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Don Jamieson is hilarious. His work as a comedian has landed him prime gigs like co-hosting That Metal Show on VH1 Classic, hosting the Monsters of Rock Cruise and performing his standup routine around the world. He joins the boys this week to talk about his new comedy album No Sleep 'Til McSorley's which was recorded at the legenday New York City drinking establishment. Out April 19, the album cover is a send up of the classic Motorhead album No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith complete with the classic cover art, font and layout. You can pre-order/order from this link or wherever you get your CDs & albums.
Hear The Wolf & Action Jackson grill Don about the heady days on That Metal Show, writing comic bits for Inside The NFL and what it was like to tour with Andrew "Dice" Clay. Don talks about fun bits from his new comedy album, bits that work and don't work, the fun stuff that can happen on the Monsters of Rock Cruise and why metal fans will continue to have a problem with the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. We relive Don's journey from a teenage metal head to a world renowned comedian who is now friends with many of the rockers he worshipped growing up.
Find Don on the road at www.donjamieson.com and on social media
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As children of the MTV generation, The Wolf & Action Jackson grew up listening to and watching videos from Men At Work. The band from Down Under had some big hits and their first two albums, Business As Usual & Cargo, sold more than 20 million copies around the world. However, the quickly disappeared from the scene and it left us wondering where they went. In 2015, a documentary about their frontman and lead songwriter Colin Hay emerged, Waiting For My Real Life, which told the story of the rise and fall of the band but also delved into Colin's struggle with alcohol, relocation to LA and finding redemption as an acoustic storyteller.
Upon seeing this documentary, The Wolf desperately wanted a chance to see this troubadour live where Colin regales his fans with stories, keeps them laughing and delivers both Men At Work classics and personal tunes from his solo catalog. The Wolf shares with Jackson Colin's stories on Paul McCartney inviting himself to dinner at Colin's house, overcoming alcoholism, moving from Scotland to Australia, losing friends & loved ones and using those moments to weave funny and heartfelt stories. Hear which of his classic songs he mistakenly sang the second verse twice on (the crowd loved it!) and get to know some of his beautiful, personal solo songs with which you might be less familiar. It was a great night out - don't miss him if you have the chance to see him play!
www.colinhay.com
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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Here on First Concert Memories, the monthly sidecast from your friends at The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast, we endeavor to bring you stories from guests about the first time they saw a particular band and how that impacted their life. For FCM 9, we're joined by dear friend of the show Amanda Lehmann as she relates going to see Rainbow in 1980 as she was still a wee lass. Amanda has grown up to be an extraordinary singer and guitar player and you have to know that seeing a legend like Ritchie Blackmore when she was just 12 had a profound effect on her musical journey and career. We've hosted her on the show before (Eps 61 & 70) and seen her play live with Steve Hackett in the UK and so enjoyed hearing her tell the tale of this important night in her young life.
Not only do we dive into the live performance by a star-studded band (Ritchie on guitar, Roger Glover on bass, Cozey Powell on drums, Don Airey on keys, Graham Bonnet on vocals) but we talk about her journey on the train, through town and up to the front of the stage to see her heroes in action. Hear Amanda talk about seeing Graham Bonnet with short hair, a Hawaiian shirt and shades and about returning to that same venue to play with Steve Hackett on his recent live release decades later. It's a full circle journey with Amanda Lehmann, one that we think you'll enjoy as much as we did.
Check out Amanda's upcoming shows and activity at www.amandalehmann.co.uk
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Rush can be a very polarizing band. Even for those who "get it" there are eras that some fans disown or are slow to warm to. The 80s for Rush may be the most divisive period as everyone's favorite remaining power trio had seemed to turn in their heavy metal and progressive roots for synthesizers and shorter, more radio friendly tunes. After swaying perhaps too far into the techno-lands with 1982's Signals, Rush came back to self-produce (with a little help) 1984's Grace Under Pressure in order to establish a more evenly distributed sound. And without any big singles on the record, it still managed to go platinum in the US and their home country of Canada.
