Episoder
-
What do a 13-year-old Phil Collins, a violent music manager dangling people off balconies, and a psychedelic album packaged in a tobacco tin have in common? They are all part of the completely unhinged history of The Small Faces.
In this episode of Beat Motel, Andrew and Gimby (yes, he's back) dig into the story of Steve Marriott—arguably the greatest white soul singer the UK ever produced—and how his career peak might have actually been playing the Artful Dodger in 1960. We talk about Don Arden (Sharon Osbourne's notoriously terrifying dad), fixing the charts with mod networks, paying for suits with stolen royalties, and why putting an LP in a round tin is a structural disaster for record shop shelves. There's also some completely unnecessary sidetracks about Sting's real name, Rod Stewart's tight trousers, and a random bloke named Chris walking into the studio mid-record.
Amazing additional voice clips provided by Voiceover Artist Martin Whiskin - https://www.martinwhiskin.co.uk/
YouTube Video Description
The bizarre history of the 1960s mod scene and the absolute chaos behind the music industry.In this episode, we chart the rise and fall of The Small Faces, from their childhood theatrical roots to becoming rock icons—all while getting completely fleeced by their management.
Discover how future stars like Phil Collins and Davy Jones are linked through a single West End musical, how chart-fixing actually worked in the 60s, and why Don Arden was known as the 'Al Capone of Pop' (hint: it involves dangling rival executives by their ankles from four floors up).
🚀 Binge more chaotic music chat here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWvEIcKhJxA&list=PLwnzX0gT6IrcZqrF2Xslb19NiBRgd9rj9
Timestamps / Chapters:
00:00 The Best White Soul Voice in the UK
05:30 Steve Marriott, Phil Collins, and Oliver!
16:40 Davy Jones and The Beatles on Ed Sullivan
24:30 What Exactly is a Mod "Face"?
31:30 Meeting in a Music Bar & Rehearsing with Iron Maiden
44:00 Don Arden: The Al Capone of Pop
53:30 Ripped Off on Carnaby Street
58:30 The Balcony Incident (Ankle Tones)
01:08:00 Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake & The Round Tin Disaster
01:19:30 Enter Rod Stewart & The Faces
01:29:00 The Grim End of Steve Marriott
01:36:00 Gimby's Pop QuizAmazing additional voice clips provided by Voiceover Artist Martin Whiskin - https://www.martinwhiskin.co.uk/
#smallfaces #stevemarriott #60smusic #modculture #rockhistory
CitationsFact 1: Steve Marriott and Phil Collins both played the Artful Dodger in the West End production of Oliver!
https://fishtailparkas.com/steve-marriott-the-immortal-artful-dodger/ https://www.discogs.com/release/5650375-Steve-Marriott-Ian-Carmichael-Joyce-Blair-David-Hovell-Mike-Sammes-Oliver-The-Original-1960-New-Thea https://hipquotient.com/from-artful-dodgers-to-artful-rockers/ https://www.jackwild.info/theatre-work/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artful_Dodger https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Collins https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0550203/Fact 2: Davy Jones played the Artful Dodger in the West End and transferred to Broadway, appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show the same night as the Beatles
https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/davy-jones-491918 https://broadway.fandom.com/wiki/Oliver! https://ovrtur.com/production/2883682/trivia https://www.masterworksbroadway.com/blog/oliver-is-golden/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consider_YourselfFact 3: Seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show inspired Davy Jones to pursue pop stardom
https://theweek.com/articles/477499/davy-jones-19452012 https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2012/03/01/davy-jones-broadway http://www.meetthebeatlesforreal.com/2014/02/the-other-performers.html https://www.edsullivan.com/davy-jones-on-the-ed-sullivan-show/ https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/502986/monkees-singer-davy-jones-dead-at-66Fact 4: Davy Jones received a Tony nomination (not a win) for Best Featured Actor for his Broadway debut in Oliver! (1963)
https://www.broadway.com/buzz/160327/davy-jones-tony-nominee-and-member-of-the-monkees-dies-at-age-66/ https://www.biography.com/musicians/davy-jones https://www.britannica.com/biography/Davy-Jones-British-singer-and-actor https://playbill.com/article/davy-jones-member-of-the-monkees-and-a-tony-nominee-for-oliver-dead-at-66-com-187950 https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/davy-jones-491918 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davy_Jones_(musician)Fact 5: Small Faces formation -- Marriott and Lane met at J60 Music Bar in 1965; the band name combined their physical stature with mod slang for a style leader
https://rock.fandom.com/wiki/Small_Faces https://memories.fandom.com/wiki/Small_Faces https://www.goldminemag.com/articles/the-small-faces-story-was-just-one-chapter-for-the-band/ https://www.thesmallfaces.com/biography/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Faces https://www.psaudio.com/blogs/copper/about-faces-and-the-small-faces/Fact 6: Steve Marriott's voice was a cited influence on Robert Plant, Paul Stanley, Ozzy Osbourne and others
https://iconoclassicrecords.com/artist/steve-marriott/ https://www.alternativenation.net/paul-stanley-shocked-by-sxuality-of-robert-plant/ https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-rock-singer-robert-plant-said-that-was-too-good/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Marriott_discographyFact 7: Don Arden, the Decca deal, and the exploitation of the Small Faces (including the Carnaby Street clothing accounts charged back against earnings)
