Hello! We’re having a few weeks off and while were away we're running a mini series we're calling 'HELLISH PRESENTS ...' Each week we're going to be introducing you to a podcast we love. This week we're bringing you SONGS FROM A PADDED ENVELOPE. With special guests, us.

Our good pal and former guest Adam Kotsko has put together a nice little playlist of overwrought 90s and 00s rock - enjoy/hope you don’t open.spotify.com/playlist/55Z...

Today Writer and storyteller JOHN OSBORNE gives us the five tracks he will meet in Hell! He also tries to twist some elements of hell into a positive, and even pays Alex a compliment- which is likely the reason he was so late in posting this! The link to listen is in the bio.

It’s that Hellish Picture Quiz time of the week everybody! Based on these visual teasers can you work out 4 of the wonderful @notrollergirl.bsky.social ‘s 5 Hellish song choices? If ye cannae figure them oot, then answers can be found within the pod!

This week @notrollergirl.bsky.social gives us the 5 tracks she will meet in hell. And tells us about her new book “All Grown Up” Listen for the landfill indie, stay for the Tory Party conference references.

This week @notrollergirl.bsky.social gives us the 5 tracks she will meet in hell. And tells us about her new book “All Grown Up” Listen for the landfill indie, stay for the Tory Party conference references.

So, as the week once again reaches its late afternoon it is time for the Hellish Picture Quiz! Guess! Or Deduct! 4 of @centuriesofsound.bsky.social s 5 Hellish tracks from these beauties. If you dare! And listen, if you haven’t already, for the answers.

Another #buyastrangerabook day offer from @carolinehooton.bsky.social ! Caroline has bought a copy of "Into the Groove" by Justin Lewis for me to give away. The ultimate celebration of 1980's music! If you'd like a copy, get in touch! UK only

Any help gratefully received!

This week’s pod sees James Errington of @centuriesofsound.bsky.social give us the 5 tracks he will meet in hell. James tells us all about the project, in which he has been producing an audio collage for every year of recorded sound, which goes back a lot further than you’d think.

Hi everyone. Just putting this out there, we’re always looking for new and interesting people to talk to on the pod. If you know someone who is or are yourself new or interesting. Hit us up, slide into our DMs or whatever it is one does on BlueSky.

Guess we need you all to do this, what with our show having the terribly naughty word ‘Hell’ in its title.

It’s the Hellish Picture Quiz again, and on time this week. Can you work out 4 of @regretteruane.bsky.social ‘s 5 Hellish tracks from these visual teasers? If you can’t, just listen to the episode. All the answers that way lie.

Listened to this on the way to, and on the way back from, the dentist's. Had I kept it on *at* the dentist's, I'd have choked on mouthwash when @regretteruane.bsky.social uttered That Phrase.

Writer and artist ROSE RUANE @regretteruane.bsky.social gives us the five tracks she will meet in Hell! Rose talks about moving between art and writing; her love of Manic Street AND she names one song in particular a "C*nts' Charter", so that's worth the price of listening alone.

A day late with the picture quiz this week, we must be ring rusty! Can you identify 4 of the incomparable @catiewilkins.bsky.social ’s 5 Hellish tracks from these visual teasers? If you can’t all you need to do is listen to this week’s pod!

If you’ve enjoyed Catie on this week’s episode here’s a chance to catch her live!

In this week’s episode the wonderful comedian and author @catiewilkins.bsky.social gives us the 5 tracks she will meet in hell. She also tells us about an attempted murder she is yet to answer for. Listen here: podfollow.com/hellish

*Manic Street Preachers start riffing*

OH BUDDIES I'm on my way to my first TFUK Con in Britain's own Birmingham. I hear it's a top time! Travelling fairly light with no NEW new stuff, but have prints, ARTOBOT and Scarenthood books! Pliz come to say hi!

A great new season, with great new guests and even a great new logo, but there’s still room for our old favourite, Alex’s picture quiz! Can you guess 4 of the legendary Pete Astor from @theloftuk.bsky.social ’s Hellish tracks from these clues? Listen to the ep (podfollow.com/hellish) for answers.

Hellish is back, and we’re thrilled to be starting this new run with @peteastor.bsky.social of @theloftuk.bsky.social As well as giving us the 5 tracks he will meet in Hell, Pete tells us about the band’s brand new album Badges. Listen podfollow.com/hellish

Our lovely Patreons already have episode one of season four (as well as this very cool variant on our new artwork). If you’d like to hear an extended chat with our (very lofty) first guests, sign up at Patreon.com/hellishpod or click the link in bio!

We've had a glow up. Hellish returns 11th May 2026. podfollow.com/hellish Subscribe to our patreon for early access. patreon.com/hellishpod New logo is by the incomparable @nickroche.bsky.social

Justin is an excellent guest. #podcasters should take him up on this!

If you do a podcast btw, whether on music or not, why not book me as a guest? #IntoTheGroove

There is a gleeful podcast full of this and I'm the kind of weirdo who enjoys it. You probably would, too: @hellishpod.com

Instead of replying to this prompt, go listen to @hellishpod.com

Seeing yet another 'what's your song from hell?' question doing the rounds, and I've been in the privileged position of talking about *five* of mine. Because I guested on the @hellishpod.com podcast last autumn. #Hellish (*And* we talked about #IntoTheGroove!) shows.acast.com/hellish/epis...

Let’s all refer to him as Shallow Timmy from now on. www.bbc.com/news/article...

New Starship Alexandria! Awesome!After the Xmas episodes it is now very hard not to hum ‘Deck the Halls’ during the theme tune…

Come along, Hellish listeners. Let’s be having you. Julia needs you!

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...

As ever, so many ‘Most Hated Songs’ (yet again?) where I’m internally, meekly going, ‘quite like that one’.

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...

Can't believe this has been sat on YouTube for fifteen years and I'd never heard it until today.

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! Listen podfollow.com/hellish

About time.

"Scrape 'em off, Claire. You wanna save someone, save yourself." Another old drawing from maybe my favourite Christmas film.

Merry Christmas, Blueskyers xx

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.

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!

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! Listen podfollow.com/hellish

Love that the back catalog of Past Present is still getting play! Our Christmas songs episode is indeed very fun and informative 🎄

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’. Listen podfollow.com/hellish Pre-order Alexander’s new album, Everythinglessness, now - out January 16th. alexanderwolfe.bandcamp.com/album/everyt...

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… Listen podfollow.com/hellish

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.

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!) Listen podfollow.com/hellish

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!