Machines of Music: Robot Bands, Fear Factory Drama, and McCartney’s Madness | Beat Motel Podcast

2025-05-05

In this absolutely not-endorsed-by-the-Royal-Institution episode of Beat Motel, Andrew Culture and Dr. Sam strap themselves to the whirring gears of life and music — and get gloriously derailed.We start by pondering the important things in life, like testicle elasticity, sellotaping car keys to your bits, and whether Andrew has ever squatted over a mirror (thankfully, not... yet). Then it's onto weddings, disaster tourism, robot bands, Fear Factory’s shady drum secrets, and the art of becoming a business arr...

In this absolutely not-endorsed-by-the-Royal-Institution episode of Beat Motel, Andrew Culture and Dr. Sam strap themselves to the whirring gears of life and music — and get gloriously derailed.

We start by pondering the important things in life, like testicle elasticity, sellotaping car keys to your bits, and whether Andrew has ever squatted over a mirror (thankfully, not... yet). Then it's onto weddings, disaster tourism, robot bands, Fear Factory’s shady drum secrets, and the art of becoming a business arrangement instead of a band.

With riffs harder than your nan's Yorkshire puddings, and opinions sharper than the dents in Dr. Sam’s forehead after a cycle ride, we dive into Stiff Little Fingers, Dead Kennedys, Paul McCartney’s stoner phase, and why Metal Mickey is either a robot or a stripper (jury’s out).

Highlights include:

Sellotaping car keys where the sun don't shine
Paul McCartney’s suspicious love for “Waterfalls”
How Fear Factory ghosted their own drummer
Andrew’s plan to start a noise band with the worst name ever
Learning why theremins sound like nuclear Armageddon (because sometimes, they actually do)

If you want earnest chats about BPM and key signatures, go somewhere else. If you want testicle Newton's cradles and robot apocalypse bands — welcome home.

### Riffs of the week

#### Dr Sam's Riff

- The Magicians - An Invitation to Cry (2.04)

#### Andrew's Riff

- Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device (1:25)

### Dr Sam's track choices

1. NoMeansNo - Machine (3.20)

2. Dead Kennedys - At My Job (0.17)

3. Fear Factory - The Industrialist (3.22)

4. Matyas Seiber - A Short Vision (5.35)

### Andrew's track choices

1. Paul McCartney - Check my machine (3:30)