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

Shittin Myself Waiting for Santa

Merry Christmas, FOR REALS THIS TIME. When we're not roasting your favourite Christmas movies, we’re delving into a *very* festive Kerrang from 1985. Lemmy, Venom's Cronos and those lads from Ratt are all getting into the spirit, while the mag does its bit for women's lib by getting the top female rock stars of the day together for a photoshoot. And then referring to them as tarts.

Stryper are the cover stars, appropriately enough for the birth of Christ, but Robert Sweet is keen to point out he knows all about sin. Meanwhile, Yes’ Jon Anderson has a Christmas Album out but it's anyone's guess why he's in a heavy metal magazine. And as for Frank Sidebottom...

We have a lengthy feature on Starship, one time psychedelic godheads, now purveyors of smooth AOR (and the record Rolling Stone perpetually pegged as the worst ever, but fuck them, We Built This City is ace). And what's more Grace Slick is excellently snarky in the interview.

Don't miss our third annual Festive Blowout! 

PWM60 recorded 6th December 2025

Sexy Snowball Fight

Christmas is rapidly approaching so we're discussing a modern festive Cinematic classic, which you've probably not seen but consider this your recommendation to watch Poinsettias For Christmas- particularly if you're really fucking into Poinsettias. 

In November 1988 we have a news report of an imminent album release from Mötley Crüe- which turns out to be a reality warping mystery. Are ‘ver Crüe a nexus of paranormal anomalous weirdness? We're investigating the shit out of it.

The Macc Lads have been banned by the Police, Marillion are still looking for a new lead singer, and Queen are rereleasing a shit ton of their old singles on CD. This leads us into some *very* salty opinions about the output of Freddie and the lads. And Christmas songs in general. 

Kommunication leads us to rediscover a forgotten piece of 80s culture, and we reminisce about the time The Who replaced Keith Moon mid concert, and Journey pioneered the video game tie in.

There's an interview with David Lee Roth, which is as unhinged as you'd want, and someone in the Klassifieds needs to get his hands on Europe's sexiest videos, for completely non pervy reasons, no doubt. 

Beware - this is a HIGHLY SEXUAL EPISODE!

PWM59 Kerrang 214 November 1988 recorded 27th November 2025

It's September 1992 and Faith No More's Mike Patton is on the cover regurgitating *something*. Bryan Adams has a single out that we've completely forgotten, but we're still fans of all of his Mel C collaborations. Axl Rose is picking up industry awards left right and centre, but does that mean he's calmed down a bit? We'll find out!

Bon Jovi have a “controversial” new single out, but we’re more interested in King Diamond’s Christmas song OBVIOUSLY.

Marillion are celebrating 10 years of having a record contract with EMI (let's see how that one pans out) but Kerrang is throwing shade at their audience. Cover stars FNM are interviewed on what sounds like a pretty shitty tour, and the whole thing's a bit grim, meanwhile The Black Crowes are sick of hearing about how great the 60s were but at least Monster Magnet are bringing their psychedelic heaviosity to the UK's toilets.

We dig into the charts, and relate a story of youthful excitement, vandalism and East 17. Also the usual crap about personal ads. We ain't changing this winning formula!

Kerrang 410 Sept 1992

PWM58 Recorded November 9th 2025

A Very Merry Christmas from everyone at PWM Towers. We’re celebrating by lobbing up as much tinsel as humanly possible, rewatching one of our favourite cold themed horror movies and perusing Q number 46 from July  1990. 

The venerable mag does a Where Are They Now on Jilted John, which leads us to remember John Shuttleworth’s appearance on Vic and Bob’s All Nighter from Xmas 1993. Some bloke writes in about how he was in Queen, and we sidestep The Stone Roses’ current legal problems by focusing on their affection for it’s grim up North urtext Rita Sue and Bob Too. 

Finally we get to a big ass article about Prince where we learn something about his background and theorise about how he manages to fit everything in, particularly regarding his legendary appetite for bangin’. Also we do a not particularly deep dive into his album covers. 

Talking of musical genius, New Kids on the Block have an album out and we cover the two best songs, Tonight (The Beatles perfected) and Stay With me Baby (Reggae the way it was always meant to be: Performed by Donnie Wahlberg).

Along the way we talk concert videos, movie recommendations, and  - big shocker - some Chris De Burgh news.

PWM57 Recorded November 2nd 2025

How much for Prince’s shoes? It’s the Spooky/Christmas season so we’re discussing Trick or Treat related anxiety, dressing as Lindsey Buckingham for Halloween, and which of the CIPWM corporation is of no use when it comes to wrapping presents. 

We go through a couple of our Christmas movie favourites  - no change there, then - and review some of our recent TV watches (Andor! Mayfair Witches! The Ed Gein Show!). By the way, did you ever notice rock bands in the 90s were really fucking into serial killers, for some reason?

