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 - Rise

On 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.1

Dr 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 Legs

Andrew'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: beatmotel@lawsie.com