Kingdom of Hits (Radio Edit)

When I Go

Breaking The States

Wolfmania Bitesize is the pocket-sized podcast perfect your busy lifestyle. Mechanically separated laff morsels that you can eat between episodes. Best bits and bloopers from Wolfmania the Podcast with Andrew and Tim.

It has the greatest theme song ever recorded.

This week. The U2 Ukulele orchestra.

Wolfmania Bitesize - The U2 Ukulele Orchestra

Famously, Seinfeld was billed as the show about nothing. That was nonsense of course, there were characters, stories and jokes. All the usual boring sell out comedy stuff. 

Not so in the 'N' episode of Wolfmania the Podcast. No, in 102 minutes of breathtaking broadcasting we really redefine what it means to natter about nothing. Not-for-profit businesses, numbers stations, new music... Plus! All your favourite features: Celebrity Pedalpast! The Gig Pig! Mistakes and Regrets! A dog show! A wedding disco! The charts! Picking up metal bands at the airport! Gadget Show Alumni! LA hitmakers! A tribute to the greatest city on Earth! Fantasy Superbikes!  Drinking in the afternoon! And if you stick around. I mean really stick it out to the end... an actual proper joke. See if you can spot it.   

Wolfmania: For the few not the many.

s01e22 - Nothing

Wolfmania is back! Back! Back! and ready to party. In this very special episode Andrew and Tim park the internet space station in the middle of the Notting Hill Carnival, strap some speakers to the roof and crank out... a surprising amount of Jesus Jones. Dancing policemen, drinks in coconuts and a bloke calling us narcs for wearing a podcast wire to the party parade quickly ensue. 

And that's not all, we head over to Kensington Palace, meet the REAL people's Princess, and gnash our teeth over her shock new album. Wolfmania Sports Extra reveals full details of this week's BIG indie rock cricket tournament (September the 9th at Paddington Rec - 1pm start) and tries to up both its firepower and star power by talking two MAJOR stars into playing. 

PLUS! Dale Storey from Velvet Marauder in Studio! Robot Fassbender! Ace of Drum and Bass! Trivago's Proper Zuul tactics! Dunkirk re-cast! Who is Timpsy and why is he getting bullied by four-year-olds? Artie Morkel!

wolfmania

s01e24 - Party! Party! Party! Padding Up and the People's Princess

Q: Where is the best place to find massive LAFFS, monstrous new music, charming chat (both kinds: serious and silly) AND at least 40 minutes of hot nineties guys playing board games?
A: The new ‘Quiz Night’ Episode of Wolfmania The Podcast, of course.    

In this week’s very special, ever-so-slightly-harrowing, 100 minute monster jam Andrew and Tim pay a surprisingly heartfelt tribute to the great Harry Dean Stanton and Grant Hart (and then ruin it with a still-heartfelt-but-possibly-poor taste musical homage). We help to discover the NHS’ hottest new lie-down comedian, go slamdancing with the Quincy punks, and test our knowledge (and patience) as we play a politically-charged game of Mike Read’s Pop Quiz.

Plus: Jesus Jones doing yoga! Florence and the Machine’s choreographer! Judas Priest in an MRI machine! Font news! Instagram stickers! Totally Killing the Community Clinic! Kim Wilde! Morrissey knows about Phil Collins! Relax! ChIPS! Mayhem! Escape Goats! Busker Du! Heavy weather! More!

Warning: This week’s episode has some swearing left in it. Because it’s cool when Harry Dean Stanton does it.

s01e25 - Q and A, Q and Not U, Quincy Punks and Quiz Night

I don't care if Monday's black, Tuesday, Wednesday: Heart attack, Thursday never looking back, it's Friday and I'm at lunch. Today we at Wolfmania have something very special for your weekend:

Actual Wolfmania exclusives from LCD Soundsystem and The National! A real robot war! R Rated Erratic IT erotica! A Whiskery bear! The Gig Pig returns! A touching tribute! Getting down with the MAMWOO sound! NHS LOLs Vol 2! Euromillionaires! A kitten on a quadbike! A carrot that looks like a penis! And so much more...

s01e26 - Rated R, Risky Business, Ramble On, Robot Wars and a Remix

It’s someone’s birthday in the Internut Space Station and controls are set for spoiled baby in this week’s very special episode of Wolfmania the Podcast. 

