The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast

Tormato is an album that only hardcore Yes fans seem to know about. Without huge hit singles and a non-Roger Dean cover that many people do not like (including famously some of the members of the band), their 1978 offering often flies under the radar. But thanks to Kevin Mulryne, co-host of The Yes Music Podcast and author of the book Yes - The Tormato Story you can learn the most extraordinary details that went into the making of this album.

From working with Hipgnosis on the cover, working at Advision studios to only move to RAC, the equipment the band used, the extra tracks that didn't make the album, to never before seen images from those sessions this book is a real treasure. Even rock fans who aren't that into Yes will be blown away by the detail Kevin has included through his extensive research from members of the band to their crew and all sorts of folks in the Yes orbit. Did you know they used a rotating stage on that tour? Did you know it went platinum in the US but you couldn't get it on CD until 1989? Though Don't Kill The Whale was a minor hit, the odd songs like Arriving UFO and Circus of Heaven make this one a bit different. And with rare epics like On The Silent Wings of Freedom, Onward or the baroque Madrigal, Tormato serves up some buried treasure which Kevin has helped to unearth. The book is a fantastic read and our conversation with Kevin was even more informative. Order his book Yes - The Tormato Story below:

YesMusicPodcast.com - Order Yes - The Tormato Story

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Terry Reid began performing and touring as a professional at 15 in the UK. As a teenager he opened for The Rolling Stones, Cream and Jethro Tull. He was offered the lead singer spot in Deep Purple from Ritchie Blackmore and introduced Robert Plant to Jimmy Page. He's worked and played with so many people over the years but he's been gigging out with George Kapitanelis and his New Jersey based Cosmic American Derelicts for 15 years. These two have a kinship beyond playing music together (ie a shared love of westerns) and we have a great conversation with them about their new album Bergenfield Blues.

Besides diving into some of the blues meets country with a bit of southern rock we liked on Bergenfield Blues, we got to hear some road stories from Terry and George. From playing Madison Square Garden to getting a call from John Lennon to sitting in the studio with George Michael, Terry giddily shares some fond memories from over half a century in the rock world.

TerryReid.com - See him at Ronnie Scott's June 20 in London

CosmicAmericanDerelicts.com

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When we heard an advance copy of Rival Sons new album Darkfighter, we were instant fans of the band and desperately wanted to speak to someone about this rocking new record. We were happily obliged by Founder/Guitarist/Songwriter Scott Holiday - Mr. Fuzzlord himself!! Scott joined us from the road in the US ahead of a schedule that will take Rival Sons to Europe, onto some huge festival stages and back to the US in the fall. Scott was generous with his time and spirit, talking about his influences, the equipment he uses to get that fuzzy sound, writing this album (and it's companion follow-up record LIghtbringer, listen to learn when we'll hear that) and opening for some of the biggest bands in the world like Black Sabbath, KISS, Aerosmith & more.

For you classic rock fans who don't know any bands if they didn't record before 1995, I guarantee you'll love this record. It's like they took everything from the 70s & 80s that we love, blended it together to make something new and it kicks @ss! Scott, who like us is a member of the MTV generation, even talked in-depth about the fun videos they made for their first three singles Nobody Wants To Die, Rapture & Bird In The Hand which portray the boys as a band of outlaws in Tarantino fashion. Every listen of this record unlocks something we didn't notice before and endears us to these guys style. Rock isn't dead as long as bands like Rival Sons are still out there making killer new music and playing it live. Listen to our fun conversation with Scott which could have gone on for hours and order Darkfighter, you won't be disappointed: https://rivalsons.lnk.to/darkfighter

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Ronnie James Dio was a legend in the heavy metal community. He first hit the road in the 50s but evolved into a metal god in the 70s with Elf and Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. That led to taking over the vocal duties in Black Sabbath on two epic albums in the early 80s, Heaven & Hell and Mob Rules. But Ronnie grew disillusioned with being a hired hand or replacement and decided to form his own band with Vinnie Appice from Sabbath, rock veteran Jimmy Bain and young hotshot Vivian Campbell (Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Def Leppard).

On May 25, 1983 they released their debut, Holy Diver, which is considered by fans and critics alike as a heavy metal masterpiece. With epic songs like Holy Diver, radio friendly hits like Rainbow in the Dark and a couple of odd early MTV videos, this album is legendary. Ronnie passed away in May of 2010 and we miss him, his talent and generosity towards his fans. So we look back at his legacy through 1983's Holy Diver track x track.

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April 29, 2023 in Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam saw the first 2nd night (if that makes sense) of Metallica's M72 World Tour - No Repeat Weekend where you get two totally different setlists and 2 different opening acts. On Episode 127 we talked about how the setlist was so killer, there was no way the 2nd night would be as good - but it was still awesome. We talked about how Kirk's sound was off Night 1 - but it was better on Night 2. We talked about our disappointment with the opening acts we saw on Night 1 - but were blown away by who we saw on Night 2 (I wasn't a huge Floor Jansen fan before I walked in there but I sure was when I walked out).

James, Lars, Kirk and Robert came back for more and delivered in a big way. Hear about the setlist highlights and which songs and spots I believe they'll be switching around as the tour progresses. How was Night 2 better than Night 1? How was it disappointing? We take you on the journey for my last few hours of my whirlwind 72 hour trek to Amsterdam to see Metallica!

