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hellishpod.com
Hellish
@hellishpod.com
98 followers 120 following 270 posts
Podcast, from Hell. We ask our guests for the five tracks they will meet in Hell: the songs that will be used to torment them for all eternity. Hosted by @danielwhelan.com and Alex Gale.

Independent Podcast Awards finalist, as seen in the Sunday Times.
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hellishpod.com
Hellish @hellishpod.com · Sep 11
Woo-hoo! Shortlisted for an Independent Podcast Award. Thanks to the judges, all our guests, and of course, our listeners!
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jimmeruk.bsky.social
A parody of Wes Streeting's Guardian article with the headline changed to "Ignore the smears: I was never a close friend of Dick Dastardly. And I never wanted to stop the pigeon - Wes Muttley" "I knew him but not well, and worry now that he thrived in the Vulture Squadron. It was not just failed vetting: there was a failure of moral seriousness." Streeting has been photoshopped with an aviator cap and goggles, along with a red aviator scarf.
February 10, 2026 at 2:54 PM
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whenisbirths.bsky.social
I got to do my shortlist on the excellent @hellishpod.com podcast last autumn.
Categories:
1) Used to like or bought, now embarrassed by
2) Universally loved but not by me
3) Reminds me of awful time
4) Love the artist, hate this track though
5) Persistent earworm

shows.acast.com/hellish/epis...
Justin Lewis, writer | Hellish
Writer JUSTIN LEWIS gets into the groove with the five tracks he will meet in Hell!
shows.acast.com
February 4, 2026 at 1:45 PM
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whenisbirths.bsky.social
As ever, so many ‘Most Hated Songs’ (yet again?) where I’m internally, meekly going, ‘quite like that one’.
February 4, 2026 at 1:41 PM
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galleybeggars.bsky.social
There is a new book by Mark Bowles on the way. It's called How Do People Stay The Same. It is, as you might expect, a thing of beauty and wonder. Details here: www.galleybeggar.co.uk/campaigns/vi...
How Do People Stay The Same
Galley Beggar Mail
www.galleybeggar.co.uk
February 3, 2026 at 9:59 AM
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eddierobson.bsky.social
Can't believe this has been sat on YouTube for fifteen years and I'd never heard it until today.
January 4, 2026 at 10:39 PM
hellishpod.com
Happy New Year everyone!

Here’s a little treat to welcome 2026: we got another chance talk to one of our favourite guests, Valerie Phillips!

This time, she’s bringing us her REDEMPTION SONGS - the music choices she hopes will get her out of Hell!

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January 1, 2026 at 9:37 AM
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danielwhelan.com
About time.
December 24, 2025 at 7:21 PM
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nickroche.bsky.social
"Scrape 'em off, Claire. You wanna save someone, save yourself."