You'll hear the hallmarks of Rush throughout the album - the soaring vocals and furious bass work of Geddy Lee, the big riffs and blistering solos of Alex Lifeson and baterista brilliance from The Professor Neil Peart. But it's Peart's lyrics which go way beyond standard pop or rock storytelling as he wades into topics like nuclear war, life & death, freedom & fear, all set against the backdrop of The Cold War. Incorporating synths may take some of the heavy out of the sound but the lyrics deliver in an outsized way and offer more proggy accents than even their 1970s heyday. And The Wolf even gets a little emotional talking about the final track, Between The Wheels, as one of his favorites from the time he first heard it live almost 30 years ago. If you like Rush and don't know this one or dismissed it long ago, we hope you'll listen with fresh ears because the music is inspired and the lyrics are as relevant today as ever.
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Rudolf Schenker founded Scorpions as a teenager in Germany in 1965. With the British Invasion in full swing, he wanted to become a guitarist who wrote great songs, not a gunslinger ripping off the fastest licks he could. He built his repertoire over time and his band toured relentlessly to build an audience. By 1984, hard rock was all the rage and MTV ruled the world helping bands like Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Quiet Riot & other hard rock & metal bands find a larger audience. That's where The Wolf & Action Jackson first saw the Scorpions deliver their heavy riffs on their all-time classic Rock You Like A Hurricane. As the album that birthed that tune and others, Love At First Sting, turns 40 we thought we'd give it our track by track treatment.
Despite singer Klaus Meine's struggle with vocal surgery, he delivered some of his best work with the band on tracks like Still Loving You, Coming Home and Big City Nights. Love At First Sting went triple platinum in the US and allowed the band to tour the world for more than 18 months including many arenas and stadiums n the USA. It's the album that allows them to keep touring and they have a Vegas residency this spring where they will celebrate the album's 40th. Hear us analyze the tracks, dig into the English-as-a-second language lyrics, admire the riffs and celebrate the videos that defined the hard rock generations.
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Mel Gaynor is well respected around the world for his talents as a drummer. Besides being on the skins for Simple Minds as they took off to global superstardom, he has worked with legends like Elton John, Tina Turner, Lou Reed, Jackson Browne, Robert Palmer, Meat Loaf and many more. But Mel can do more than keep the beat and he's releasing his first solo album, Come With Me (out May 3rd), which showcases his songwriting & arranging talents as well as his strong, masculine vocals.
Mel shows his range between folk songs (Run, the 1st single out now), funk (Dangerous), country (Still Waters) and rock (Keep On Believing) while also delivering poignant versions of Wicked Game and his buddy Robert Palmer's Addicted To Love (which features Robert's vocals). Mel gives us his background growing up in London during the 60s and 70s, how he got started in the business, working with metal band Samson alongside future Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson and more. Plus, he gives a couple of Simple Minds fans the chance to ask some fanboy questions about making videos, playing at Live Aid and the story behind their #1 hit Don't You Forget About Me.
Visit Mel's site, buy Come With Me and stay up on where to see him live at www.melgaynor.com
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Steve Hackett is not only a truly talented guitarist and songwriter but he's a bit of a workaholic. He rewards his fans by touring the world every year, releasing new material on a regular basis and live albums from the themed tours he's led. And though he's in the midst of his Foxtrot at 50 Tour (for which he's already released a live album) we're proud to welcome him back to The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast (hear him ahead of the Foxtrot at 50 Tour on UAWIL #87) as he wraps up his final leg of the tour.
The Circus and The Nightwhale is his latest release, an autobiographical concept album of his life growing up near Battersea Power Station, forging out into the world of rock music and eventually finding happiness in his life. It's the most prog/concept album he's offered since he was in Genesis and he speaks with us about how he approached this album differently than others. The opening track People of the Smoke stirs memories of growing up in London and sets the tone for a brilliant album full of tapping, tremolos and other tricks at which Steve is so adept. Hear Steve talk about channeling Jeff Beck, using one of Brian May's guitars and why you don't want him playing bass on your album. He's proud that the album has hit #1 on the UK Rock Chart and to be celebrated on the cover of Prog Magazine.
In the second part of the episode, The Wolf & Action Jackson travel to Jacksonville, FL to hear Steve debut songs from The Circus and The Nightwhale live, to hear Foxtrot in its entirety and some classic Hackett solo songs as well. It made for a very special night for your intrepid hosts and one very special episode of UAWIL.
