Is it possible to judge an album by its cover? Absolutely. Especially when it's got skeleton hands, raging suns, or Geiger’s flesh nightmares on it.

In this episode of the Beat Motel podcast, Andrew and recurring co-host Martin Whiskin dive deep into the album art that shaped our musical tastes, plastered our pencil cases, and possibly got Dead Kennedys sued. From the raw power of Monster Magnet and Kyuss, to the delicate doodles of The Levellers, to Pink Floyd being accused of ripping off Blur 20 years early (or was it the other way round?), it’s a deep, noisy, nostalgic ride.

▶ Featuring tales of crusty gigs, folk festivals, DIY patches, and massive, illegal sound systems.
▶ Not featuring: tasteful restraint, coherent structure, or Richard Ashcroft’s blessing.

### Riffs of the week

#### Martin Whiskin's Riff

- Bellowhead - Rigs of The Time

#### Andrew's Riff

- Smote - Drommon Pt1

### Martin Whiskin's track choices

1. Monster Magnet - Power Trip

2. Levellers - Levelling the Land

3. Ye Wiles - Soothing Away The Horrors of Indigestion

4. Kyuss - Welcome to Sky Valley

### Andrew's track choices

1. Pink Floyd - See Emily Play

2. Verve - She's a superstar

3. Led Zepplin - Gallows Pole

4. Dead Kennedys - MTV - Get Off the Air

Email us - beatmotel@lawsie.com

Episode 140: Great Bands, Awful Names (feat. Dr Sam)

Brace yourselves for a melodic mess as Andrew and the returning legend Dr Sam dive into the world of bands that slap sonically but utterly fumble the name game. From the majestic chaos of Defeated Sanity (yes, really) to the ultra-bland University, it's a wild ride of killer riffs and cringe monikers.

Expect:

• Funkadelic basslines from Graham Central Station (who apparently named themselves after a sodding train station).

• Deep thoughts on Car Seat Headrest (sounds like IKEA flatpack instructions, but damn, they're good).

• A loving roast of Hanoi Rocks (plus a bit of Michael Monroe fanboying).

• Death metal that sounds like it was named by a teen with a Latin dictionary and a nosebleed.

There's also the usual chaos: kebab regrets, biscuit philosophy, Monster Munch trauma, and why headless basses should be banished to the fiery pit.

Grab a non-alcoholic beer, sit on your own car seat headrest, and prepare for an episode that's heavier than a Greggs bag after a night out.

### Riffs of the week

#### Dr Sam's Riff

- Between the Buried and Me - Things We Tell Ourselves in the Dark (0.30)

#### Andrew's Riff

- Prolapse - Cha Cha Cha 2000 (1:00)

### Dr Sam's track choices

1. Hanoi Rocks - Malibu Beach Nightmare (0.40)

2. Graham Central Station - Release Yourself (opening)

3. Viagra Boys - Man Made of Meat (0.45)

4. Defeated Sanity - Condemned to Vascular Famine (1.43)

### Andrew's track choices

1. The Nice - America (0:40)

2. Car Seat Headrest - Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales (4:21)

3. University - Notre Dame made out of flesh (4:28)

4. Agriculture - The glory of the ocean (6:12)

Email us - beatmotel@lawsie.com

John Peel. The man, the myth, the reason you accidentally got into Bulgarian throat singing that one time. This episode of Beat Motel is a loving, ramshackle dive into the chaotic universe of Peel Sessions.

Andrew Culture is joined by Mick Derrick from Prolapse, who proves that the road from crusty-sounding band names to DIY folklore is paved with weirdness, cassette tapes, and gigs no one came to. Expect tales of friendly old men who just happen to be in Mayhem, Welsh insults passed down to daughters, and the mystery of 500 unsellable t-shirts.

This episode includes:

• Pen-palling with Datblygu

• Bridget St John vs. aggressive jazz drummers

• How to make an album that sounds like a pub quiz gone wrong

• Firehose and the miracle of Mike Watt in Maida Vale

• And an impromptu quiz on obscure Peel Session stats that nobody really wins

Also, Prolapse has a new album. We mention that too, after slagging off ragtime, waxing lyrical about noise abatement, and trying not to get sued by the estate of John Martyn.

A celebration of DIY music, Peel magic, and the joy of saying “I liked them before they had a second single.”

### Riffs of the week

#### Mick's Riff

- Sharp Pins - Lorelei

#### Andrew's Riff

- University - Diamond Song

### Mick's track choices

1. Datblygu - Cristion Yn Y Kibbutz

2. Bridget St. John - Ask Me No Questions

3. Yeah Yeah Noh - Blood Soup

4. Quickspace - Happy Song

### Andrew's track choices

1. Ivor Cutler - Joe's Thick Coat (Peel Session)

2. The Auteurs - Happy birthday Buddha

3. Desperate Bicycles - The medium was tedium

4. fIREHOSE - She Paints Pictures (Peel Session)

Email us - beatmotel@lawsie.com

John Peel photo by Duca di Spinaci

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bhikku/1076455