Andrew, Tim and Big Paws throw a big podcast party (and then an even bigger strop when only Dave Storey the rocking Geordie shows up). There is plenty of potential to ‘feel your presence’ as the gang exchange gifts and talk Star Wars, plus a a bit of “no Luke, I am your Father” when one of those gifts turns out to require a DNA sample.

Plus! We unveil the mammoth new heavy metal / David Mamet rock opera Glengarry Glen Danzig! Brainy Fun Time! Celebrity Pedalpast! England’s Finest! Party legends! A Carnival of Souls! Funnel of Spit! And (at 24m 19s) inarguably, the greatest pop song ever recorded… Non-Stop Pizza Party.  

Parental Guidance: There is, of course, some coarse language during the Danzig section that some people may find offensive. Also, don’t let your children grow up as grumbly and ungrateful as this lot.

s01e27 - Special Day, Spoiled Brat, Surprise Surprise and Star Wars Figures

It’s T time in the Encyclopedia of Everything and there’s True Bromance in the air as Andrew and Tim are joined by very-special-guest-host, nineties heart-throb, Christian Slater (Mr Robot, Gleaming the Cube).

Plus! The gang get massively small when they are turned into six-inch Star Wars figures by a mysterious Russian scientist! There’s Trick or Treat trauma in the Wild West Midlands! Trials and Tribulations on the Heritage Rock Trail! Timpsy Time! Throwing up! Weezer! A friendly witch! Jimmy Page toilets! Promotional Drinks Clowns! Paradise Papers the movie! Celebrity Pedalpast! The Smashing Pumpkins! A half-hearted apology! Big Paws the cat gets stuck in a box! Bib Fortuna!

Plus! Literally, unbelievable new music from Patrick Stewart. Yes, that PATRICK STEWART! And the staggering new supergroup Perry, Perry, Perry tackle a club classic.

Really. You couldn’t make it up.

s01e28 - True Bromance, Tiny Adventures, Trick or Treat, Trials & Tribulations

Not going to lie, this week's Wolfmania is a pretty difficult listen. It's probably not for the faint hearted.

Speaking of which, Andrew gets some bad news, and struggles to talk about it. Don't worry though, he has no such trouble chatting about the movie S.M.A.R.T. starring Tim, or giving top model David Gandy the business. Oh, and he's written a song. Instead of a will. This is uneasy listening.

To make matters weirder, in an out-of-character burst of diversity, the boys are joined in studio by an actual woman, their great mate Kitty Somerset. Unfortunately, she has taken a vow of silence - which bodes well for the hot new podcast Kitty, Timpsy and the Dressing Gown Guy.

Let the process of weeding out commence.

Love you x

s01e29 - Unbreak my Heart (featuring Kitty Somerset)

After last week's emo disaster-thon Andrew and Tim veer back on to safer ground - half-remembering things from the past, rock hard pizza, plugs for the shop - when they are joined in studio by Very Important Person Mike Nothing.

Mike joins Tim for the pilot of the new BBC Sunday night show 'Round Anglesey with Tim and Mike' while Andrew opens up the Van Halen Time Capsule and unearths a Sausage Revolution.

Featuring for the first-time-online (and possibly the last time) songs by The Fizzy Corporation, The Peasants are Revolting and All Aboard the Eggbasket, this is one for the ages. Well worth sticking with for the bit where, after exactly two hours, Mike Nothing decides he's finally had enough to drink and just walks off to get an Uber. A masterclass in broadcasting.

s01e30 - V.I.P. and the Van Halen Time Capsule (featuring Mike Nothing) 123

s01e30 - V.I.P. and the Van Halen Time Capsule (featuring Mike Nothing)