https://grokipedia.com/page/Don_Arden https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/don-arden-notorious-gangster-black-sabbath/ https://www.indiewire.com/news/general/r-i-p-don-arden-221732/ https://theelonetwork.weebly.com/the-don-arden-story.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Arden https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1563185/trivia/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Faces_(1967_album) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patterns_(Small_Faces_song) https://bestclassicbands.com/small-faces-lineup-8-6-16/ https://rockandrollogist.wordpress.com/2020/10/29/don-ardens-offices/ https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/features/interviews/small-faces-interview-85478 https://www.artgalleryclothing.co.uk/the-small-face/ https://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4144640-the-best-dressed-band-in-england-dis-meets-kenney-jones-of-the-small-faces-amp-the-whoFact 8: Sharon Osbourne is Don Arden's daughter; Peter Grant learned the business under Arden before managing Led Zeppelin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharon_Osbourne https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Arden https://www.loudersound.com/features/sharon-osbourne-i-got-f-cking-loud-because-i-needed-to-be-heard https://inthepitmanagement.wixsite.com/mysite/post/notable-artist-manager-relationships-led-zeppelin-peter-grant https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/warren-grant-interview-son-led-zeppelin-manager-peter-grant-documentary-7424097/ https://bravewords.com/news/legendary-led-zeppelin-manager-to-be-subject-of-new-documentaryFact 9: Robert Stigwood -- who he was and why the Arden incident matters
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Stigwood https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/robert-stigwood https://grokipedia.com/page/Robert_Stigwood https://www.hypebot.com/legendary-manager-producer-robert-stigwood-passes/ https://alchetron.com/Robert-StigwoodFact 10: Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake -- Stanley Unwin narration, the Spike Milligan near-miss, Unwinese origins, and the tobacco tin packaging
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/small-faces-ogdens-nut-gone-flake/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogdens'_Nut_Gone_Flake https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Music/OgdensNutGoneFlake https://www.loudersound.com/features/totally-gone-the-story-of-the-small-faces-psychedelic-masterpiece-ogdens-nut-gone-flake https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2014/02/small-faces-ogdens-nut-gone-flake-1968.html https://anorakthing.blogspot.com/2014/09/professor-stanley-unwins-uk-45.html https://www.loudersound.com/features/small-faces-ogdens-nut-gone-flake-cover https://www.thisdayinmusic.com/classic-albums/the-small-faces-ogdens-nut-gone-flake/Fact 11: Why Marriott left the Small Faces -- the Frampton tension, songwriting resentment, the unplayable album, the chart flop, and the financial mess
https://www.mojo4music.com/articles/stories/why-the-small-faces-split-up/ https://www.thisdayinmusic.com/stairway-to-heaven/steve-marriott/ https://ultimateclassicrock.com/steve-marriott-leaves-small-faces/ https://whynow.co.uk/read/steve-marriott-small-faces-to-humble-pie https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/tragic-death-small-faces-steve-marriott/Fact 12: The Faces rebrand -- dropping the "Small", the "Quite Melon" near-name, and the US "Small Faces" album mistake
https://kenneyjones.com/music/the-faces/ https://www.theofficialfaces.com/biography/ https://americansongwriter.com/ronnie-wood-shares-the-story-of-how-he-and-rod-stewart-helped-form-the-faces-after-steve-marriott-quit-the-small-faces/ http://www.rocknrollspotlight.com/?p=529 https://www.bandsintown.com/a/15833-facesFact 13: The death of Steve Marriott -- 20 April 1991, Arkesden, Essex; the timeline, the wrong-turn detail, and the broke-and-distrustful context
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Marriott https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/tragic-death-small-faces-steve-marriott/ https://onlyrocknrollsite.wordpress.com/2016/04/21/the-tragic-death-of-steve-marriott/ https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/04/20/Fire-kills-60s-pop-music-star-Steve-Marriott/3707672120000/ https://variety.com/1991/scene/people-news/steve-marriott-99126370/ https://www.deseret.com/1991/4/21/18916534/60s-pop-star-perishes-in-london-area-cottage-fire/Fact 14: The Small Faces' influence on later British bands -- Weller/The Jam, Blur, Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene and the wider mod/Britpop lineage
https://likefm.org/podcast/64794/paul-weller (Weller naming "Tin Soldier" on Desert Island Discs) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1418226.Here_Come_The_Nice (Weller's Small Faces songbook) https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/the-jam-influences/pl.8a3af71fe28946eba47d1194e339d6f2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Universal_(Small_Faces_song) (Blur homage) https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/200144 (Marriott memorial "Tin Soldier" with Weller and Noel Gallagher) https://www.pressreader.com/uk/stirling-observer/20170929/282046212293990 (All or Nothing musical lineage) https://danielrachel.com/writings/ocean-colour-scene-moseley-shoals/ https://www.elsewhere.co.nz/absoluteelsewhere/3138/ocean-colour-scene-interviewed-1996-take-it-to-the-top/ (OCS covering "Song of a Baker") https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Riverboat_Song (the "Four Sticks" riff caveat) -
Did the ancient Egyptians have B major, or were they just really into papyrus condoms? This week, Andrew and his resident logic-botherer Sam attempt to dissect the musical history of ancient Egypt, mostly concluding that three thousand years of history can't quite be summed up by Bruce Dickinson or an overly loud 90s metal kick drum.
