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The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast
The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast
Author: Mac B.
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The Ugly American Werewolf in London is a weekly podcast about classic rock, hard rock, progressive rock, heavy metal, early MTV, 80s music, UK vs. US chart success and all things rock! Hosted by The Wolf and Action Jackson, who interview rock legends, review classic albums and concerts of their favorite classic rock bands each week. Once a month, they welcome musicians, writers and fans to First Concert Memories to tell about one particular night where a live concert changed their life. Action & The Wolf have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge of rock music and its history - tune in to hear what they're passionate about! Proud part of Pantheon Podcasts!
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The Ugly American Werewolf in London is a weekly podcast about classic rock, hard rock, progressive rock, heavy metal, early MTV, 80s music, UK vs. US chart success and all things rock! Hosted by The Wolf and Action Jackson, who interview rock legends, review classic albums and concerts of their favorite classic rock bands each week. Once a month, they welcome musicians, writers and fans to First Concert Memories to tell about one particular night where a live concert changed their life. Action & The Wolf have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge of rock music and its history.
Catch interviews from members of amazing bands like The Police, Yes, Pink Floyd, The Yardbirds, Dire Straits, Simple Minds, Spandeau Ballet, AC/DC, Genesis & more. Tune in to hear what they're passionate about!
Proud members of Pantheon Podcasts!
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In 1986 we lived in a divided country. People who were once good friends now found themselves on opposite sides of one of the most charged debates in the history of mankind. You had to choose - Van Halen or Van Hagar?!?!
After their diamond seller 1984 ruled the world that summer, charismatic frontman David Lee Roth was looking at other opportunities. In 1985 he released his covers EP, Crazy from the Heat, fans hoped that it was just a side project. But once the boys announced that Sammy Hagar, former solo artist and frontman of Montrose, had joined the band for their March, 1986 album 5150.
Recorded in Eddie's 5150 Studio, their first without producer Ted Templeman, the album ushered in a new era for the band. Sammy brought a broader perspective to their lyrics and Eddie wrote on both his guitar and keyboards. To some, they feared their guitar god was going soft and playing with his synths too much. And big hits like Love Walks' In, Why Can't This Be Love and Dreams all features keyboards but Eddie still delivers plenty of Eddie Van Halen magic.
Inextricably tied by most Van Halen fans to the Live Without A Net home video, the boys reminisced about why they didn't get into it immediately but eventually came to appreciate the album thanks to the VHS.
Is this the best of all the Sammy records? Is it in the Top 5 Van Halen albums? Higher?
Tell us what you think!
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Here’s a clip of our interview with legendary drummer/composer Stewart Copeland of The Police.
Hear the whole interview with Stewart about playing the Paralympics, his Police Deranged for Orchestra tour and speaking series here: Stewart Copeland Interview
Keep up with Stewart at stewartcopeland.net
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Stewart Copeland is so much more than the drummer from The Police. Over the decades he's been in numerous bands, scored films and tv series, written operas, performed with orchestras and engaged folks on his speaking tours. He's lived around the world and toured it as well, while being part of some of the most memorable songs and videos in the early MTV era. As The Wolf and Action Jackson are (grown?) children of the MTV generation, we fulfilled our lifelong dream of speaking with the gregarious American member of our first favorite rock band.
Stewart's articulate and energetic personality shines as he talks about his opportunity to play the opening ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in Italy. He regales with stories of when Andy entered the picture and made his life easier while Summers presence meant Sting finally had someone to give his songs the proper harmonies he'd been looking for. Though we loved those Godley & Creme videos from Synchronicity, he said all three of them were completely miserable during the whole experience.
But he also talks about finding his love for making music again by working with Francis Ford Coppola while creating movie scores. The long prep with orchestras to perform Police - Deranged for Orchestra shows that he still has a great work ethic (and we look forward to reviewing that performance soon) and he loves the laughs he gets from his Have I Said Too Much speaking tours.
His unbridled passion and enthusiasm are evident throughout the interview which two lifelong fans hope you enjoy as much as we did.
