How we spent last New Year's Eve: VHUS Classic Encore v.50!

Our tin-plated 50^th episode celebrating New Year's Eve, 2015!

What occurred?

• 25 pop culture icons we lost in 2015.
• New Years’ Resolutions from Hell.
• Uncle D.L.'s 8-Track Memory: That black comedian is crazy!
• Introducing: Audrey’s Private Little Acid Trip.   (R.I.P.)
• We should really stop letting listeners submit jokes to  The Devil.
• More crap-tastic cinema from Uncle’s Bad Movie Night Library.
• We revisit a legendary listener letter.

Plus more blacklight-powered progressive rock, listenable metal, caustic commentary and classic rock obscura!   JOIN US!

The Very Heavy Uncle Show: Volume 50

(Original Debut: December 31, 2015)

Riot -- Swords & Tequila   [Fire Down Under…Metal Blade]

Hidden Masters -- She Broke The Clock of the Long Now   [Of This And Other Worlds…Metal Blade]

Abigail's Ghost -- Silver   [Black Plastic Sun…Aesperus Music]

Lacuna Coil -- No Need To Explain   [Lacuna Coil (EP)…Century Media]

AC/DC -- Nervous Shakedown   [Flick Of The Switch…Epic]

Bigelf -- Alien Frequency   [Into The Maelstrom…Inside Out]

Comedy Of Errors -- My Grief Lies All Within   [Spirit…Comedy Of Errors]

Tarot -- Hell Knows   [Gravity Of Light…Nuclear Blast]

Motorhead -- Live To Win   [Ace Of Spades…Sanctuary]

The Haunted -- 1-2-5   [Nuggets II: Volume 1…Rhino]

Eloy -- Master Of Sensation   [Silent Cries And Mighty Echoes…EMI UK]

The Sword -- The Warp Riders   [Warp Riders…Kemado Records]

Atomic Rooster -- Death Walks Behind You   [Death Walks Behind You…Sanctuary-Castle]

Dead Heroes Club -- The Hunger   [Everything Is Connected…DHC Recordings]

Wucan -- Father Storm   [Sow The Wind…MIG Music]

Steve Martin -- The Cruel Shoes   [Comedy Is Not Pretty…Warner Bros.]

Mountain -- Nantucket Sleighride   [Nantucket Sleighride…Columbia/Legacy]

Witchfinder General -- Witchfinder General   [Death Penalty…Heavy Metal Records]

Werwolf -- Journey To The Land Of The Flying Pigs   [Creation…The Laser's Edge]

DOWNLOAD v.50 for Maximum Podcast Pleasure

VHUS Home Page @ Pod-O-Matic   (more episodes & cool links!)

UPCOMING PROGRAMME STUFF!!

Monday, January 2, 2017:

December rankings in our next-gen WORLD SERIES OF HEAVY LISTENERS  - HERE!!

Thursday, January 5, 2017:

Premiere of all-new VHUS v.65    (Our Third-Anniversary episode!)

Monday, January 9, 2017:

Part 4 of the VHUS "Something Borrowed" Album Art Gallery -  HERE!!!

Thursday, January 12, 2017:

VHUS Classic Encore v.48  (a flashback to early December, 2015)

iTunes users click to SUBSCRIBE here!

VHUS rss2.xml feed link HERE.

Follow Uncle D.L. on TWITTER!

Send A Letter To The Devil

Grip Of Delusion Radio on Tune-In    (VHUS Saturday Nights! 10PM ET / 3AM CET)

The VHUS "Something Borrowed" Art Gallery - Part 3

So... did everybody survive another Christmas without murdering a family member?   Well done!

Here's yet another round of overdue shout-outs of appreciation to the classic (and not-so-classic) album covers we have "borrowed" over the years to enhance "the look" of The Very Heavy Uncle Show.

Note: Do Not Adjust Your Set (or your medication).   You haven't actually seen some this artwork on the podcast pages yet... We display it here now because it's just easier for us to follow the volume numbers in order.

VHUS Classic Encore 48 won't actually hit the cycle until mid-January, 2017... but here's a sneak peak!   Italian proggers MAD CRAYON aren't the most prolific of bands (3 studio albums in 22 years) but each one is a treat.   We borrowed the cover of their 1994 debut ULTIMOMIRAGGIO to dress up Vol. 48.    Educated eyes will see tributes to several classic Italian prog rock albums of the 70's.

