #1 on both sides of the Atlantic, it's too epic for just one episode. So we've divided into LP/CD one on this episode and UAWIL 219 will go in depth on LP/CD 2. The first disc of Physical Graffiti is an extraordinary album on its own. From the riff & groove of Custard Pie, maybe the best opening track on an LZ album, to the epic and otherworldly Kashmir the boys flex and stretch like they hadn't before. Jimmy Page is at his best laying down killer slide on In My Time Of Dying, riffing out on The Rover and leading the boys in jams on Trampled Under Foot. John Paul Jones is killer on the bass and the clavinet which give different textures to the tunes. John Bonham is at his thunderous best while his mate Robert Plant still had the range and emotion that made him a legend. Going track x track and watching some old Zeppelin footage from Earls Court 1975 and Knebworth 1979 reminds us that we missed one of the greatest bands to walk the Earth and they should be celebrated. Part 2 will be episode 218 out soon! Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vision Quest was released in theaters February 15, 1985. Based on a book that was hot in the young adult space, it featured a young Matthew Modine as Loudon Swain - a high school wrestler from Spokane, Washington who is looking to accomplish something big in his life. While the movie had limited appeal beyond teenagers (it only grossed $13 million), cable TV and video rental stores gave the movie continued life among teenagers for many years. A big reason it continued to draw 80s teens and carry such strong nostalgia today is the soundtrack. Put together by John Kalodner for Geffen Records, it featured some of the hottest pop and rock artists of the day and sold over 1 million copies in the US. Madonna, who was hot off her Like A Virgin Tour, contributes two songs - the unreleased as a single in the US Gambler and mega hit Crazy For You - and she had a cameo in the film singing them both. Journey offered Only The Young from the Frontiers sessions and the video, like Crazy For You, featured scenes from the film, helping the singles sell big numbers. Those two songs along with Red Rider's Lunatic Fringe set the tone for the film and make the songs and movie so intertwined. Some songs from bands like The Style Council, Don Henley and Dio might be overlooked as background music to certain scenes, songs like Change by John Waite (written by the legend Holly Knight) and Lunatic Fringe really keep you energized and engaged in Loudon's quest to drop 22 pounds and beat the unbeatable Shute on the wrestling mat. You have the tender Crazy For You for the romantic scenes, Journey for the training scenes and lots of rock and pop royalty. Even great songs by Berlin, Quarterflash and REO Speedwagon were left off the soundtrack but appear in the movie, including some solid work by Tangerine Dream. Maybe we like this film because as two former teenage boys, we could relate to what this guy was going through. But we continue to like the soundtrack because it had killer songs (with a couple of clunkers) that stand the test of time and play a huge role in the film. Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jimmy Page was in rough shape by the end of Led Zeppelin. His addictions had ravaged his body and he didn't contribute nearly as much to 1979's In Through The Out Door as he did all previous Zeppelin records. After the death of John Bonham, Jimmy fulfilled his obligations to release Coda, provided the soundtrack to Death Wish 2 as a favor to his neighbor and embarked on a brief fundraiser tour with lots of legends - The ARMS Tour. But he hadn't been very creative and wasn't keeping himself in match shape. After spending some time with his Swan Song brother Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company), he concocted a plan to put together a new supergroup for the 80s. WIth Rodgers handling vocal and primary songwriter duties, Jimmy also enlisted Chris Slade (Tom Jones, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, AC/DC, UAWIL #91 guest) and "The Fretless Monster" Tony Franklin who he worked with on Roy Harper's album Whatever Happened to Jugula? This powerful lineup was to be the vehicle that would rejuvenate Jimmy Page and put him back on the road to superstardom. However, Page's contributions weren't what fans had come to expect from the guitar hero and it seemed that Jimmy was a bit out of place in a world dominated by MTV. Single Radioactive was an AOR hit and showcased a bit of what the band could do, ultimately helping their self-titled debut to gold status in the US. But most of the album is uneven and Page isn't showing up with the killer solos that were his calling card. However, Tony Franklin is an absolute monster on this record, filling in the gaps that Page leaves between his flourishes and playing well off the ever steady Slade. While Rodgers vocals are as strong as ever, his songwriting doesn't quite live up to the standard of his previous bands. It was a solid debut which led to a strong sophomore effort in Mean Business (1986) but because it celebrates it's 40th on February 11, 2025, we thought we'd take a hard look at The Firm and why it didn't hit the heights we all hoped it would Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Van Halen is one of the most legendary rock acts in history. With 2 diamond selling records (Van Halen, 1984) the band was popular enough to withstand switching out a charismatic lead singer in the mid-eighties and go on to have even bigger success on the charts (all 4 Sammy Hagar led Van Halen albums went to #1 in the US). After For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge spawned several big hits, a huge tour and a killer live album, fans were anxious to see what the boys would come up with next. However, after the influence of grunge (blech) had taken hold of the industry and the band did it's best to move forward through adversity (the death of their manager and Eddie's struggle with alcohol and his attempt at sobriety among other things) things were not all well in the Van Halen camp. And it bleeds into their 10th album and final with Sammy Hagar (and for the most part Michael Anthony) Balance. From the offputting cover, the heavy themed lyrics and one quarter of the tracks being instrumentals, this album is not very popular with the diehards. Having a big international hit with Can't Stop Lovin' You was big for the band but was perceived as a bit soft to the hard rock fans and passe even to big fans of the Sammy years. Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do) is Sammy's take on Kurt Cobain taking his own life and is heavier than most Van Halen fare. While there are some standouts like Aftershock and moments of greatness that harken back to the heyday of Van Halen, it feels more like a band trying to come to grips with themselves in a post-grunge, sober Eddie Van Halen world. At the time, we had moved on from Van Halen and figured if we really wanted to check it out one day, it would be there. As it turns 30 on January 24, 2025, we thought it would be a good time to take the opportunity to explore Balance, see if the reservations we had on the album 3 decades ago were justified and if there are any songs we're sorry we missed out on. How do feel about it having listened to it? You'll have to listen to find out. Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

February 14, 1975 saw the release of the second album by Canadian power trio Rush, Fly By Night. But it was the debut of Neil Peart with the band - a well read and empathetic man who would go on to be hailed as one of the greatest rock drummers of all time. Not only would his attention to detail but his relentless challenging of himself pushed Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson to continue to grow. Neil also took over as the lyricist for the band mixing in pieces from the many books that kept him fascinated. From Ayn Rand to JRR Tolkien, Neil injects his literary phrases into hard driving and otherworldly riffs that are signature to Rush. Songs like Anthem and Fly By Night are as rock solid 50 years later as the day they were released and Neil's lyrics of wanderlust and yearning for a unique life continue to offer hope. By-Tor and the Snow Dog saw Rush starting to grapple with the more progressive rock they admired coming from Yes and is the start of the concepts that would drive them to greatness on 2112 and Hemispheres. Though Alex Lifeson's guitar is fierce throughout the rockers, he also breaks out nylon for Making Memories, Rivendell and In The End - we even get to hear a little slide from Lerxst! The final 3 tracks may not be the most memorable in the catalog but it shows the boys were still willing to experiment, never to be pigeon-holed. For Rush fans, this is a classic. Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We kick off 2025 with First Concert Memories 18, the monthly sidecast from the hosts of The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast where we welcome a guest to talk about the first time they saw a particular band and how that night changed their life. This month, we welcome our fellow Pantheon Podcast host Leah Jones as she relives the fateful night in May of 2019 when she saw The Struts for the first time and how that show spawned a love affair with the band and their music. Hear Lead recount listening to the first 2 albums by The Struts back and forth, then realizing that she had to see them live. Despite a long drive and an early wake up call the next day, our intrepid Leah drove the many hours to catch the boys live at an afternoon radio show prior to the concert that evening. During that short performance, she captured them doing a song acoustically which may have never happened since and that only got her more psyched for the show. Leah tells us about that night, about the many subsequent roadtrips she's made to see her favorite band live and how it eventually led to her hosting The Struts Life as one of our Pantheon Podcast sisters. Keep going to see live music - it's the only way to KEEP ROCK ALIVE!!! Check out The Struts Life with Leah Jones Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While the first of our two year in review episodes focused on the albums we reviewed and authors & podcasters we hosted on the show, Part 2 drills down on the live concerts we talked about and the 15 artists & legends we had the good fortune to interview on UAWIL in 2024. We knew that when The Wolf left Europe for the American midwest, there would be fewer opportunities to see live shows by the bands we love. But we made the most of it with some killer concerts including taking a disappointed 9 year old to see Journey (He's not the leads singer of Journey!?!), taking Action Jackson to his first Steve Hackett show, laughing and singing along with Colin Hay and finally seeing Wolfgang Van Halen live. But the real story is around the amazing performers we welcomed in 2024, almost doubling the number we hosted in 2023 and tripling the number of Rock N Roll Hall of Famers. We welcomed Steve Hackett (Genesis) for the 2nd time as well as his fellow Hall of Famers Guy Fletcher (Dire Straits) and the legendary Steve Howe (Yes, Asia). We also spoke with members of or worked with bands we loved growing up like Simple Minds, Vixen and Eric Clapton. We also spoke with some new generation rockers like Kiran Roy (October Drift) and Scott Holiday (Rival Sons) as in order to keep rock alive, we need new bands to fly the flag. The Wolf & Action Jackson are grateful to all our many listeners all over the globe, to our sponsor RareVinyl.com, to our friends at Pantheon Podcasts and to each other for putting together the best year we've ever had!! Happy Holidays to all and all the best for a safe, peaceful and rockin 2025! Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's hard to believe 2024 is coming to an end and that The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast is now in its 5th year of broadcasting our love for rock music into the world!! 2024 was an amazing year for the show which boasts the most episodes we've ever done in a year (64) and an amazing array of album reviews, concert reviews, and extraordinary guests. As we have in the past, we've broken it down into 2 shows - Part 1 is about all the albums we've reviewed and all the authors and podcasters who came on our show. Part 2 (out next week) looks back on the live concerts & movies we discussed and the 15 artists & legends we welcomed on the show. We tend to cover albums near a major anniversary (25th, 30th, 40th, 50th, etc) with the newest celebrating its 20th (American Idiot by Green Day) and several turning 55 (Abbey Road by The Beatles, Blind Faith debut, In The Court Of The Crimson King). We may review a double diamond selling classic one week and cult favorite that maybe scratched its way to gold status. But we reflect on all of them and then make our personal Top 5 lists of the albums we reviewed that we liked best. We also welcomed authors who've written some amazing books like Mark Blake and Mick Wall to share some stories along with podcasters who share our passion and knowledge for rock music. Our monthly First Concert Memories series gives people the chance to share special nights in their rock n roll journey that made them fans! Like Markus "The Darkus" Goldman of WMMR and The Imbalanced History of Rock Podcast sharing his experience with U2 Live at Red Rocks in 1983. Or Brian Colburn of My Weekly Mixtape talking about seeing Blues Traveler in NYC just months after 9/11 and finding the crowd was ready for some healing and good times. It was an amazing year on The Wolf and this is just Part 1!! Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just before Iron Maiden played their final concert of The Days of Future Past Tour in Sao Paolo, Brazil on December 7, 2024. it was announced that longtime drummer Nicko McBrain would be retiring from the road after 42 years with the band. Soon after the conclusion of the tour, it was announced that Simon Dawson, who has working with Steve Harris in British Lion for the last decade, would be taking his place on the road. However, manager Rod Smallwood has said that Nicko would still be around and would be available to play on any future recording Maiden may endeavor to record. We thought this would be an excellent opportunity to reflect on the career Nicko has forged before and during his stint with Iron Maiden and reflect on what a character he truly is. When we learned that Nicko had suffered a stroke several months before rehearsals began for the Days of Future Past Tour, we speculated that his time in the band would be short. We want to celebrate all the amazing work over the decades and his contributions to Maiden but we'll also contemplate what the band will sound like without their long-time drummer and how Simon Dawson will fit on the upcoming Run For Your Lives Tour in 2025 and beyond. Plus The Wolf shares his story of meeting Nicko at a golf tournament and relive some funny moments throughout his career. UP THE IRONS!!! Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The old adage is that you have your whole life to write your first album and then a few months to write your second. And while some bands may come out of the gate with a HUGE, classic, multi platinum debut album, there is no guarantee that the next will live up to the first one. Sometimes a band will take a big step forward but sometimes the "Sophomore Slump" takes effect and exposes that the band wasn't that great to begin with. And some do very well and are incredibly popular despite the fact that they really aren't that good and don't stand the test of time. The Wolf and Action Jackson have endeavored to come up with 5 2nd albums they love and 3 2nd albums they hate. Now the boys aren't telling you these are the 5 best or 3 worst 2nd albums of all time - these are the 2nd albums that we love and hate, respectively. Some of our loves are cult albums that barely made it to gold and some of our hates are among the biggest selling albums of all time. We think both lists will get you talking and hopefully even make you laugh at points. And for those who say well if you hate it just don't listen, for the most part we would have loved to not listen but they've been forced down our throats for decades. Would Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Metallica or The Police make your favorites? What about Smashing Pumpkins, Oasis, KISS or The Cult? All have made our lists but you'll have to listen to learn whether they fall on the Love or Hate side of the ledger. Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christian Swain co-founded Pantheon Podcasts because he's a lifelong fan of rock music and wanted to do everything in his power to help keep rock music alive and well. As that's exactly why we started our main show, The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast, and why we joined Pantheon in 2022. As a musician himself, Christian has always been drawn to the power of a live rock show - the power of which is unrivaled in the artistic world. Christian grew up in LA, getting into punk rock and Kick Out The Jams by the MC5 was an anthem to him growing up and helped guide him in his life and career. After Christian had the chance to interview founding member Wayne Kramer on his show, The Rock N Roll Archeologist, he then had the opportunity to finally see his idol live in San Francisco. But what also made the opportunity so cool is that Kramer was touring in 2018 with an all-star band dubbed the MC50 to celebrate 50 years of the MC5. So Kim Thayill (Soundgarden), Billy Gould (Faith No More) and others toured with Wayne to honor their catalog. And the show was so live that Christian couldn't help but get caught up in the mosh pit and celebrate like a teenager. He shares his story of that night with us here. However, Christian is also the CEO of Pantheon Media and Pantheon is raising money to help grow the world's #1 music podcast company. He gives listeners a breakdown of how they can support their favorite podcasts and invest in Pantheon with minimal money down. It's an exciting opportunity for music fans, you can learn more here: https://www.startengine.com/offering/pantheonmedia Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fleetwood Mac have to be about the most interesting rock band in the history of the genre. Born out of 60s blues with the legendary John Mayall, transformed into the ultimate California Cool blockbuster band of the 70s, evolving into pop & MTV stars in the 80s and then reclaiming their thrones in the late 90s and 2000s, the tale of this band is worth telling. That's why we invited seasoned rock writer Mark Blake on to discuss his fabulous new book Dreams - The Many Lives of Fleetwood Mac. Mark not only details all the lineup changes and different chart successes of the band but also takes us backstage to witness all the many relationships and broken hearts within the band. Not just written as a narrative, the book has small, easy to digest sections about the different incarnations of the band and the stories behind the songs and albums. He offers bios of every person who ever played in the Mac, even those that were there a short time or had a small influence on their sound. And of course, Mark details the intrigue of the personal relationships and hookups of the band which are unique in the world of rock n roll. He shines some light on some things we knew a little bit about and shows that the bonds and commitment to the band are so deep that no matter who gets kicked out or is broken hearted, the band continues on. A great read and perfect companion for listening to the amazing catalog of Fleetwood Mac as you can learn the history while enjoying the music. Available on Amazon and any quality book store. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just before Christmas 1984, Harry Belafonte wanted US artists (and especially black artists) to create a charity album to benefit starving people in Africa as the Do They Know It's Christmas single by the days most popular UK bands was a huge success. He teamed up with manager to the stars Ken Kragen to put together the team that would write and record the lead single. Immediately, Ken enlisted his client, Lionel Richie, to write the song. Lionel and Ken knew they'd need all-star producer Quincy Jones to put it all together. Quincy thought it would be a good idea to get the biggest pop star in the world, Michael Jackson, involved and things snowballed from there as Ken brought on legends like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson, Diana Ross, Kenny Rogers, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and artists that were popular at the time like Billy Joel, Kim Carnes, Cindy Lauper, Huey Lewis and more. But how would they get all that talent in one room at one time? Ken devised the idea that so many would be in LA for the American Music Awards on January 28, 1985 so that would be the ideal time. But that was 5 weeks away!!! So Ken went about finding the venue and Lionel and Michael worked on the song. It was all kept very hush hush and even the artists didn't know where they were going after the AMAs until they were on the way. And to make the night even more stressful for Lionel, he was hosting the AMAs and was performing twice (not to mention collecting 6 awards that night). The documentary was a fascinating glimpse into one special night where all egos were put aside in order to record a special song for a worthy cause. If you haven't seen it on Netflix, check out The Greatest Night In Pop - it's a fascinating story! Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No matter which candidates you may have voted for, we at The Wolf are just glad it's all over. The nasty ads and ridiculous yard signs are no way to spend your fall. Win or lose, it's time to get back to what's important - Keeping Rock Alive!! On that note, we do have an election related story from our friend Autumn Whitaker who taught us about Gentle Giant's Octopus on episode 101. It turns out she was in Washington DC for inauguration week in January 2009 and on January 18th the We Are One Concert was put on at the Lincoln Memorial. Over 400,000 people showed up to see speeches from accomplished actors, activists and politicians. But more importantly, some of the biggest rock stars on the planet came to celebrate including Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, U2, James Taylor, John Legend, Beyonce, Shakira, Cheryl Crow, Stevie Wonder and more. Autumn gives us the lowdown on what was happening in the green room as the performers took turns coming and going from the stage. And though she didn't perform to the crowd, she did pick up a guitar and strum out Led Zeppelin's All Of My Love in the green room. As she focused on her playing, she noticed a man's shoes directly in front of her. Steadfast in her playing, she responded "No, I'm OK" to whoever it was that offered her a pick. After she heard chuckles, she looked up to realize it was her idol - Bruce Springsteen!! With Autumn's endearing charm she talks about meeting The Boss, blowing off Jon Bon Jovi, messing with Bono and asking James Taylor what was wrong with his eye. Whether you're on the right or the left, you'll enjoy this tale of an inauguration concert like no other! Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As kids who were 7-8 years old when Led Zeppelin broke up and teenagers in the 80s when they had ill-fated reunions (Live Aid, Atlantic Records 40th), The Wolf & Action Jackson were resigned to the fact that Led Zeppelin would never tour again. So when Jimmy Page & Robert Plant announced in 1994 that they were reuniting to do a TV performance reworking classic Zeppelin material and introducing some new songs, we lost our minds. Gathering around the TV to see our heroes together in action was something that we'd dreamed about and we looked forward to hear how they would reword classics that we loved. The anticipation was met with a bit of ambivalence once we saw the setlist as it didn't include many of the big rockers that we loved. Instead, it focused on much of their acoustic catalog and slowing down great stompers into more mellow pieces. However, upon seeing the performance of these songs by these legends (and with an amazing cast of musicians) quickly changed our attitudes. Opening with the haunting No Quarter in the woods with Jimmy on acoustic 12 strings and Robert singing from the heart to open the video really set the tone. They stayed true to some like Since I've Been Loving You and What Is And What Should Never Be but reworked some (When The Levee Breaks, Nobody's Fault But Mine) into something unrecognizable. Still, the driving force of Gallows Pole and Battle of Evermore really let the material shine. And though they made some new music with folks in Morocco, none of it really lived up to LZ standards (though one new song Wonderful One could have fit well on LZIII or Houses of the Holy). Winding up with an orchestra behind them for classics like Kashmir just demonstrated the majesty inherent in the LZ catalog. Not only did we watch the video hundreds of times, but we got to see the boys on tour with their amazing band and an orchestra which we count among the most special concerts of our lives. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We welcome our friend and Pantheon Podcasts brother Jason from All Things Blues & Southern Rock to First Concert Memories 16 to talk about the first night he saw The Black Crowes in 1999. We all share our individual first Crowes experiences - Action saw them a month after Jason did in 1999 and Mac B. caught them in 1995 opening for the Dead - and delve into what makes the band so great live. In 1999, The Black Crowes had signed with Sony and were touring on By Your Side (released January 12, 1999). Produced by Kevin "Caveman" Shirley, all guitar parts were played by Rich Robinson but the live band picked up Audley Freed on guitar and Sven Pipien on bass. And according to Jason, they made a hell of a lot of noise! Hear from Jason why seeing this band live for the first time prompted him to go see them more than 20x and how it still fuels his passion to co-host All Things Blues & Southern Rock. The tumultuous Robinson Brothers can deliver live and it's fun to hear insight from a big fan at this time in the band's career. The Wolf was slow to warm to the Crowes as he felt that they were anointed by the industry without asking his opinion. But seeing them live made him a believer as it has for millions around the world. Thanks Jason - check out All Things Blues & Souther Rock Podcast! Check out Jason at https://allthingsbluesandsouthernrock.com/ Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We at The Wolf love hard rock, heavy metal, prog rock, classic rock and 80s MTV. While Bryan Adams may match a couple of those categories, we can't say that he was one of our very favorites. Because we were bombarded with him from 1983-86 on US radio and MTV and because girls seemed to like him (maybe his music too), he just didn't do it for us. However, his 5th album released in 1984, Reckless, boasts hit after hit like Heaven, Summer of '69, Run To You, Somebody, and It's Only Love. So as it turns 40 on November 5, we thought it would be a good idea to bring in friend to the show and Canadian rock guru Chris from My Rock N Roll Heaven to give us his perspective. 1984 not only saw the release of Reckless but the launch of Canadian MTV-type station Much Music which not only played videos but had to play a certain percentage of Canadian artists. That helped propel the album to become the first diamond selling album (1,000,000 in sales for Canada) in Canada by a Canadian artist. Aided in the songwriting by Jim Vallance and backed up on guitar by long time collaborator Keith Scott, Bryan had huge success in his home country, in the US and around the globe. The videos all had a theme and featured the same actor (Lysette Anthony) which helped create an image for Adams in the US. We go track x track and enlist Chris's Canadian perspective to see why this album was so popular and how it stands the test of time. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've reviewed a couple of rock movies that had a limited theatrical run - Rush - Cinema Strangiato was episode 42 while The Wolf lived in England and Dio - Dreamers Never Die was covered on ep 98 while he was living in Amsterdam. And while we had wanted to do a double episode on Tom Petty's Wildflowers at 30 with the later released double disc alongside the newly unearthed Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Beach Party film, we felt that episode would be too long an in-depth. So because the recently "found" Cameron Crowe movie which captures the boys in 1983 around the release of the Long After Dark record was having a limited showing, we thought we'd concentrate on that. And we're so glad we did! When we reviewed Long After Dark on episode 64, we found that we loved it and that it was often overlooked and overshadowed by bigger selling albums with more radio hits. However, the melodies and heartfelt lyrics on that album are part of the larger philosophy of Tom and the band and this movie helped expose that. Though it aired once on MTV, the channel decided it wasn't a good fit for their programming at the time so for years it was unavailable. The limited release on October 17 & 20 gave fans the chance to see it for the first time and included 19 extra minutes with Cameron Crowe, Adria Petty (Tom's daughter) some insight from Jimmy Iovine and showed the band not only killing it onstage but filming the You Got Lucky video (which Tom & Cameron called a film). To hear earnest and honest remarks from Tom was so refreshing and made us realize how much we miss him. The live clips not only show a tight band and band leader who wants to create the best show he possibly can but some amazing guitars from Tom and Mike Campbell. It was a rare glimpse with Tom at his home and talking to Cameron Crowe about why and how he makes music. The scene where Tom said he's the same guy at home as on the stage was so brilliant - he was never putting on an act, he was authentic and that's why his music will stand the test of time. Hopefully they release this on DVD/Streaming so more people can enjoy it but if you missed it, here's our take! Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1974, The Rolling Stones were once again searching for their identity. After hugely successful tours in 1972 and 1973 thanks to the overwhelming critical and commercial success of 1972's Exile on Main Street, the band were mired in problems of their own making. Mick Jagger was bothered by wife (and now mother of his child Jade) Bianca trying to tame him from his lothario lifestyle. Keith Richards was diving deeper into his heroin addiction. Mick Taylor was becoming disillusioned with his role in the band as he was contributing and writing songs but never given credit (or royalties). 1973's Goats Head Soup is a fan favorite but was derided by critics for not being as good as Exile. Apparently the Stones were going to a half live, half covers album that eventually gave way to more interesting original materlal (Ain't Too Proud To Beg still made the album and was the 2nd single). Disenchanted with married life, being hounded by press and law enforcement helped create It's Only Rock N Roll - an ode to their lives as huge stars in the public eye. The title track is a classic both for the name and the story of Mick wondering what is enough for the fans and press. They come strong with killer Keith riffs (If You Can't Rock Me, Dance Little Sister), dirty roadhouse rockers (Short And Curlies) and forays into reggae, country, gospel and soul with the usual R&B sensibilities that make the Stones the Stones. Of course, we were a bit put off that there is no Keith song on the album (the last time that would happen) but you know he had something to do with Fingerprint File, a song about running from the FBI and all manner of police. With Nicky Hopkins and Billy Preston lending their talents on the keys, Ronnie Wood and David Bowie making brief appearances and the boys experimenting a bit, this ends up being a fun Stones record to explore. It might not be chock full of radio hits but get to see the Stones going down paths they don't always go with surprising delight. Not the best or worst of the Mick Taylor era and one we're glad we researched and heard. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've developed our On First Listen series to give us a chance to explore albums that we didn't know but had heard about for years. Maybe a friend recommended it, perhaps it was popular at a time in our lives when it slipped past us or maybe we'd seen in on all-time lists. King Crimson's debut fit into the third category as many progressive rock fans hold In The Court Of The Crimson King in very high regard. And with many talented line-ups over the years including Greg Lake on bass & vocals, Ian McDonald on keys and many other things, and Robert Fripp on guitar on this album (with future versions featuring John Wetton, Boz Burrell, Bill Bruford, Tony Levin, Adrian Belew, Mel Collins and many, many more) we figured we'd give it a go. However, while the musicianship is off the charts and they experiment with many keys, times and toys (the new mellotron was driving much of their experimental sound), sometimes it's not terribly listenable. 21st Century Schitzoid Man is abrupt and in your face as a protest to the Vietnam War but isn't a toe tapper. The wistful I Listen To The Wind is 180 degree turn as a lovely ballad but is more than 6 minutes long. And Epitaph, Moonchild (nothing like the Iron Maiden song) and The Court Of The Crimson King though they have moments of beauty and style fail to land in the fun zone. While many will appreciate the music for it's complexity and degree of difficulty, it's not an album you put on in the background of a party. Perhaps our blues based rock brains aren't mature enough to understand but we find 70s era Yes and Genesis far easier to digest and enjoy. Note: We recorded this a year before releasing it as we planned for it to be our first On First Listen but scheduling necessities caused us to leave it on the shelf. We mention that it's 54th anniversary is coming up but as we release this it's the 55th anniversary of original release. And it was before we interviewed director Toby Amies about his fabulous documentary King Crimson: In The Court Of The Crimson King for episode 158. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By 1989, Ace Frehley had been out of KISS for 7 years and during that time he'd maintained a debaucherous lifestyle including car accidents and very little in the way of new music. Finally Eddie Trunk helped get him signed to Megaforce and got him working. Frehley's Comet released 2 albums in 1987 & !988 (Frehley's Comet, Second Sighting) trying to reestablish himself on the rock circuit. And while 1989's Trouble Walkin' was a solid offering for the time it was released, looking back it's easy to see why it didn't crack the top 100 in the US. Though Ace and Richie Scarlet put together some catchy, heavy riffs with some signature Ace guitar licks, Ace's vocal need help. Left alone they're too bare unless they have the sing-a-long chorus behind him. Shot Full of Rock Five Card Stud and the title track are great straight ahead rockers...until the vocals kick in. As usual, Ace's lyrics are somewhere between silly and bad. But we're Ace fans darnit! So we like hearing what he does. Fractured III connects the record to his 1978 solo and first Frehley's Comet album with a solid instrumental. But lyrics on songs like Back To School, 2 Young 2 Die and Five Card Stud illustrate why KISS had to reign him in on those records. And the mystery is why did Ace cover Hide Your Heart, a song written by Paul Stanley, Desmond Child & Holly Knight, which was originally sung by Bonnie Tyler and that KISS would feature on their album Hot In The Shade? It's a head scratcher but maybe Ace was ready to show his old bandmates that he can still rock, even with their tracks. But as college students, we loved this one and wanted to celebrate Ace as Trouble Walkin' turns 35! Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All of us have dreamed of going backstage after a killer concert to hangout with our favorite hard rock heroes. For more than 40 years, that's been Mick Wall's job. While writing for Kerrang!, Classic Rock, any number of newspapers and magazines around the world or working on one of his more than two dozen books, Mick Wall has met them all and seen it all. By 1988, you might say that Mick was a bit jaded - been there, done that, got the (free) t-shirt. But in April 1988 in Worcester, Mass while on assignment for the 200th episode of Kerrang!, Mick had the chance to not only witness David Lee Roth live but to hang with him one-on-one through the wee hours of the morning into the next afternoon. We crack up hearing stories about lobster dinners with dancing girls, Steve Vai, and large bags of....party favors. We dive into what a showman Dave was, what a party animal Dave was and what might have become of Dave had he been born in different eras. Mick's dry wit and attention to fun details makes this one of our most fun conversations in the four years of our podcast. Was Dave in real life like he was on MTV and those famous music videos? He was all that and then some! You're gonna love this story from Mick Wall! Join Mick Wall's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=60531281 Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For our 200th episode we wanted to bring in a guest that rock fans would be excited about but someone The Wolf and Action Jackson really admire. After hosting amazing guests on our 50th (Ryan Condal, House of the Dragon), 100th (live review of Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets after interviewing Guy Pratt and Gary Kemp on ep 96), and 150th (Steve Kilbey of The Church) we needed someone special to commemorate this milestone. As luck would have it, legendary guitarist and member of the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Steve Howe (Yes, Asia) is releasing his latest solo album, Guitarscape, on September 27 and made himself available to us. As we tried hard not to be complete fanboys, we asked Steve to walk us through how he started building the bones of the album in 2019 thanks to a new Novatron that he'd acquired. We speak with Steve about the different textures of the album from acoustics (Spring Rhyme) to his signature hollow body electrics (Distillations, Passing Thoughts) to his brand new pedal steel (Equinox, Steel Breeze). With his son Dylan on the drums, Steve has put together a colorful palette of textures using his many talents and toys. We also manage to work in some questions about touring with Yes in the US with Deep Purple; however, when we interviewed him the tour was yet to begin, at the time of the release of this episode the tour had concluded. It sounds like there will be more new Yes music and future tours which is wonderful to hear. And, of course, we managed to squeeze in an Asia question because as long time listeners will tell you, it all comes back to Asia. The bottomline is we think you'll love our chat with Steve Howe and encourage you to pick up Guitarscape September 27. And thanks to everyone who's supported us through the first 200 episodes - we have much more in store so stay tuned. If you keep listening, we'll keep doing the show! www.yesofficial.com Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1984, The Replacements were gaining a reputation as fun live punk band, always delivering loud, raucous tunes with setlists full of covers and aggressive originals. They intentionally thwarted management's efforts to get them on bigger labels by sabotaging shows they knew record company reps would be attending. The Minneapolis quartet of Paul Westerberg on vocals, Bob Stinson on guitar, Tommy Stinson on bass and Chris Mars on drums carved out a loyal following and had begun to win over fans around the country thanks to opening for REM. But Westerberg's songwriting, especially his lyrics, were too strong to be for only those moshing around through a drunken haze. With Let It Be, the band explores more personal themes (Unsatisfied, Answering Machine, Androgynous) and captured more melody than they had previously. They still had plenty of straight ahead punk songs (We're Comin' Out, Tommy Got His Tonsils Out, Gary's Got A Boner) but also tried to empathize with those who might not understand the world around them and how to relate (Sixteen Blue). Westerberg's lyrics are personal and poignant and still resonate to this day. Plus, there's a KISS cover song on the album so what's not to like? We didn't find this record until later in life but if you're unfamiliar, I think you'll like a lot of what you hear as we delve into deep topics we don't always weigh in on thanks to this punk classic. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U2 were on a sharp trajectory up after 1983's War and the 1984 live album Under A Blood Red Sky. With sharp guitar licks from The Edge, powerful and earnest vocals from Bono and a killer rhythm section with Larry Mullens, Jr (drums) and Adam Clayton (bass), U2 were on their way to being the next great rock band. However, the boys yearned for something more than rock stardom and big American fame through disposable pop hits. They wanted a more European sound that was cultivated by the likes of Roxy Music and Ultravox. So much to the chagrin of Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, they employed Brian Eno (Roxy Music, David Bowie) and his engineer Daniel Lanois to help guide them on a mystical musical journey that would change their sound forever. And while they did score a big radio with with Pride (In The Name Of Love), most of the album is more ambient and often subdued. Deep cuts like Bad, A Sort of Homecoming and Indian Summer Sky may have caught the attention of fans and rock DJs, the album didn't become the game changer for which they may have been hoping. However, it set the groundwork for the next album, The Joshua Tree, which would propel them to superstar status around the globe. As it turns 40, we explore this left turn by U2 which would eventually pay enormous dividends. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oasis was one of the world's biggest bands in the 90s and 2000s. Led by main songwriter and lead guitarist Noel Gallagher and lead singer Liam Gallagher, the band achieved heights rarely seen. But in the UK, Oasis were about as big as The Beatles and were the soundtrack to a moment in time around Cool Britannia and forward looking socioeconomic and political change at the time. Though they didn't become nearly as popular in the US, they attracted a core fan base including The Wolf (eventually). We've done shows in the past on the difference between the band's success in the US vs. the UK (episode 78). When they announced 14 dates (now 17) in 5 cities in the UK and Ireland on August 27, it was the biggest news around the world. So we felt compelled to give you our Hot Take reactions to the announcement, when and where they were playing, how we could attempt to get tickets, who will be playing in the band (Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs and Gem Archer have been confirmed) and where they might go after those initial dates. As some additional information has come out since we recorded our Hot Take, we address that news at the end of the show. We're beyond excited for this reunion but worried we might be left out in the cold on tickets! Should we pay way too much for 2nd hand tickets and see their first few shows before they breakup? Should we stay put and hope they come to the US? We discuss it all and hope for the best! Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a teenager, did you ever fantasize about sitting at home when there was a knock at the door, only to find that there stood 3 young California Girls ready to take you on an adventure for the night? Well Scott Holiday, lead guitarist of Rival Sons, didn't have to dream about it because it happened to him on June 10, 1995 as an 18 year old living in Huntington Beach. So as a red-blooded American boy, he naturally jumped in with them to The Hollywood Bowl to see Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. But the story takes a turn when an unexpected addition to the evening comes in the form of a party favor before the show starts. From there it's a journey great music, bright lights, giggly girls, a quest to find the car and a trip back to Huntington Beach. It was a memorable night for Scott (and I'm sure for the ladies as well) and now he and Rival Sons are making memories on co-headliner bill with Clutch in the US this fall. Learn more about dates & cities: www.rivalsons.com/tour/ First Concert Memories is the monthly sidecast from your friends at The Ugly American Werewolf In London Rock Podcast. We live to hear the stories when live rock music made for a special night in lives of those who love it! www.rivalsons.com Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Wolf spent 3+ years just a stone's throw from Abbey Road in NW London, just six blocks from the studio that goes by the same name. The studio was EMI for decades until it was renamed in the 1970s after the final album recorded by The Beatles (Let It Be was released later but those sessions took place earlier and at different studios). After throwing out exotic locales for the album cover, George Harrison suggested they walk across the street and the most iconic album cover was born. The boys may not be the world's biggest Beatles fans but to love rock n roll, one must have an appreciation for them. The Wolf remained largely unfamiliar with Abbey Road until he realized he had to pick up a copy if he was going to walk down that street everyday for 3 years. As it turns 55, the boys go track x track, discuss the famous cover and dive into the state of The Beatles in their final days. Paul was trying to manage the band since the death of Brian Epstein and still deliver the goods in the studio. John was getting deeper into heroin and Yoko Ono. George was growing up and saving some of his best for his debut solo album. And Ringo just wanted the boys to stop fighting in meetings all the time. But George brought the goods with Something and Here Comes The Sun. John offered up Come Together and the pre-heavy metal I Want You (She's So Heavy). Paul put together some of his and John's best new melodies for the epic medley on the 2nd side. And dear Ringo gave us Octopus's Garden, a place he'd rather be than haggling with the band all the time. We dive deep into each song, where each member of the band was at the time and where they were going. This may not be our favorite album but it is an important document of a band that had had enough but could still bring the most amazing harmonies to life. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2004, Green Day were in a bit of an existential crisis. It had been a decade since Dookie went Diamond in the US and platinum around the world and their appearance at Woodstock 94 helped propel them to one of the biggest bands of their generation. And while big hits and successful tours followed throughout the 90s, I can understand that it's hard to find things to rebel against when your rich and famous. Their 2000 album Warning didn't light the world on fire and then their next attempt at a new album was scuttled once the master tapes were stolen. It would have been easy for Green Day to call it day at that point. However, Billy Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool decided to create a concept album that points out the lies and perils associated with chasing the American Dream against the backdrop of a neo-conservative government leading us into wars without justification. It follows the story of a young man from suburbia who wants out but finds that his dream of the big city is fraught with peril. And through all his trials and tribulations he manages to find love and the realization that maybe all wasn't so bad back in his hometown. But just because it's a concept album doesn't mean it's without radio friendly hits as it boasts chart toppers like Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Wake Me Up When September Ends, and The Wolf's favorite - Holiday. They have prog-like nine minute epics with different pieces which would rival those of YES and incredibly brilliant lyrics from Billy Joe against some of the best riffs of the era. No matter your side of the political spectrum, American Idiot will grab you sonically and then pull you in with intelligent lyrics that reflected what America was becoming and warning about things we see coming to pass today. It's an amazing album from a time when rock bands weren't given much press but Green Day still managed to not only make their masterpiece but have it celebrated all over the world. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the best things about having a rock music podcast is hearing new albums before the general public has the chance. Once The Wolf and Action Jackson heard the ringing guitars and soaring vocals of October Drift on their 3rd album, Blame The Young (out September 27, 2024), they wanted to spread the word far and wide. So they tracked down lead singer and lyricist Kiran Roy to talk to them about the making of the record, his song writing style and the growth of October Drift's popularity. Kiran and his bandmates Alex Bispham (bass), Chris Holmes (drums/vocals) and Dan Young (guitar) have taken a big step forward with their latest album and fans of 80s alternative music from the 120 Minutes days will love what they hear. From the raucous title track to the hard charging Don't Care to the triumphant and glorious finale Not Running Anymore you might hear bits of bands like The Smiths, The Replacements, Echo & The Bunnymen, REM and Psychedelic Furs. Hear Kiran uncover a bit about their writing process, how they came out of COVID stronger as a band and utilized some time together at an AirBNB to put together their best album yet. Also, you can hear bits of the three singles Demons, Blame The Young and Tyrannosaurus Wreck plus two early singles Robots and Airborne Panic Attack. It was a fun chat with an up and coming singer with a band set to embark on their first headlining tour of Europe this fall. Kiran's thoughtful and relatable lyrics connect through his harmonies with Chris Holmes and the ringing guitars classic alternative rock fans love. We may be a classic rock podcast but if we don't find a promote the current generation of rock n rollers, there will be no more rock n roll to love. So give it a listen and then go buy/download their albums! Learn more about October Drift here - https://octoberdrift.os.fan/ and follow them on socials: https://www.instagram.com/octoberdrift/ https://www.facebook.com/octoberdrift