Keep up with Stewart at stewartcopeland.net
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When we first interviewed Metal Blade Records CEO/Founder Brian Slagel, one of the true godfathers of heavy metal, he told us about his first ever concert - KISS on the Alive! Tour in 1976. Talk about a high bar to live up to for rock n roll live production!?! Who would he find that can deliver such a live performance?
The answer is Iron Maiden, the heavy metal pioneers that Brian has witnessed live over 300x, who incorporate all kinds of props, blistering playing, lights, pyro and even an enormous mascot, Eddie. Brian takes us back to 1981 as Maiden were opening for Judas Priest. Brian tells us how he sold the album Killers in his record store to help promote the band he loved and sought out every album and single from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal he could get his hands on. So he jumped on a plane to Houston to see his favorite band.
Hear how Brian was thwarted by Texas cops as he attempted to headbang, how his buddy gave him a ride to interview Steve Harris at the hotel after the show and the power of Maiden during the early years. Brian also talks about how Paul Di'Anno dropped a bomb on him ahead of a show in Long Beach as he interviewed him for his fanzine, The New Heavy Metal Revue.
It was our pleasure to spend time with one of the true pioneers of metal, especially in the US, and hear how his first Maiden show ranks against the 300+ concerts he's seen with the boys over 45 years.
Learn more about Brian and his podcast 100 Songs That Define Heavy Metal at www.metalblade.com/us
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Jay Schellen has been with Yes for almost a decade though he didn't become the full-time drummer until the passing of Alan White after 50 years in the band in 2022. As Yes are taking their Fragile Tour to the UK this April (and we covered the tour on episode 263, beware of setlist spoilers), we sat down with Jay to learn more about his long career, journey to Yes and the band's future.
Jay grew up in New Mexico and developed an early love of music and drumming. At a young age he moved to LA and immediately connected with Yes alum Tony Kaye who became a mentor, brother and friend to Jay. From there he worked with many bands and artists like Peter Banks (Yes), Billy Sherwood (Circa, Yes) and Geoff Downes (Buggles, Asia, Yes). Once he made his way into the orbit of Yes, it was a no brainer for him to fill in when Alan White was unavailable, to share the stage with Alan and eventually be hand-picked as his successor.
We talk about Jay's amazing career, the fun of playing Fragile in its entirety, their upcoming tour of the UK & Europe this spring, new music coming from Yes this year and a return to Japan and the US. Visit yesworld.com for tickets and updates on Jay and Yes.
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By 1986, Metallica's assault on the music establishment and eardrums was in full force. Their previous album, Ride The Lightning, had caught the attention of Elektra Records who signed them to an 8 record deal. Though they refused to make videos, weren't on MTV and didn't really release singles, the band gained fans anywhere they played live and through an underground tape trading community. They were establishing thrash metal alongside Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax through constant touring and a relentless lifestyle.
The boys really upped their game on Master of Puppets through stronger vocals from James Hetfield, more punishing riffs and melodic (and sometimes spacey) bass from Cliff Burton. The opener Battery sets the tone for this very influential album before giving way to the 8+ minute title track. True to form, Metallica offered up an instrumental in Orion which was heavily influenced by the classical training of Cliff Burton. Songs about war (Disposable Heroes), fake evangelism (Leper Messiah), insanity Welcome Home (Sanitarium) make for one amazing heavy metal album, the likes of which the world hadn't seen.
We talk about the songs, what they mean in the Metallica catalog, their tour for the record with Ozzy and of course the tragedy in Sweden that took the life of Cliff Burton. From underground band to being featured on Stranger Things, the journey of Master of Puppets is one for the ages.
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By 1986, Ozzy Osbourne already had the reputation as the Mad Man of Metal. Since his departure from Black Sabbath, he'd created a whole new act that was very successful thanks to his wife and manager Sharon (Arden) Osbourne and the talented musicians she got to play & record with him. After a string of multi-platinum solo records in the US, you'd figure that Ozzy was on top of the world and ready to continue to dazzle audiences around the world. However, things weren't so rosey in Ozzy's den.
Sharon made him go to rehab and Betty Ford which may helped him slow down but didn't stop his use of drugs and alcohol. A reunion with Black Sabbath at Live Aid put his next solo writing sessions on hold and he end up losing his rhythm section, including long-time bassist Bob Daisley. Guitarist Jake E Lee who blew fans away with his performance on Bark at the Moon was upset about not receiving writing credits (or royalties) from that record and refused to proceed until his contract was worked out to his liking.