Catch Steve's blog, buy The Circus and The Nightwhale and pick up tickets to see him live at www.hackettsongs.com
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We at The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast created our monthly sidecast, First Concert Memories, to give people a chance to share their passion for live music and how one particular rock show had a big impact on their life. FCM #8 is a glowing example of how a rock n roll show can regenerate and restore your passion for life after dark times.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Brian Colburn, a radio & podcast professional and host of My Weekly Mixtape, was commuting into New York City from New Jersey. While entering the LIncoln Tunnel, passengers were told that a plane had struck one of the World Trade Center towers and they would be rerouted back to their origin point. By the time they were back in New Jersey, both towers had crumbled. Like everyone in greater NYC, around the country and the world, Brian experienced a range of emotions and it took a long time to process that horror.
However, on December 16, 2001, Brian saw that Blues Traveler, a New Jersey band he'd never seen live, were coming to the Roseland Ballroom that night. He called his buddies and within a couple of hours they were at the show. Hear Brian describe the feeling in the crowd as people tried to understand if it was OK to smile again, gather in a crowd and sing and dance to music you love. You'll get goosebumps as he describes John Popper playing the Star-Spangled Banner. You'll smile when you hear about Michael Franti joining Blues Traveler for a Bob Marley classic and Brian's encounter with him in the parking lot. And you'll tear up when you hear about the first responders who were honored on stage that night. This is why we created this podcast and we think you'll love Brian's story.
Check out Brian's podcast at www.myweeklymixtape.com
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Listeners of the show know that the point of The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast is to keep rock alive by sharing memories of bands, albums, live concerts and artist interviews. But the best way to indoctrinate the next generation away from the ubiquity of Taylor Swift is to take them to non-Taylor live shows. The Wolf Cub developed a love for the Toto classic Africa after The Wolf played it for her a couple of times. As it's become one of her go to songs throughout the years, The Wolf promised his sweet daughter that if the opportunity came to see them live, he would take her.
Low and behold, Toto are opening for Journey as they continue to celebrate their more than 50 years in rock on an arena tour that would come to The Wolf Cub's home town. So as a dutiful parent, The Wolf took her and The She-Wolf out for a night of fond rock n roll memories. But who is left in these bands from their heydays? Did they play all the right songs? Which band sounded better? Which of these bands did the family say they'd go see again and which did they say thank you and goodnight after this show? Hear all about it through the eyes of a nine-year-old who has attended some big concerts (Rolling Stones, Duran Duran, KISS 3x, Chicago, America, Peter Frampton) and from the more seasoned perspective of her doting father.
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After Pink Floyd delivered The Final Cut, the 1983 album which would be Roger Waters last with the band, David Gilmour found himself at an impasse. While he had some music ready for a new album as Roger had domineered the writing in Pink Floyd for the last 5+ years, he was unsure of the band's future. And since Roger was working on a solo concept album (The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking) David decided it was time he find out if he could make it outside of Pink Floyd.
So he enlisted some heavy hitters like Bob Ezrin (producer), Jeff Pocaro (drums), Pino Palladino (bass), Jon Lord (keyboards), Steve Winwood (keyboards), and Pete Townshend (lyrics) to help him create a solo album for 1984. The result was About Face with some statements on the death of John Lennon (Murder), the US putting missiles in the UK (Cruise) and his relationship with Roger (You Know I'm Right) which would continue to be a source of lyrics for the next two Roger-less Pink Floyd albums - A Momentary Lapse of Reason (reviewed on UAWIL #69) and The Division Bell (UAWIL #168).
We're not sure if David was truly looking to break away from the band and become a big solo act or just had pent up anger and music that had to get out. The tour to support the album was more successful than the album itself and it may not be our favorite but there are some bright spots and some riffs that would foreshadow things to come in Pink Floyd.
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In 1994, your hosts found themselves finishing their junior year of college when it was announced that Pink Floyd were coming back with a new album, The Division Bell, and a huge tour to promote it. After watching the concert film Delicate Sound of Thunder from the previous tour, The Wolf made it his mission to see them live. And of course, our hosts picked up the album as soon as it came out. But at the time, they found the album disappointing and didn't stand up to it's predecessor, A Momentary Lapse of Reason.
