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  • America’s Least Wanted by Ugly Kid Joe – The Complete Story | Riffology Ugly Kid Joe - Americas Least Wanted Album Cover

    America’s Least Wanted by Ugly Kid Joe – The Complete Story | Riffology

    19 April 2026 0
  • A Boy Named Goo by Goo Goo Dolls – The Complete Story | Riffology The Goo Goo Dolls - A Boy Named Goo Album Cover

    A Boy Named Goo by Goo Goo Dolls – The Complete Story | Riffology

    21 March 2026 0
  • R.E.M. “Out of Time”: The Album That Turned a Cult Band Into Global Superstars R.E.M. Out of Time Album Art

    R.E.M. “Out of Time”: The Album That Turned a Cult Band Into Global Superstars

    15 March 2026 0
  • Master of Puppets: Unraveling the greatest metal album ever recorded… metallica-master_of_puppets_(remastered)

    Master of Puppets: Unraveling the greatest metal album ever recorded…

    18 January 2026 0
  • Unveiling The Dark Side Of The Moon: Pink Floyd’s Timeless Classic pink_floyd-the_dark_side_of_the_moon

    Unveiling The Dark Side Of The Moon: Pink Floyd’s Timeless Classic

    6 August 2024 2
  • Unraveling Sabotage: Black Sabbath’s Iconic Album black_sabbath-sabotage_(2014_remaster)

    Unraveling Sabotage: Black Sabbath’s Iconic Album

    28 July 2024 2
  • Unveiling Metallica: The Iconic Black Album’s Legacy Metallica (Remastered 2021)

    Unveiling Metallica: The Iconic Black Album’s Legacy

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  • America’s Least Wanted by Ugly Kid Joe – The Complete Story | Riffology Ugly Kid Joe - Americas Least Wanted Album Cover

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  • Drops of Jupiter by Train – The Complete Story | Riffology Train - drops of jupiter

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  • Yourself or Someone Like You by Matchbox Twenty – The Complete Story | Riffology 7893_album_art

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Featured

Ugly Kid Joe - Americas Least Wanted Album Cover
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America’s Least Wanted by Ugly Kid Joe – The Complete Story | Riffology

Neil Johnson 19 April 2026 0
Lamb of God - Into Oblivion - Artwork
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Into Oblivion by Lamb of God – album review

Neil Johnson 6 March 2026 0
Little Angels - Big Bad and Back Tour
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Little Angels Are Back: Big Bad & Back Tour Announced for November 2026

Neil Johnson 17 February 2026 0
Megadeth - Megadeth - Album Cover
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Megadeth by Megadeth – album review

Neil Johnson 22 January 2026 0
Bush - Sixteen Stone - Album Cover
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Sixteen Stone – Bush’s Post‑Grunge Breakout Album

Neil Johnson 10 November 2025 0

Latest

America’s Least Wanted by Ugly Kid Joe – The Complete Story | Riffology Ugly Kid Joe - Americas Least Wanted Album Cover 1

America’s Least Wanted by Ugly Kid Joe – The Complete Story | Riffology

19 April 2026 0
Drops of Jupiter by Train – The Complete Story | Riffology Train - drops of jupiter 2

Drops of Jupiter by Train – The Complete Story | Riffology

12 April 2026 0
Yourself or Someone Like You by Matchbox Twenty – The Complete Story | Riffology 7893_album_art 3

Yourself or Someone Like You by Matchbox Twenty – The Complete Story | Riffology

29 March 2026 0
A Boy Named Goo by Goo Goo Dolls – The Complete Story | Riffology The Goo Goo Dolls - A Boy Named Goo Album Cover 4

A Boy Named Goo by Goo Goo Dolls – The Complete Story | Riffology

21 March 2026 0
R.E.M. “Out of Time”: The Album That Turned a Cult Band Into Global Superstars R.E.M. Out of Time Album Art 5