Despite all that, The Ultimate Sin is still a classic Ozzy album. From the title track to the finale in Shot in the Dark, there are amazing metal moments with brilliant guitar pyrotechics from Jake. The title track, Thank God for the Bomb and Killer of Giants all refer to the ongoing Cold War that kept people living in fear. LIghtning Strikes and Shot in the Dark received steady rotation on MTV and eventually The Ultimate Sin went double platinum. Unfortunately, Ozzy wasn't happy with the mix by producer Ron Nevison so this album is now out of print and Shot in the Dark is not included on any of Ozzy's greatest hits albums. While controversy and infighting may have followed Ozzy around, his status as a bonafide Metal God is never in question on this album and we think Jake E Lee deserves more credit as a guitarist and songwriter than he receives. Nevertheless, The Ultimate Sin may not be his best solo record but we count it among his classics of the 1980s.
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Jay Buchanan’s first solo album since joining Rival Sons, Weapons of Beauty, is now available!
We spoke to Jay about writing the record in the desert, how he conjured up these incredibly personal stories and being a part of Ozzy’s last performance in Birmingham in July, 2025.
Hear our entire conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Lsy6jb7a8IndqQbD3J0Im?si=LPUHAasCR9aOxtLQ76doLA
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During The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Tour, Peter Gabriel informed his Genesis bandmates that he would be leaving once his touring duties were fulfilled. While this was disappointing to the band, some members of the press heralded it as the end of Genesis. However, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Steve Hackett could all contribute to the songwriting as could their wily drummer, Phil Collins. So the band forged ahead and began and exhaustive search for lead singers.
To make a long story short, they figured out that Phil had the kind of voice they were looking for and decided it best if he came out from behind the drum kit to be the lead singer. While sometimes replacing the lead singer can cause a revolt of hardcare fans, it actually opened up the band for greater success in the US as they found his funny, entertaining style more fun than the serious, artsy Gabriel. Their first post-Gabriel effort was A Trick of the Tail, a gathering of 8 eclectic songs that hold them to their progressive roots but also branch out into more radio friendly material.
The opener Dance on a Volcano let's Hackett and Banks bounce off each other in bombastic proggy fashion while the follow up Entangled is a more lilting back and forth. And it adds a bit of humor as does Robbery, Assault and Battery which lets Collins adjust his accent for different characters. Ripples is a lovely song that would portend more like it in the coming years and Los Endos is a great way to end the album (and a concert).
Of course we talk about all the politics, go track x track and discuss how this album started them on a more pop path, one that would end up with them on top of the rock /pop world 10 years later.
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The Wolf & Action Jackson were so pleased that Oliver Wakeman agreed to come on First Concert Memories to talk about the first time he saw his father Rick, Rock N Roll Hall of Famer and longtime keyboardist in Yes, on a large arena stage. Though he'd seen Rick play with his solo band many times at theaters as he grew up, he never saw Rick in Yes until the Union Tour in 1991. So when Jon Anderson became disillusioned with the pop leanings of Yes in the late 1980s, he gathered former Yes bandmates Steve Howe, Bill Bruford and his pal Rick Wakeman to form their own version of Yes.
Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman & Howe not only would release a self-titled album with lead single Brother of Mine in 1988, but would embark on an arena tour billed as An Evening of Yes Music Plus. Oliver and his brother were invited to America to join their father for a week and see 5-6 ABWH shows at the end of the summer of 1988. Oliver shares stories of seeing his dad on the big stage with the other legends of Yes and learning firsthand just how big a star Rick was (and is today).
From there we deviate to how a mixing session for the ABWH single I'm Alive actually lead to his eventual tenure in Yes from 2008-2011. Oliver shares how he got up to speed on all the tunes, eventually recording an album with Yes and fun memories from the road.
He has a 20th anniversary re-release of his 7th solo album Mother's Ruin coming out March 13, 2026 (click his website below to order) and is embarking on his first tour with Rick in the US in March also. And he'll be touring with his band in the UK in April and November to visit From A Page, his album with Yes.