However, as the album turns 30, we can look back at it with a better understanding of how this record stands up in the Pink Floyd catalog. We can appreciate that it was the first time in 20 years that David Gilmour and Rick Wright wrote songs together. We can enjoy David's extraordinary guitar work - how he can pull so much emotion out of each note still floors us to this day. And we can hear the heartbreak and new love found (Coming Back To Life), the hope for a better future (A Great Day For Freedom, Keep Talking) and the bitterness that lingers from their feud with Roger Waters (Poles Apart, Lost For Words).
While some might dismiss this as latter day, Roger-less, not-as-classic Pink Floyd, we found that the tunes were better than we remembered and they conjured memories from a simpler and more wondrous time in our lives. And the memories from the lone time The Wolf ever saw Pink Floyd live help us warm to this record as a gem, albeit a dark horse, in the Pink Floyd catalog.
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The early 1970s were full of triumph and tragedy for Eric Clapton. The Guitar God who had bounced from band to band - The Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith - finally went solo with mixed results. However, in 1971 Clapton struck gold on both sides of the Atlantic with Layla and his buddies in Derek & the Dominos. However, friend and guitarist Duane Allman died tragically in a car accident in late 1971 and while Clapton mourned his friend and longed for the love of his good buddy George Harrison's wife Patti, Clapton slipped deep into a heroin addiction.
Once Eric came out of his fog, he knew he needed to get back to making music and needed a hit or else he might be written off as an over the hill (at 29) junkie. So he gathered some of his buddies from the Layla sessions, took up residence at a certain address in Miami and put together a million selling record with a #1 US hit with I Shot The Sheriff. You see the many faces of Clapton on here from the blues (I Can't Hold Out), to reggae (I Shot The Sheriff), to gospel (Give Me Strength). Opener Motherless Children is a tour de force with the slide guitar and the closer, Mainline Florida, features Clapton showing off his skills with the talk box. If this album hadn't sold so well, who knows what may have become of Eric and if we'd have been treated to all the amazing music he's given us over the last 50 years.
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We at The Wolf love the all-time classic British rock stars that helped found the movement of and continue to carry the torch of classic blues based rock n roll. We've spent countless hours (and dollars/pounds/euros/etc) to buy records, concert tickets, videos and books to learn more about the artists that brought rock music to the masses. This week, we speak with someone who'd met and/or worked with most all of them over the years, guitar tech Lee Dickson. Though born in Glasgow, he eventually made his way to London and started working in live music production. At the end of the 70s he ended up working with Eric Clapton who then picked Lee up as part of his crew where he eventually became Eric's guitar tech and was for nearly 30 years.
Hear the stories of going to Japan with George Harrison and why George called Lee "Wanker" in his signed tour book - a story he's never shared before! Listen to Lee talk about working with Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Paul Rodgerts for the ARMS concerts. Feel the emotion when you hear him get choked up talking about the late great Ronnie Lane or doing concerts for sick children. Do you want to know about Live Aid? The Crossroads Festivals? Playing the White House with Lenny Kravitz? Working on the Rush soundtrack? Just listen up, you'll hear about all of that and more on this deliciously classic episode!
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We conjured up First Concert Memories, our monthly sidecast to talk about the first time our guests saw a particular band, to share some passion about the rock n roll we all love. And Stephanie Myers is so passionate about Meat Loaf that she wears a necklace made of his guitar string. Host of the Songfacts Podcast and co-host of Stephanie & Stephanie Talk Tunes Podcast, she is a vivid storyteller and a Meat Loaf Superfan who's seen him live 13 times! As The Wolf & Action Jackson are not Meat Loaf know-it-alls, it was so much fun to have a few laughs with Stephanie and learn from her deep well of knowledge on her favorite artist.
Stephanie reveals how she got into Meat Loaf as a 12 year old as Bat Out Of Hell II was all over the radio, MTV, VH1 and radios all over the world. We'll get into the theatrics of the show and the special song he sang that night in Houston on August 3, 1994. But we'll also hear from Stephanie about how she had to cajole and bargain with her parents over many months to make her dream of seeing Meat Loaf live come true. We share some laughs and stories with Stephanie on a fun episode of First Concert Memories!
