Can I Pod With Madness - Kerrang in the 1980s

A Human Flesh Woman - Kerrang 258, Sept 30 1989 - PWM53

It's September so we're talking Christmas TV ads OBVIOUSLY. Meanwhile, in 1989 it's also September and Kerrang have an interview with Jim Steinman. Have a guess whether you think he's a fan of Dire Straits or the Police Academy franchise. There's a certain amount of shade thrown at Mitch Pileggi but that's down to our antipathy for Skinner from the X-Files,  and not his appearance in the extremely metal horror movie Shocker. Bruce Dickinson’s solo career and stage trousers are discussed. We reminisce about the worst Christmas Eve ever and look back at the best live performers from the early 2000s Pop Idol era. And we ascertain the exact moment in history when Alice Cooper was at his sexiest.
Also we launch our Patreon. Come on, it had to happen. 
Shoutout to @Kerrang_Classic_Magazine for posting stuff from the issue.
This week’s secret theme: Ken Russell.
 
Recorded 7th September 2025

Jive Bunny is like Prog - Metal Hammer July 18th 1988 - PWM52

We're back with our heads in Metal Hammer this week- it's 1988 - Ozzy is on tour, King Diamond is robbing graves and Van Halen is utterly indecipherable. 
When we're not reading about a respectable heavy metal mum (37 - so she'd be 74 now, hello if you're listening ma'am), we spiral into the rabbit hole of all rabbit holes, Rotherham's very own Jive Bunny. If that wasn't enough of an irrelevant tangent for you we also dig into a nefarious conspiracy around Fruit of the Loom. 
Also ANOTHER Kompetition update, Nizlopi memories and stuff about Christmas. Please note this episode features the first mention of Ed Sheeran on this podcast. And very probably the last. Plus a DEEP KUTZ DUET.
 
Recorded 15th August 2025

Venom Ain’t Got No Knobs - Kerrang 50 Sept 1983 - PWM51

Caught Up In The Rapture of Me!
We’re jumping forward two years to find Kerrang well and truly established, hitting its 50th issue and smushing a cake onto Ian Gillan’s head. The celebrated Child In Time screamer currently finds himself NOT in the ranks of the mighty Purps, but somehow inexplicably in the doom laden court of another seminal 70s metal combo. Who could that be?
Stonehenge based shenanigans aside, we have a feature on Venom, who are NOT HAPPY. Also disgruntled are Fastway, and most of the Korrespondents on the letters page. Crikey! Nazareth's Dan McCafferty appears in a photo I will never post on Instagram, and I regret to note that we're definitely losing the Quo fans with this episode. Luckily Ozzy shows up on the back cover and all is well again.
We've got some DEEP KUTZ, an argument about DEEP KUTZ, and a Kompetition Update! 
 
Recorded 6th August 2025

Did You Read The Music Papers? Kerrang issue 1, June 1981 - PWM50

Join us as we look back on fifty glorious years of podcasting, in our ass-blasting, spectacular Anniversary Blowout!! We're teleporting all the way back to June ‘81 to check out a little magazine called Kerrang, The Sounds Heavy Metal Special (and The Empire Strikes Back Monthly issue 146). We look at some of the lesser known NWOBHMers (hello Handsome Beasts!), and check out the OFFICIAL 100 Greatest Heavy Metal songs. What’s at number 1? The answer may shock you. Or, y’know it may not.
 
Saxon get a big article that's mostly about tea. And there’s a lot of pics IN COLOUR! Works brilliantly on a podcast, that does.
 
We unveil a new feature, SUPERFICIAL SKRATCHEZ, PWM Ghostwatch continues, we chronicle our day trip to Whitby, bid a fond farewell to Ozzy and even manage to inadvertently shoutout to some of our listeners. And there's some fun end of term games too!
 
Etc!
 
Recorded 30th July, 2025

Slayerfest 98 - Kerrang 706, July 1998 - PWM49

Ch-ch-ch, Ha-ha-ha. Here's the second part of our DEEP dive into the rock scene of the late 90s. Kerrang is counting down the 100 Coolest Rock Stars and we attempt to guess who's made the list. Is Saffron from Republica here? You'll have to listen to find out.
 
Also, amid tales of hanging around in graveyards (goth af), we're reminiscing about stoner rock pub gigs, examining ghost physics, and continuing to bang on about Buffy. What’s workplace team building like in Sunnydale? Who's the 90s equivalent of Lisa Dominique? Who remembers Live Aid? What’s a Alice Cooper slasher crossover? Can we name the members of Reef? 
 
Plus: Korntroversy! 
 
Recorded July 13, 2025
This week's ad is for @musicnoteswithjess

It's The Nineties - Kerrang 706 July 1998 - PWM48

Gettin' it straight in '98 y'all! We're just back from a Star Wars "convention", and tearing ourselves away from playing (Kessel) Sabacc long enough to record a podcast, we're tackling a Kerrang from the modern era (27 years ago).
The deeply ungoogleable pop punk band A are recalled, as is the unloved meteor based sci fi blockbuster Armageddon. We examine how Disney *really* banked on the popularity of that movie well past its use by date, and also the curious marketing decision of forcing people who want to go to Honey I Shrunk The Audience to watch a seemingly endless advert for Kodak.
The Prodigy and The Beastie Boys are all over this issue, and Dream Theater predictably get a right kicking in the live reviews. The Presidents of the USA are no more (for the moment, at least). One of us saw them live. The other was clearly too busy watching Julia Valet on Superock.
David Lee Roth might be ignoring the 90s but we sure as hell aren't!
 
This week's ad is for @PolyphonicPress
Recorded 31st May 2025
 

Snake is a metaphor for life Q32 May 1989 PWM47

I want to feel disgusted! Once again we’re reliving our glory years of watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer and going to Cybergoth Nights. The Cure’s Robert Smith is being lowered into a furry, sticky orifice but not mentioning any potential Freudian implications. He's right about Morrissey, mind.
We dig into a lengthy Peter Gabriel article, which is mostly about WOMAD and Real World Studios, so of course we talk a lot about Alan Partridge, the Genesis Reunion concert and whether Gabes consults his mum and dad when making his videos.
Katy Perry’s Twitch Channel! Gravity boots! Michael Keaton love! Also exercise tips! Please note this is now a lifestyle podcast.
 
Recorded 17th May 2025
 
This weeks’s advert is for @WorstPodOnMars

Grannycore - Q32 May 1989 (PWM46)

Extra special 46th episode spectacular! Due to a tech fail cock up of massive proportions, this week we're looking at Q - The *Modern* Guide to Music and More - from May ‘89. Sting is on the cover, because of course he fucking is. We examine the intellectual rock hunk's activism, how difficult it is being really really good looking, and his half hearted feud with Rod Stewart.
We're also talking Fun House, like, a proper Fun House Deep Dive. I swear there's been more mentions of Pat Sharp on this podcast than The Big Four. We dredge up our Blackadder and Red Dwarf memories. Musical genres are nailed down to locations in the UK. Also stuff about KISS. As usual. 
Rainforests! Environmental info! Dietary advice! Fucking hell, we've gone woke!
Also essential interior decoration tips. Don't say we never do nothing for ya.
 
This week's ad is for The @AlbumNerds podcast. 
Recorded 10th May 2025