Expect a completely uncalled-for bass-tuning intermission, a deep dive into why the 'Woke Police' banned The Bangles after 9/11, and the shocking revelation that ancient Greek war music sounds a bit too much like an Offspring track. We also listen to some genuine electronic pioneer madness involving barking dogs and celestial shapes, plus a bit of Coptic embalming music that sounds exactly like a knife going into some pharaoh's guts. It's educational, it's chaotic, and Andrew actually learns what a pentatonic scale is (sort of).
-
Mangler du episoder?
-
In a desperate bid to look like we know what we are talking about, we have overhauled the format. This week, Andrew drags a bewildered Dr. Sam through 1980s Liverpool to discuss why a three time Oscar winner spent his youth hiding in a camouflage suit.
We are diving deep into:
The Scouse Trinity: Exploring the "Crucial Three".
Julian Cope's Fear of the Floor: Why he performed on step ladders because he felt the floor was too dangerous.
The Mysterious Drum Machine: The story behind the machine they called "Echo".
The Big Lie: How they admitted the drum machine story was just a way to mess with journalists.
"Caramelised Hair": The era of sugar-styling that attracted swarms of flies and smelled like a burnt bakery.
The Cosmic Gateway: The time Bill Drummond decided a manhole cover in Matthew Street was a cosmic gateway to Iceland.
It is peak 80s chaos, involving more sugar and camouflage netting than a primary school bake sale in a war zone.
Suggested Listening"The Killing Moon": The one Ian McCulloch insists was written by God, though it is actually the intro to Space Oddity played backwards.
"The Cutter": The band at the absolute peak of their 80s powers.
"People Are Strange": The Joel Schumacher and Lost Boys payday produced by Ray Manzarek of The Doors.
"Over the Wall": A masterpiece from their very dark, silhouette-heavy period.
"Brussels is Haunted": The sound of the band in 2026, because they are still at it.
-
Viking metal is a sad parody of music. Or at least, that's how Andrew starts this episode before Sam drags him through a hedge of historical facts. In a bold new format where one of us actually prepares and the other just reacts with increasing confusion, Dr. Sam (our resident academic-lite) guides us through the reality of Viking influence on music. We cover why Wagner is responsible for the horn-helmet lie, why Led Zeppelin is basically a Viking recruitment brochure, and why the Harp Twins might be the most terrifying thing we've ever watched. We also learn that real Vikings probably sounded less like growling Swedes and more like barking dogs. If you've ever wanted to know about Viking divorce laws, fossilized worms, or why the Finns freaked everyone out, this is the rambling mess you've been waiting for.
-
Show Notes
Right, here we go. In this episode, Andrew and Dr. Sam tackle 'Foreign Music'—which is basically just a fancy way of saying 'songs where we don't understand the words'. We kick things off with an enormous tube of lube and some fizzy water that's apparently trying to destroy Andrew's teeth.
The lads dive into the archives to discuss why the British are so terrified of music that isn't in English, the mystery of Joe Strummer's 'garbled nonsense' Spanish on 'Should I Stay or Should I Go', and the revelation that Plastic Bertrand was basically a French Milli Vanilli on a trampoline. Dr. Sam tries to bring some 'academic' weight to the proceedings by reading high-brow philosophy about repetition, while Andrew just wants to talk about Nena's bass player and why subscription underpants are a recipe for disaster. Expect tangents on Star Trek moral codes, stealing cars you can't drive, and the universal truth that everyone eventually gets 'yogurt chucked up' at them.
