Wyrd Ways Rock Show

This edition of The Wyrd Ways Rock Show marks a new chapter for the show, with a fresh theme tune replacing Rat Salad. With Black Sabbath’s retirement and the passing of Ozzy Osbourne earlier this year, it felt like the right time to make the change and usher in something new for the show.In this edition, we’re diving into a solid mix of Trad, Symphonic, and Death Metal with a bit of Folk and Doom sprinkled on the side to taste. You’ll hear tracks from Venger, the new project from Saxon's Doug Scarratt, Tailgunner, with their new single, Tears in Rain, inspired by the iconic monologue from Rutger Hauer in Blade Runner, as well as Death Dealer, and promising Italian band HyperioN.Alissa White-Gluz also gets a well-deserved spotlight in this episode. You’ll hear The Room Where She Died, a track that shows off her full vocal range, a side of her work that didn’t get much exposure during her time with Arch Enemy. If you’ve followed her work, you’ll know she’s capable of more than just growls, and this track proves that.As usual, there’s a bit of variety. Along with the Metal tracks, I’ll be sharing some personal updates—specifically, how recovery’s been going after my cataract surgery, as well as my recent ADHD diagnosis.In addition to the music, I’ll also touch on a few current events, including my thoughts on Anthony Joshua’s demolition of social media dick and Trump supporter Jake Paul (Joshua smiling when he dropped Paul in the final round was an almost artistic moment. Joshua’s statement afterward, claiming he deliberately dragged out the fight to “torture” Paul, only added to the amusement. I'll also touch on Andrew Tate getting a lesson in humility (ie being roundly spanked) from a younger fighter in Dubai.Orchid Throne, Nicholas Monsanto's solo Doom project and Hungarian Symphonic Metal band Meteora make an excellent showing before the show’s second half dives deeper into aggressive Metal, including tracks from Gravewitch, Lik, and some post-punk from Northampton’s Utopia Development Corporation.Finally, we wrap up the show with an invitation for artists from marginalized communities — specifically BIPOC, women, and the sex work community. If you’re a non-traditional Metal artist, or a non-traditional artist who's into Metal and want to share your work, I’d love to have you on the show. It’s all about fostering a community of support, especially for those who don’t always get the recognition they deserve in the scene. If you stand against the tide of division, we want to hear from you.That’s The Wyrd Ways Rock Show. Keeping the volume honest.

Okay, as you've probably noticed this edition of The Wyrd Ways Rock Show is running a little late.For those of you wondering where I’ve been, I’ve been dealing with some vision issues over the past few months. Things were getting pretty bad, to the point where I couldn’t read the screen on my computer properly and had to give up driving at night because I literally couldn’t see the end of the road. Fortunately, after an operation at Calderdale Hospital, I now have artificial lenses in my eyes, and I can actually see again! The surgery was done under local anaesthetic, and though it was a weird experience – I could see what was going on while they worked – I was well looked after by the wonderful staff there. It’s definitely not something I want to go through again, but I’m incredibly grateful for how smooth the whole process was, and I’m on the mend now, ready to get back to doing what I love.But back to the show – in this edition, you’ll hear fresh(-ish!) tracks from the likes of Paradise Lost, Kubika, and Royal Lynne, along with some of the other new music that’s dropped while I’ve been away.But it’s not just about the music – we also need to talk about some of the tougher, more frustrating issues within society and the Metal scene right now. Specifically, the ongoing challenges that sex workers (some of whom I know personally) and others in marginalised communities, which includes women as a whole, are facing on social media. Platforms like Instagram have been cracking down on content linked to pole dancers, yoga instructors, sex educators, strippers and even information services, shadow-banning accounts and removing posts, which is not only damaging to the people directly affected, but the wider community as well. It's one of those things that really needs more attention, and it’s something we should all be concerned about.As always, The Wyrd Ways Rock Show is about more than just the music, it's about the people who love it and make it, no matter who they are, where they come from, who they love and what they do for a living – it’s about supporting the bands and artists that don’t always get the attention they deserve. I’m all for giving a platform to up-and-coming talent, and you can expect to hear music from some of the underdogs in the scene. But it’s also about celebrating the diverse voices in Metal. Whether you’re a dancer, a painter, a sex worker, a designer, or just someone with a unique perspective on the scene – everyone deserves to have their voice heard. And that's what I'm trying to do with the interviews I'm arranging.So, if you’re in a band, have a new track, or just want to get in touch, drop me a message. I’m always looking for fresh music and new voices to feature. The only proviso is that you should love the music.

