The pumpkins are on the porch, the candy is in the bowl, and the barrier between the living and the dead has never been more penetrable. That's right, the Halloween Spooktacular is back for some more frighteningly fun tunes. Andrew and returning guest Andy LaBarre come up with a playlist that will turn your hair bone white (or a nice eggshell, at the very least). Artists played include Roky Erickson, Focus, The Meteors, Andrew Gold, Boney M., The Beautiful South, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and many more. It's a Halloween jaunt with plenty of scares and laughs along the way!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew / @trillyrobinson

Andy's Substack: warmpathways.substack.com

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No selling is when a wrestler doesn't react to taking a move, whether because they are an unstoppable monster, running on adrenaline in a fighting spirit spot, hulking up, or just not cooperating with their opponent. It's also when people aren't buying your music. On this episode, Andrew and returning guest Maura Johnston (Boston Globe, Rolling Stone) play a selection of singles that did not make the Billboard Hot 100. Artists played include Robbie Williams, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Al Green, Talk Talk, Carly Rae Jepsen, Amerie, The Cardigans, and many more. You won't be selling anything while listening to this episode because you'll be too busy jamming out!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew / @maura

Maura's website: maura.com

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One of the more recent tropes in pro wrestling is "Why am I so violent?", where a babyface wrestler will have a crisis of conscience about the level of violence they are dishing out against their opponent (and typically stare at their hands while doing so). It's meant to be this dramatic emotional arc, but more often it just makes the babyface look like an idiot and a coward for not wanting to hurt their opponent. On this episode, Andrew comes up with one of his delightfully devilish puns with a topic called "Why am I so violin?", in which he and first-time guest Hypnotoad (VOW Discord) play songs that have a string section instrument in them (violin, viola, cello, double bass). Artists played include Kansas, The Cranberries, Ben E. King, Dexys Midnight Runners, The Shirelles, Queensrÿche, The Verve, and many more. Don't stare at your hands too long, or else you might miss this episode!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew

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One of Dragongate's signature matches is the Unit Disbands Match, in which two units battle it out and the losing group is forced to break up. It's a match with high stakes and drama, especially in a promotion where units have been so prevalent since the beginning. The world of music has seen plenty of bands disband over the years as well, whether because of hatred, death, or just reaching a natural conclusion. Andrew and returning guest Mike Spears (Open the Voice Gate) play songs from the last album before a band breaks up (though not necessarily their final album). Artists played include Roxy Music, American Football, The Zombies, The Stone Roses, Pantera, Sublime, Pink Floyd, and many more.

• Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner
• Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew / @spearsovations
• Listen to Open the Voice Gate/Those Days: https://redcircle.com/shows/open-the-voice-gate
• Sign up for Spearsovations: spearsovations.ghost.io
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There is a scene in the 1999 documentary Beyond the Mat where Dennis Stamp tells Terry Funk why he's not going to be at his retirement show: "Because I'm not booked." Dennis would end up appearing on the show, but "I'm not booked" became a classic line from the movie. In music, there are plenty of songs that are "not booked," so to speak, in that they don't make the original tracklist for the album. They might end up appearing on B-sides, reissues, deluxe editions, compilation albums, or box sets. On this episode, Andrew and returning guest Kevin Hare (Voices of Wrestling, 185 Miles South) play a selection of songs that didn't get booked. Artists played include Alkaline Trio, Faces, Chamillionaire, Oasis, Black Flag, The KLF, The Undertones, and many more. Grab the weights and jump on the trampoline, because you never know when the next booking will come.

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew

Listen to Kevin on the 185 Miles South podcast: 185milessouth.com

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In 1987, Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage formed a team known as the Mega Powers. The original run only lasted about 16 months, but became the go-to example for the pro wrestling superteam. Similarly, there have been plenty of times in music when people from established bands or solo careers team up to form a supergroup. Some of these groups last quite a while, some come and go in the blink of an eye. On this episode, Andrew and returning guest Brady Trappett (Voices of Wrestling) team up to play a selection of supergroups. Artists played include the Highwaymen, Broken Bells, SuperHeavy, Run the Jewels, Them Crooked Vultures, Isles & Glaciers, Wild Flag, and many more. Listen to this episode before it inevitably... EXPLODES!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

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The Bloodline has been the dominant storyline in WWE for the past six years. Just when you think the saga of Roman Reigns, the Usos, Solo Sikoa, and the rest of the gang is over, it rears its ugly head. As the name suggests, it's a stable that has been mostly made up of family members, and in music, there are plenty of bands where family members share the stage. On this episode, Andrew and returning guest Warren Hayes (The Mr. Warren Hayes Show, Voices of Wrestling) play bands that have family members in them. Artists played include HAIM, Split Enz, Sly and the Family Stone, The Kinks, DeBarge, The National, Heart, Sparks, and many more. Get ready to acknowledge this episode as the Tribal Chief of music shows tangentially related to pro wrestling.