Riffs of the Week Dr Sam's Riff: Elvin Jones - 'The Prime Element' Andrew's Riff: Rebekah - 'Synthetic Collapse' Dr Sam's Track Choices The Clash - 'Should I Stay or Should I Go' Magma - 'Hortz fur dehn stekehn west' Pixvae - 'La Fuga' Mc Solaar - 'Qui seme le vent recolte le tempo' Andrew's Track Choices Plastic Bertrand - 'Ca plane pour moi' Blur - 'To the End (La Comedie)' Serge Gainsbourg - 'Bonnie and Clyde' Nena - '99 Luftballons'Email us: [email protected]
-
Look, we tried to have a sophisticated chat about interwar music (the stuff between the two big global scraps) but obviously, it devolved into a conversation about penis tattoos and whether or not Reddit is a valid academic source.
Dr. Sam brings the "knowledge" (mostly from books he is actually holding, for once), and Andrew tries to figure out how to eat a Scotch egg without a plate while pondering the sexual deviance of 1920s novelty songs. We cover Duke Ellington's Mood Indigo, the absolute filth hidden in "I'm Going to Bring a Watermelon to My Girl Tonight," and why Robert Johnson might have just practiced really hard instead of selling his soul to the devil. It is a rambling journey through jazz, folk, and German Marxist theatre that somehow ends with Woody Allen and a two-fingered guitarist.
Riffs of the week Dr Sam's Riff Dog Faced Hermans - Jan 9 Andrew's Riff Witch Post - Worry Angel Dr Sam's track choices Duke Ellington - Mood Indigo Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band - I'm Gonna Bring a Watermelon to My Girl Tonight Brecht - Instead-Of Song Harlem Hamfats - Let's Get Drunk and Truck Andrew's track choices Laurel and Hardy - Trail of the lonesome pine Robert Johnson - Crossroad blues Woodie Guthrie - This Land Is Your Land (1940) Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli - Minor SwingEmail us - [email protected]
-
This is it. The big one. Episode 161. A milestone nobody asked for and even fewer likely wanted. It's the "Ego-death indulgent Spectacular Special," which is basically a fancy way of saying Andrew and Dr. Sam have finally disappeared up their own backsides to look at the wreckage of the last 160 episodes.
Expect a lot of self-congratulatory stats, clips of the pair sounding like absolute melts, and the usual technical failures that have become the show's unintended trademark. We've got deep dives into why Queen is discussed more than played, the actual number of times we've mentioned bodily functions (spoiler: it's lower than you'd think, which is disappointing), and a look back at the time Mike Watt told us he hated Zoom. It's a retrospective of chaos, bad decisions, and the occasional riff.
Sam's Riff of the Week The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis – Deface The Currency Andrew's Riff of the Week LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER – Eins, Zwei, Drei The Ego-Death Deep Dive: A History of Bad Decisions Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Intro: We started with a lie. In Episode 1, Andrew promised a 20-minute show, but it ran to 55 minutes. Sam's original review: "Andrew, this was supposed to be 20 minutes". Cee Lo Green – FUCK YOU: Setting the tone early. Episode 1 ended with Andrew attempting professionalism while Sam signed off with a heartfelt "Fuck you all". Metallica – Fuel: It took us 63 episodes to finally deliver on the Metallica special we promised in week one. The Replacements – Here Comes a Regular: We predicted we'd be "irregular". We then accidentally published for 96 consecutive weeks without missing a single one. The Minutemen – Corona: Revisiting our favourite intro, the moment Mike Watt joined the Zoom call and immediately shouted, "Fuck those people". The Stone Roses – Tell Me: Statistically our most played artist with 14 appearances over the journey. Queen – Stone Cold Crazy: Our most discussed band (mentioned 26 times) that we almost never actually play. The Hall of Fame: Dumb Bits & Chaos The Christian Vulvas: A band name suggestion that almost killed us with laughter. Thighs Wide Open: Walking into the technological dystopia with our "eyes fucking wide open," or something like that. 10 Pence Pieces: The failed monetization strategy involving skin insertion. Testicle Weather Vanes: A foolproof way to predict a tornado or an earthquake based on swinging. Ruddiger Broomhilder's Unripe Plums: The AI-assisted tale of a stomach-ache staging a revolution. Love vs. Death vs. Poo PIL – This Is Not A Love Song: The stats are in. We prefer death (29 songs) over love (19 songs). Phil Collins 3 – Pooey Stick: Despite the scatological humor, "poo" has only appeared 11 times in the transcripts. The Numbers That Tell the Story Stat Number Total episodes 167 (including trailer) Total hours of content 136.1 Total tracks identified 1,044 Unique artists 706 Artists played only once 560 (79%) Sam's track picks 354 Guest picks 166 Longest publishing streak 96 weeks Average episode length 65 minutes Love songs / Death songs 19 / 29 Horse references 13 Toilet / Poo references 12 / 11 Unused backlog ideas 74 Original zine issues 10Watch more Beat Motel chaos here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWvEIcKhJxA&list=PLwnzX0gT6IrcZqrF2Xslb19NiBRgd9rj9 -
In this episode of Beat Motel, Andrew is joined by Tom Klute, a man who has spent 25 years running the Commercial Suicide label and presumably even longer trying to figure out how to stop CDRs from rotting into useless plastic coasters.