https://x.com/octoberdrift Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a grueling 100+ date tour to support their Piece Of Mind album, no one would blame the boys in Iron Maiden for taking some well deserved time off. Instead, after 3 weeks off they went back to start writing and rehearsing for their next album, Powerslave, which would prove to be HUGELY important in breaking them in the US, South America and all around the world. Thanks to having the same lineup as the last album for the first time and a work ethic driven by Iron Maiden's eternal leader Steve Harris, the boys produced an album with the imagery and songs that would propel them to global superstardom. Derek Riggs artwork was at its finest for the Egyptian themed cover and would also be the backdrop of the incredible stage setup of one of the most epic tours ever. On almost 200 dates in 11 months covering 28 countries including going behind the Iron Curtain, the tour nearly broke every member of the band at some point. However, with radio friendly hits like Aces High and 2 Minutes 2 Midnight, Maiden got on the UK charts. But it was their proggy epics like the title track and Rime Of The Ancient Mariner that solidified IM as a unique act in the heavy metal world. Plus, Maiden would record their timeless live album and home video Live After Death at the Long Beach Arena in California on this tour which introduced millions to the band around the world. As it turns 40, The Wolf & Action Jackson go track x track and relive some fond memories from Powerslave. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the 13th edition of the monthly sidecast from The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast, we relive a special night in the life of Gerry Schramm. As the co-host of the Something For Nothing Rush Fancast, Gerry is devotee of Rush for 4 decades. But Gerry didn't hear them on the radio and explore their catalog or have a friend share their record collection with him to find Rush. Instead, one one night in New Jersey in 1986, Gerry and his high school friend and future co-host Steve had an extra ticket and needed a ride to a concert at The Meadowlands that night. And Gerry was up for anything. So together they embarked on the first of more than 25 Rush shows for Gerry - the one that would hook him immediately that night and deeply for life. Hear from teenage Gerry how the set built from hit to hidden gem and the level of musicianship blew him away. Learn what it's like to behold a solo from The Professor Neil Peart himself and marvel at the fact that no one is leaving during the drum solo. It was the Power Windows Tour and one of the best setlists The Wolf has ever seen, himself a four decade Rush fan who never had the chance to catch the Power Windows Tour. The Wolf and Action Jackson reminisce about camping out for tickets to their first Rush show and all the memories that friends make with live rock n roll! Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

August 28, 1989 saw the release of Dr. Feelgood, the album that would solidify Motley Crue as a sleazy, sunset strip band that had hit the big time. It included songs you would expect from Motley (She Goes Down, Slice Of Your Pie, Rattlesnake Shake) but thanks to producer Bob Rock also included 5 singles that hit the charts in the US. The band tries to be tender in spots (Without You, Time For Change) but stays true to themselves with adrenaline boosters like Kickstart My Heart, Same Ol' Situation and the title track. And though they were all over MTV and touring to huge crowds around the world, all was not right in Crue World. The band were all sober at this time. And while that might have led to better work in the studio and more consistent live shows, it also made personalities clash. This would prove to be the last album from the original line up until 1997 and certainly the last to make the sort of cultural impact the band made in the 80s. Did the more polished studio sound from Bob Rock create band factions? Did sobriety and wealth cause them to grow apart? Did the Crue just implode before they faded away? Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oasis in the UK are more than just rock royalty. They are the foul-mouthed, big riff, council estate kids with unibrows and bad attitudes that helped lift the UK out of it's 1980's/Thatcherism malaisse and into the Cool Britannia of the 1990s. Out was the doom and gloom of American grunge, in were melodic songs that kids could relate to. Anthems like Rock N Roll Star, Columbia and Cigarettes and Alcohol spoke directly to the young generation who were anxious to make their own mark on the world. Led by the songwriting and riff borrowing of Noel Gallagher and the sheer strength of the vocals of his younger brother Liam, Oasis debut Definitely Maybe became the fastest selling debut album in the UK at the time. However, in the US, though Oasis debut hit the charts and eventually went platinum, the band never took off to the heights they would enjoy in the UK and around the world. Maybe it was Creation Records lack of solid backing by the US record industry or maybe it was the brothers snarling and nasty attitudes (and those unibrows) that turned enough people off during the age of grunge that would soon give way to softer sounds like Hootie and the Blowfish. But Oasis were the spokesmen of their generation in the UK and knew who to borrow from (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, T Rex, The Jam) to make a big, bright, loud sound that would have them headline Knebworth just 2 years after the release of this debut in front of 250,000 people over 2 nights. Oasis are also the masters of the b-side (a lost art in the US) and as CD singles with 4 tracks on them were all the rage, Oasis hit the playlists and sales from singles as well as anyone in the UK. So relive the big hits (Live Forever & Supersonic), enjoy the album tracks (Slide Away, Bring It On Down) and unearth some b-sides as we celebrate Definitely Maybe as it turns 30. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our long-time listeners know that The Wolf & Action Jackson have a special place in their hearts for the music of 80s pop/rock supergroup Asia. Asia's eponymous debut album was the top selling album in the US in 1982 and spent 9 weeks at the top of the chart thanks to hits like Sole Survivor, Only Time Will Tell and the #1 smash Heat Of The Moment. With John Wetton on bass & vocals, Steve Howe on guitar, Geoff Downes on keyboards and Carl Palmer on drums, Asia achieved great success and would go onto have many incarnations over the years. And though the original band did reunite for their 25th anniversary and release more albums, the death of John Wetton in 2017 left Asia in an uncertain place for the band and its fans. However, thanks to YouTube, Geoff Downes came across the talent of Harry Whitley - a Welsh multi-instrumentalist who put up some Asia performances from his home which really captured the spirit of John Wetton. From there, Geoff invited Harry to perform at the tribute to John Wetton at Trading Boundaries in the summer of 2023. The songs went down so well that Geoff eventually invited Harry to join Asia on a tour of the US in 2024. We tracked down Harry in New Jersey between gigs and talked to him about all of these amazing steps that led to him becoming the new lead singer of Asia, what it means to sing John's songs and how he's enjoying his first real trip to the US. We think you'll find Harry to be an open and down-to-earth young man who was candid in his answers. And as a bonus, guitarist John Mitchell also participated on the call as he was waiting for his room to be readied and he provided some fun comic relief. We cover as much as we could, including having Harry answer the question of a 10 year old Asia fan and if you stick around long enough, you might hear a bit of bonus material that had everyone laughing. The bottomline is if you have the chance to see this incarnation of Asia, don't miss it as we know any Asia fan will love it! Check out Asia's 2024 Tour Dates: www.originalasia.com Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By 1969 Eric Clapton had finally gotten what he wanted - out of Cream. He felt the band (and the machine around it) was too big and couldn't deal with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker constantly at each other's throats. And so he began to hang out and jam with his friend Steve Winwood who felt like he wanted a change from Traffic. As these two titans began to formulate some new material, the bosses at the record companies smelled money and quickly got them a record deal and a tour booked. Having already brought on Ginger Baker from Cream, they added bass player Ric Grech from Family and they made a late 60s psychelic/blues/jam album with a little something for everyone. Can't Find My Way Home and Presence Of The Lord showed the band's lighter acoustic side while Had To Cry Today and Do What You Like gave the band license to do the pyschedelic freak-out jams that allowed these great musicians to showcase their talents in the style of the day. The cover sparked some controversy which led to using a flyer on the US version and their first show was in front of more than half a million people in Hyde Park. But once again, Eric Clapton quickly moved away from the big machine so this is the only album Blind Faith ever offered up. Though Clapton and Winwood would go onto reunite in 2009 to give folks a glimpse of what they were, The Wolf & Action Jackson contemplate what they might have been had they stayed together as they take you track by track. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the summer of 1984, Metallica were not yet the Metal Gods and household names they are now. They were a band with one record under their belt (Kill Em All, hear UAWIL #138 for our review with The Hook Rocks Jay Scott), some experience playing bigger stages as an opening act and a small but loyal following. However, their US record company didn't have the money to pay for a new album so James, Kirk, Cliff and Lars traveled to Copenhagen and crashed in the studio as producer Fleming Rasmussen helped them pull together what would become their 2nd album, Ride The Lightning. As the album turns 40, we reminisce about how we came to know this metal classic, relive hearing them play (most) of the album live and debate if this is indeed ther best ever (Master Of Puppets is neck and neck according to us). We can really hear the progress on Ride The Lightning vs. the 1st album as the songs are tight with more complexity yet more melodic. And while the lyrics are very intelligent and clear, they deal with very heavy topics like nuclear war (Fight Fire With Fire), suicide (Fade To Black), ancient plagues (Creeping Death) and the horrors of war (For Whom The Bell Tolls). Cliff Burton's psychedelic wah-wah bass is not only unique but a driver of the melody that is inherent in these thrash classics. James Hetfield's powerful riffs are among the best he's ever recorded and provides that steady crunch against which Kirk Hammett can lay everything from frantic solos to trippy fills. This album remains #1 in the heart one of your hosts from the Metallica catalog - the other is on the fence. It's hard to believe Ride The Lightning turns 40 on July 27, 2024 but we love this one and had fun going track by track. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bruce Springsteen is one of the all time great rock n rollers. From humble beginnings in New Jersey to selling out stadiums around the world for decades, The Boss is still out there delivering an amazing performance every night. On First Concert Memories 12, the monthly sidecast from your friends at The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast, we bring in our Pantheon Podcasts brother Jesse Jackson (not that Jesse Jackson) to talk about the first time he saw Springsteen live after 9/11. While the setlist was heavy on material from The Rising, Jesse was enthralled by Bruce's powerful live show and his ability to command the audience. While the rest of the folks in his party were confused and annoyed by all the new songs/deep cuts, Jesse loved it so much that he's seen Bruce 20 times and created the Setlusting Bruce Podcast which now boasts over 1,000 episodes!! He's an authority on the greatness of Bruce Springsteen and here we review the first time he saw The Boss live and how it changed his life (for the better). Learn more about Jesse and his podcast: https://www.patreon.com/setlustingbruce https://www.facebook.com/SetLustingBruce/ Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Though AC/DC are one of the most revered and successful bands in the history of rock n roll, in 1979 they hadn't cracked the Top 100 in the US. The killer riffs laid down by Malcolm Young had gained them a strong following in Europe and their native Australia but they had yet to breach the great big U-S-of-A. So in 1979 they brought in a new producer, Robert John "Mutt" Lange to give them an edge. And though they were all skeptical after giving Eddie Kramer a shot, once Mutt showed them he knew how to sing, how to get the most out of Angus's guitar and how to put together songs, they were all on board. However, though this would be their big breakthrough in America with Highway To Hell reaching the Top 20, the celebration wouldn't last as lead singer and primary antagonist Bon Scott would soon die while living that rock n roll life. But before he left he gave us some of his patented sexual innuendo (Walk All Over You, Love Hungry Man, Touch Too Much) and his description of his lifestyle in the title track. Cliff Williams had settled in on the bass after Powerage and the live album If You Want Blood You Got It and Angus Young came of age with the help of Mutt Lange in the studio. The result is some of their greatest riffs (Highway To Hell, If You Want Blood (You've Got It), fan favorites (Girls Got Rhythm, Shot Down In Flames) and controversy (Nightprowler). It marked the end of an era with Bon Scott but the start of working with Mutt Lange who would help their next album become the 2nd biggest selling album of all time. This is a fun one that all hard rock and heavy metal fans love!!! Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Wolf & Action Jackson are HUGE Rolling Stones fans and count seeing the Steel Wheels Tour live in their respective cities as an important moment in their lives. Though the Stones never said it, many figured the Steel Wheels Tour would be the last chance for many people to ever see the Stones play. And because Bill Wyman retired after that tour, one could argue that definitely signaled the end of an era. Fast forward 5 years later and our hosts are in college, had been roommates, and went crazy for Keith Richards 1992 solo effort Main Offender. When the Stone s announced they'd signed a new $44 million deal with Virgin and would be putting out a new album with Darryl Jones on the bass, the boys were psyched. Not only would that mean some new Keith songs to hear on the album but that there would be a new tour - another chance to see the Stones live! This made for a special time in the boys lives and we've chosen to review this album to remember those heady days. However, even at the time the boys didn't love Voodoo Lounge. Producer Don Was tried to play up some funky grooves and call backs to their heyday but the end result was long (over an hour) and a disappointment outside of the songs Keith Richards sang. Still, our heroes go track x track here to unveil what was happening in Stones World at the time, which songs are worth keeping, which songs would have made better b-sides and what they loved about the tour. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keyboard virtuoso Oliver Wakeman visited us on UAWIL #156 to talk about the John Wetton (Asia, King Crimson, UK) box set as it was being released. We had a wonderful time chatting with Oliver as we are big fans of John Wetton and John had been a mentor and friend to Oliver as they toured together in the early 2000s. We had so much fun that we asked him to come back to promote one of his own projects once he was ready. As Oliver has just released Anam Cara, a solo album 20 years in the making, he was gracious enough to join us again to discuss this beautiful new album. But before you dismiss this as an over the top keyboard showcase, understand that's not this album at all. Oliver talks about how he writes songs in different styles or buckets - Celtic songs, acoustic songs, keyboard prog songs, love songs - and comes up with a theme for each of his solo albums. This album is a Celtic album and though you'll hear some amazing work on the keys from Oliver, you'll also hear a great deal of acoustic melody from guitarist Oliver Day (Fragile). Singer Hayley Griffiths (Riverdance) lends her lovely and powerful voice to give these songs the heart and soul they deserve. With Tory Donockley (Nightwish) and Scott Higham (Pendragon) rounding out the talent that helped bring Oliver's music to light, you have an album rich in texture of which you will discover many layers upon repeated listens. We talk about what Oliver loves about music, how songs can change peoples lives in unexpected ways and when you might be able to see him play live in the future. Buy Anam Cara & stay on top of Oliver Wakeman's live shows: https://www.oliverwakeman.co.uk/ Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stone Temple Pilots helped define the grunge-ridden days of the 1990s with their big downtuned riffs and lyrics soaked in heroin resin. Riding the wave from Seattle, their debut album Core sold over 8 million copies in the US alone. The record company couldn't wait to get more STP out into the market so in November 1993 they released the live Unplugged album featuring the new song Big Empty. Vocalist/lyricist Scott Weiland was a charismatic and troubled performer, writing lyrics about fear, self-loathing and ruined relationships built on his addiction to heroin. But STP were more than just a grunge band as Dean and Robert De Leo wrote great songs full of melody and cool changes in tempo and delivery. Purple, their second effort, included songs like Interstate Love Song and Vaseline scored high on the charts and while some of the songs were definitely grungy (Meatplow), they showed they can deliver a straight-ahead rockers (Unglued) and lighter songs with heavy themes. The album went to #1 in the US and would go on to sell over 6 million copies. While the UK were enthralled with the Cool Britannia acts like Oasis, Blur and The Verve, hard rock and grunge bands took over the US and Stone Temple Pilots were among the most successful. But were they really a grunge band? Did Weiland have talent beyond the creativity that flowed from his narcotic visions? Were they a band of the time or of all time? The Wolf and Action Jackson tackle those questions and relive some grungy days in the dorm with Purple as it turns 30. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us went to our first concerts as teenagers, usually with like-minded friends in search of a good time. Britt Lightning - the lead guitarist in Vixen, the Musical Director of Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp and co-host of the Rock Camp Podcast - wanted just that when she and her high school buddies headed out Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts to see a full day's slate of bands with Stone Temple Pilots headlining. However, Britt didn't tell her parents she was going so she had to keep everything on the down low and needed to stay out of trouble. But that's not what happened on that fateful day as Britt tells us a crazy story of the first concert she ever attended. Though it started off great with old tattooed guys buying her beers, once she saw kids jumping the fences to get on the field things took a different turn. Hear about dodging the cops, being maced, crying in the middle of the mosh pit and then crowdsurfing all before the headliners, Stone Temple Pilots, took the stage. It's a story of true rock n roll chaos and debauchery that turned a teenage Britt LIghtning on and sealed her fate as a lifelong rock n roll junkie. Britt's humor and love for rock music really shines through which is why we created this monthly show to go along with our weekly, The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast - to hear stories of how going to see a band live changed their lives. This one is too good to miss! See what Britt and the ladies in Vixen are up to: www.vixenofficial.com Check out Rock Camp Podcast Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As huge Van Halen fans growing up, The Wolf & Action Jackson always took a keen interest in the career of Wolfgang Van Halen and his band Mammoth. Though The Wolf had seen Wolfgang on tour with Van Halen on bass near the end of their run, he'd missed opportunities to see Mammoth in the past. However, he remedied when they hit Louisville on the last night of their latest tour of the USA and boy was he treated to a killer show. Wolfgang Van Halen is front and center as the lead singer, lead guitarist and lead storyteller. He delighted in the fact that his band has received so much support for their first two albums (Mammoth WVH & Mammoth II) and entertained the crowd by pronouncing Louisville (Loo-a-vul) correctly, profusely (and profanely) thanking opening act Intervals and threw us a headfake with a few bars of an Oasis classic. The tight band ripped through songs off Mammoth II like Erase Me, Better Than You and Take A Bow while also breaking out the acoustic for Distance and kicking out his Dad Eddie's favorite Think It Over from the first record. He bends bluesy notes in some of his solos while working in some of that tapping that made Eddie a Rock God. It's no surprise they've earned opening gigs with Metallica and Foo Fighters as well as some top notch European festival spots. Seeing them in a club (The Mercury Ballroom) while they're on their way up was a fun night out and we highly recommend catching them if you can! Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rock N Roll Hall of Famer Guy Fletcher joins UAWIL in a very special episode where we talk the charity single he produced, his days in Dire Straits, on the road and in the studio with Mark Knopfler and more. Going Home has for decades been the theme song to the movie Local Hero, which Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame not only composed but was the tune with which he always closed his shows. When the idea of rerecording the song for the benefit of Teenage Cancer Trust (UK) and Teenage Cancer America came about, he jumped on board. And that spurred other legends to take part as well like Jeff Beck, David Gilmour, Duane Eddy, Steve Cropper, Peter Frampton, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Townshend, Ringo Starr, Sting and many, many more. Over 60 artists and legends participated and it was Guy's job to put it all together. We talk with him about putting this amazing charity single together and the cover which evokes Sgt. Peppers as it was done by the same artist, Sir Peter Blake. Guy also relayed some stories of his decades long career in Roxy Music, Dire Straits, working with Mark Knopfler on his many solo albums and tours and on working in a true gem of a recording studio, British Grove. Though Mark Knopfler was ready to walk away from the Straits in the 90s so he could have more freedom, he kept Guy around as Mr. Fletcher is in-sync with Mark's musical wavelengths and can assimilate the great amount of information that Mark creates. He served as Musical Director of Mark's solo band and shared some stories of life on the road with Mark. Guy is a brilliant producer who told us a bit about his high hopes for the future of Atmos mixing and what makes British Grove such a special place to record music. He even relates a story about Mark's desire to make an album with Jeff Beck which sadly never had the chance to materialize. It was a true honor and a lot of fun to welcome Guy Fletcher to The Wolf!! Watch and download Going Home - Guitar Heroes Version Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners of our show know that The Wolf loves Ronnie James Dio and his epic voice. We've done past episodes on his time in Sabbath (UAWIL #13), the Dreamers Never Die bio-pic/documentary (UAWIL #98) and last year's Holy Diver at 40 (UAWIL #129). So as Dio's sophomore effort turns 40 in 2024, we took the opportunity to celebrate Ronnie's voice and dive into The Last In Line. With the same lineup as Holy Diver - Vivian Campbell - guitar, Jimmy Bain - bass, Vinnie Appice - drums - Ronnie sought to recapture the magic from the first album. And with stadium rockers like We Rock, Egypt (The Chains Are On) and the title track, the band showed progress while keeping in touch with the anthemic rock that got them where they were. But are songs like Breathless and Evil Eyes really Dio songs? Are could they have been released by any hard rock band of the era? While The Last In Line showcases Ronnie's voice in a way that no one else could ever sing the song, some of the tracks on the album don't seem to hold up to the same standard. Vivian Campbell is glorious throughout the album with some thrashing solos and a touch of Eddie Van Halen here and there. Vinnie and Jimmy provide the devastating beat that makes this a hard rock classic and Ronnie's vocals are as strong as ever. But should they have taken more time to hone down the songs? Should they have spent more money on the videos? We dive into all those questions to celebrate Ronnie and The Last In Line at 40. Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coming off the success of his 1999 album, Prince took everything to another level with 1984's Purple Rain. The album featured 5 singles that would get major airplay on different radio formats (pop, rock, r&b, dance) and MTV. The album would sell over 25 million copies worldwide but it was also the soundtrack to the movie of the same name which grossed over $70 million. Prince not only won Grammys for the album but also earned an oscar for the title track. Prince's unabashed sexuality oozed from every aspect of his performance in the movie and the videos and was reinforced by his band, The Revolution. From pop greats (I Would Die 4 U), rockin dance tracks (Let's Go Crazy), personal epics (Purple Rain) and emotional hits (When The Doves Cry), Prince saw his tunes go up the charts of different musical genres. But his overt sexuality, especially in songs like Darling Nikki, irked parents including Tipper Gore who included him among the Filthy 15 during her PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) hearings before Congress. However, the extraordinary talent of Prince as a songwriter, instrumentalist, singer and performer won out in the end and this is the album that sent him to heights from which he never came down. It may not be the hard/prog/classic/heavy rock we normally cover but Purple Rain was hugely important in the development of our generation's understanding of what music was and we're happy to celebrate it's 40th! Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By 1984, Bruce Springsteen had long been hailed by rock critics as the next great American bard for the working man. His ability to mix heavy lyrics about the struggles of everyday life with catchy pop/rock rhythms had elevated him to rock royalty status before he ever made his 7th album. Released June 4, 1984 as a follow up to the melancholy and personal Nebraska, Born in the USA reunited Bruce with the E. Street Band and The Boss brought 70 songs for the gang to work into what would become the biggest selling album of 1985. The result was a record that sold over 30 million copies worldwide, contained 7 top 10 singles in the US and won Springsteen his first grammy (Dancing in the Dark). While many of the tracks on the album can boast big sing-along choruses (Working On The Highway, Glory Days, Born in the USA), the subject matter of the song may not always be the kind you shout and pump your fist to. Bruce can take a song about Vietnam veterans not being treated fairly into a stadium anthem or a song about going to jail for getting involved with an underage girl into a rockabilly runner. But the deeper tracks Downbound Train and No Surrender may be among the best songs on the album despite more than half of the record being hits on the charts. While The Wolf and Action Jackson dive into these tracks as they turn 50, can they separate their emotions from hearing these songs as kids, remove the disdain for people who scream along to Born in the USA without understanding the song's meaning and try to be impartial despite the memories of moms loving Bruce as this time? It's a challenge... Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our monthly sidecast First Concert Memories was created as a vehicle to capture those special moments in our lives when we saw a band we loved for the first time. The anticipation, the build up, the people you're with, the performance, the party - all of if can bring back so many rich and happy memories. And it's great for artists, writers, journalists, podcasters and music fans - everyone has a story to tell about one influential night in their lives. For this month's show, we welcome a long time listener and talented musician to relate his story about seeing Metallica as a teenager in England, Nige Savage. We met Nige through social media and he was always willing to give an honest account of our episodes on Ugly American Werewolf in London. But when he mentioned that he loved First Concert Memories, we thought it would be cool to have one of our listeners tell his story. As we discussed using his music on our show (he provides the intro and outro music on UAWIL) we discovered that he had the rare privilege of seeing Metallica on the Master of Puppets tour just 7 days before the death of bassist Cliff Burton. We dive into the evening and the performance which included James Hetfield in a cast, a surprise guest appearance which went over Nige's head at the time and how Metallica's music influenced his own creativity with Chupacabra. Join us for this fun stroll down memory lane with a version of one of the world's biggest bands that Action Jackson and The Wolf never had a chance to see live. Follow Nige on X: https://twitter.com/NigeSavage Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Ugly American Werewolf in London Store - Get your Wolf merch and use code 10OFF2023 to save 10%! Visit our sponsor RareVinyl.com and use the code UGLY to save 10%! Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices