Shows
Temple of Bleh#CH - Eric German [Entertainment Lawyer]https://www.msk.com/attorneys-Eric_German Eric pops in to do Bleh's favourite thing - engage in extremely long form conversations about the commercialisation and elevation of outlier cultures and heavy metal music. :)
2023-09-261h 28
Temple of Bleh#BQ - Blue Grape Reunion PART 1 - Felix Sebacious and Kenny Garden [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehHoly moly it's a back-to-back 3-parter. Just after Xmas, Bleh assembled the pillars of Blue Grape's mighty merch operation for a panatlantic reunion. I managed to edit this down from 5h30m to 4h. You're welcome.
2022-01-161h 26
Temple of Bleh#BQ - Blue Grape Reunion PART 1 - Felix Sebacious and Kenny Garden [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehHoly moly it's a back-to-back 3-parter. Just after Xmas, Bleh assembled the pillars of Blue Grape's mighty merch operation for a panatlantic reunion. I managed to edit this down from 5h30m to 4h. You're welcome.
2022-01-1657 min
Temple of Bleh#BB - Joel McIver [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Joel-McIver/e/B002IP93H6Joel is possibly one of the more prolific music authors of the past few decades. He has written 34 books and has also rendered services to the music journalism world during this period - it's very difficult to be a rock/metal fan and not come across his name.So who better to carry me through the world of Roadrunner through the eyes of a professional commentator, biographer...
2021-06-2038 min
Temple of Bleh#BA - Kenny Hickey & Johnny Kelly - [Type O Negative] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBleh https://store.typeonegative.net/ https://typeonegative.net/ https://www.runoutgroovevinyl.com/Today we're rolling out the Pantone 369 carpet for Type O Negative's debut album, Slow, Deep and Hard, released this week in 1991. The 30th anniversary reissue of the record is being released on Run Out Groove, and is available for preorder on the link above.Type O Negative are undeniably one of the most important flagship acts for Roadrunner Records, through the strength of delivering the label's first Gold...
2021-06-171h 20
Temple of Bleh#AZ - John Tucker [Neat & Tidy - the Story of Neat Records] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttps://www.johntuckeronline.co.uk/In a slightly different approach this time, John and I discuss and compare the practices of Newcastle's own Neat Records, Roadrunner Records, and Durham local outfit Guardian Records.John is a well regarded scholar on the subject of Neat, having literally written the book on it! Neat & Tidy: The Story of Neat Records is available anywhere you get your books!
2021-06-1759 min
Temple of Bleh#AY - Doc Coyle [Bad Wolves/ex-God Forbid] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttps://linktr.ee/doccoyleDoc is a dude I've admired since God Forbid supported Trivium on March 2006's UK run. A deeply articulate and thoughtful person, Doc and I meander through his experiences with Roadrunner Records, his thoughts on the modern music industry in general, and what has been a news-filled week for Bad Wolves.
2021-06-141h 04
Temple of Bleh#AX - Justin Sprauer [TheConcertCruizer] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttp://shadedscythestudios.com/shows/the-concert-cruizer/To be considered a sequel of sorts to episode #AM with Ro Kohli, I speak with Justin about his time served on the Roadrunner Road Crew.We discuss how he became engaged with street teaming, and the many war stories he's gathered in his experiences with the Road Crew. He also shows off his many merch items he acquired duting this period - for audio listeners, I implore you check out his channel, The Concert Cruizer, and accompanying...
2021-06-141h 34
Temple of Bleh#AW - Paolo d'Alessandro [Motion Agency] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBleh https://www.motion.agency/ Paolo was the VP of International Marketing at Roadrunner Records from 2000-2004. Paolo talks be through the journey from the start of his career, taking on such a role at such a pivitol time in Roadrunner's history, and the aftermath.
2021-06-091h 19
Temple of Bleh#AV - Mark Abramson (Part 2/∞) [HardDrive Radio] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttps://www.harddriveradio.com/Continuing from our chat a few weeks back, Mark and I jump feet first into the 2000s, and the new world brought on by Slipknot and Nickelback.
2021-06-041h 46
Temple of Bleh#AU - Kathie Merritt [Epitaph Head of Sales] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttps://www.epitaph.com/Kathie is among the Roadrunner lifers. Aside from a short stint at other outfits in the early 90s, she clocked in over two decades at the label. In this conversation we track her career through Roadrunner from her start in the radio promo department, all the way up to runing the West Coast Operations.
2021-06-032h 05
Temple of Bleh#AT - Jon Satterley [Roadrunner Australia] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttps://www.fortressmelbourne.com/Jon worked at Roadrunner for the best part of 20 years, first of all as the MD of the Australasia office, then as SVP for New Media & Global Business Development. As such, Jon has an enormous welath of experience to impart when reminiscing about the label.Jon's foray into emerging tech and the digital space didn't stop with the Red Wedding of 2012, however - do yourself a favour and check out Fortress Melbourne for more info.
2021-06-021h 54
Temple of Bleh#AS - Marcus Turner (Part 1) [Head of Business Affairs] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehMarcus Turner is to indie-era Roadrunner, what the pulmonary artery is to the human body.That is all.
2021-05-311h 15
Temple of Bleh#35 - Singers Who Got Too Big For Their Boots, Music Cults, and Introducing Irajhttps://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehShab takes the opportunity to rant about the Darkness' second album for a bit on this one. The intro was not chopped to sound like it did.
2021-05-3058 min
Temple of BlehTemple of Bleh & Uber Rock presents - Cryptic Offerings #04https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBleh EPISODE 4 PLAYLIST https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6JgDczuCKLbwdGFo75GQjX?si=9801a763a64c49dc Temple of Bleh and Uber Rock join forces to bring you a whistle stop tour of four bands who wear the 'lesser heard' tag. These are bands that are either unsigned or generally lurk in the underground at the moment, so we want to turn the spotlight and roll out the red carpet for today's cryptic offerings; RobaJett offers Indian Nightmare (https://indiannightmare.bandcamp...
2021-05-2944 min
Temple of Bleh#AR - Bob Nalbandian [Inside Metal] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttps://www.facebook.com/InsideLAmetalMovieDoc/https://www.facebook.com/ShockwavesSkullsessionsPodcast/In between making the Inside Metal documentary series, the Shockwaves Skullsessions Podcast, and generally being an awesome dude - Bob snuck in some time to talk with me about the start of the Roadrunner West Coast office!
2021-05-271h 09
Temple of Bleh#AQ - Tad Leger [Toxik] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttps://toxiktad.com/https://www.facebook.com/Lucertola-224232944278330Toxik Tad talks me through the band's time with Roadrunner Records, his time filling in on drums for the Great Kat, and bringing Morrisound's studio's Tom Morris close to death not once, but on two occassions. Check out Tad's art and music at the links above!
2021-05-2157 min
Temple of Bleh#AP - Stephen Hill [Riot Act Podcast] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttps://www.riotactpodcast.com/ A voice like @StephenHillBoy's has been missing from this project up until today. Incredibly knowledgeable and articulate, Stephen talks me through his perspective and experiences with Roadrunner Records. Check out @Riotact_podcast and @Roadcrewpod at your earliest convenience.
2021-05-201h 45
Temple of Bleh#AO - Kärtsy Hatakka [Waltari] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttps://www.waltariband.com/A thoroughly enjoyable chat for myself. Kärtsy and I try to provide a comprehensive introduction to Finnish legends, Waltari - as well as discussing the band's tenure with Roadrunner in the early 90's.
2021-05-191h 02
Temple of Bleh#34 - Overrated Bands pt 2, Shab declares war on Killswitch Engage, and other news of the weekShab goes off the rails with his 'founders of metalcore' theory. It's not to the point of tedium yet, so we should support him through what must be a difficult time for him.
2021-05-1955 min
Temple of Bleh#AN - Kristian Harvard [Xentrix] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttps://www.xentrix.co.uk/ Thrash legends Xentrix are one of the 'Big Four' of the UK, and one of a mere few direct signings to the UK territory for Roadrunner. Stan helps me unpack Xentrix's tenure with the label, and the more recent adventures of the group.
2021-05-1850 min
Temple of Bleh#AM - Ro Kohli (The Brown Satan) [War Machine Customs] [HORR]PSA - if you want to jump straight to the Roadrunner stuff, it's 45 minutes in. Stick around for the start though, to hear about Ro's antics with War Machine Customs.https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttp://www.warmachinemarketing.com/https://www.forbes.com/sites/lukethompson/2016/08/09/how-ro-kohli-the-war-machine-of-promo-items-moved-into-custom-toys/?sh=121f57536cfeA man of many customs close to this host's heart, Ro started with Roadrunner in 1995. Here he tells his story of how the Roadrunner Road Crew street team function operated, as well as his thoughts on the...
2021-05-132h 29
Temple of Bleh#AL - Mark Abramson (Part 1/∞) [HardDrive Radio] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBleh https://www.harddriveradio.com/ You'd be hard pressed to find a Roadrunner band or colleague who doesn't know this episode's guest. Mark Abramson was Roadrunner's VP of Promotions, focusing primarily on radio airplay. Here he talks about his days in the 'Death Metal Animal House', and his career trajectory at Roadrunner and beyond. We only get to about the year 2000 here, so we'll definitely revisit Mark's story in the future.
2021-05-131h 48
Temple of Bleh#33 - Metalcore Hot Takes, Great Kat Retrospective, and Overrated Bands (pt 1)The Welsh take a hit in this one. Sorry guys.
2021-05-1155 min
Temple of Bleh#32 - Sasscore Conclusions, Sci-Fi Metal, and Dave catches uphttps://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehMost of this episode is Dave catching up on topics that have been discussed over the past few weeks, but there's also spatterings of Sasscore and a quick jaunt into Sci-Fi Metal.
2021-05-0548 min
Temple of BlehTemple of Bleh & Uber Rock presents - Cryptic Offerings #03https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBleh EPISODE 3 PLAYLIST https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6o5MjHOwDD2k6YHnlDO5Ga?si=mo0CkY4RQ3KemmgDaiI7JA Temple of Bleh and Uber Rock join forces to bring you a whistle stop tour of four bands who wear the 'lesser heard' tag. These are bands that are either unsigned or generally lurk in the underground at the moment, so we want to turn the spotlight and roll out the red carpet for today's cryptic offerings; RobaJett offers Bantha Rider (https...
2021-05-0342 min
Temple of Bleh#AK - Uwe Lerch [The Blog of Rock] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBleh https://www.podcast.theblogofrock.com This episode I'm joined by Uwe Lerch. Uwe is one of those individuals who can boast a very storied career in music, starting the Rock Hard Magazine in 1983. From there, Uwe enjoyed stints at Roadrunner, Sony Music, and currently hosts an excellent podcast called The Blog Of Rock - linked above.
2021-05-031h 55
Temple of Bleh#31 - UFOs, Sasscore and Best Gig ExperiencesAfter running through the gambit of news this week, we take a brief trip down nostalgia lane of our most memorable gig experiences.
2021-04-2952 min
Temple of Bleh#AJ - Michael Stutzer [Artillery] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBleh https://www.artillery.dk/home.php Artillery's new album, 'X', coming May 7th on Metal Blade Records. Michael and I discuss the new Artillery album, his aspirations to play Bloodstock Open Air, and we take a quick jaunt back to the late 80's with the band's only Roadrunner Records output - 'By Inheritance'.
2021-04-2627 min
Temple of Bleh#30 - Kirk Hammett's moral integrity, Fear Factory reflections, and Guilty PleasuresThis week Shab questions Kirk Hammet's altruism after learning of a guitar auction, we chat shit about the Dino Cazares interview, then discuss guilty pleasures outside of metal.
2021-04-261h 13
Temple of Bleh#AI - Brian Zimmerman [Atrophy] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBleh https://www.facebook.com/atrophyofficial This episode I speak to Atrophy's very own Brian Zimmerman. Atrophy were signed to Roadrunner Records in the late 80's and produced two records under their sponsorship. Brian tells me about those days, the band's current activities, and then he shows me the dead dude he has buried in his front garden.
2021-04-2249 min
Temple of Bleh#AH - Ben Carter [Evile]Temple of Bleh - https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehEvile - https://linktr.ee/evileThrash titans Evile return with their first record in 8 years, Hell Unleashed - releasing on April 30th on Napalm Records.Drummer Ben Carter visits the Temple of Bleh to talk about their extended absence, the new album, and a bit about video games :)
2021-04-1731 min
Temple of Bleh#AG - Dino Cazares [Fear Factory] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttps://fearfactory.com/music/After 5 years on the quiet side - the Fear Factory has sprung to life again with their first single off their new LP, 'Aggression Continuum'. 'Disruptor' will be available everywhere April 16th.Guitarist and band leader Dino Cazares sits down with me tot talk about the next steps for the band, as well as his long a close history with Roadrunner Records. It's kind of a must-listen for the history of the label.
2021-04-151h 52
Temple of BlehHeadbanger's Brew #02 - Motörhead Road Crew vs Iron Maiden TrooperBleh - https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBleh TPRB - https://www.instagram.com/pumproom.bar/Well the schedule for this series got shafted nice and quick - but here is the first episode, a lovely verbal ramble as we pit Motörhead's Road Crew against Iron Maiden's Trooper Ale!© BLH Productions Ltd
2021-04-131h 53
Temple of Bleh#AF - Mike Gitter (Part 1/∞) [Century Media] [HORR]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehThis time round I have the immense pleasure to chat to Mike Gitter, former A&R for Roadrunner Records and current A&R VP for Century Media. Mike is responsible for bringing about the careers of some of my favourite bands (and quite possibly yours) throughout the years, and is an unrelenting delight to listen to.Check out Mike's book, 'xXx Fanzine (1983-1988), Hardcore & Punk in the Eighties', and follow his continuing reign of terror at Century Media.
2021-04-1056 min
Temple of Bleh#29 - Fringe Metal Outreach Conclusion, post-2000s Censorship and Nostalgia as a Lifelinehttps://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehWe open with the outcome of the outreach programme, with Dave having listened to Periphery, and Shab having listened to Amon Amarth. After that opening salvoy of devastation, we loosely move into a discussion about the industry trend of censoring individuals as opposed to products/brands.
2021-04-0750 min
Temple of Bleh#AE - Paul Mazurkiewicz [Cannibal Corpse]https://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehhttps://www.metalblade.com/cannibalcorpse/Violence Unimagined out on April 16th - check the pre-order offer from Metal Blade Records, now!Taking a (brief) break from the History of Roadrunner Records, Paul Mazurkiewicz takes a visit to the Temple of Bleh to talk about the new Cannibal Corpse album - 'Violence Unimagined', Morrisound Studios, and more!
2021-04-0328 min
Temple of Bleh#AD - Dennis Kloeth [IndoGolf] [HORR]@TempleOfBleh | LinktreeHome | Mysite (dgk-art-editions.com)IndoGolf.com - Everything Golf in Wonderful Indonesia - About UsIn this audio-only episode, I have the honour of speaking with Roadrunner's first ever employee, Dennis Kloeth.As part of his long and varied career, Dennis worked at Roadrunner for around a year as the first PR staff member at the Willemsparkweg office in Amsterdam.Prior to this he had worked at PolyGram, RCA, CNR, among other...
2021-04-021h 27
Temple of Bleh#28 - Ordo Blasphemia, Dave and Shab's commitment, and Mister Metalcorehttps://linktr.ee/TempleOfBlehAfter a tedious message to new listeners, we talk about Nergal's attempt to evade further blasphemy litigation through Ordo Blasphemia, and the wider shitty implications of satanism in music. Dave and Shab commit to listening to some of each other's favourite bands.Then we spend ages trying to articulate our current bearings on modern metalcore.
2021-04-0155 min
Temple of Bleh#AC - Stefan Koster [Weathermaker Music] [HORR]https://www.instagram.com/templeofbleh/https://twitter.com/TempleOfBlehThis is possibly one of my favourite chats so far - for reasons that I go into in the intro. A man of many talents, Stefan's most prolific role during his time at Roadrunner was perhaps as the Head of International Marketing from the 90's up to 2001. He is possibly the most well-travelled Roadrunner alumni, working in the Germany, Netherlands, and US offices during his tenure.He currently is the label manager for Weathermaker Music, who currently look...
2021-03-301h 38
Temple of BlehTemple of Bleh & Uber Rock presents - Cryptic Offerings #02Temple of Bleh and Uber Rock join forces to bring you a whistle stop tour of four bands who wear the 'lesser heard' tag. These are bands that are either unsigned or generally lurk in the underground at the moment, so we want to turn the spotlight and roll out the red carpet for today's cryptic offerings; RobaJett offers Dream TrollJustin offers AlleHackbarRaw offers LeechedJonny offers DakesisGive these a listen, and reverse their 'lesser heard' status!