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew / @mrwarrenhayes.show

Subscribe to Warren on YouTube: Youtube.com/@MrWarrenHayes

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When reading up about pro wrestlers and their lifestyle choices, you might come across the phrase "personal demons." It's a euphemism for drug and alcohol problems, which sadly are a common occurrence when you look at wrestling and its history of premature deaths. On this episode, Andrew and returning guest Cola the Lodger exorcise some personal demons by playing songs about drugs and alcohol, whether they're positive, neutral, or negative about the substances. Artists played include Primus, Hank Williams III, The Pharcyde, KRS-One, George Michael, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Kyuss, Melle Mel, and many more. This episode is definitely not passing a drug test.

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew

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TV time is very important for wrestlers, especially in the big promotions stateside. If you're regularly featured on a wrestling TV show, where all the main storylines and action are happening, that means you're in the mix and making a name for yourself, as opposed to just sitting in the back doing nothing or stuck in dark matches. On this episode, Andrew and returning guest Angry216 (VOW Discord) get some TV time themselves by playing theme songs to some of their favorite TV shows. Shows discussed include Twin Peaks, The Wire, BoJack Horseman, In Living Color, Veronica Mars, Scrubs, KaBlam!, Halt and Catch Fire, and many more. Grab the remote and turn on the boob tube for a fun episode!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew

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"Under a hood" is an old school wrestling term that means working under a mask. The mask is a big part of pro wrestling, especially in lucha libre where it is sacred. Some songs have their own masks, so to speak, in that the titles are not found anywhere in the lyrics. On this episode, Andrew and returning guest Rich Kraetsch (Voices of Wrestling) play songs that fall into that category. Artists played include Third Eye Blind, Kasabian, Massive Attack, Little Brother, Public Image Ltd., Sunny Day Real Estate, Faith No More, and many more. Don't try to unmask this episode or you might get disqualified!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Twitter: @voiceswrestling

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew / @voicesofwrestling.com

FlagshipPatreon.com

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A transitional champion in wrestling is one that only holds the title for a short amount of time before they drop it to someone else. Typically it's a way to get the belt from one wrestler to another without them wrestling each other, or in cases where the title win is the most important part of the story as opposed to the actual reign itself. On this episode, Andrew and first-time guest Anthony Puhl (a.k.a. foolinc from the VOW Discord) look at bands who have had transitional bandmates, so to speak, where certain members are only in the group for a short amount of time. Artists played include The Clash, Thin Lizzy, Blink-182, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Depeche Mode, The Moody Blues, and many more. These band members are here for a good time, not a long time, so listen and enjoy!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew

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WrestleMania Weekend is the busiest weekend of the year when it comes to wrestling. Almost every promotion under the sun descends on the city where WrestleMania is being held and runs their own shows, overloading the schedule with more wrestling than you can shake a stick at. On this episode, Andrew and first-time guest Case Lowe (Voices of Wrestling, Open the Voice Gate) focus on the "mania" of Mania Weekend, playing songs about mental illness and having an open and honest discussion about some of their own mental health issues. Artists played include Phoebe Bridgers, Militarie Gun, Alice Cooper, Jane's Addiction, Paramore, Embrace, and many more. A heavy episode at times, but it's still probably a more enjoyable experience than some of the shows happening during Mania Weekend.

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Twitter: @_InYourCase / @openvoicegate

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew / @erinquinn

Listen to Open the Voice Gate/Those Days: https://redcircle.com/shows/open-the-voice-gate

Case's interviews on Q101: youtube.com/@Q101

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Once upon a time, there was an indie wrestling company in Texas called WrestleCircus. It had a circus theme with appropriately named events and championships. It also booked a whole lot of prominent indie names who would later become regulars in AEW and WWE. But like many indie companies, it went the way of the dodo. Returning guest Erin Quinn went to several WrestleCircus shows back in the day, making her the ideal guest for this episode. Andrew and Erin go under the big top and play songs that have animals in the title. Artists played include Jethro Tull, Namoli Brennet, Lou Reed, The HU, Was (Not Was), Matthew Sweet, Kate Bush, Geggy Tah, and more. No animals were harmed in the making of this episode (just the host's patience when listening to that Lou Reed song).

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Twitter: @MsErinQuinn

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew / @erinquinn

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The ten count is a staple of pro wrestling matches: A wrestler has until the count of ten to get back in the ring or get up off the mat, or else they will lose the match. It's a way to add some more drama and suspense to a match, though it seems count outs don't happen nearly as often as they used to back in the day. On this episode, Andrew and returning guest Fred Morlan (The Good, The Bad & The Hungee) start the ten count, playing songs sequentially with the numbers one, two, three, etc. in the title, all the way up to ten. Artists played include Ben Folds Five, Sneaker Pimps, Rufus Thomas, Southern Culture on the Skids, Babymetal, Styx, Jenny Lewis, and many more. Get back in the ring and beat the count so you can listen to this episode!