Hello and welcome to this week's edition of The Wyrd Ways Rock Show.This week's show, as well as all the usual brand spanking new music and interesting bands I've found while trawling social media, there's an interview with "the sex face of Burlesque" herself, originator of Stripknot (yes, you did read that correctly!), Trixie Blue. I spoke to her about... hang on... why am I telling you? Go listen to the interview if you want to hear what we talk about!Anyway... like I mention in the show, I'm looking for more people to chat with for the show. With this being Pride Month, I'd like to shine more of a spotlight on queer creators within the Rock and Metal scene. So if you're LGBTQIA+, do something creative, obviously that includes being in a band and are into Rock and Metal, get in touch and we'll have a chat, record it and get your voice heard. This especially applies to our trans siblings and any sex workers. With the sort of shite you're having heaped on you at the moment, your voices need to be heard even more.As members of the Metal community, we know what it's like to be "othered" and treated as if we're mentally deficient or need rescuing. We know we aren't and we don't, so let's band together with others who feel and are being treated the same way or even worse. At least it isn't illegal in most countries to listen to Metal. There's far too many where it's illegal to be queer or a sex worker. That's not right. Let's try and do something about it, eh?Remember, you can also listen and subscribe to the show on YouTube Podcasts, Google Podcasts (where still available), Apple Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts and wherever else you get your podcasts. If you subscribe, please leave a review and rate us 5*. That way we push up the algorhythm and get the music out to more ears.

Before we get going with this week's Wyrd Ways Rock Show, Porcelain Victoria (this week's guest) asked me to pass on her apologies for misgendering Bambie Thug. They identify as "they/them", not "she/her" as Victoria said during the interview. No offence meant.So I had a little bit of a fanboy moment when recording this week's show. I've been listening to <strong>Porcelain Victoria</strong>'s podcast, <a href="https://behindthepaddle.co.uk/">Behind The Paddle</a> for a while and have learned a lot from it. I was somewhat shocked when she agreed to talk to me over Zoom about her love of Metal. I needn't have worried, Victoria was fantastic. I would love to have her on the show again sometime. Massive thanks to her for agreeing to the interview.You might be wondering why I've been interviewing non-musicians on <strong>The Wyrd Ways Rock Show</strong>. It's a music show, right? There's a very good reason. This music we call Metal unites a lot of people from across the world. Metal is for everyone. We are a community and we should be looking after our own. Some of our siblings are being silenced, legislated against (or threatened with it) or being "othered" by society at large, and it's past time we all stepped up and helped. I'm doing that by listening to them and magnifying their voices by getting them on the show to talk about the thing that unites us all - Metal. It's a lot harder to "other" someone who shares your tastes. It also helps us to be reminded that people in marginalized communites like women, POCs, queer people, trans people and sex workers of all types are just as human as we are and deserve to be treated in the same way.I'm using my cis het white guy privilege and my platform, such as it is, to stand up for any of my siblings (as a human being and a dyed-in-the-wool Metalhead) who are being downtrodden by bigots, right wing politicians, TERFs and SWERFs.The rest of the show is the usual mix of high quality brand new Rock and Metal, served just the way you like it with a bit of a chat about the Sexplicit event, run by <a href="https://poledancestrippermovement.co.uk/">PDSM</a> I went to last weekend.Shall we...?