2021-03-2949 min
Temple of Bleh#27 - Trogly's Guitars, Bleh revisited, and Jim ruins it with Star WarsWe open with an apology.... for omitting the best YouTube guitar show from our discussion last week. We'll never forgive ourselves, so hopefully you lot will.Another zero news week on the Bleh-genda, so this is way more of a ramble.
2021-03-281h 09
Temple of Bleh#26 - Crabcore, YouTube guitarists and Music filmsShab and I discuss one of the most ridiculous and hilarious categories of the late 00's post-hardcore scene - Crabcore. We also go all over the shop trying to get a firm foundation on YouTube guitarists, and share experiences with music-themed cinema.
2021-03-171h 28
Temple of Bleh#AB - Dave King [BattleAxe] [HORR]Definitely the MVP for the 'History of' Chapter I video, Dave King sings for the NWOBHM band BattleAxe. Here he tells be the history of the band and it's recent resurrection, and of course, the Roadrunner years.https://battleaxeuk.com/There was a bit of technical fluffery and connection issues with this one, so do bear with us.
2021-03-151h 19
Temple of Bleh#25 - 'Allegedly', Shab tries to get us cancelled, Raw real name reveal exclusiveThis week Shab drags us into the illegal and nefarious underbelly of some musical scenes, much to everyone's discomfort. We also peruse through some underground upcoming releases, and discuss the more recent events.
2021-03-1352 min
Temple of Bleh#AA - Alan Becker [Important Record Distributors/Sony RED] [HORR]IRD was effectively the warehouse floor for all metal indies in the 1980's, and Roadrunner was no exception. Alan talks me through IRD's beginnings as an indie label distributor and all the way through the company's relationship with Roadrunner Records.
2021-03-131h 28
Temple of Bleh#Z - Jim Saliby [former RR Head of Sales] [HORR]Jim Saliby is another guest with a varied and exciting career, with his fingerprints all over the best hard rock/metal outputs of the last 30 years.Jim regales me with tales of how he started at Roadrunner, and what it was like being the face of the label during it's explosion in the early-mid 90's.He was also at the Disco Demolition gathering in Detroit which I reference in Chapter I of the documentary. But I didn't know that then :).
2021-03-081h 46
Temple of BlehTemple of Bleh & Uber Rock presents - Cryptic Offerings #01Temple of Bleh and Uber Rock join forces to bring you a whistle stop tour of four bands who wear the 'lesser heard' tag. These are bands that are either unsigned or generally lurk in the underground at the moment, so we want to turn the spotlight and roll out the red carpet for today's cryptic offerings;RobaJett offers Video NastiesRaw offers Forlorn HopeJustin offers Sky Valley MistressJonny offers The HellGive these a listen, and reverse their 'lesser heard...
2021-03-0651 min
Temple of Bleh#Y - Richard Termini [Producer for Fallout/session synth for Carnivore & Type-O Negative] [HORR]In this chat, Richard and I try and uncover exactly how Carnivore got signed to Roadrunner Records. Along the way we talk about Richard's long and varied career in music, film and photography - and his ongoing relationship with Pete Steele from his Fallout days.Richard has some new music out, featuring Fallout guitarist John Campos - check it out here; https://richardtermini.hearnow.com/
2021-03-031h 12
Temple of Bleh#24 - Appleknockers Flophouse, Shab rails against Bury Tomorrow for ten minutes, and Jim considers putting the podcast on PornHubThis episode we Shab and I try and make the best of this week's lacklustre news. But the main feature this week is a deep dive on the Appleknockers Flophouse anecdote from the History of Roadrunner Records doc. It's quite the rabbit hole, and I'm not quite sure I'll ever be the same again.
2021-03-031h 01
Temple of Bleh#X - Brian Slagel [Metal Blade Records/Industry Hero] [HORR]In this episode I corner Brian Slagel and force him into a conversation about a label other than his own.It's a really good chat about Metal Blade's long and productive relationship with Roadrunner, the difficulty with the Japanese metal market, with a little bit of underwater hockey thrown in at the end for good measure!Check out Brian's book "For the Sake of Heaviness", for a deep dive into the history of Metal Blade.
2021-03-011h 05
Temple of BlehRoadrunner Records 40th Birthday ReunionGiven that today (27th Feb 2021) is Roadrunner's 40th birthday (see documentary for more context) - I thought it prudent to celebrate such an occasion with some of the key contributors to Chapter I of the 'History of', and also it made sense to try and get as much of the Amsterdam office back in the same room together - this is the best I could do.Please allow me to re-introduce;Metal Mike [Aardschok Magazine]Steev Riccardo [Blowin' Smoke With Twisted Rico]Ed van Zijl [Mascot Label Group]
2021-02-271h 21
Temple of BlehHistory of Roadrunner Records - Chapter I; 1980 - 1986Happy Birthday Roadrunner Records - 27th February 1981 First of three chapters.Bibliography - [https://www.templeofbleh.com/post/history-of-roadrunner-chapter-i-1980-1986-bibliography]Written and Produced by @RobaJettExec Produced by @youtube.com/user/TheFinalCutAll music composed by both, with the exception of the 'Appleknockers Flophouse' cover at the end, which was recorded by us - but the original is by Cuby + Blizzards.Written interviews - https://www.templeofbleh.com/Check out the YouTube component of this as well.
2021-02-261h 08
Temple of Bleh#23 - Colour Out Of Space, more Corey Taylor clickbait, and another format changeTheFinalCut (Shab) and Jim's friend Tom joins the pod today to talk about this week's lacklustre news, and the Nic Cage film, Colour Out Of Space.