We find Oliver's articulate musings and respect for the fans refreshing and we encourage you to see him live in the US, UK or Europe this year if possible!
Order Oliver's album Mother's Ruin and learn about his 2026 tour dates at www.oliverwakeman.co.uk
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After their debut album, The Firm, hit gold in the US in 1985, fans figured that Jimmy Page and Paul Rodgers would tour to support it and not only play songs off the album but also include hits from their back catalogs. While expecting reworked Led Zeppelin and Bad Company songs, they instead got songs from Paul Rodgers 1983 solo album Cut Loose and Jimmy's Death Wish II soundtrack. Then, Jimmy's performance with his old LZ bandmates at Live Aid was considered an outright disaster. Everyone figured the 2nd Firm album would be Jimmy finally putting on his old Guitar God robes and delivering what they'd been waiting for.
Unfortunately, Mean Business never really lived up to the fans expectations and though there were a few flashes, the guitar heroics were missing. Despite the extraordinary work of bassist Tony Franklin, whose writing contribution Dreaming is a standout on the album, it was as if Jimmy was just going through the motions. Though Paul's voice is as strong and rich as ever, most of the lyrics weren't very deep or super relatable. The steady hand of UAWIL guest Chris Slade on the drums gave everyone the space to do what they wanted but for Jimmy, it wasn't inspiring. You saw glimpses in the solo on Live in Peace and on a couple of others but if you were waiting for Jimmy to cut loose, well it never really happened.
There are highlights like All The Kings Horses which hit #1 on the US rock charts for 4 weeks in early 1986 and the closer Spirit of Love lets everyone do their thing. Fortune Hunter is rifftastic in getting the album going but there's a slow down around 3:30 that kills the momentum. Cadillac is so long and murky that it's almost unlistenable - why did they choose that as the second song?
Eventually, all involved went on to do other things as members of supergroups always do. It was an incredible lineup but they just couldn't capture the magic that fans were hoping for when they learned about The Firm.
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The Church are a bit of an enigma in the rock world. Though best known for their breakout 1988 song Under The Milky Way off of Starfish. Prior to that they'd had an unexpected Australian anthem in An Unguarded Moment. But they didn't want to be a pop band - they saw themselves as members of the new psychedelic movement. So the cover of Heyday (released in Australia late 1985 but in the US January 28, 1986) you can see the lads sporting some paisley shirts against a Persian Rug. But at that point, they'd already abandoned their psychedelic leanings for their own AOR stylings.
The album Heyday, produced by Peter Walsh (Simple Minds) provides some entrancing guitar work with lyrics from Steve Kilbey that go from seeing behind the curtain of fame (Disenchanted) to unending sadness (Tristesse) to vain plastic surgery junkies (Youth Worshipper). Peter Koppes and Marty Wilson-Piper offer intricate and jangling guitars which make for 120 Minutes gold on MTV and can even put you into a bit of a trance. Myrrh and Tantalized proved to be all time favorites of Church fans and are still part of the band's setlist to this day.
However, though songs like Columbus and Already Yesterday may have been enjoyed by fans of the band, they failed to crack the charts the way the record company had hoped. Still, the band were able to tour the US with Echo & The Bunnymen which helped them break down some doors and win some fans. Though they were dropped by their record companies after Heyday, this led to them being picked up by Arista, which led to Starfish and success in the US and around the world.
It may not be multi-platinum but Heyday would help define the sound of The Church, allowed them to write songs together and create a foundation that built towards greater success.
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Jay Buchanan once led his own band before he became the lead singer of the grammy nominated, globe-trotting Rival Sons. So it was always assumed by everyone in the band that Jay would also release solo material while fronting the hard rockin' band. But becoming one of the biggest touring rock acts on the planet and recording 9 records doesn't leave much time for anything else. So Jay sequestered himself in the the Mojave Desert to conjure up the spirits that would allow him to delve deep into his own soul to find what he could mine out of it.
The result, Weapons of Beauty, is his first solo effort since joining Rival Sons and it provides a showcase for the power and sincerity of Jay's voice which can be out volumed in his band's usual form. Though some are melancholy and sparse, the songs look for truisms in life cutting to heart of what really matters. Lead single Caroline not only laments love lost but achingly tries to find what love really is. True Black not only is an upbeat change of pace but makes for great t-shirts - Paint My Casket True Black (available on weaponsofbeauty.com).