This edition of The Wyrd Ways Rock Show features a special guest star as part of my push to getting more diverse voices and interesting people on the show - fire performer, model, Circus freak, piercer, Paddle Mag Awards winner 2024, Sexual Freedom Awards Finalist 2025, and Alternative Awards nominee 2025, Kitty Von Crypt.  As usual with guests on the show, Kitty also gets to pick some music to play after her interview.  Huge thanks to Kitty for agreeing to have a chat with me.What else have we got for you...?Well, things are Heavier this week than they have been, mostly influenced by my mood (which also explains why I didn't do a show last week - didn't have the mental spoons to do it).  So you can expect a lot of angry music this week.  Which is nice.If any of you are out and about in Manchester on the 17th May and happen to have tickets for Sexplicit: Alt Arousal, I'll see you there.  Feel free to find me and have a chat.  If you're a performer, artist, designer or musician, especially if you are a woman, POC, queer (including our trans siblings) or a sex worker, let's get your voice amplified.  We need to be celebrating diversity and proving that Metal is for everyone.Us outsiders need to stick together.

Welcome to the new edition of The Wyrd Ways Rock Show!Life got in the way again and I had a mental system crash last weekend, so that delayed everything. That's one of the things that happens when you're dealing with depression and anxiety. I hope that by being open with my own fight, we can normalise talking about it. That's one of the reasons I'm teaming up with Heavy Metal Therapy for a night of D&D at Powder Monkey Gaming in Huddersfield.Want to know more? Check out the episode. There's more details there.I know it's been a bit longer than a week since I last made a noise in your ears, but hopefully you'll find this show to have been worth the wait. Over 2 hours of top quality Rock and Metal with a touch of social commentary. Yes, I did get angry about something again. Yes, the Wyrd Ways Rock Show continues to be woke as f*ck and makes no apologies for that.Let's get loud.

This week's Wyrd Ways Rock Show comes at a time when our trans siblings are under attack from TERFs like that woman who wrote the Harry Potter books, the UK Supreme Court and even our Health Secretary, Wes Streeting. Please, if you are in the UK, write to your MP expressing your disgust at the way this marginalized community is being treated. This is especially despicable from a Labour government.Getting away from politics and human rights (because trans rights ARE human rights) for a moment, there's nearly 2 hours of brand new, high quality Rock and Metal from established and up-and-coming bands.Turn it up. The louder we are, the less they can ignore us.

Apologies for the lateness of this "week"'s edition of The Wyrd Ways Rock Show - I just totally ran out of spoons. I'm only just now starting to be recovered enough to be doing all the stuff needed to put a show together.If you're wondering why I'm referring to cutlery and what that has to do with anything, click on this link for an explanation. It explains quite nicely while people like me who have mental health conditions, or people with any kind of chronic illness quite often can't do the things they want to do.Anyway, it's a really varied show this time out (I'm not going to say "week", because... well... it wasn't weekly this time), so there's more than likely going to be something for literally everyone, so long as you like some Rock and Metal in your ears.Shall we get on with it?Remember you can follow me on Instagram, Threads and even TikTok - just click on the links.

Welcome to the latest edition of The Wyrd Ways Rock Show.This week's show is packed to the proverbial gunwhales with the usual blend of top quality brand new Rock and Metal, as you'd expect. We’ve got brand-new music from Vanitas and Bloodywood, a taste of Ward XVI’s upcoming album Id3ntity, and a guest appearance from FFDP's Ivan Moody on The Funeral Portrait’s Holy Water.But it’s not just about the music—there’s some serious cause for celebration. Since I recorded the show, the results have come in, and I need to give a huge shoutout to Ember Auburn, Charlotte and Amethyst Allure for smashing it at the You Filthy F*cker pole dance competition at The Hive in Skegness on the 22nd March (that's last night, as I'm writing this), with Ember taking third and Char taking second in the Beginners' category and Amethyst earning the Stripper’s Choice award in Pro.Hit play on the player (or on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or whichever podcast player you use), turn it up, and let’s get to it.