2021-02-2343 min
Temple of Bleh#22 - Raw's Darkthrone rant, skirting Metal Archives for new releases, and cynical songs.This week Raw takes me down the long and tedious road which is Darkthrone's discography. We also tally about some of this weeks metal news and releases, and fall into a discussion about examples of artists and songs who have acted cynically.
2021-02-0349 min
Temple of Bleh#21 - Raw invites Dave Mustaine to roll, Japanese Folk Metal, and Drive AngryThis week we go all over the shop. Crowd funding ventures for Paul Di'Anno and Crobar, an education in belt heirarchy in ju-jitsu, and the 'politics in music' debate.Also Jim's mate Tom comes on to talk about Nic Cage's "Drive Angry".
2021-01-211h 33
Temple of Bleh#W - Ed Van Zijl [Mascot Label Group] [HORR]Ed Van Zijl started his career at Bertus Distribution in 1982 before moving to the Roadrunner Records Amsterdam office in 1985.In this episode, Ed casts a light on the infancy of the company, as well as Cees' thinking behind the day-to-day running of the label.You can check out the Mascot Label Group's roster of artists at https://www.mascotlabelgroup.com/.
2021-01-181h 36
Temple of Bleh#V - Tom Von Doom [The Great Kat] [HORR]In this episode I close the chapter on The Great Kat (for now). Tom Von Doom was Kat's bass player for the 'Worship Me or Die!' period.Tom was kind enough to tell me the story of the album cycle from his perspective, as well as his relationship with Kat. If you've seen the mini-doc I did on Kat a few weeks ago, Tom should be a familiar face.You can find Tom @TomVonDoom on Facebook and Twitter.
2021-01-1558 min
Temple of Bleh#20 - Raw's Return, Dungeon Synth, and MandyRaw returns from his sabbatical in Panama this week to try and change the podcast to a more "trumpet jazz" direction. Also featured is his disdain for Ozzy Osbournes career trajectory, and Dungeon Synth.In the latter half - Tom and Jim talk about Nic Cage's psychedelic grindhouse film, Mandy.
2021-01-141h 33
Temple of Bleh#U - Richard Bengloff [A2IM/Sony Music/RED] [HORR]This conversation is with Richard Bengloff - former CFO for Sony Music, and in the narrative of Roadrunner Records, former CFO for RED, the distribution company for Roadrunner in the 80's/90's.We talk about Richard's memories of dealing with Roadrunner, and he also gives me a comprehensive introduction into how the distribution/retail side of the record business works.This episode is economics heavy so grab a calculator and strap in!https://www.templeofbleh.com
2021-01-1454 min
Temple of Bleh#T - Miles Leonard [Warner Music/Viva La Music] [HORR]In this episode I speak with music industry titan Miles Leonard. Miles needs very little introduction, having launched the careers of some of today's most popular artists.Miles was with Roadrunner UK from 1993 to 1995, and here he shares his memories and reflections on that time.Don't forget to check out some of the written interviews found at https://www.templeofbleh.com.
2021-01-1324 min
Temple of Bleh#S - Dragonforce 'Inhuman Rampage' 15th Birthday feat. Mike Gitter [Century Media] [HORR]In this episode, Mike Gitter and I shoot the breeze, and celebrate the 15th birthday of a formative music landmark for myself, Dragonforce's 'Inhuman Rampage'.Mike is a music industry veteran, with a career spanning over 30 years in music journalism and A&R. Given he spent 12 years at Roadrunner Records, and is directly responsible for kickstarting the careers of some of my favourite bands - we're likely to be speaking again in 2021!Check out the previous interviews in the series on your podcast feed, as well as written interviews...
2021-01-1045 min
Temple of Bleh#19 - No More (UK) Tours, Metal Tat is Dead, and Black Sabbath's 1983 effort, 'Born Again'This week I have some actual metal news to rattle on about. I've sacked off Metal Tat because there's just simply too much Anthrax stuff, and I go into the story of Ian Gillan's tenure with Black Sabbath!On the Sabbath bit - I do nab a bit of audio from the below YouTube video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppR838nSNX8
2020-12-2344 min
Temple of Bleh#R - Bob Gruen [HORR] [Legendary Rock and Roll Photographer]In this episode I'm lucky enough to be talking to the legendary Bob Gruen. Bob was John Lennon and Yoko Ono's photographer throughout the 70's, and that is just one of the many many accolades to his name.Bob was also the photographer for The Great Kat, who was a Roadrunner artist in the late 80's-early 90's.We talk about Bob's new book, Right Time, Right Place, as well as his time with the Kat.You can get Right Time, Right Place pretty much...
2020-12-1930 min
Temple of Bleh#18 - History of Roadrunner Records - The Great KatNo normal episode this week as I've been working on this :).I say it in the intro, but this is effectively a proof of concept before I go into the proper "History of" episodes in earnest. I just thought The Great Kat was worth shining a light on in the meantime, as she's an incredibly compelling musician and person.Thanks to everyone who contributed to this one, and check out The Great Kat on all the socials and https://www.greatkat.com. Also check out my written interview with...
2020-12-1936 min
Temple of Bleh#Q - Wally van Middendorp [In De Goot Entertainment] [HORR]In this episode I speak with Wally van Middendorp, who had two runs with Roadrunner Records - firstly in the mid-80's, and secondly in the mid-2000's up until 2012 as the Senior VP of International.This conversation was a sheer pleasure on my part, Wally hit the ground running on all the interesting tidbits and landscapes that I wanted to find out about how the label operated on the day-to-day - and I'm extremely grateful for Wally's time on that.Check out Wally's current engagement, In De Goot...