Jay talks about how a chance visit to see his parents caused him to set fire to early life keepsakes but made it possible to write Deep Swimming. His thoughtful and articulate descriptions of his own songs and the signposts that got him to this point uncover an easy going poet vs. the hard rocker he might be perceived as. The album is more country, folk, americana, even gospel compared to Rival Sons and is evidence of Jay's broad tastes and talents.
He shares stories of playing with Black Sabbath, getting ready to make a new Rival Sons record and getting out with the band and solo in 2026. Weapons of Beauty is out February 6th on vinyl, colored vinyl, CD, download and streaming.
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Styx had achieved great highs in the 1970s. Albums like The Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight and Cornerstone had all gone multi-platinum in the US thanks to hard riffs from James JY Young and Tommy Shaw and the heartfelt lyrics and vocals of Dennis DeYoung. But by 1980, tensions in the band lead to the dismissal of DeYoung for his insistence on his songs and concepts be at the forefront of the bands creative output. Chuck (bass) and John (drums) Panozzo had known Dennis since childhood and had played together for 20 years but they tried to carry on without him.
However, in the end they decided to invite him back and give way to his concept of viewing the US like an old theater. You had an auspicious start with lots of promise, you had a brilliant heyday, you've seen some tough times and now it's time to find out who you are. While Shaw's Too Much Time on My Hands relates to the plight of the struggling working man, the hopeful The Best of Times offers respite from the weariness with a lover. Big riffs on Rockin' the Paradise keep the hard rockers listening and Half-Penny, Two-Penny lets James Young showcase his meatier solos.
However, the second side of the album is a bit disjointed with the offputting Lonely People opening up and then a sappy She Cares. AD 1958 is a reprise to AD 1928 and the windout song State Street Sadie borrowing a bit of ragtime makes for big leaps between genres which require more than one listen. And controversy ensued when the Arkansas State Senate found satanic backward masking and issued labels on albums that did the same (including The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and more). That would spark DeYoung's next concept album Kilroy Was Here which ended up breaking the band.
We like Styx and this is the first album of theirs we've reviewed and it's possible we'd do another down the road. While the band will never be our favorite, we recognize the talent - we may just not always be on board with the concept.
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To kick off 2026 with a bang, we welcomed back music writer Amy Linden of Immaletyoufinish Podcast to share with all you lovely people her tale of seeing and interviewing Amy Winehouse right as she broke in the US. While Frank had been a sensation overseas, it was her new album Back To Black which would take her to dizzying heights of stardom and create an image of a hard-partying girl from North London. Amy Linden not only saw Amy Winehouse's first US performance at Joe's Pub in NYC but also interviewed her later that year and saw her subsequent NYC shows.
Amy has been in the business for decades and came on First Concert Memories last year to talk about seeing The Sex Pistols in their final show in San Francisco when she was new to the industry. As an industry insider, she relates the story of pitching the Village Voice to let her cover Amy's US debut. Linden sticks up for Winehouse as a troubled woman who just needed a hug despite her tough exterior. Hear about Winehouse singing with The Dap-Kings and her back up singers/dancers created an amazing show.
But you'll also hear how she saw signs in her interview that Amy was troubled and the shows she gave later in 2007 didn't live up to the promise of the early 2007 show at Joe's Pub. Amy Winehouse had the talent to be an enduring superstar but her lifestyle and health problems ensured that she would be known as a shooting star.
Great insights from Amy Linden - hear her on Immaletyoufinish Podcast
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To start our second look back on 2025, we want to thank everyone who listens to our show and interacts with us to share your love of rock music. We've entered our 6th year and want to show appreciation for all of you who choose to share your rock n roll journey with us. It inspires us to keep our curiosity alive and learn more about the music we love. So thank you all.
To wrap up the year we had to pay respects to the many rockers and legends we lost, including guest of the show Terry Reid. Superlungs is British Rock Royalty and we're sorry he's gone but glad we had the chance to thank him for the music. From Ace Frehley to Ozzy Osbourne and Brian Wilson to Sly Stone we lost too many this year and we took a moment to honor them.