Andrew Wolfman's peaceful and solitary existence gets upended when he encounters Timpsy, a young man with a high midichlorian count. His desire to learn the ways of the Wolf forces Andrew to make a decision that changes their lives forever. Meanwhile, tremble-lips emo Vader, Captain Panto and Vyvyan off the Young Ones lead the New Order in an all-out assault against the 10-man Resistance for supremacy of the galaxy

Oh no, hold on. With a world of 'W's dawning in front of them, Andrew and Timpsy get stuck into a 90 minute game of 'What's in the Box' which opens up a whole world of big questions. Like: "Do you like Paloma Faith" and "Jason Bourne and Matthew Bourne, right? Which one's the assassin and which one does the ballet?" Hilarity and Euro 2008 chat ensues.

These are the things that I will keep.

s01e31 - Wonders of the West Midlands, World of Wolfcraft, What's in the Box?

Ho! Ho! Holy sh*t! The Wolfmania Xmas Special is here. And it's seasonally stuffed with all the gifts, gags and years of seething unspoken resentment you'd expect from 51 minutes in the company of your family. 

This being a showbiz Christmas, of course, we are joined in studio by some very special guests (no spoilers, but its NEW BLOODY ORDER! doing a totally exclusive Christmas song. Yes. Really!) and at the end there's a big musical number, and everybody learns a lesson.

Plus! X-Wings (we've seen Star Wars. There's hard Porg-talk) X-Men (Will Hugh Jackman honour his booking?) X-clusives - The Wolfmania All-Stars featuring the Hell is for Heroes Choir and two actual members of Bananarama. Bloody hell!

Happy holidays!

s01e32 - Xmas Special: First order, New Order, A big musical number and everybody learns a lesson

It's late, you've lost your mates and some old bloke with a beard is bleating on about his albums of the year. No. Not the New Year's Eve Party you're about to go to... It's the one-man year-end-review episode of Wolfmania the Podcast.

This week we ask: where's Tim? And could next week really be the last ever episode? 

Aiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeee!

s01e33 - Year End Review and Yikes! Where's Timpsy

So, this is the end beautiful friends. With inches to spare, Andrew and Tim reach the last stop on their alphabetical joke journey, arriving at the electrifying conclusion of the A - Z of Everything. The side-splitting, senses-shattering, slightly emo, LAST episode of Wolfmania the Podcast.

And today they answer the BIG question that fans have been asking since day one.... What would it be like if ZZ Top went to the zoo?

Plus! Zombies! A cliffhanger ending! Fudge Factory! Has it come to this! Curry live! Polly and Dolly! Big Paws! Tom Jones! Boyz II Men 2 (AET)An actual joke!

visit the shop! www.wolfmania.org/shop

love you x

s01e34 - The Electrifying Conclusion - ZZ Top go to the Zoo

Oh hi everybody!

Would you believe it? Wolfmania The Podcast is back, Back, BACK! For an all-new! All-different! (mostly sort-of-the-same) senses-shattering second season, and it all starts right here.

After an extended lay-off Wolfman, Timpsy and Big Paws the podcast cat are back in town and trying to work out what they’re going to do now that the A - Z of Everything is over. Their answer will leave you BREATHLESS. (If you’re easily surprised by people announcing that they’re going to be running a film club podcast from now on).

All your favourite features and comedy-adjacent best bits are here: Fact Splat! Celebrity Pedal Past! The Gig Pig! Plus more big jingles than a Morris Dancing marathon. (Honestly, our jingles are better than most bands’ entire recorded outputs. Believe me when I tell you that 69 minutes of rusty chunter is a small price to pay for the majesty of ‘Mama Said I’m Locked Out: Wolfmania Season 2 Theme Tune’).

Plus: We Are Back! Dummy’s Guide! Sickbed Cinema! The Wire Season Six! High School German! The Sound of Cylons! Radio Cramp! ASMR Snuffling! Ned’s Acoustic Dustbin! Yoga With Adrian Chiles!   