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Metallica have always been trailblazers in the world of heavy metal and performance. Over the last 4+decades they have entertained audiences around the world and sit on the throne as The Kings of Metal. Though at this point in their career they could coast as a nostalgia act and just play the hits, they are not resting on their laurels. On the heels of the release of their 72 Seasons album, their 11th and finest in decades (in my opinion) they have embarked on the ambitious M72 World Tour - No Repeat Weekend. Over the next 2 years, Metallica will go to a city in Europe or North American for 2 nights and won't repeat the same song - that's over 4 hours of live music! They kicked off the tour in Amsterdam in Johan Cruyff Arena April 27 & 29 and The Wolf was there to see them both.

We started this podcast when The Wolf was an expat living in London, taking in all things to do with British rock history and culture. Then he moved to Amsterdam which has a robust concert schedule and when Metallica announced they'd be kicking off their world tour there, he was in! Despite the fact that he was forced to move back to the US this spring, he made a pilgrimage back to Amsterdam so he could share the first two nights of this extraordinary tour with his listeners. The setlist was phenomenal, the stage and production were fantastic and it was great to hear the new material blend so well with the classics. Subscribe below and don't miss Part 2 out next week!

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Men at Work hit the big time in 1983 thanks to some great tunes and quirky videos which were all over MTV. Their first album, 1981's Business As Usual, sold over 15 million copies thanks to hits like Who Can It Be Now? and Down Under. But thanks to disinterent from the record company, the band were slow to break in the US. Finally, after worldwide success outside of the US, the album was finally released and, thanks to the programmers on MTV, they skyrocketed to massive success earning a Grammy for best new artist and selling 6 million copies in the US alone.

Their follow up, Cargo, was supposed to come out in 1982 but as their songs from Business As Usual were still on the US chart, they delayed the release of Cargo until April 29, 1983. With songs written and sung by Colin Hay and fun videos featuring the band like Dt Heckyl & Mr. Jive, Overkill and It's A Mistake, Men at Work solidified their spot as global pop sensations. But it wasn't meant to last as this was the last album with the original lineup as Men at Work fatigue set in by 1984. We explore the songs, the videos, and the legacy of Colin and the boys after the breakup in this fun episode.

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In 1978, the US saw the debut of one of the greatest guitar heroes of all time, Eddie Van Halen, However, across the pond another guitar god was releasing his first record as well - Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. With his folksy songwriting, authentic vocal style and masterful, finger-picking guitar style, Dire Straits 1978 debut showed us what this little band from the north of England were made of.

Not as flashy as a Van Halen or maybe as intricate as a Steve Howe but every bit as passionate, Mark Knopfler established himself as one of the premier guitar players of his generation. Whether picking on his Fender Stratocaster or the steel acoustic Old National, Knopfler creates country, folk and rock soundscapes with inspired guitar work and a storytelling style that is very relatable.

You may not be able to hear this album and think that in 7 short years they'd have a worldwide success in Brothers in Arms but you can see the foundational talent that would allow them to grow into that kind of achievement. What kind of characters do you see walking around London? A drunken old sailor? A snobby watitess? A ten pence band with a million pound name? Knopfler's rich stories create images that transport you to another time and place yet allow you to relate to them on a very personal level.

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Van Halen were about the biggest hard rock band in the world around 1988. The headlined the Monsters of Rock Tour over Scorpions, Metallica, Dokken & Kingdom Come and had big hits with their 2nd album featuring Sammy Hagar, OU812. On the heels of 5150 which followed the departure of David Lee Roth, Van Halen seemed poised for bigger and better things. But OU812 sold about half of what 5150 sold in the US, even though OU812 is a little harder than its predecessor. Were they listening to critics who felt 5150 was too heavy on the synths? Were they worried Diamond Dave was getting more praise for his solo efforts?

For us personally, this album came at a time in our lives when we were discovering the first Van Halen album and all the heaviness and guitar mastery of their original release. Plus, we had fond memories of big MTV hits like Jump, Panama and Hot For Teacher from 1984 when we were just getting into music. So Van Halen had the street cred for heavy duty guitar rock but the pop stardom from MTV. Though we were excited to hear 5150 and love tracks like Mine All Mine and AFU (Naturally Wired) the big hits like When It's Love, Feels So Good and Finish What You Started aren't among our all time VH favorites. How do we rank it in the Pantheon of Van Halen records? Have a listen and find out!

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Marillion never got the memo that by 1983 you weren't supposed to do progressive rock the way Genesis, Yes, Camel and others did in the 1970s. Despite their debut coming during the New Wave era of MTV, Marillion established a style and sound that have sustained them for over 40 years even if it wasn't in vogue at the time. The knock on them in the US is that they sounded too much like Peter Gabriel era Genesis and the lyrics & vocals of lead singer Fish definitely resemble those of the 2 time Rock n Roll Hall of Famer. But the sound of Marillion is rich, in depth, dense and melodic with some brilliant musicianship.

Steve Rothery is an incredible guitarist who share the mid-range space very well with the equally brilliant Mark Kelly on keyboards. Pete Trewavas holds it all down with his bass and Mick Pointer keeps the beat on the drums to crank out some prog greatness. Most every song is around the 8 minute mark so you have to listen up to hear everything that's going on. Fish delivers poignant lyrics in songs about drug addiction (He Knows You Know) and war (Forgotten Sons) while taking a jab at the aristocracy (Garden Party) and having a bit of fun in the videos.

To help us better understand these UK artist is another UK artist, Jimmy Maddon. Jimmy combines straight ahead rock with prog and glam sensibilities and he's starting to make some headway here in the US. We asked him to help us uncover what makes Marillion so great, what makes their music English and why they haven't found the same kind of success in the US.

Please visit https://www.youtube.com/user/jimmymaddonofficial & follow https://www.facebook.com/jimmymaddon/ & https://twitter.com/jimmymaddon

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