Looking back on seeing Metallica from the owner's box in Nashville to Iron Maiden in Stockholm and legends like Yes, The Black Crowes and Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening stoked the fires of some fond memories. And our 3 episode series on Live Aid at 40 really stirred some nostalgia and gave us the chance to welcome original MTV VJ Alan Hunter to the show. And we had to thank our artists and legendary guests like Metal Blade Records CEO Brian Slagel, artist Hugh Syme, Stu Allen and Scarlet Rivera. 2025 was a great year and 2026 is looking great at The Wolf!!
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What a year 2025 has been! We want to take the opportunity to thank all of our loyal listeners and all the new ones who've found us this year. In a year of milestones we celebrated our 250th episode in September and then wrapped up our 5th year of the show in November. Our love of rock music is stronger than ever and we're so happy we get to share it with like-minded rock fans from around the globe. So thank you for all the support!
It has become tradition that we break down our year in review into 2 different shows: one on the albums, authors & podcasters we welcomed on the show and a second on the live concerts we reviewed and artists and legends we hosted. This first edition focuses on the 35 albums we celebrated, which ones we loved, we ones surprised us and which ones made us want to do another by that artist in 2026.
Then we walk through all the authors and podcasters who came on our show, usually on our monthly sidecast First Concert Memories. It's a great showcase for fans of rock music to share the stories that helped shape their rock n roll journey and relive some fond (and sometimes not so fond) memories. Next week is Part 2 on the live shows, artists and legends with a special in memoriam to pay tribute to the legends we lost in 2025.
Until then, enjoy 2025 Part 1 - The Albums, Authors & Podcasters!!
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The 1980s were an incredible time for pop and rock music. Thanks to technology and MTV, many genres enjoyed great success throughout the decade. But movies enjoyed quite a heyday as well with blockbusters that created huge stars and studios started to realize that catering to teens and young adults could help you gain viewers. But when music and movies were put together the right way, the outcome could have enormous impact on Generation X and create memories stronger than any made via music or movies alone.
So we're proud to offer our personal Top 10 1980s Movie Soundtracks based on our own preferences. Though the criteria might be a little vague, we generally picked out soundtracks that had an impact on us as rock fans and were from movies that were important in the culture. But we also chose soundtracks that were essential to the movie in telling the story and popped up in important scenes. Not all of the music will necessarily be rock but as that's what we love, it dominates our choices. And we made a long list of honorable mentions as some might have been big hits but we didn't like them for whatever reason. Or maybe we loved them as children but they didn't age well or we grew out of them. Nostalgia's a hell of a drug and that's what we felt compiling these lists and sharing them with YOU, the listener.
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Yes has been around for more than 55 years. They've made some of the world's best progressive rock music and even had some success on the pop charts. While The Wolf was living in London, he got to see Yes at Royal Albert Hall on the Close to the Edge 50 Tour which was a special night. It was there that he truly came to appreciate the talents of Jon Davison, the lead singer who is very close in age to your hosts. A friend of the late Taylor Hawkins, he does justice to classic Yes songs from throughout the catalog.
After that show, The Wolf wanted to make sure he never missed his heroes again as long as Davison was fronting the band. On October 27, the boys came to his town and not only did he attend but he brought The Wolfcub, an aspiring guitar player, to see Steve Howe do his thing live. And they both loved the show (and The Wolfcub was handed an official Steve Howe guitar string!).
They performed classics throughout the catalog and then after an intermission played Fragile in it's entirety straight-through, including big hits like Roundabout and Long Distance Runaround. But fan favorites like South Side of the Sky and Heart of the Sunrise really got the diehards on their feet! Steve Howe had his time in the sun on Mood for a Day and Geoff Downes had his spotlight doing the Rick Wakeman penned Cans and Brahms. Billy Sherwood showed why Chris Squire chose him to carry on his legacy, especially on The Fish and Jay Schellen kept them all in time.
For those who wouldn't go because not enough original or heyday members are still in the band, we understand your argument. But this version of Yes fronted by Jon Davison delivers solid shows doing classics you love and the big screen behind them featuring Roger Dean artwork coming to life makes for a killer night out with Yes.
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