Meanwhile, in 1990, it’s July and, much like Muriel Gray’s best friends, we’re looking at Q Magazine issue 46. This particular publication, you’ll recall, is thick as a dick, so we’re only going to scratch the surface, but along the way we’ll look at some Rock Auctions (Rawktions) and how Jimi Hendrix's guitar is somehow both under and overpriced, a report on that John Lennon Tribute Concert you forgot all about, and some news reports about The Dogs D’Amour (Kerrang adjacent!) and Janet Jackson (Cat related content!).

We hear from a listener, who has a recommendation that we thoroughly enjoy. 

Recorded 4th Oct 2025

Here's a preview of our first Patreon exclusive Pod. 

An attempt to cover Metal Hammer's KISS Fan Mag stays mostly off track as we lurch into an AMAZING Bret Michaels Based Quiz, literally sing the praises of Poison, take an uncomfortably deep dive into the work of Michael Bolton, and offer our hot new recommendation - or, if you will, Rockommendation for 2025: Vixen. Also, for some reason, a review of Andor.

Full Episode includes:

Sounds pretty good right? Not just a bog standard episode behind a paywall! To listen to the whole unexpurgated mess, just sign up to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/PodWithMadness

In addition to the bonus pods, you also get access to the PWM digital archive where you can read along with us, early episode access and we'll even send you our old, used Kerrangs!

Recorded: 26th Sept 2025

We’re back to finish off Kerrang 258, even though we did all the good bits last time. The old reliable maniacs in the letters page and personal ads come through for us, once again so don’t worry about that! There’s MORE Jim Steinman discourse, because that dude can’t be limited to one podcast. We do a DEEP KUTZ that we’ve already done, review some horror movies, and bring back TV KRYMEZ!

Video Fears! Endless Friends chat! The best superhero music revealed! And the 347th mention of The Decline of Western Civilization Part 2: The Metal Years on this podcast. We *really* need to watch that movie.

This episode is not sponsored by Candy Kittens but it fucking might as well be - however, please note this is now an EG Daily fan podcast.

Kerrang 258, Sept 30 1989 pt2 PWM54

Recorded 14 Sept 2025

It's September so we're talking Christmas TV ads OBVIOUSLY. Meanwhile, in 1989 it's also September and Kerrang have an interview with Jim Steinman. Have a guess whether you think he's a fan of Dire Straits or the Police Academy franchise. There's a certain amount of shade thrown at Mitch Pileggi but that's down to our antipathy for Skinner from the X-Files,  and not his appearance in the extremely metal horror movie Shocker. Bruce Dickinson’s solo career and stage trousers are discussed. We reminisce about the worst Christmas Eve ever and look back at the best live performers from the early 2000s Pop Idol era. And we ascertain the exact moment in history when Alice Cooper was at his sexiest.

Also we launch our Patreon. Come on, it had to happen. 

Shoutout to @Kerrang_Classic_Magazine for posting stuff from the issue.

This week’s secret theme: Ken Russell.

PWM53: Kerrang 258, September 30th 1989

Recorded 7th September 2025

We're back with our heads in Metal Hammer this week- it's 1988 - Ozzy is on tour, King Diamond is robbing graves and Van Halen is utterly indecipherable. 

When we're not reading about a respectable heavy metal mum (37 - so she'd be 74 now, hello if you're listening ma'am), we spiral into the rabbit hole of all rabbit holes, Rotherham's very own Jive Bunny. If that wasn't enough of an irrelevant tangent for you we also dig into a nefarious conspiracy around Fruit of the Loom. 

Also ANOTHER Kompetition update, Nizlopi memories and stuff about Christmas. Please note this episode features the first mention of Ed Sheeran on this podcast. And very probably the last. Plus a DEEP KUTZ DUET.

Recorded 15th August 2025

Caught Up In The Rapture of Me!

We’re jumping forward two years to find Kerrang well and truly established, hitting its 50th issue and smushing a cake onto Ian Gillan’s head. The celebrated Child In Time screamer currently finds himself NOT in the ranks of the mighty Purps, but somehow inexplicably in the doom laden court of another seminal 70s metal combo. Who could that be?

Stonehenge based shenanigans aside, we have a feature on Venom, who are NOT HAPPY. Also disgruntled are Fastway, and most of the Korrespondents on the letters page. Crikey! Nazareth's Dan McCafferty appears in a photo I will never post on Instagram, and I regret to note that we're definitely losing the Quo fans with this episode. Luckily Ozzy shows up on the back cover and all is well again.

We've got some DEEP KUTZ, an argument about DEEP KUTZ, and a Kompetition Update! 

Kerrang 50 Sept 1983 - PWM51

Recorded 6th August 2025