The pair embark on a quest to identify the 'Great Basslines of Our Time', a journey that takes them from the bowel-ripping valve amps of the 70s to the distorted sub-bass of 90s jungle. Along the way, they discuss why buying a headless bass is a cry for help, the terror of music trackers, and the peculiar joy of being a 'cool dad' who gives his son massive 70s speakers only to realise his lounge ceiling is now a vibrating drum skin.
Expect tangents on why the Smokey and the Bandit remake in Suffolk failed, the mystery of delaminating discs, and why the Sugarhill Gang might be absolute fibbers. It's an hour of gear talk, punk history, and bass-heavy nostalgia that'll make your trousers wobble.
Riffs of the week Tom's RiffKenny Loggins - Footloose
Andrew's RiffFucked Up - Crusades
Tom's track choicesStranglers - Toiler On The Sea
Roni Size - Share the Fall (Grooverider's Jeep Mix)
Discharge - Ain't No Feeble Bastard
Chic - Good Times
LFO - LFO
Andrew's track choicesFu Manchu - Grendel Snowman
Blur - Popscene
Venetian Snares - Öngyilkos Vasárnap
Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep
NOFX - The Decline
-
Look, we've all been there. You go to a gig at a university campus that looks like a concrete fever dream from A Clockwork Orange, you feel ancient because the students are all drinking a gallon of water from Stanley cups instead of proper ale, and then you have to question your own bowel integrity because someone in the crowd is weaponising their flatulence.
This week, Andrew and Dr. Sam dive into the "Normal Lineup, Weird Noises" theme—basically, what happens when a standard rock band decides to make sounds that shouldn't exist. We've got Jerskin Fendrix (aka Jocelyn Dent Pooley, the man with a name like a removal firm heir), the sonic separation of Big Business, and the avant-garde chaos of Deerhoof.
Also: Why do people heckle sensitive jazz drummers? Is every Ukrainian black metal band actually staffed by archaeologists? And why does Paul Westerberg spend the start of a Replacements track sounding like he's hoovering up a pharmacy floor? It's music, it's chaos, and it's probably the only podcast that mentions both Agathee Christie and the "Pissed Resistance" in the same breath.
Riffs of the Week Dr. Sam's RiffJerskin Fendrix – Jerskin Fendrix Freestyle
Andrew's RiffThe Callous Daoboys – Distracted by The Mona Lisa
Dr. Sam's Track ChoicesBig Business – Cats, Mice
Deerhoof – The Perfect Me
Victims Family – The Germ
Adam and the Ants – The Day I Met God
Andrew's Track ChoicesCaroline Polachek – Dang
Everything Everything – Cough Cough
The Charlatans – I Can't Even Be Bothered
1914 – 1914 (The Siege of Przemyśl)
Email us: [email protected]
-
In this episode, Andrew and Dr Sam attempt to justify their existence as middle-aged men with a music podcast by discussing the "sheer fucking arrogance" of music journalism. Between reenacting being a hydroelectric dam and discussing the logistics of dressing up like a facade of the Pentagon, they actually manage to talk about some records. Expect a deep dive into the dry drum sounds of early Faith No More, the naive charm of The Fall, and the surprising revelation that Hanoi Rocks basically invented Guns N' Roses. We also learn about the "poo sick" (don't ask) and why being 5'11" and 11/12ths is a legitimate personality trait. It's 70 minutes of your life you aren't getting back, but at least you'll know which bass pedals make you sound like a Moog.
### Riffs of the week#### Dr Sam's Riff
- Big Business - The Moor You Know
#### Andrew's Riff
- Baroness - The Birthing### Dr Sam's track choices
1. Faith No More - As The Worm Turns
2. The Lookouts - I Saw Her Standing There
3. The Damned - New Rose
4. Hanoi Rocks - Tooting Bec Wrecked### Andrew's track choices
1. The Fall - Rebellious Jukebox
2. Television - Marquee Moon
3. The Kinks - Villiage Green Preservation Society
4. The Velvet Underground - Sister RayEmail us - [email protected]
The Fall episode -
https://beatmotel.com/podcast-episodes/revisiting-the-fall-with-mark-beaumont-thomas/ -
In this episode, Andrew and Dr Sam tackle the high-brow topic of Autumn, which mostly involves Sam moaning about how grey Finland is and Andrew recounting the time he kicked a pile of dog muck while trying to be whimsical.
We also dive deep into the world of Roy Orbison, specifically his secret life as a competitive remote-control car enthusiast and how he basically wore the same pair of filthy glasses for 25 years. Andrew finally sees the Rocky Horror Picture Show and is traumatised by middle-aged men in stockings, Sam tries to find a version of 'Autumn Leaves' that doesn't taste like high-fructose corn syrup, and we discuss why the Beatles were basically ancient by the time they hit 30. There's also some talk about Jeff Lynne (obviously), stealing cheese from Blur, and why you should never go to an all-you-can-eat buffet if you value your self-respect.