***Wolfmania the Podcast: Season 2: Sickbed Cinema*** will be released every other Wednesday until the end of time. Our next show, on October 31, will be a spooky Halloweeeeeeeen special. Your homework will be to have watched the film Poltergeist. Then we can all chat about it.

x

s02 e01 - The Comeback Special

They're here! Wolfman and Timpsy that is, for a creepy, kooky, spectacularly spooky Halloween special edition of Wolfmania the Podcast: Sickbed Cinema.

This week your favourite pair of scary clowns find something amiss in their suburban bliss when they unleash hell (and a sort-of-fun quiz) discussing the classic 1982 Steven (Steve) Spielberg shocker Poltergeist. (Spoiler alert: it's sort of like a goth E.T.).

But that's not all! The boys are joined in studio by very special musical guest 'Less Than Drake' for two new monster jams, Timpsy reads a terrifying bedtime story and Wolfman burns the pizza. 

Plus: Ghosts! Goblins! Fancy dress! Mike the Terrified Bat! Celebrity Pedal Past! Your Letters! (alright, letter)! Non-stop pizza party! Mistakes and Regrets! Racist Ice Cream! Rob the Rogue! Louis Tomlinson! Judges' Houses! Hereford and Worcester's best new band! Big Paws! Pumpkins! A little bit of politics! More!

s02e02 - Poltergeist (Halloween Special)

Remember, remember the 14th of November with a slightly belated, slow burning, bonfire episode of Wolfmania the Podcast: Season Two: Sickbed Cinema.

With a big box of fireworx and minimal duds your favourite well-stuffed Guys Wolfman and Timpsy fan the flames of filmic debate with their hot takes on the classic 1973 scorched-copper caper The Wicker Man and the diabolical (I want to say) 2006 version where Nicholas Cage steals a bike, puts on a bear suit, punches out a load of women and then gets murdered by bees. 

But that's not all! The boys introduce their ambitious new proper-cooking, sitcom Buns of Anarchy. Plus! The Sorceror's Apprentice! Last Week's Punchlines Today! Proper Football Men! The Hale and Pace Movie!  Social shoutouts! Celebrity Pedalpast (Aqua Edition)! Corby Trouser-Press! And special musical guest STAGZ!

visit the shop: www.wolfmania.org/shop
send us an email: wolfmaniapodcast@gmail.com
follow us around: @wolfmaniapodcast

Wolfmania The Podcast

s02e03 - The Wicker Man(s)

Uncool at school and majorly moping over the girl next door, Wolfmania’s world is turned upside down when it gets bitten by some radioactive chat. Instantly imbued with a freewheeling chemistry and uncanny comic timing (our jingle sense is tingling!) but touched by tragedy, Wolfman and Timpsy learn that with great gags come even greater laffs.

In an out-of-character 2h 11m of stuttering sincerity, the boys pay humble homage and trembling tribute to Marvel maestro Stan ‘The Man’ Lee, and at least one of them watches Sam Raimi’s swing-o-rilliant first Spider-Man movie all the way to the end.

But that’s not all! (That’s not even nearly all.) Timpsy titillates us and dishes the dirt on the Dater’s Handbook, while Wolfman takes a swing at the twin evils of toxic masculinity and the flu bug. 

Plus! Be More Like Robert! Social Shout-Outs! Dingle Debenham-North! Greater Omaha! The Swimming Dead! The Snüffel! Möttley Cerrütti! Sick! Sick! Sick! Wolfmania Late Night! Data's Handbook! Celebrity Pedalpast! The Claudio Clapper! Norway! Dead-Eyed Stuart! Casper Mattress! Spielberg, McCartney and Lee! Stop Going On About The Universal Bloody Ear! Fact Splat! Enchantment Under the Sea! Pep Music! The Leech! Macho Man Randall Savage! And very special musical guests StanBand! The Ramones! And My Glamorous Australian Wife! Is it long? Listen bud. We've got radioactive blood.

Parental warning! This week's show comes with a PG-13 rating. The Dater's Handbook is pretty electric, there's an un-caught eff-bomb about 1h 45m in and someone says 'vagina' while talking about modern art. 

Tech Splat! This week's episode is exactly the same length as the 2002 film Spider - Man, and can be played alongside the film as a fancy blu-ray commentary track extra. You know, if you want.