2020-12-131h 54
Temple of Bleh#P - Kurt Shore [Producer/Performer] [HORR][WARNING - pretty naff audio on my side. Turns out my mic wasn't calibrated properly. It's still hearable, but bearable? YOU DECIDE]In this episode I speak with Kurt Shore, who produced The Great Kat's debut album Worship Me Or Die! Kurt was extremely courteous with his time, and guided me through his memories of his producing days, as well as his time with Kat.Fast forwarding to the modern day, Kurt is also a singer-songwriter and features his music regularly on his Facebook page - https://www.facebook...
2020-12-1234 min
Temple of Bleh#17 - Ridiculous Dimebag death conspiracies [RIP]This week in news, old men come out to do new things, Metal tat officially overtakes actual news in volume and substance, and I dive into two of the dumbest instances of a new-ish phenomenon, Dimebag Darrell death conspiracies.
2020-12-1052 min
Temple of BlehHeadbanger's Brew #01 - the Draw [feat. The Pump Room Bar]Today I'm joined by The Pump Room's very own Cress and Ali to start a new once-a-month series - in which we determine which band has the best brew.In this episode we just shoot the shit and draw beers for the first 4 rounds of the tournament - more details (including the tournament bracket) can be found on our respective socials;Temple of Bleh - https://www.facebook.com/TempleOfBlehPodThe Pump Room Bar - https://www.facebook.com/thepumproom.bar/----
2020-12-031h 28
Temple of Bleh#16 - Metal Tat for Xmas, Social Media Culture and Transforming Tom into a MetalheadToday's another light news day, sadly - but there's new music from Scour, Electric Hydra and Horse the Band that I had a bash at listening to! Also plenty of metal tat just in time for Christmas!Tom and I dive into the dirty world of Twitter diplomacy, as well as brand dialogue and tactics that creators use to drive traffic!
2020-12-0157 min
Temple of Bleh#O - David White [Heathen] [HORR]Today I'm joined by Heathen's very own David White, as part of our History of Roadrunner Records series. Heathen had only one record on Roadrunner - Victims of Deception, released in 1991.We talk a lot about Heathen's new record, Empire of the Blind, the interactions with Roadrunner in the late 80's/early 90's - then David absolutely overdelivers on the question "have you ever seen a ghost?". You may want to consult the YouTube upload of this interview for more context there...Jump on it! https://heathenthrash.bandcamp.com...
2020-11-271h 42
Temple of Bleh#N - Metal Mike (Part 2) [Aardshok Magazine] [HORR]This week I'm catching up with Aardshok's Metal Mike again, but this time with a slightly less business-oriented approach to the Roadrunner story.Mike's depth of knowledge and experience in the metal world is truly something to behold and appreciate, so please check out Aardschok at the links below. If it's available to you, subscribe to the mag, if it's not - support any way you can in these crazy times.http://www.aardschok.com/https://www.facebook.com/officialaardschok/
2020-11-251h 03
Temple of Bleh#15 - Jim's Friend Tom Returns, Son's of Musicians week, and general housekeeping for new listeners!Raw is out galivanting in the Andes so I'm on my tod again this week. Luckily there's a little more news to go on - and Jim's Friend Tom (JFT) stops by for an assist.Since I've pumped out a load of interviews the past few weeks to support the ongoing History of Roadrunner Records [HORR] series, we've had a bunch of new subs and listeners - which I'm extremely grateful for. As such this episode is more of a laid back chat with some housekeeping on the Temple's goings on as we approach...
2020-11-2448 min
Temple of Bleh#M - Rob Beaton [Mixing/Mastering Extraordinaire] [HORR]In this entry to the History of Roadrunner Records I speak with Rob Beaton, producer of early 90's Roadrunner thrash bands Heathen, Exhorder and Defiance.Rob's an incredibly interesting dude and I was extremely privileged to speak with him about matters pertaining to the 'loudness wars', mixing the trailer to my favourite Star War, as well as Roadrunner's place in the music business lexicon.Check in with Rob at - https://meetbeaton.com/
2020-11-191h 53
Temple of Bleh#L - Metal Mike (Part 1) [Aardschok Magazine] [HORR]The legendary Metal Mike joins me for a chat about Roadrunner Records today. If you're watching on the video part of this - you'll understand when I say my entire face is aching from grinning all the way through this talk!Now this one has a bit of cringe in it from my side, as I keep pushing Roadrunner business questions but Mike, as he correctly says, is the music guy - he was placed in the 'logistics' part of getting bands in and through Europe, as you're about to learn. Regardless I still...
2020-11-171h 23
Temple of Bleh#K - Andrew Field [APF Records]Tonight I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with Andrew Field of APF Records. APF is a UK independent label dealing with the more heavy side of music, specifically Stoner/Doom metal, with a little Thrash and Grindcore thrown in for good measure.In addition to discussing some of the bands that reside on APF Records, Andrew and I speak about the mechanics of running a small independent label in the UK, as well as nerding out over certain mastering and production techniques!Do yourself a favour and head...
2020-11-161h 14
Temple of Bleh#J - Howie Abrams [Lesser Gods Books] [HORR]In October I was joined by author, A&R exec and music nerd extraordinaire Howie Abrams. Howie was Director of A&R and Product Management at Roadrunner for the best part of 5 years in the early-mid 90's.We cover all sorts in this chat, from Type O Negative, to most accessible hardcore bands, and even football (UK). Howie is an exceptionally articulate and smart guy, and I'm super privileged to have had the opportunity to chat with him.See Howie's book publishing company, Lesser Gods, here - https://www...