Visit Stephanie at https://linktr.ee/Stephaniestalktunes
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KISS is one of the most legendary bands in the history of rock n roll. From their iconic makeup to their bombastic stage shows to the marketing and licensing of every product under the sun, KISS has been a part of popular culture for half a century. The self-titled debut album, KISS, didn't grab everyone's attention out of the gate, however. While they had some killer riffs supplied by original guitarist Ace Frehley, some funky bass from Gene Simmons, swinging drumming from Peter Criss and superstar vocals from Paul Stanley, the band were still forming their sound and identity.
In fact, the sales of the album were so slow that Casablanca Records chief Neil Bogart cajoled the band into recording a 50s cover, Kissin Time, which he thought would help boost sales as a single. Even though Kissin Time was added to every copy of KISS after the first 100,000 or so, it didn't help generate more sales. But their reputation as a great live band had KISS winning fans around the nation. And while KISS wouldn't capture that live sound until ALIVE! a couple of years later, this album has some great tracks which are still KISS classics today like Deuce, Strutter, Cold Gin and Black Diamond. We give it our usual track x track evaluation and throw in lots of KISS tidbits.
As a special bonus, we have included a clip from Space Ace himself, Ace Frehley. As Ace recently spoke with Paul Stephenson of VRP Rocks (a good friend of Ugly American Werewolf in London), Paul asked Ace a question from The Wolf about the timing of his new solo release 10,000 Volts and how it's coming out almost 50 years to the day from the release of KISS. Ace may not answer the question we asked but it's amazing that Paul asked if for us and the audio is included somewhere in the episode - you'll have to listen to hear from Ace!!
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On UAWIL, we regularly talk about albums and bands that are big on one side of the Atlantic but for some reason never have great success on the other side of the pond. One glaring example is Simple Minds who have dozens of hits and many gold & platinum albums in the UK, Europe and around the world but never had huge success in the US. Most US fans know Don't You Forget About Me from The Breakfast Club soundtrack as it went to #1 in the US in early 1985. But because that song wasn't on a Simple Minds album until the 90s and because prior to that they received little to no airplay in the US, many fans see them as a one hit wonder and don't realize the extraordinary career Simple Minds have had with over 60 million records sold worldwide.
As it turns 40 on February 6, 1984, Sparkle in the Rain was a bit of a transition from the techno pop band of New Gold Dream 81/82/83/84 to a band that were going places. Simple MInds were playing bigger venues, becoming friendly (and competitive) with U2 and wanted to make a bigger sound. They enlisted Steve Lillywhite (after he produced U2's War) to lead them to more radio-friendly, stadium enhancing tunes. In the end, it's a bit of a mixed bag with takes on fame (Up On The Catwalk), war (East at Easter), rebellion (The Kick Inside of Me) and UK chart climbers like Waterfront and Speed Your Love to Me. Vocalist Jim Kerr delivers an amazing performance but sometimes the lyrics are a bit opaque. Charlie Burchill is a brilliant guitarist but you can't always make out what he's doing as Mick MacNeil's keyboards play a prominent role. The addition of Mel Gaynor from London gave them a big boost and the album hit #1 in New Zealand and the UK where it went platinum. But still, the US had limited knowledge of the band until the Breakfast Club hit a year later. So we go track x track to try to understand why the US didn't pick up on this one and if that had something to do with why they never became huge there like they did in Europe.
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The Pretenders broke out of London in 1979 and enjoyed success on both sides of the pond with hits like Brass in Pocket, Talk of the Town and Message of Love. But in 1982 the band were embroiled with problems from guitarist James Honeyman-Scott's deadly overdose to the sacking of bassist Pete Farndon due to drug use to Chrissie's pregnancy with Ray Davies and the dissolution of their relationship. However, Chrissie Hynde (songwriter, lead singer, guitarist) and Martin Chambers (drummer) forged ahead to somehow make what might be their best album in 1984's Learning to Crawl.