Thwip!

s02e04 - Spider Hyphen Man (2002)

Check-ch-check-check-check-ch-check-it-out! It's the hip hop holiday episode of Wolfmania the Podcast sort of featuring very special guests The Beastie Boys (Squeeeeeeee!) 

As if that's not enough excitement, your Beastly Brothers Wolfman and Timpsy put the dissing and cussing into long-winded film discussion as they tackle the 1993 rhyming and stabbing Emilio Estevez 'classic' Judgment Night. 

Never in the long and and storied history of notionally film-based podcasting has an episode so artistically mirrored its subject: bumbling brosephs being dickheads at night time, half an hour longer than is strictly necessary and essentially just an excuse for a ridiculous rap-metal soundtrack...

Ah yes, the soundtrack. Not only do we take you on a tour through the genre-bending delights of the ground-breaking grunge-hop Judgment Night OST, we have THREE (count 'em) EXCLUSIVE tracks not heard on the original album: Less Than Drake v Geoff Leppard, Cyprus Phil's "Sticky Green Vape Machine" and, oh yes, the frankly frightening: "Kick Him in the Dick".

Whatever else you do with this episode (skip it and put that Peter Crouch one on probably) you will not want to miss "Kick Him in the Dick". (it's at 74 minutes, Cyprus Phil is at 46 minutes, you can probably 2x through the rest).

Plus! Timp Bucks! Social Shout Outs! Around the Grounds! Boiler Man! Christmas Down Under! Intergalactic Child Fight! The Gig Pig! Def Leppard Christmas Jumper! Anthony the Theatre Anteater! Timpsy's World of Impressions! Brand Champions! Celebrity Treadlefoot! Rap disaster! Ladder 42 Where Are You?! Infinity War Ending!

Parental warning: The song Kick Him in the Dick (at 74 minutes) features strong and repeated dick kickings.

Also I failed to bleep out a bit where we call Pearl Jam a 'shit funk metal band' (about 64 minutes). Soz.

------
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: @wolfmaniapodcast
Visit the shop: www.wolfmania.org/shop
Send us an email: wolfmaniapodcast@gmail.com
Please rate and review!

s02e05 - Judgment Night (Kick Him in The Dick)

Still looking for that annoying drone that ruined your holiday? Look no further. It’s the mega-festive 2018 Christmas special edition of Wolfmania the Podcast.

With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree Wolfman and Timpsy rejoice in the things that they’ve seen (none of which, disappointingly for what’s supposed to be a film podcast, appear to be films).

With three big musical exclusives from West Midlands, Comfort and Joy Machine and By George, the boys are here to accompany your Christmas Day funtivities, whether that’s feeeling your presents under the tree, roasting chestnuts on an open fire or driving miles in the pouring rain to visit relatives you sort-of-despise and pray won’t talk about Brexit... 

Plus! Snow! Sleigh! Presents! Advanced Social Media Diagnostics! Nord! Christmas!

Christmas Special 2018

If your New Year's resolution is to listen to more chat, well, you've come to the right place. Wolfman and Timpsy roar into 2K19 with a twelve-months-in-the-making two-hour spectacular New Year Hootenanny!

Marvel! At their totally achievable (not-at-all over ambitious) plans for REVOLUTION WINTER! Thrill! To their unimpeachably cool choices in the end of year poll of polls. Then shake your head sadly when you realise that this is actually what they did on New Year's eve.

Plus! Non-stop Pizza Party Ghost Protocol! Big Paws! Champagne Supernova! Live Show! Night of a Thousand Joolses! LadBaby gets the buisiness! Griefcase! Well-net! The Mindful Guys! Christmas Disco! MDMA sex party! Ornette Coleman! THRIVE! And your musical guests The WInter Olympics, Billy Idles and Eddie Butler!

Wolfman and Timpsy donated their fee (it's £50) to the Trussell Trust Food Bank Network. Get involved here: www.trusselltrust.org

s02e07 - Hootenanny!