2020-11-131h 54
Temple of Bleh#I - Gary Levermore [Third Mind Records/Red Sand PR] [HORR]In this episode I speak with Gary Levermore of Third Mind Records. Third Mind was a UK Electronic/Industrial label that pushed some of the staple artists of the genres, such as Front Line Assembly, In the Nursery and Controlled Bleeding.Gary tells the story of how Third Mind partnered up with Roadrunner Records in the early 90's, in that somewhat confusing time in the narrative when the label started to tread the waters, away from Thrash/Death metal.This conversation was captured over 2 sessions, so there's a fade...
2020-11-121h 55
Temple of Bleh#H - Andy Saunders [Velocity Communications] [HORR]In this episode, I speak with Andy Saunders. Andy headed up the alt-rock arm of Roadrunner (Emergo) in the UK from 1989-1992 before moving on to Creation Records then forming his own company in 2000.Andy and I discuss some of the challenges of working under the Roadrunner model as he attempted to expand the label's alt-rock roster in the early 90's. There's some great insight as to how the business operated between its respective satellite offices, which were situated around the globe at this point.Andy also makes some...
2020-11-1156 min
Temple of Bleh#14 - Jim's Friend Tom, all aboard the Dave Grohl Train, and the Illuminati of Consumer ExpectationRaw is out fellwalking or something today, so Jim's Friend Tom stepped in for the feature section - in which we discuss Magic the Gathering, and the Illuminati of Consumer Expectation. Spiderman is the paperweight holding all this barely-releasable tinfoil together.Additionally Jim gets audibly upset that Dave Grohl turned up to work on his bi-annual 'wholesome content' cycle, and a bunch of companies sidestepping the daunting task of telling the world that there won't be any gigs until 2022, and artists don't deserve a dime.
2020-11-1041 min
Temple of Bleh#G - Garry Pepperd [Jaguar] [HORR]In this episode I speak with guitarist Garry Pepperd of NWOBHM legends Jaguar. Jaguar had only one record with Roadrunner, This Time, released in 1984.Garry tells me the story of Jaguar and their relationship with Roadrunner Records, ensuing activities including the resurrection of Neat Records in the late 90's, as well as reflecting on the metal scene in general.I'm very grateful to Garry for offering his time, and would like to direct everyone to their YouTube channel - as Garry describes, this has been cultivated as the centralised...
2020-11-101h 14
Temple of Bleh#F - Kyle Thomas [Exhorder/Floodgate] [HORR]This entry into the History of Roadrunner Records [HORR (I'm sticking with it)] is with Kyle Thomas of Exhorder and Floodgate. Kyle is an example of the Roadrunner 'Double Dip' meaning he was signed to the label with two acts - an incredibly rare occurrence. Kyle has three albums on Roadrunner Records, Exhorder's Slaughter in the Vatican and The Law, and Floodgate's Penalty. This conversation is actually a pretty comprehensive guide to the first decade of Kyle's career in the metal industry.Check out the new Exhorder album, Mourn...
2020-11-091h 49
Temple of Bleh#E - Steev Riccardo [Giant Records/Blowing Smoke with Twisted Rico] [HORR]Another one for the History of Roadrunner Records series - this episode I chat with Steev Ricardo! Steev was pivotal for creating the Roadrunner you know and love today, in that he opened the first US office for the label in 1986, along with Holly Lane.We talk about Steev's hectic tenure with the label, The Great Kat, and the Unsung Hero (Holly Lane).Check out Steev's podcast, Blowin' Smoke with Twisted Rico here - https://open.spotify.com/show/1yqrttd2p3xQA4MfDcijPG?si=jxDPsG12S622DXwMBnZZ5w
2020-11-091h 14
Temple of Bleh#D - Mike Kaufmann [Defiance/Monster God] [HORR]This week I'm joined by Defiance's Mike Kaufmann. Defiance had 3 LP's with Roadrunner Records and are generally revered as one of the key progressive-thrash bands to emerge from the Bay Area.
Mike was super accommodating with his time, and we discussed some of the finer details of working with a label like Roadrunner in the late 80's/early 90's - including producer preferences, competing scenes/sounds, and embracing the early 90's rock upheaval.
Listen to Defiance here - https://candlelightrecordsuk.bandcamp... ( https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fcandlelightrecordsuk.bandcamp.com%2Falbum%2Fthe-prophecy&redir_token...
2020-11-081h 03
Temple of Bleh#13 - Pretty much no news [Thanks, colonials], new logos, and do long band names mean a worse band?This week there was barely any proper news, just mostly people popping their heads out the woodwork to endorse something or other - so we generally focused on the sub-par interesting news items this week.Having said that we've got a new logo drawn by the extremely awesome 'terbangtinggi' on fiverr - which makes us feel legit.Raw also suggests that the longer a band name is - the worse that band is...
2020-11-0458 min
Temple of Bleh#C - Takis Kinis [Realm] [Suiciety 30th Anniversary] [HORR]--- I swap my mic out at about 19 minutes into this one, just in case anyone finds the sound unbearable----Today (30th October 2020) marks 30 years of Realm's second and final album for Roadrunner Records, Suiciety. Realm are a highly regarded prog-thrash band from Wisconsin, and a very important part of the ToB History of Roadrunner Records [HORR] series.Takis patiently endures Jim's lack of professionalism and microphone issues [for about 15 minutes, sorry] before launching into what it was like to be Monte Conner's first signing for Roadrunner Records. We...