Another old drawing from maybe my favourite Christmas film.
December 24, 2025 at 6:15 PM
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whenisbirths.bsky.social
Merry Christmas, Blueskyers xx
December 1967 events: Judd Apatow / Axis: Bold as Love / 'The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde' / BBC2 in full colour / Joshua Bell / Billion Dollar Brain / 'black hole' / Carla Bruni / 'Comme d'Habitude' / Diabolically Yours / Do Not Adjust Your Set / Doctor Dolittle / Carry On Follow That Camel / Jamie Foxx / The Graduate / Guess Who's Coming to Dinner / Hyundai / Half a Sixpence (film) / John Wesley Harding / Harold Holt disappears / First heart transplant operation / 'I Wish It Would Rain' / In Cold Blood (film) / I'll Never Forget What'sisname / Just a Minute / 'La-La Means I Love You' / Bert Lahr RIP / Magical Mystery Tour (TV) / Katherine McCormick RIP / Mr Fantasy / Miranda Otto / Rodger Penzabene RIP / Playtime / Otis Redding RIP / 'Simon Says' / Smashing Time / 'Some Velvet Morning' / Son of Godzilla / Songs of Leonard Cohen / 'Tighten Up' / 'Tin Soldier' / Their Satanic Majesties Request / Scott Walker's 'Jackie' / Weekend (film) / Paul Whiteman RIP / The Who Sell Out / Wild Honey / The Youth International Party MERRY CHRISTMAS (C) WWT JSL MMXXI December 1971 events: $ / The Boyfriend / A Clockwork Orange (film) / Marie Collier RIP / The Concert for Bangladesh / The Devil Has Seven Faces / Diamonds are Forever / Dido / Dirty Harry / Pete Duel RIP / ELO Debut LP / Family Life (film) / 'Floy Joy' / Gumshoe / Corey Haim / 'Happy Xmas (War is Over)' / Harold and Maude / The Hospital / Hot Rocks 1964-1971 / Hunky Dory / Islands / 'Jungle Fever' / Jared Leto / Mars 3 lands on Mars / Ricky Martin / Minnie and Moskowitz / Emily Mortimer / 'Mother of Mine' / Ms magazine / Nicholas and Alexandra / 'Oklahoma Sunday Morning' / Deobia Oparei / Andrew Preview / Reflections in a Mud Puddle / Sometimes a Great Notion / 'Stay With Me' / Max Steiner RIP / UAR independence / Ten Man Mop, or Mr Reservoir Butler Rides Again / Straight Up / Wild Life / 'You Want It, You Got It' (C) WWT JSL MMXXI December 1973 events: 1990 / Band on the Run / 'Boogie Down' / CBGB / Bobby Darin RIP / The Exorcist / The Goodies and the Beanstalk / The Gulag Archipelago / Hell Up in Harlem / Holiday on the Buses / I Got a Name / 'Jessica' / 'Joy (Part 1)' / The Last Detail / Livin' for You / Magnum Force / Matching Tie & Handkerchief / 'Merry Xmas Everybody' / My Name is Nobody / Papillon / The Payback / La Planete Sauvage / Radio Clyde / 'Seasons in the Sun' / Sabbath Bloody Sabbath / Serpico / Short Stories / Sleeper / 'Step into Christmas' / The Sting / Superstars / Tales from Topographic Oceans / 'Teenage Lament '74' / ' Tiger Feet' / The Wicker Man / 'W.O.L.D.' (c) WWT JSL MMXIX December 1989 events: '20 Seconds to Comply ' / Always / Samuel Beckett RIP / Lennox Berkeley RIP / 'Black Velvet' / 'Blew' / Born on the Fourth of July / Carrott's Commercial Breakdown / City of Angels / 'Dear Jessie' / Dekalog / The Delinquents / 'Dextrous' / Driving Miss Daisy / 'Getting Away With It' / Stella Gibbons RIP / Girls Will Be Girls / Glory / 'Got to Have Your Love' / The Great & Secret Show / 'Hot Lemonade' / 'The Magic Number/Buddy' / Meet the Feebles / National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation / Ninety / 'Roam' / Roger and Me / She Devil / The Simpsons / Taylor Swift / Tango & Cash / Lee Van Cleef RIP / The Wars of the Roses (C) WWT JSL MMXIX
December 24, 2025 at 3:18 PM
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garypanton.co.uk
Far be it from me to tell Bernie Taupin how to write lyrics, but I just don't see how he ever thought the number of syllables in "eat, drink and be merry" were going to fit into that line.
December 24, 2025 at 4:06 PM
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thismonthsissue.bsky.social
I'm currently half way through Marc Burrows' (who's hopefully doing an episode with us soon!) excellent book on Christmas Number Ones. Its brilliant. Really funny, very informative & mega christmassy. Its currently only 99p on Amazon so go buy a copy and get Marc the well deserved Xmas number 1!
20thcenturymarc.marcburrows.co.uk Marc Burrows @20thcenturymarc.marcburrows.co.uk · Dec 24
Okay, I need your help. If everyone buys my book on Kindle today (for 99p), it could push it back to number one on the Music chart and I'd HAVE A CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE. I would really, really, really like that for Christmas. 99p! www.amazon.co.uk/Story-Christ...
www.amazon.co.uk
December 24, 2025 at 1:50 PM
hellishpod.com
So here it is: the end of the Hellish Advent Calendar for 2025!

We’ve saved something very special for the end: @casperandpam.bsky.social not only give us the Xmas song they cannot stand, they also treat us to a Hellish first: an exclusive performance of said song!

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December 24, 2025 at 10:03 AM
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nataliapetrzela.bsky.social
Love that the back catalog of Past Present is still getting play! Our Christmas songs episode is indeed very fun and informative 🎄
December 23, 2025 at 2:17 PM
hellishpod.com
Day 23’s door reveals musician Alexander Wolfe, who - as well revealing the Xmas song he can’t stand - tells us about being ‘a bit of a Scrooge’.