Theme song: ""Hemispheres"" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew / @FlagrantStats

Listen to Fred's radio show: https://medialex.us/shows/marconis-bad-dream/

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A money mark is someone with a lot of money who runs a wrestling show or starts a promotion because they want to be one of the boys and be a big shot in the wrestling biz. It's not a good thing to be, either because you won't have the wrestlers' respect or you'll blow all your money and fail spectacularly. Typically both. On this episode, Andrew and returning guest Rich Latta (One Nation Radio) play a selection of songs about money and all the tropes and themes associated with it. Artists played include ZZ Top, Jay-Z, Tower of Power, Madonna, Camp Lo, Fitz and the Tantrums, Rick Ross, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Charley Crockett, and many more. We've hit up the ATM and spared no expense, so this episode is rolling in the big bucks!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Twitter: @RichLatta32

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew / @richlatta

One Nation Radio: redcircle.com/shows/one-nation-radio

Rich's YouTube: youtube.com/@RichLatta

Rich's merch: onelifetimeworldwide.com

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Just like the opening match on a wrestling show has the important role of setting the tone, the main event has the important role of ending the show on a strong note. Not every wrestler can be a main eventer, but the ones who prove they belong are the ones who stay in that spotlight. The same can be said for the closing track on an album. Not every song works as an album closer, but the ones that do stand the test of time. On this episode, Andrew and returning guest JoJo Remy (Voices of Wrestling) play a selection of their favorite album closers, mostly classics but a few modern ones as well. Artists played include Todd Rundgren, The Raconteurs, The Who, Superorganism, UFO, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Pink Floyd, Muse, David Bowie, and many more. The lights are bright and everybody is listening, because it's time for the main event!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew / @jojoruns

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You may have noticed a trend on social media the past few years of people praising something as "absolute cinema." Wrestling seems to be no different, as internet cinephiles are quick to scream "absolute cinema" at Roman Reigns staring at Jey Uso or Seth Rollins making a face. On this episode, Andrew and returning guest Paul Wedding will discuss some actual cinema, namely songs from movies. They could be songs made specifically for the movie's soundtrack, songs that are just in the movie and come from somewhere else, or film score. Artists played include Aimee Mann, Quincy Jones, Townes Van Zandt, Moby, Motörhead, Carly Simon, Roy Orbison, Geto Boys, and many more. Grab some popcorn and put your cellphones on silent, we're going to the movies!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew

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Music of the Mat is celebrating nine years the only way it knows how: with a hearty pun and a lively discussion about hair metal! Inspired by the recent retirement of Hiroshi Tanahashi and his glorious head of hair, this episode combines two hirsute topics. The hair vs. hair match is a stipulation that has been around for decades in pro wrestling, and hair metal is a genre that has been around for decades in music (even if it's heyday was forty years ago). Andrew is joined by returning guest Damon McDonald (Super J-Cast) to play some of their favorite hair metal songs. Artists played include Ratt, Cinderella, White Lion, Skid Row, Def Leppard, KIX, Bon Jovi, Poison, and many more. Grab your hairspray, pour yourself into the tightest spandex pants you can find, and enjoy this fantastic anniversary show!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew / @thesuperjcast

Twitter: @thesuperjcast

Super J-Cast's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/superjcast

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It's almost time to say goodbye and good riddance to 2025. Who knows what delights and horrors await us in 2026, but before we get there, we have a Music of the Mat annual tradition: the year-end episode! Andrew and returning guest Maura Johnston (Boston Globe, Rolling Stone) play some of their favorite music that came out during the year. Artists played include Elton John & Brandi Carlile, CMAT, Bartees Strange, Jane Inc., Pulp, Kehlani, Ghost, The Last Dinner Party, Sam Fender, and many more. Thank you to everyone for listening to and supporting the show in 2025!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew / @maura

Maura's website: maura.com

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There's a booking trope in wrestling where a wrestler loses their championship, and instead of working their way back to the belt, they say "I have a rematch clause!" and automatically get a second match. This episode of Music of the Mat Remix is all about seconds, specifically second albums. Andrew is joined by first-time guest DJ Convoy to discuss some great sophomore efforts. Artists played include Nirvana, Carole King, Prefab Sprout, Massive Attack, MS MR, Rainbow, Weezer, and many more. No need for a rematch clause to listen to this episode, just click play and enjoy!

Theme song: "Hemispheres" by Silent Partner

Bluesky: @MusicoftheMat / @justandrew / @djconvoy

DJ's blog: lazonamuerta.net

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