After the lackluster double-shot of "Mirrors" and "Cultosaurus Erectus", BLUE OYSTER CULT made a hugely successful return to form with 1981's FIRE OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN.   An odd-choice to adorn a Christmas-themed episode, in hindsight I should have decked the cult in red with white fur trim.   Well, maybe next year...

Another one you haven't seen yet - the re-skinned v.50 will make it's Classic Encore debut on Thursday the 29th, just in time for 2017!    NEKTAR'S  1973 REMEMBER THE FUTURE (easily their most recognized and successful album).   You might be asking yourself: Why no VHUS trademark purple here?   Good question.  Answer: Purple just didn't work here. The original speaks for itself.

You all know this one.  (BLACK SABBATH - HEAVEN AND HELL)   Our first stab at a wider spectrum of episode artwork.   Why no purple?   Just like NEKTAR - it just didn't work.   Well, why not just leave it alone?   That didn't work for us either.

DOWNLOAD our #1-ranked 2016 Xmas episode v.64 HERE!

VHUS Home Page @ Pod-O-Matic

UPCOMING PROGRAMME STUFF!!

Thursday, December 29:
Fresh-from-the-vault VHUS Classic Encore 
(Volume 50, Our 2015 New Year's Eve episode!)

Monday, January 2, 2017:
December rankings in our next-gen WORLD SERIES OF HEAVY LISTENERS  - HERE!!

Thursday, January 5, 2017:
Premiere of all-new VHUS v.65    (Our Third-Anniversary episode!)

Monday, January 9, 2017:
Part 4 of the VHUS "Something Borrowed" Album Art Gallery -  HERE!!!

Follow Uncle D.L. on TWITTER!

CONTACT US: Send A Letter To The Devil... or Uncle... or Creepo The Clown...

VHUS v.64: Simultaneously Naughty AND Nice! (but mostly naughty)

I have no idea who this breathtaking young lady is.   I found her in a Wallbase wallpaper dump (wearing a different colored outfit), and immediately fell in love with her.   Not our typical artwork for sure, but she absolutely puts Uncle in a festive mood.

Welcome to our 2016 sorta-kinda Christmas episode!   What's occurring?

• How to achieve victory in the Christmas-Light-Wars!
• The Devil WAS going to read your letters to Santa, but…
• Uncle D.L.'s Mondo Condo: 25 years of frozen lasagna!
• 3 more kid-tested, Uncle-approved must-have albums!
• Santa?   Satan?   One and the same?  Our in-depth report!
• Uncle’s Holiday Wish & Bitch list!

Plus more eggnog-flavored progressive rock, listenable metal, caustic comedy and classic rock obscura.  JOIN US!

DOWNLOAD v.64 for Maximum Podcast Pleasure 

VHUS Home Page @ Pod-O-Matic

Very Heavy Uncle Show – Volume 64
(Debut: December 22, 2016 )

Emerson, Lake & Palmer -- Paper Blood   [Black Moon…Victory Music]

Bad Dreams -- Samurai Of The Rising Sun   [Déjà Vu… http://www.baddreamsband.com]

Melilotus -- VIII Melilotus II   [Dama… https://melilotus2016.bandcamp.com]

Dark Sarah -- Little Men   [The Puzzle…Inner Wound Recordings]

The Skys – Dreams   [Journey Through The Skies… http://www.theskys.com]

Bad News -- Cashing In On Christmas   [Bad News…EMI UK]

Fish -- The Great Unraveling   [A Feast Of Consequences…Chocolate Frog Records]

Mystery -- Wall Street King   [Delusion Rain…Unicorn Digital]

Wucan -- Owl Eyes   [Sow The Wind…Mig-Music]

Bob Rivers – Aquaclaus   [White Trash Christmas…Atlantic Records]

Phantasma -- Incomplete/Deviant Hearts   [The Deviant Hearts…Napalm Records]

Second Relation – Eno   [Eno… https://www.facebook.com/secondrelation/]

Kowai -- Ice Cold Sun   [Dissonance… https://kowai.bandcamp.com]

The Three Bings -- We Three Bings   [Blame It On Christmas! …Schoolkids' Records]

Freedom To Glide -- Playing God   [Fall… https://freedomtoglide.bandcamp.com]

Submarine Silence -- Black Light Back   [Journey Through Mine…Mar.A.Cash Records]

Within Temptation – Frozen   [An Acoustic Night At The Theatre…Roadrunner Records]

Webb Wilder -- I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)   [Doo-Dad…Zoo Entertainment]

UPCOMING PROGRAMME STUFF!!