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Pre-order Alexander’s new album, Everythinglessness, now - out January 16th.

alexanderwolfe.bandcamp.com/album/everyt...
December 23, 2025 at 10:01 AM
hellishpod.com
As the advent calendar gallops towards its end, it’s time for us to get reacquainted with top actor and Xmas Enthusiast Laura Checkley! the Christmas song she cannot stand prompts a barrage of song facts, not all of them seasonal…

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December 22, 2025 at 9:17 AM
hellishpod.com
The solstice brings us a mini Xmas episode with writer/actor Oliver Lansley - which Xmas song will be making his midwinter bleaker? Listen along to find out! podfollow.com/hellish

Oliver’s show ‘Where is Wanda?’ Is on Apple TV. And, if there’s any justice, multiple ‘best of year’ lists too.
December 21, 2025 at 9:40 AM
hellishpod.com
Today’s advent calendar mini episode reacquaints us with songwriter Ray Heffernan, whose choice of a Xmas song he cannot stand is accidentally autobiographical. (Check out our May two parter with Ray if you haven’t already!)

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December 20, 2025 at 9:55 AM
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nickroche.bsky.social
Chained to the desk, digging ditches for the man? The already awesome @hellishpod.com will keep you company with its advent calendar themed around Christmas Songs... FROM HELL.

I love listening to these minisodes with people pulling apart their least favourite Yule Tunes. Listen to all 19 so far!
hellishpod.com Hellish @hellishpod.com · Dec 8
Today on the Advent Calendar #scarenthood creator @nickroche.bsky.social gives us the Xmas song he cannot stand!

It only has 19 words, so prepare for deep textual analysis. And Nick and Daniel swap graphic novel recommendations. Ho-ho-hope you like serial killers.

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December 19, 2025 at 5:11 PM
hellishpod.com
Dec 19th brings you a second helping of adult film-maker Ed Aldridge of altshift!

Ed chooses a ‘creepy’ helping of one of the more derided Christmas albums of all time as the Christmas song he cannot stand.

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Ed’s slasher-filth film ‘Blowie’ is out now!
December 19, 2025 at 9:08 AM
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whenisbirths.bsky.social
Perfect for that festive season we have now! #IntoTheGroove
whenisbirths.bsky.social Justin Lewis @whenisbirths.bsky.social · Oct 3
OUT NOW, my month-by-month guide to 1980s pop, from ABC to XTC, and from Madonna to Neneh. #IntoTheGroove, published by @eandtbooks.bsky.social.
Cover of INTO THE GROOVE: THE 1980s: THE ULTIMATE DECADE IN MUSIC HISTORY by Justin Lewis (me) 'An epic compendium of stories and trivia from the 80s music scene'
December 19, 2025 at 8:46 AM
hellishpod.com
Today on the Hellish Advent Calendar @mollynaylor.bsky.social tells us all about the Xmas song she cannot stand. Then Alex gives us some timely astronomy news, AND births a new unit of measurement. All in one mini episode!

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December 18, 2025 at 9:09 AM
hellishpod.com
Another episode on the Hellish Advent Calendar 2025 is here!

December 17th brings us a second helping of Leoni Jan Kennedy, whose chosen detested Xmas song results in a truly hellish piece of music that has never been heard before…

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December 17, 2025 at 9:00 AM
hellishpod.com
Today’s Hellish Advent Calendar door reveals tip-top stand-up Katie Gill, who chooses the Xmas song she cannot stand! Plus, we discuss what is Father Christmas canon, and @danielwhelan.com skates on thin ice for a bit.

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December 16, 2025 at 1:02 PM
hellishpod.com
Behind the advent calendar door today is Gill German MP, who - due to a clerical error - gets to choose the Track We Had To Ban as the Xmas song she cannot stand. Then Alex and Daniel have a Xmas-themed crack at what might be called ‘lobbying’?

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December 15, 2025 at 10:04 AM
hellishpod.com
Today’s door on the Hellish advent calendar reveals @adamscottglasspool.bsky.social of the excellent @whatismusicpod.bsky.social - who gives us the Christmas song he cannot stand!

It also features what is becoming an annual advert for the Fountain Inn, Ashurst.

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December 14, 2025 at 11:26 AM