In 1982, with the help of some pros, they released the single Back on the Chain Gang, a worldwide hit, backed with My City Was Gone which was a radio favorite in the US. After taking some time off to have daughter Natalie Rae Hynde, Chrissie led Chambers, guitarist Robbie McIntosh and bassist Malcolm Foster into the studio to record an album that would go platinum in the US and gold in the UK. From the heartfelt Show Me, to the soulful The Thin Line Between Love And Hate, to the country Thumbelina and the holiday classic 2000 Miles, this album really showcases how Chrissie's talent allows them to explore many genres. Released January 13, 1984, we celebrate Learning to Crawl by The Pretenders as it turns 40!
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After rushing through their 5th album Diver Down, Van Halen wanted to return with an original album that would establish them as the preeminent hard rock band in the USA. Eddie Van Halen had completed his home 5150 studio which would allow him to develop ideas and work out the synthesizer sounds that he was experimenting with but which had also been shot down by lead singer David Lee Roth and producer Ted Templeman. But Eddie was ready to mix his guitar heroics with the new age sounds that were popular at the time. By mixing Eddie's musicianship with Dave's showmanship and throwing in some MTV, Van Halen became the biggest band in the world!
The videos for Jump, Panama and Hot For Teacher were all over MTV that summer and even won them some video awards. But trouble was brewing in the Van Halen camp as not everyone was on the same page. Despite it reaching the highest chart position ever for the band at that time (#2 US) and eventually going on to be a diamond seller (10 million+), Dave would leave the band at the end of the year. But for two 10 year old boys from the suburbs, the magic of 1984 still lives to this day! We go track by track as we celebrate its 40th anniversary!
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On our 6th edition of our monthly sidecast, First Concert Memories, we welcome our friend Markus "The Darkus" Goldman from 93.3 WMMR in Philadelphia and The Imbalanced History of Rock n Roll Podcast to talk about an epic night in the history of rock music. On June 5, 1983, an up and coming back from Ireland had decided to film their concert at the Red Rock Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado just north of Denver. However, heavy rains and storms were expected and members of the management and crew didn't think it was a good idea for that day. Many ticket holders were convinced to stay home and the band had to go on the radio to implore folks to come to the show. The show was delayed and opening act The Alarm didn't even play due to the weather. But in the end, the show went on, it was filmed and it changed the fortunes of the band for for millions of members of the MTV generation.
Yes, it was U2 that played that night, recording the entire show that would eventually end up on MTV Saturday nights and form part of the live album Under A Blood Red Sky. But the video for Sunday Bloody Sunday would get into heavy rotation on MTV, showing Bono waving a white flag with bonfires atop the natural mountain formation. It made for an otherworldly scene that helped propel U2 to superstar status in the US and set them up to become legends. Hear Markus talk about braving the elements, having security keep him from being crushed against the barrier, his favorite moments and many remarkable memories of a teenager seeing U2 in that incredible setting.
Listen to Markus on https://imbalancedhistory.com/Ugly American Werewolf in London Website
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Following up on last week's 2023 in Review Part 1: Albums, Authors & Podcasters, now we're focused on the concerts that we covered on the show (and the ones we didn't), the artists & legends we interviewed and reveal our Top 10 Ugly American Werewolf in London episodes of 2023.
Thought The Wolf had to leave Amsterdam for his homeland early in 2023, he didn't sell all the concert tickets he bought. He made a trip back in April to see Metallica on the first 2 nights of their No Repeat Weekend Tour. And The Wolf met up in Amsterdam with Action Jackson over the summer to take him to his first ever Iron Maiden concert. It was so great they went to see the boys again in Antwerp and then enjoyed some unexpected encounters at the hotel. Plus our host took The Wolfcub to see KISS one last time.
We love talking with the talented musicians who make the rock music we love and we were honored to host an array of great guests from up and coming artists like Jimmy Maddon to legends like Terry Reid and Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds. Talking to Steve Kilbey of The Church was a treat and getting to know rockers in their prime like Scott Holiday of Rival Sons and Oliver Wakeman who we'll be seeing for years to come
And stay tuned as we unveil our Top 10 episodes (by download) for 2023. It was a great year for The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast and we thank everyone for listening. Here's looking forward to a killer 2024!
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