### Riffs of the week#### Dr Sam's Riff
- Roy Orbison - (All I Can Do Is) Dream You
#### Andrew's Riff
- Rocky Horror Picture Show - Sweet Transvestite### Dr Sam's track choices
1. Nat King Cole - Autumn Leaves
2. Cannonball Adderley - Autumn Leaves
3. Roger Williams - Autumn Leaves
4. Edith Piaf - Les Feuilles Mortes### Andrew's track choices
1. Guns n Roses - November Rain
2. Autumn Almanac - The Kinks
3. Crowded House - Fall at your feet
4. Forever Autumn - Justin Hayward and Jeff WayneEmail us - [email protected]
-
In this episode of Beat Motel, Andrew and Dr. Sam attempt to discuss "Great Songs with Questionable Lyrics" but mostly end up talking about accidental calls to the emergency services and the thermal advantages of having an itchy jumper for a face.
We dive into the grottier side of grindcore with Edinburgh's CHOU, wonder why Wolf Alice has a drummer singing in a thicket, and Dr. Sam tries to justify why he once owned a Limp Bizkit record. Also featuring: Slade being sued for sounding like a brickyard, Jimmy Page "borrowing" songs again, and why you should never store your Lego boxes in a greenhouse. It's less of a music podcast and more of a documented descent into madness.
Riffs of the week Dr Sam's RiffCHOU - Vulnerable Blether
Andrew's RiffWolf Alice - White Horses
Dr Sam's track choicesSlade - Let's Call It Quits
Limp Bizkit - Counterfeit
Public Enemy - Sophisticated Bitch
Cannibal Corpse - I Cum Blood
Andrew's track choicesLed Zeppelin - Babe I'm gonna leave you
Steve Miller Band - The Joker
Sonic Youth - Kool Thing
Suede - Stay Together
Email us - [email protected]
-
In what can only be described as a new low for the Beat Motel, Andrew and Dr. Sam dive headfirst into a theme so thin you can practically see through it: Water. What starts with Jackie Chan karate-chopping peanut packets somehow devolves into a harrowing discussion about men who refuse to wipe their backsides because it's "too gay," and the pungent aroma of a father's "beefy" morning ritual.
Musically, we're forced to endure everything from Janet Jackson's "Moist" (a song that makes everyone's knees feel funny for the wrong reasons) to a Deep Purple video featuring a pilgrim on a Mad Max vehicle. We also touch on why Jimmy Carr is the Nigel Farage of comedy, the baffling rise of J-Pop sensation Ado, and why Weezer's Rivers Cuomo looks like he's constantly checking his watch for an exit strategy. It's damp, it's irreverent, and it's probably best listened to while weeping into a Victoria sponge.
### Riffs of the week#### Dr Sam's Riff
- Ado - Kura Kura
#### Andrew's Riff
- Zatokrev, Bolzer, Schammasch - Red Storm### Dr Sam's track choices
1. TLC - Waterfalls
2. Aerosmith - Cryin'
3. Janet Jackson - Moist
4. Joan Armatrading - Water with Wine### Andrew's track choices
1. The Stone Roses - Waterfall
2. Nirvana - Territorial Pissings
3. Deep Purple - Smoke on the water
4. Weezer - AfricaEmail us - [email protected]
Here's that Deep Purple video:
https://youtu.be/Q2FzZSBD5LE?si=7lmp39n-ZpcOQPnn -
We've got Drew Ailes (aka David Lunch, aka Egg Norton) from Minneapolis punk outfit Citric Dummies. We spend a suspicious amount of time talking about the horrors of SEO and marketing because, apparently, being a punk doesn't pay for the artisanal bread anymore. Drew explains how his background in "mucking about with systems" on the internet led to a career in corporate consulting, and why having a drummer who is actually a musical genius is the only reason the band hasn't folded in on itself.
Expect tangents on the "blokey-bloke" culture of Oasis, the mystery of what on earth Arby's is, and why John Peel is the patron saint of record nerds. We also touch on the lighthearted topic of the political chaos in Minneapolis and ICE agents eating at the very Mexican restaurants they're supposed to be patrolling. You know, the usual cheery stuff.
Drew Citric Dummie's track choices
1. Red Dons - Hard Feelings
2. Pinchers - Tonight
3. Sado Nation - Mom and pop democracy
4. Chipmonks Sludgefest - Diamond Dolls
5. Harry Chapin - W.O.L.D
Dr Sam's track choices
1. Citric Dummies - Being Male is Embarrassing
2. Citric Dummies - I Can't Relate
3. Citric Dummies - Look Out World (I'm Eatin' At Arby's)
4. Citric Dummies - Life is so Horrifying -
We're back, and frankly, if you've stuck around this long, you only have yourself to blame. After our first-ever break, Andrew and Dr. Sam return to discuss why cats don't actually like dope beats, despite what Aaliyah told us in 2000, and why fireworks and techno are a bad mix for pets.
