The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast

• UAWIL #230: Sting - Dream of the Blue Turtles

  As long time listeners of the show know, The Wolf and Action Jackson were and remain huge fans of The Police. When they were 10, Synchronicity and Every Breath You Take ruled the albums and singles charts while being broadcast hourly on MTV. We'd thought we'd found the rock band we'd grow up with. However, lead singer and songwriter Sting had other plans. He'd grown tired to the infighting with Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland and wanted to take his songwriting and good looks solo. Dream of the Blue Turtles was Sting's first solo album making its debut June 17, 1985 and offered a more mature and jazzy approach to his songwriting. Enlisting the help of veterans like Darryl Jones (bass), Omar Hakim (drums), Kenny Kirkland (keys) and Branford Marsalis (horns), Sting created a more dynamic soundscape than he could have in The Police and took a big step towards being recognized as one of the premier songwriters of his generation. The first single, Feel Free To Set Them Free, set a groove and took advantage of new video technology for use on MTV. He revisited his ska/reggae roots on Love Is The Seventh Wave and offered a prayer of hope in the worry of the Cold War with Russians. However, Fortress Around Your Heart may be the best song he's ever written and it closes the album with style and substance. We may have wanted The Police to go on forever but Sting proved he could do so much more and this album went 3x platinum in the US with huge success around the world. Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Introducing the Zero To Travel Show

  Pantheon CEO Christian Swain invites you to check out the Zero To Travel Show. Learn how everyday folks are making the leap to a life of travel! We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

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• UAWIL #229: Robert Plant - Shaken N Stirred

  Listeners of our show know of our love for Led Zeppelin and their iconic lead singer, Robert Plant. Already this year we've devoted 2 shows to Physical Graffiti as it turned 50, a show on The Firm's debut album featuring Jimmy Page and one on the documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin which is now available on streaming services. And though we've reviewed several classic Zeppelin albums, we've also gone track x track on Unledded, Robert's reunion with Jimmy Page in 1994, and his first two solo efforts. Based on the strength of Pictures at 11 and The Principle of Moments and the fact that Robert was working with the same bandmates, we thought it only right that we review his 3rd solo effort, Shaken N Stirred. However, Shaken N Stirred found Robert yearning for a more modern and synthesized sound which is not only different from his first two solo albums but not in the wheelhouse of his talented bandmates. In an effort to sound more like Talking Heads, Robert embraced the latest technology and styles of the day. The result is not only a departure from his signature sound but a miss in making a record that would sound good in 1985, nevermind 40 years later. While Little By Little was a hit in the US (#1 Mainstream Rock), the rest of the record is a mish mash of sounds that don't necessarily make listenable songs. The listening public in the US revolted against the 2nd single Too Loud and rock fans in Chicago demanded that they "Get that sh*t off the air!" While we admire artists for going in new directions and not wanting to be stuck by what the public deems as "their sound", this album didn't win Robert any new fans and alienated many that he already had. With that in mind, we did our best to pick out what we did like and tried to understand what Robert was attempting to do. Amidst the backdrop of his marriage ending and his unsure footing in the music world post Led Zeppelin, this one stands out in his catalog as one maybe he wishes he could do over (or at least we wish he would). Robert would continue to reinvent himself throughout his career with some amazing results. But as this misstep turns 40, we dive into what went wrong. Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• UAWIL #228: Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms

  While Dire Straits were a solid band that had radio hits since their first album was released in 1978, there was nothing to portend the outrageous fortune they would find in 1985 with Brothers in Arms. Their previous album, Love Over Gold, failed to go platinum in the US or produce any big radio hits. Twisting By The Pool from their 1983 EP was catchy but also kitschy and made some wonder if they were trying to parody the oldies instead of creating an homage. While the live album Alchemy was fantastic, it was not a huge seller. Lead singer, lead guitarist and songwriter Mark Knopfler had success in the studio with Steely Dan and Bob Dylan, produced some great movie soundtracks and wrote songs for others like Private Dancer for Tina Turner. But he hadn't made a Dire Straits album that captured the public's imagination. Until they made Brothers In Arms in 1985.... Mark brought in a young keyboard player named Guy Fletcher to give his songs more texture and eventually brought in legendary session drummer Omar Hakim to lay down all the drum parts. The result was an album that hit #1 around the world selling more than 4.5 million in the UK, 9 million in the US and 30 million around the world. The single Money For Nothing topped the charts around the world and featured Sting singing the famous line I Want My MTV. Of course at the time MTV played videos by artists who wrote music and played instruments and between Sting's catchphrase and the cutting edge (at the time) computer animation, it went into heavy rotation and would be heralded as one of the greatest videos for years. But the sound was so crisp on this album it was used to sell CD players in stores and was the first record to sell more on CD than on LP, thanks in large part to recording on digital tape and Knopfler's never ending search for quality sound. Songs like Your Latest Trick and Why Worry may be mellow but you can hear every note. Walk Of Life was fun, upbeat track that featured 2 different videos for the US and UK markets. And while the second side of the album might not have featured the big hits as the first side, Knopfler's lyrics take on more serious notions like war, life and death. the final and title track brought up visions of pain from the Falklands War that had affected so many in the UK and Argentina and is seen as a respectful tribute to those who fought (and often played at military funerals0. You can't tell the story of MTV, the 1980s or Dire Straits without this album and we dug in for an in-depth conversation about its impact at the time and how it sound today. Plus, we have a little audio from Guy Fletcher talking about Dolby Atmos mixes for the upcoming 40th anniversary edition which will include a concert from the Live in 85 tour. This was a big one and we treat it accordingly. Check out our new website: Ugly American Werewolf in London Website Twitter Threads Instagram YouTube LInkTree www.pantheonpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• UAWIL #227: Pete Townshend - Empty Glass

  By 1980, Pete Townshend was 34 or 35, regarded as a true legend of rock music and a revered songwriter. He was one of the true pied pipers of rock n roll. The only problem was, there was no such thing as a middle-aged rock star. In 1978, the death of Keith Moon hit him hard and put in the question the future of The Who. Punk music was railing against old bands like The Who and while Pete was with them in spirit, he realized that they may have had a point. Meanwhile, Pete was battling alcohol and heroin addictions while his marriage to his first wife was on the rocks. He was looking for spiritual fulfillment and yearning for peace of mind. But out of all that came Empty Glass, a marvelous album with vivid melodies, personal lyrics and Pete Townshend's heart on his sleeve. He dedicated the album to his wife, Karen, and some of the songs could be in her voice. Pete takes on the personality of different people to get his points of view across with lyrics that can be ambiguous but deeply personal. The opening track Rough Boys is seen by some as a coming out for Townshend but it's a rockin' way to kick off a record. The alltime great Let My Love Open The Door is an instant pick me up that outsold the platinum (in the US) Empty Glass several times over and remains a favorite for movie soundtracks aimed at the children of the 1980s. But songs like I Am An Animal and I Moved showcase Pete's softer side before the ranting Jools and Jim aimed at authors who dismissed Keith Moon's death as inevitable and even warranted. Keep On Working shows Pete trying to channel The Kinks and A Little Is Enough may have been a minor hit but Townshend regards it as one of the best songs he's ever written. The title track is a man desperate for his soul to be saved, an empty vessel looking for someone to fulfill him. Would he ever find that peace? Would any of us? It's a strong record with incredible melodies with killer musicians like Simon Phillips, Tony Levin and Pete himself arranging the songs into beautiful classics. This was a fun one to do and if you don't know the album, we think you're gonna like it. 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

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