R.E.M. “Out of Time”: The Album That Turned a Cult Band Into Global Superstars

15 March 2026 0

Albums

America’s Least Wanted by Ugly Kid Joe – The Complete Story | Riffology Ugly Kid Joe - Americas Least Wanted Album Cover
  • Album Deep Dive
  • Feature
  • Podcasts

America’s Least Wanted by Ugly Kid Joe – The Complete Story | Riffology

19 April 2026 0
Drops of Jupiter by Train – The Complete Story | Riffology Train - drops of jupiter
  • Album Deep Dive

Drops of Jupiter by Train – The Complete Story | Riffology

12 April 2026 0
Yourself or Someone Like You by Matchbox Twenty – The Complete Story | Riffology 7893_album_art
  • Album Deep Dive

Yourself or Someone Like You by Matchbox Twenty – The Complete Story | Riffology

29 March 2026 0
A Boy Named Goo by Goo Goo Dolls – The Complete Story | Riffology The Goo Goo Dolls - A Boy Named Goo Album Cover
  • Album Deep Dive
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A Boy Named Goo by Goo Goo Dolls – The Complete Story | Riffology

21 March 2026 0

Tech

Soundtoys: Pioneering Creative Audio Effects Soundtoys Logo
  • Tech

Soundtoys: Pioneering Creative Audio Effects

17 January 2025 0
Alesis: Revolutionising Music Production Alesis logo
  • Tech

Alesis: Revolutionising Music Production

17 January 2025 0
FabFilter: Redefining Audio Tools with Precision and Elegance Fabfilter Logo
  • Tech

FabFilter: Redefining Audio Tools with Precision and Elegance

17 January 2025 0
Akai Professional: Pioneers of Music Production Technology pexels-photo-18197120.jpeg
  • Tech

Akai Professional: Pioneers of Music Production Technology

17 January 2025 0

Review

Into Oblivion by Lamb of God – album review Lamb of God - Into Oblivion - Artwork
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Into Oblivion by Lamb of God – album review

6 March 2026 0
Megadeth by Megadeth – album review Megadeth - Megadeth - Album Cover
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22 January 2026 0
Krushers Of The World by Kreator – album review Kreator-Krushers-Of-The-World-Artwork
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Krushers Of The World by Kreator – album review

9 January 2026 0
Alter Bridge by Alter Bridge – album review Alter Bridge - Alter Bridge - Artwork
  • Album Deep Dive
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Alter Bridge by Alter Bridge – album review

9 January 2026 0
America’s Least Wanted by Ugly Kid Joe – The Complete Story | Riffology Ugly Kid Joe - Americas Least Wanted Album Cover
  • Album Deep Dive
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  • Podcasts

America’s Least Wanted by Ugly Kid Joe – The Complete Story | Riffology

Neil Johnson 19 April 2026 0
In the autumn of 1992, the rock world was being remade in flannel. Nirvana’s Nevermind had spent the previous...
Read More Read more about America’s Least Wanted by Ugly Kid Joe – The Complete Story | Riffology
Drops of Jupiter by Train – The Complete Story | Riffology Train - drops of jupiter
  • Album Deep Dive

Drops of Jupiter by Train – The Complete Story | Riffology

Neil Johnson 12 April 2026 0
Picture a man in Erie, Pennsylvania. He has fallen asleep and woken up moments later with four...
Read More Read more about Drops of Jupiter by Train – The Complete Story | Riffology
Yourself or Someone Like You by Matchbox Twenty – The Complete Story | Riffology 7893_album_art
  • Album Deep Dive

Yourself or Someone Like You by Matchbox Twenty – The Complete Story | Riffology

Neil Johnson 29 March 2026 0
It is October 1996. Grunge is fading, Britpop is burning bright across the Atlantic, and American rock...
Read More Read more about Yourself or Someone Like You by Matchbox Twenty – The Complete Story | Riffology
A Boy Named Goo by Goo Goo Dolls – The Complete Story | Riffology The Goo Goo Dolls - A Boy Named Goo Album Cover
  • Album Deep Dive
  • Podcasts