In this episode, we dive into the legendary Eric B. & Rakim, Japanese garage rock icons Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, and the "emotional grindcore" of Swarrrm. There's also a deeply unnecessary deep dive into The Queers' lyrical nuances from 1999 and a story about a band that split up because the singer decided to use the drummer as a urinal. We also explore why boredom is actually quite fast, the joy of "institutional Finnish pasta", and why Beat Motel is effectively just a sticking plaster on the gaping wound of your personal issues.
Riffs of the Week Dr Sam's Riff Thee Michelle Gun Elephant - "The Birdmen" Andrew's Riff Blood Incantation - "The Stargate [Tablet 3]" Dr Sam's Track Choices 88 Fingers Louie - "Newspaper" Swarrrm - "13" The Queers - "No Tit" HIRS - "Public Service Announcement" Andrew's Track Choices System of a Down - "Chic 'N' Stu" Buzzcocks - "Boredom" Sub Focus and Grimes - "Entwined" The Bluetones - "Fast Boy"Email us - [email protected]
Gabba dancing: https://youtu.be/FUD-HExh9ow?si=Kaq8OykylcVEUosL
-
If you've ever wondered why some bassists look like they're having a conversation with a ghost or why your favorite punk record sounds like it was recorded in a cupboard, Mike Watt is here to explain it all. We sat down with the Minutemen and Stooges legend to talk about everything from the physics of why playing too many notes makes you "smaller" to the absolute bigotry drummers face in the industry.
Watt walks us through his "third opera," why he wrote an entire album on a Telecaster instead of a bass just to spite himself, and how he ended up playing with the Stooges for 125 months. We also get into the weeds on the early Hollywood punk scene, the "autonomy" of major labels (or lack thereof), and why the internet is basically just a tool for collaborating with people in Peru. It's rambling, it's philosophical, and it's probably the most intellectual we've ever been on this show. Don't get used to it.
-
Welcome to a truly unhinged episode, where Andrew's cold-ridden brain meets Sam's particular brand of chaos. This week, we're diving into Musicians in Odd Places—which, let's be honest, is mostly an excuse for us to get wildly off-topic and fact-check things on the fly (and usually get them wrong). Andrew even managed to misspell the theme title on his notes.
We kick off by debating the horrors of modern parenting and screen time, reminiscing about the simple joy of having the TV just... turn off. From there, it's a short, unsettling skip to a discussion about Conkers, which, inevitably, turns into a mention of "Bollock Conkers". You're welcome.
The main theme gets a slightly more musical start with Sam's Riff of the Week—a deep, pumping slice of dub that Andrew associates with summer. This somehow leads Andrew to mix up Jeff Lynne and Jeff Wayne (an ongoing national embarrassment).
### Riffs of the week
#### Dr Sam's Riff
- Jacob Miller - Keep on Knocking
#### Andrew's Riff
- Buggery Act - Rusted Pliers### Dr Sam's track choices
1. Mike Patton - Teenage Mutant Nina Turtles Theme
2. Johnny Cash - Don't Take Your Ones to Town
3. D.O.A. - That's Why I Am An Atheist
4. Tiny Tim - Living in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight### Andrew's track choices
1. The Wombles - Remember You're A Womble
2. War of the worlds - The Spirit of Man
3. Labi Siffre - I Got The...
4. Public Image Ltd - RiseOn the Menu of Oddness:
* Mike Patton's Paycheck: Faith No More's Mike Patton pops up where he has no business being: singing the theme for a video game version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He said he did it so his nieces could enjoy something he was involved in.
* Wombles Rock: Andrew's choice of session musicians in unusual places is Chris Spedding lending his guitar skills to The Wombles.
* Johnny Cash vs. His Ones: Sam digs up the horrifyingly earnest Sesame Street parody of "Don't Take Your Guns to Town," where Johnny Cash sings about the little cowboy Billy Joe trying to take his number ones (as in toys and cookies) to school instead of sharing.
* The Jeff Wayne Fiasco: Andrew confesses a lifelong belief that Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds was an ELO side project, before Sam sets the record straight that the producer/composer is actually a TV theme tune guy. Also, a surprisingly passionate and improvised vocal performance from Phil Lynott is on the album.
* Joey Shithead for Council: The legendary frontman of hardcore band DOA is now a local politician, serving as a city council councillor in Burnaby, British Columbia.
* Chas and Dave: Funk Brothers: The unlikely Cockney duo were session musicians (the 'fuckbrothers', apparently) for Labi Siffre's fantastic tune "I Got The...".