Monday, December 26:

Part 3 of the VHUS "Something Borrowed" Album Art Gallery -  HERE!!!

Thursday, December 29:

Fresh-from-the-vault VHUS Classic Encore 

(Volume 50, Our 2015 New Year's Eve episode!)

Monday, January 2, 2017:

December rankings in our next-gen WORLD SERIES OF HEAVY LISTENERS  - HERE!!

Thursday, January 5, 2017:

Premiere of all-new VHUS v.65    (Our Third-Anniversary episode!)

iTunes users click to SUBSCRIBE  here!

VHUS rss2.xml feed link HERE.

Follow Uncle D.L. on TWITTER!

Send A Letter To The Devil

Grip Of Delusion Radio on Tune-In   (VHUS Saturday Nights!  10PM ET / 3AM CET)

The VHUS "Something Borrowed" Art Gallery - Part 2

As promised in VHUS v.63, another round of long-overdue shout-outs of appreciation to the classic (and not-so-classic) album covers we have "borrowed" over the years to enhance "the look" of The Very Heavy Uncle Show.

From 1970, BLOODROCK 2, the album that gave us D.O.A.   I can't say this is my personal favorite album from the band, but it's probably their most consistent.   (Their debut LP runs a close second.)

One corner of the holy trinity of 80's neo-prog bands, the third album from IQ - THE WAKE (1985) still stands as one of progressive rock's finest efforts.   An interesting story about this artwork waits for you on Wiki.

Even the best prog artists from 1970's Italy managed only 2 or 3 albums of pure genius before vanishing.   QUELLA VECCHIA LOCANDA was no exception.    Their 2nd & last album IL TEMPO DELLA GIOIA (1974) added a splash of color to our VHUS 45 re-issue (I like my color scheme better).

In one way or another, every MARILLION album has been a concept album to various degrees.   1994's BRAVE took it to the next level - and spawned a FILM by director Richard Stanley.   This is mandatory Marillion.

Before they assaulted our ears with "Babe", STYX was a perfectly serviceable hard/progressive rock band.   1974's MAN OF MIRACLES is probably the best STYX album you've never heard.   (OK, that might be STYX II... but that's not the point here.)

DOWNLOAD v.49 for Maximum Podcast Pleasure

VHUS Home Page @ Pod-O-Matic

UPCOMING PROGRAMME STUFF!!

Thursday, December 22:
Premiere of all-new VHUS v.64 
(Our 2016 Xmas episode w/ EXTRA holiday depression!)

Monday, December 26:
Part 3 of the VHUS "Something Borrowed" Album Art Gallery -  HERE!!!

Thursday, December 29:
Fresh-from-the-vault VHUS Classic Encore 
(Volume 50, Our 2015 New Year's Eve episode!)

Monday, January 2, 2017:
December rankings in our next-gen WORLD SERIES OF HEAVY LISTENERS  - HERE!!

Thursday, January 5, 2017:
Premiere of all-new VHUS v.65    (Our Third-Anniversary episode!)

Follow Uncle D.L. on TWITTER!

Send A Letter To The Devil!

Ho, Ho, Hell! It's VHUS Xmas Encore v.49!!!

No donning of gay apparel here!!   
It's the return of our sorta-kinda 2015 Holiday Episode!  What’s occurring?    

• How not to buy an Xmas present  for your first boyfriend.
• 1976: When high school kids thought The Eagles were cool.
• It’s the final countdown!  (but without cheesy synthesizers)
• A stocking full of Devilishly BAD holiday jokes!
• Uncle’s freaky cult flicks for Xmas Eve TV binging!
• The gang writes pathetic letters to Santa!

Plus more lava-lamp-powered progressive rock, listenable metal, comedy and classic rock obscura.   JOIN US!

DOWNLOAD VHUS v.49 for Maximum Podcast Festivity!

VHUS Home Page @ Pod-O-Matic

Very Heavy Uncle Show - Volume 49

(Original Debut: December 17, 2015)

SPYS -- Don't Run My Life   [SPYS…Rock Candy]

Lonely Robot -- God Vs. Man   [Please Come Home…Inside Out]

Vly -- Out Of The Maze   [I / [Time]…The Laser's Edge]

Phantasma -- Miserable Me   [The Deviant Hearts…Napalm]

Barock Project -- Roadkill   [Skyline…Artalia]

Black Star Riders -- Bloodshot   [All Hell Breaks Loose…Nuclear Blast]

Arabs In Aspic -- Let U.S. Pray   [Pictures In A Dream…Black Widow]