A Boy Named Goo by Goo Goo Dolls – The Complete Story | Riffology

Neil Johnson 21 March 2026 0
It’s early 1995, and somewhere on a cramped studio set in Los Angeles, the Goo Goo Dolls...
Read More Read more about A Boy Named Goo by Goo Goo Dolls – The Complete Story | Riffology
R.E.M. “Out of Time”: The Album That Turned a Cult Band Into Global Superstars R.E.M. Out of Time Album Art
  • Album Deep Dive
  • Podcasts

R.E.M. “Out of Time”: The Album That Turned a Cult Band Into Global Superstars

Neil Johnson 15 March 2026 0
A deep dive into R.E.M.’s landmark 1991 album, featuring the story of “Losing My Religion,” the making...
Read More Read more about R.E.M. “Out of Time”: The Album That Turned a Cult Band Into Global Superstars
Into Oblivion by Lamb of God – album review Lamb of God - Into Oblivion - Artwork
  • Album Deep Dive
  • Feature
  • Review

Into Oblivion by Lamb of God – album review

Neil Johnson 6 March 2026 0
Riffology Score: 88/100 Thirty years into a career built on sheer bloody-minded heaviness, Lamb of God could...
Read More Read more about Into Oblivion by Lamb of God – album review
Nirvana – MTV Unplugged in New York: The Beautiful Goodbye Nobody Planned Nirvana - Unplugged In New York Album Cover
  • Album Deep Dive

Nirvana – MTV Unplugged in New York: The Beautiful Goodbye Nobody Planned

Neil Johnson 22 February 2026 0
On 18th November 1993, Nirvana walked into Sony Music Studios in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, and, surrounded by...
Read More Read more about Nirvana – MTV Unplugged in New York: The Beautiful Goodbye Nobody Planned
Little Angels Are Back: Big Bad & Back Tour Announced for November 2026 Little Angels - Big Bad and Back Tour
  • Feature
  • News

Little Angels Are Back: Big Bad & Back Tour Announced for November 2026

Neil Johnson 17 February 2026 0
Chris and I covered Little Angels’ Young Gods on the podcast not that long ago and I...
Read More Read more about Little Angels Are Back: Big Bad & Back Tour Announced for November 2026
3 Doors Down – The Better Life: Small Town, Massive Record The Better Life by 3 Doors Down Album Cover
  • Album Deep Dive

3 Doors Down – The Better Life: Small Town, Massive Record

Neil Johnson 14 February 2026 0
1. INTRODUCTION It’s February 2000. *NSYNC’s No Strings Attached is about to obliterate first-week sales records. Britney...
Read More Read more about 3 Doors Down – The Better Life: Small Town, Massive Record

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Podcast Episodes

Riffology: Iconic Rock Albums Podcast
Riffology: Iconic Rock Albums Podcast

Remember when payday meant choosing which CD or vinyl you were blowing it on? Standing in HMV doing the mental maths, convincing yourself two albums was basically essential. Riffology is Neil and Chris chasing that feeling again, one classic record at a time.

This is a show about the albums that raised us —
Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Motley Crue, Def Leppard,
Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Pink Floyd, Radiohead,
Skunk Anansie, Gojira, Soulfly and the rest.
If it’s 25+ years old, loud and iconic, we’re in.

Each episode is two Gen X mates diving into studio sessions, producer chaos and band drama plus the joy of taped-over cassettes, dodgy car stereos and sitting on the floor with a record sleeve.

We nerd out when we should: Albini vs Vig, room-miked vs close-miked,
Neve consoles, dynamic-range disasters and those “how did this get approved?” moments.

If you grew up when albums were events, this is your place. Some weeks it’s an old favourite; other weeks it’s something you abandoned in ’94. Either way, Riffology’s here to talk rubbish, tell stories and remind you why these records mattered.