Live! From the Brian May Wing of St Vincent's Hospital - it's West Midlands Hospital Radio. 120 minutes of loosely themed, lovingly curated songs in A and E. Old songs, new songs, but, if we're being honest, mostly 1992 songs. Request resistant rock and roll radio to make you feel a bit better.

Live! From the Brian May Wing of St Vincent's Hospital - it's West Midlands Hospital Radio. 120 minutes of loosely themed, lovingly curated songs in A and E. Old songs, new songs, but, if we're being honest, mostly 1992 songs. Request resistant rock and roll radio to make you feel a bit better...


This week's show features all the biggest hits of hospital rock. On top of that there are approximately two good jokes and a fistful of jingles. Stick with it… your host Andrew Wolfman (West Midlands the band, Wolfmania the Podcast) gets marginally less annoying as the show goes on.

Contact the show at westmidlandsband@gmail.com or @andrewWM on Twitter (or @andrew_wolfpack on Instagram). Our next episode is a pharmaceutical special (there must be some songs about drugs, right?) so get your requests and drugs in now!

West Midlands Hospital Radio - Episode 1 - Songs in A and E

Lock up your medicine cabinets, the sensational second episode of West Midlands Hospital Radio is here!

This week we dispense with the pleasantries, pump up the Valium, and pray that the drugs do work as we pick up prescription hits from all four corners of the rock and roll pharmacy. We've got more than enough high times, drug songs and mind-expanding sing-alongs to take the edge off the hurt for a couple of hours.

Your host Andrew Wolfman (me!) just says yes to music from Black Sabbath, Hüsker Dü, Huey Lewis (and the News!) plus, this being drug week, there's a proper tops-off, hands-aloft mega rave. (Don't worry, we'll warn you when the tops-off mega rave starts). 

Also, there are some reasonably funny jokes.  

Parental warnings: Strong drug references throughout, plus after 43m I call Ted Nugent "a twat". At 55m the band Drug Church really let rip and at 1h 54m there is some talk of the ITV4 TV show 'Tattoo Wankers'. On the plus side, if you stick around to the very end, there is a very funny joke about a horse that kids are just going to love.

West Midlands Hospital Radio - Episode 2 - Pump Up the Valium

The thrill-a-minute 3rd episode of West Midlands Hospital Radio, the nation’s top medically themed indie rock podcast is here. The only show that knows the quickest way to your heart is a unilateral incision on the upper left region of the sternum.

This week we career down to the cardio wing for 2hrs of serious heartcore. We’ve got pulsating punk jams, pumping pop songs, big beating bangers that’ll take your breath away quicker than a pulmonary embolism. We’ve got full hearts, broken hearts, bleeding hearts & the band Heart. Essentially, for 120 mins we are Heart fm. Except slightly less depressing. It’s marginal, but at least you’re not stuck in a taxi, already hungover, choking on the fug of Febreeze and the sound of Simply Red.

If you’d like to get in touch, send your requests to westmidlandsband@gmail.com, visit wolfmania.org or follow us around on Instagram @andrew_wolfpack or on Twitter @andrewWM - or, you know, just shove a note under the door on your way to the canteen.

West Midlands Hospital Radio - Episode 3 - This is Heartcore

Hey! The latest episode of West Midlands Hospital Radio is here. And it is pure sauce.

This week, in spite of public demand we break out of the broom cupboard, haul down our underthings and head south for the sexual health centre. Welcome, unexpectedly early, to the season finale of my radio career.

What can you expect? Well, we’ve got more forgotten songs, more massive name dropping, and more drippy, droopy utterly grotty jesus Christ I can’t un-see it sex bombs than the new Moby autobiography. There's ethereal venereal chillwave, a planned parenthood pop punk party and…. yes a little bit of Johnny B Goode.

This being sexual health week, you can expect some strong language and a lot of material intended for more mature audiences… but, you know, also ‘My Nuts’ by the Fat Boys. Wait! Come back!

West Midlands Hospital Radio - Episode 5 - Sexual Healing

Gather up your hot towels and remember your breathing, the 'From Here to Maternity' episode of West Midlands Hospital Radio - the nation's number one surgically spirited indie rock podcast - is here.

