Can I Pod With Madness - Kerrang, Metal Hammer and Rock in the 80s

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
 

A Nice Thing For Sharks - RAW4 Oct 12-25 1988 (PWM45)

Veering wildly away from our edict of “keep it light” we're discussing the best way to dispose of a corpse. I guess that makes us slightly more metal. 
Otherwise we're finishing off our extremely deep dive into RAW issue 4. Motörhead's Phithy Animal Taylor gets a drum centric feature and the finer points of drum solos and electronic percussion are discussed. Zodiac Mindwarp is back, wishing he was royalty and Scarborough's finest, The Little Angels are playing a gig at a school. In Scarborough. 
Along the way we talk hair dye, Buffy and our own personal Banter Box. 
Special shout out to RJ and the Painful Memories- by the time you listen to this it's probably too late to vote for them in Kerrang Radio's The Deal competition, but give them a listen anyway because they rock. 
 
This week’s ad is for @PickADisc Podcast 
Recorded 26 April 2025

Quite Bulbous- RAW4 Oct 12-25 1988 (PWM44)

We're back with another delve into RAW. The hefty Bon Jovi pullout is examined, but not as much as the video to Bad Medicine. One of KISS’ least loved hits is reappraised, and we draw a link between Ozzy Osbourne and Tim Allen. 
A misconception about Alice Cooper's biggest hit just leads us into further confusion. Meanwhile there's an article about Mr Big that doesn't tell us that much but we can all agree the harmonies are good.
We finally learn Ozzy’s favourite film (some recency bias), but before we can read the rest of the mag, we go off on a few tangents about Sandworms, Star Wars and the early work of M Night Shyamalan. Yes, this is now a whopping three parter!
Also we talk about cats. Like, a lot.
Finally we've got our first GIVEAWAY which is *very* exciting so make sure you listen till the end (or skip through the ep to get to that bit)
Recorded 29th March 2025
This week's ad is for Getting Down and Wordy @gettingdownandwordy

A Very Feminine Heterosexual- RAW4 Oct 12-25 1988 (PWM43)

As promised, here's a look at the Johnny come lately rock mag of the 80s and early 90s, RAW - Rock Action Worldwide (it says here).
American comedian Sam Kinison has a single out and is roping in his rockin’ pals to help out. But who’s the most dateable metal hunk in the video? And is Kinison a threat to The Goonies?
There's some news about a new band who are destined for greatness, and an unfortunate incident with seafood. Possibly. Also Manowar say goodbye to Ross “The Boss” Friedman and hello to Dave “The Death Dealer” Shankle. This is why I was never a metal god, I never had a nickname.
What have Anvil got in common with The Spice Girls? The answer may shock you. 
Also! A DEEP KUTZ that is both smooth and angry! Superman history! Important information about Piranhas! Dry vs wet! 
 
Recorded 16th March 2025