Monty Python -- Nudge Nudge   [Live At The Hollywood Bowl…Virgin]

Lucifer -- Purple Pyramid   [Lucifer I…Rise Above]

Gran Torino -- End Of A Planet   [Fate Of A Thousand Worlds…Musea]

Il Cerchio D'oro -- Il Mio Nome E’ Dedalo   [Dedalo e Icaro…Black Widow]

Neo Prophet -- Nemesis   [T.I.M.E….Freia Music]

Avatarium -- Ghostlight   [Girl With The Raven Mask…Metalville]

Bornidol -- War   [Bornidol 2…Bornidol]

Atomic Rooster -- Tomorrow Night   [Death Walks Behind You…Castle UK]

Royal Thunder -- Forgive Me, Karma   [Crooked Doors…Relapse]

Harvest -- Roundabout   [Chasing Time…RedPhone Records]

Legend -- Holly King   [Triple Aspect…Pagan Media]

UPCOMING PROGRAMMES, ETC.

Monday, December 19:
Part 2 of the VHUS "Something Borrowed" Album Art Gallery -  HERE!!!

Thursday, December 22:
Premiere of all-new VHUS v.64
(Our 2016 Xmas episode, featuring YOUR letters to Santa!)

KIDS!! If you want us the read YOUR letters to the bearded Christmas demon during v.64 - we need them by Tuesday, Dec. 20th!!  (e-mail submissions only!)

Thursday, December 29:
Fresh-from-the-vault VHUS Classic Encore
(Volume 50, Our 2015 New Year's Eve episode!)

Monday, January 2, 2017:

December rankings in our next-gen WORLD SERIES OF HEAVY LISTENERS  - HERE!!

iTunes users click to SUBSCRIBE here!

VHUS rss2.xml feed link HERE. 

Follow Uncle D.L. on TWITTER!

Letters To Santa, The Devil, Uncle, Heather-the-new-liner-girl...

Grip Of Delusion Radio on Tune-In  (VHUS Saturday Nights! 10PM ET / 3AM CET)

The VHUS "Something Borrowed" Art Gallery - Part 1

As promised in VHUS v.63, we are making a start on giving long overdue shout-outs of appreciation to the classic (and not-so-classic) album covers we have "borrowed" over the years to enhance "the look" of The Very Heavy Uncle Show.

It looked a bit different in the very early episodes, but for most VHUS listeners, our unofficial logo is in fact the face of David Byron from URIAH HEEP proto-prog classic debut album  VERY EAVY, VERY UMBLE

A blast from the past: The artwork for our VERY FIRST EPISODE!
(January 14th, 2014)

I've always loved the cover of BLACK SABBATH Vol.4, especially since I received the album as a Christmas present from my MOTHER way back in 1972.  Mom always indulged my interest in the rock of the day, and for that I will be eternally grateful.

As we all know, The Sabs didn't always get it right.   10 years later, Ian Gillan was behind the mic, and most people decided it was best to sweep BORN AGAIN under the rug.   I hated this one in 1983.   Today I don't mind it so much - and I always liked the cover (except for the blue background).

Trivia: A lot of classic rock fans think GRAND FUNK was GFR's debut album.   Nope.   Grand Funk Railroad's ON TIME was their very first studio album.   Sophomore GRAND FUNK followed a scant 4 months later.

VHUS 42 was originally issued wearing a yellow-green variant of the Black Sabbath Vol.4 artwork (Sept 3rd, 2015).  When it came time to reissue 42 as a Classic Encore, I felt a new coat of paint was in order - by way of DEEP PURPLE's groundbreaking DEEP PURPLE IN ROCK. 

We have plenty more of these to cover.   Cover!!!  Ha!
Stay tuned!   (You know what I mean.)









DOWNLOAD v.63 for Maximum Podcast Pleasure

VHUS Home Page @ Pod-O-Matic

Follow Uncle D.L. on TWITTER!

Send A Letter To Santa Claus  

(We'll be reading those during Volume 64 - Deadline is Tuesday, December 20th!)

UPCOMING PROGRAMMES, ETC.:

Thursday, December 15:
Fresh-from-the-vault VHUS Classic Encore
(Volume 49, Our 2015 Xmas episode!)

Thursday, December 22:
Premiere of all-new VHUS v.64
(Our 2016 Xmas episode, featuring YOUR letters to Santa!)

Thursday, December 29:
Fresh-from-the-vault VHUS Classic Encore
(Volume 50, Our 2015 New Year's Eve episode!)