* The Tiny Tim / SpongeBob Connection: The ukulele-wielding oddball is apparently part of a kid's playlist because his song "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" was on an early SpongeBob episode. This leads to the discovery of his truly offensive Christmas single, "Santa Claus Has Got The AIDS This Year".
* PIL's All-Star Band: A surprising lineup for Public Image Ltd's "Rise" featured Tony Williams (Miles Davis's drummer) and Steve Vai (guitar) on the album version.A lot of questionable facts and even more questionable chat. Get stuck in, you awful people.
-
Congratulations, we've actually made it to episode 150—time to lower the bar even further.
Andrew and Dr Sam reluctantly delve into the world of sport, finding the few tracks they can tolerate that actually cover the theme. Before they get there, they waste a solid half hour arguing about:
* The proper spelling of Lemmy from Motorhead's surname.
* A bizarre 1994 scuffle involving Neil Diamond and Lemmy in a Billeriki Toys R Us.
* The viability of starting a new podcast called "Liberal Filth".
* A tangent on Viking history, property rights, and why Vikings had itchy bums.
* Defining "Aerosmith Money"—the huge financial windfall from unexpected licensing (like Guitar Hero), which is apparently a "well-known phrase".The Music Choices (Finally):
Riffs of the week:
Dr Sam's Riff: Reagan Youth - Jesus Was a Communist
Andrew's Riff: Smote - The opinion of the lamb Pt.1Dr Sam's Track Choices:
1. Richard Dawson - Jogging
2. Hanson Brothers - Stick Boy
3. Dead Kennedys - Jock-O-Rama (Invasion of the Beef Patrol)
4. Fleshies - Runner's LegsAndrew's Track Choices:
1. Kraftwerk - Tour de France
2. Chemical Brothers - Theme for Velodrome
3. Fu Manchu - King of the road
4. Pansy Division - He Whipped My Ass In Tennis (Then I Fucked His Ass In Bed)If you've made it this far, you deserve a chocolate bar. We're heading off to the loo. Enjoy the filth.
Email us with your hate mail, facts, or spelling corrections: [email protected]
-
Who says taste can't evolve? This week, Andrew and Dr Sam go on a full-blown U-turn, confessing their love for bands they once treated with the kind of disdain normally reserved for traffic wardens and warm lager.
Expect shocking revelations: Bonnie Tyler's absurdly overproduced 80s epic is now basically gospel. Cradle of Filth? Once unlistenable black metal, now "charmingly chaotic". The Beastie Boys go from party-clown pariahs to filth-toned bass gods. Deep Purple gets a love letter. And Split Enz? The band nobody asked for suddenly gets a sparkly redemption arc.
Also:
Finnish shopping centre linguistics
How a Mercedes almost caused an international incident
Traffic wardens, German police, and the time an entire road of cars vanished
Folk music's stealthy mission to win your heart through Pete Seeger-related Stockholm syndrome
Basically, it's the usual chaos with a theme loosely stuck on like a peeling gig poster on a damp venue wall. Stick around for ludicrous Hard-Ons album titles and an exploration of music that makes your genitals not catch fire (unlike Bonnie Tyler's).
Riffs of the weekDr Sam's Riff:
Gorilla Toss – Panglossian Mannequin
Andrew's Riff:
The Stone Roses – One Love
Dr Sam's track choices:Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero
Cradle of Filth – Desire in Violent Overture (Remixed)
Japan – The Art of Parties
Hamish Imlach – Johnny O'Breadislee
Andrew's track choices:Split Enz – I See Red
Hard-Ons – Carrot Top
Deep Purple – Speed King
Beastie Boys – Gratitude
💌 Email us your confessions of musical flip-floppery:
[email protected] -
In this week's episode of Beat Motel, Andrew and Dr Sam dig deep into the muddy puddle of nostalgia. We've got:
Lycra-based band trauma
John Barnes rapping about... something
An important public health warning about Coco Pops
Dead Kennedys covered in Parisian jazz cafés
A little gig promotion wrapped in existential dread
The legacy of punk, rewritten by whoever was shouting loudest in 1978
We also explore vital global topics like whether "buggery" is too rude for a poster in Costa, how to polish your ring the Rimmer way, and why listening to football songs from the 90s might be causing irreversible brain damage.
Oh, and there's music chat too. Sort of.
Riffs of the week Dr Sam's RiffThe Black Dahlia Murder – A Shrine to Madness
Andrew's RiffThese Are End Times – The Pit
Dr Sam's track choicesA Tribe Called Quest – Excursions
Cock Sparrer – Where Are They Now
Nouvelle Vague – Too Drunk to Fuck
Thee Sinseers – Can't Do That To Her
Andrew's track choicesAdam and Joe – Football Song
New Order – World in Motion
Paul Simon – Duncan (Live 1973)
Los Lobos – La Bamba
- Se mer