This week at St Vincent’s we're saying Mama! OOOoOOOOoOO as we bring you metal mothers, pregnant pauses, and a little bit of baby love. We’re going to have the biggest, slightly complicated Labour party since Jeremy Corbyn agreed to DJ that kid’s bar mitzvah… (Really not sure about that joke).

Expect Hits! Misses! Chat! Laffs! Now incorporating West Midlands Hospital Radio Smooth!

West Midlands Hospital Radio

West Midlands Hospital Radio - Episode 6 - From Here to Maternity

It's time to roll up your sleeves and head on down to West Midlands Hospital Radio, because Andrew Wolfman (me!) is giving blood a bad name.

We're plunging the needle deep into an armful of red hot hits, putting the punk in arterial puncture, and the disco into…. Discoing to hurt a little bit…. Is that a good joke? (Honestly, I can’t tell any more).

We’ve got a great show HONESTLY, WE HAVE. A sticky pool of pumping pop thumpers for every kind of blood type. A, B, AB… even, and I apologise for this little bit of Type O Negative…. PLUS! One genuinely good joke! Jingles! A massive rave up! A surprisingly heartfelt tribute to Discharge!

West Midlands Hospital Radio - Episode 7 - You Give Blood a Bad Name

I've been agonising over whether it would be a good idea to do my Hospital Radio show in the current climate (would it be in terrible taste? Do we really need a weird fake Hospital Radio show, now that all radio is pretty much all radio is hospital radio?)

Well, yes it probably would be, and no, we almost definitely don't, but you know, I've only really got the one act - and it was either this or an Instagram live concert, and nobody needs any more of that right now.

Here then, is my actually-much-more-heartfelt-than-you'd-think lockdown rockdown tribute to our keyworkers and up yours to the virus. It's Episode 8 of West Midlands Hospital Radio - Smells Like Quarantine Spirit. 30 massive bangers and several days of 'hilarious' sit-down 'comedy.' Stick with it...

If you like the show, please tell a friend. Or, alternatively, bang some pots and pans out of the window on Thursday evening. I'll know it's me you're thanking....

Cheers!

West Midlands Hospital Radio - Episode 8 - Smells Like Quarantine Spirit

West Midlands are a gang of weird pop magpies cranking out high-concept, no-budget DIY death rock from a dank room on an industrial estate, round the back of PC World. 

Their songs chart the decline and fall of a rapidly decaying musician, dropped by his label, forgotten by fans, and forced to return to his childhood home in the Black Country to confront his demons – some of which, it turns out, are actual demons. It’s sort of a documentary. 

Cosmic Scouse super producer and legendary Windmill soundman Paul of Sound provides the music, former Winter Olympics’ singer Andrew Wolfman plays the unknown frontman.

Live, the band are bolstered by a gang of serious heads who transform West Midlands’ lofty ideas into an often hilarious, occasionally heartbreaking festival-ready rock show that’s long on stagecraft, self-loathing, and big songs. BBC Introducing called them, “The best live show I have ever seen.” Joyzine magazine thought them a “ridiculously addictive stone age riot… weird music for weird times,” while Kurt Vile just called them, “Genius.” 

The band takes the last 50 years of West Midlands music as a jumping-off point for their sound (and the reason for their name).  

It’s all there: the Hammer Horror heaviness of Black Sabbath, the chaotic post-punk clatter of The Swell Maps, the grubby grebo rock from that weird six month period in the nineties when Stourbridge was the new Seattle. 

There’s a decidedly Dexy’s “whoa-oh!” here, a whiff of Zeppelin’s spooky village mysticism there, and more than a nod to the plate-eyed after-party poetry of The Streets and the Brummies-on-a-yacht pop swagger of Duran Duran. In the background, the dull throb of a secret rave rolls off the Clent Hills in the distance. 

This is pop music for music nerds, by music nerds. The musical proof that comedy equals tragedy plus time. Hard art by high friends in low places. It’s not for everyone, but it might just save your life.

Popular tracks by West Midlands