RIFF085 – Ugly Kid Joe – America’s Least Wanted
byRiffology

When Ugly Doesn’t Fit Anywhere and That’s Exactly the Point

Hosts: Neil & Chris
Duration: ~78 minutes
Release: Not scheduled

Episode Description

Neil and Chris turn their attention to one of 1992’s most unlikely success stories, Ugly Kid Joe’s debut album America’s Least Wanted. Born from a week spent with REM’s more cerebral output, Neil found himself craving something crunchier, riffier, and a whole lot less earnest. One morning listen later and a long-forgotten favourite came roaring back. What struck him wasn’t just how good the record still sounds, but how genuinely baffling it is that it ever worked at all.

The band didn’t fit the grunge scene, didn’t fit thrash, didn’t fit hair metal, and actively mocked the genre they were closest to. And yet 2.4 million copies worldwide suggests the world was more than happy to receive them. This episode digs into why, tracing the band’s origins as a throwaway joke name, their rocket ride from a debut EP to major label success, and the frustrating inability to repeat the trick on anything that followed.

What You’ll Hear:

  • Why Ugly Kid Joe’s refusal to belong to any scene is precisely what made them connect with fans of all of them
  • The story of producer Mark Dodson, his Judas Priest connections, and a Rob Halford cameo recorded in a single afternoon as a personal favour
  • The album’s iconic freckled mascot, its near-miss Mad Magazine lawsuit, and the censored retail pressings that followed
  • Sandy Chapin personally approving the Cats in the Cradle cover, with proceeds supporting the Harry Chapin Foundation
  • A rundown of where the band members ended up, including connections to Slipknot, Evanescence, and Godsmack
  • Sound City Studios, the Neve console that also captured Rumours and Nevermind, and what that means for the album’s sonic weight

Featured Tracks and Analysis:

The hosts give particular love to Panhandling Prince, singling out its funky undertow, phenomenal bass lines, and the squealing guitar solo that closes it out as evidence the album rewards deeper listening beyond the hits. The emotional weight of Cats in the Cradle gets a proper airing too, with Neil reflecting on how a song about fathers, sons, and missed time has a habit of making you want to put the phone down and go be present. Neighbour and Mr. Record Man round out the discussion, the latter read as a barely veiled attack on the industry written before things with Mercury Records went sideways.

Tangential Gold:

  • Swadhenge, the local roundabout decorated with rock-filled metal cages that has somehow made it onto Google Maps
  • A police officer’s surprisingly practical advice about where to dispose of a body (traffic island, apparently)
  • Neil preparing a glove box full of CDs for a four-hour drive to Brighton, including Bush, Little Angels, and Ride the Lightning
  • A summer job in a Summerfields supermarket that lasted precisely long enough to send Neil back to university
  • Lindsay’s Spotify playlist of songs featuring unexpected bagpipes, currently holding at three entries

Why This Matters:

America’s Least Wanted is a better album than most people remember, and a stranger commercial success than almost anyone gives it credit for. Neil and Chris make a convincing case that its longevity comes not from fitting a moment but from refusing to. The attitude carried it somewhere the genre labels couldn’t.

Perfect for: Fans who remember the single but forgot there

You can find us here:

  • Blog: https://riffology.co
  • All Episodes: https://podkit.riffology.co/podcast
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  • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1LIU9mein7QMw346q20nyy
  • X: https://x.com/RiffologyPod
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  • Email: [email protected]

RIFF085 – Ugly Kid Joe – America’s Least Wanted
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RIFF085 – Ugly Kid Joe – America’s Least Wanted
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RIFF084 – Train – Drops of Jupiter
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RIFF083 – Matchbox 20 – Yourself or Someone Like You
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RIFF082 – The Goo Goo Dolls – A Boy Named Goo
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RIFF081 – REM – Out of TIme
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RIFF080 – Nirvana – MTV Unplugged
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RIFF079 – 3 Doors Down – The Better Life
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RIFF078 – Extreme – Extreme
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RIFF077 – Metallica – Master of Puppets
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RIFF076 – Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
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