2020-10-301h 48
Temple of Bleh#12 - Uber Rock, Quest Metal and the Great Time Travelling ConspiracyJonny Bakes from Uber Rock joins us this week to recommend music he's actually listened to, as well as proposing a theory for the upsurge in 60's/70's nostalgia acts.Visit Uber Rock at https://uber-rock.co.uk/
2020-10-271h 11
Temple of Bleh#B - James McBain [Hellripper]--- Some audio dropouts on this one, I personally blame Skype ---In a break from interviewing Roadrunner Records alumni, Jim speaks to James McBain of one-man 'Black 'n Roll' band Hellripper, who recently released 'The Affair of the Poisons' on Peaceville Records.We chat production, label relationships and album cycles. We also take a quick dive into the Secret Channel 4 Metalhead.[Album cover] © Peaceville Records Ltd
2020-10-2754 min
Temple of Bleh#A - Guido Gevels [Cyclone] [HORR]Jim talks to Cyclone's very own Guido Gevels as part of the History of Roadrunner Records [HORR] series.Cyclone are an infamous part of the Belgian thrash scene, as highlighted in the Red Bull documentary "Hooked on Belgian Metal" (link below). Cyclone have reformed, and are remastering and rereleasing their first two albums on Zeal records very soon, so please follow the below socials to make sure you catch them upon release.Hooked on Belgian Metal - https://www.redbull.com/be-nl/projects/hooked-on-belgian-metal...
2020-10-251h 04
Temple of Bleh#11 - Thrash Sandwich, new tracks from Firstborne and Mess of Wires, and the most Metal video gamesThis week, Raw takes the bold step of recommending music he's not bothered to listen to. We also talk about new music from Chris Adler's new band Firstborne, and a new signing to Roadrunner Records (Mess of Wires). Then we dive into the most Metal video games out there, with some pretty heavy lusting over Frontpunk...
2020-10-211h 15
Temple of Bleh#10 - Raw's victory over 2 metal bands, Mastodon income speculation, and Streaming Musicians vs Conventional MusiciansHeavy news week this week - we dive into general housekeeping for the podcast, the 'rare vinyl' market, Raw's war against Warbringer and Five Finger Death Punch, and loads of other daft nonsense!
2020-10-1358 min
Temple of Bleh#09 - Metal 'tat', Fear Factory parlour games, and Metal gym playlists.RIP EVHThis week we define exactly what Metal 'tat' is, chat about Hawkeye leaving Fear Factory to a slightly heavier extent than I did last week, and we run each other's gym playlist past each other.@TempleOfBleh
2020-10-071h 00
Temple of Bleh#08 - Hawkeye sods right off, tour cancellations and Hawker RecordsShorter, with lower energy and more physical/mental/emotional strain episode today - Raw is crusading through the British Isles and I'm on my lonesome.Today I talk about new Ozzy, Hawkeye sodding off from Fear Factory and take a side step from the Roadrunner story to talk about Hawker Records.John Bello interview, for which most of the Hawker section was sourced - https://www.noecho.net/interviews/hawker-records-history-interviewFor An Answer 'Free for All' set can be found here - https://www...
2020-09-2943 min
Temple of Bleh#07 - Jim's mate Eric, the 'Regnirbraw/Warbringer Tank Challenge' and bands we've never paid to seeThis week we dive into the latest in the Secret Channel 4 Metalhead and Rod Smallwood pint updates, as well as the most cutting edge metal news. Jim's mate Eric keeps popping up as well.We also go into length about bands we've never actually parted with money to see - and Raw lays down a challenge to Warbringer singer, John Kevill.
2020-09-221h 19
Temple of Bleh#06 - History of Roadrunner Records - Part 1Today we talk about Hawkeye leaving Fear Factory, why Rammstein is worth Jim's time, then Raw spends about 90 minutes being lectured at by Jim about the History of Roadrunner Records. Part One of a series of amateur deep dives into the history of one of the most famous brands in metal music.Companion screencast - TBCCompanion write up - TBC
2020-09-151h 41
Temple of Bleh#05 - Metal Groceries, Zakk Sabbath, and Churchill's Speech on Five Finger Death Punch (w/c 07-09-2020)This week we take a look at the Hatebreed gourmet range, catch up on some of this week's metal events, get a quick update on the Hunt for the Secret Metalhead - and Raw summons Winston Churchill from beyond the grave, to get his thoughts on Five Finger Death Punch.'Now I Take Everything From You' by Dean Anderson used with respect to Section 30a of the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988. No infringement intended. But by all means check his music out - it kicks arse.
2020-09-0857 min
Temple of Bleh#04 - RIP Riley Gale, Metallica Bingo, and the Secret Channel 4 Metalhead (w/c 31-08-2020)We finally dive into what's been bothering us for 12+ years, the Secret Channel 4 Metalhead....Additionally we pitch a Metallica Bingo card to see us through the next album cycle, and talk over other bits of metal news from this week,
2020-09-021h 21
Temple of Bleh#03 - Bucket Lists, Documentaries, and getting Rod Smallwood out for a pint (w/c 24-08-2020)Today we talk about the economy of post-pandemic live events, our particular metal related bucket lists - and invite Rod Smallwood out for a pint.Please see the below playlist to listen to the bands we've mentioned in the show.https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0NpjFks3InUqtzc8WimIHk?si=Gitc0t5SQu2ijy7u6eLUUA
2020-08-251h 00
Temple of Bleh#02 - Bloodstock 2021, the return of Evile, and "the Triple" (w/c 17-08-2020)In this episode we take a look at the rescheduled Bloodstock Open Air festival, welcome local legends Evile back into the fold, and explore the nuances of "the Triple" - bands that are named after the song, after the album, after the band, after the song, after the album, after the band.....
2020-08-181h 02
Temple of Bleh#01 - Introductions, Blehs, and Tribute bands (w/c 10-08-2020)Weekly news roundup for week commencing 10th August 2020 - followed by a graceless swan dive into what the podcast is about, what a 'bleh' is, and what makes a good tribute band
2020-08-131h 04