Love and Rockets | Photo by Mitch Jenkins via Beggars Arkive
“Dark Wave,” hosted by Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Matt Sebastian, explores the darker side of classic ’80s alternative, including vintage goth, post-punk and industrial. The shows airs at 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Eastern every Sunday on Sirius XM satellite radio’s 1st Wave (Channel 33).
The most recent two episodes are also available to subscribers to stream via the Sirius XM app.
Got a request? Requests will be considered for future episodes as long as they fit the show’s format and fall generally within the 1st Wave era — and provided the host doesn’t harbor an intense dislike of the song. If there’s something you’d like to hear, drop it in the comments below.
HOUR 1
Front 242, “First In/First Out” (Front By Front)
Gang of Four, “Return the Gift” (Entertainment!)
Public Image Ltd., “Low Life” (First Issue)
Grace Jones, “She’s Lost Control” (Long Version) (The Collection)
The Cure, “Fire in Cairo” (Three Imaginary Boys)
Siouxsie and the Banshees, “The Last Beat of My Heart” (Peepshow)
Love and Rockets, “Yin and Yang (The Flowerpot Man)” (Express)
Peter Murphy, “I’ll Fall With Your Knife” (Cascade)
The Mission, “Hands Across the Ocean” (Carved in Sand)
The Sugarcubes, “Ammaeli” (Family Tree)
The Rose of Avalanche, “Always There” (L.A. Rain)
Echo & The Bunnymen, “Seven Seas” (Peel Session) (The John Peel Sessions)
The Sound, “New Dark Age” (From the Lions Mouth)
HOUR 2
Ministry, “Cold Life Dub” (Twelve Inch Singles)
Depeche Mode, “Fly on the Windscreen” (Extended) (Singles Box)
A Split-Second, “Crash Course in Seduction” (Industrial Mix) (Kiss of Fury)
Alan Vega, “Saturn Drive” (Saturn Strip)
Teenage Filmstars, “Moon” (Star)
Catherine Wheel, “I Want To Touch You” (Ferment)
The Swirlies, “Tall Ships” (What To Do About Them)
Lush, “Superblast!” (Spooky)
Bauhaus, “Lagartija Nick” (Bauhaus 1979-1983)
Death in June, “Nothing Changes” (The Guilty Have No Pride)
End of Your Garden, “A Displaced House in the North” (Celebration/Er Det Tirsdag Må Være Belgien)
Joy Division, “Isolation” (Closer)
HOUR 3
Revolting Cocks, “Stainless Steel Providers” (Beers, Steers + Queers)
Nitzer Ebb, “Murderous” (That Total Age)
Skinny Puppy, “Dogshit (Censor)” (VIVI Sect VI)
Lords of Acid, “I Sit on Acid” (Private Parts)
Cocteau Twins, “Peppermint Pig” (7-Inch Version) (Peppermint Pig)
The Smiths, “Miserable Lie” (The Smiths)
Tubeway Army, “Praying to the Aliens” (Replicas)
Ultravox, “The Voice” (Rage in Eden)
Lydia Lunch, “Dance of the Dead Children” (13:13)
The Sisters of Mercy, “Walk Away” (First and Last and Always)
The Marionettes, “Like Christabel” (Ave Dementia)
Swans, “The Great Annihilator” (Great Annihilator)
Concrete Blonde, “Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)” (Bloodletting)
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Playlist: Sirius XM’s “Dark Wave” — hosted by Slicing Up Eyeballs (8/17/25)
- Playlist: Sirius XM’s “Dark Wave” — hosted by Slicing Up Eyeballs (8/3/25)
- Playlist: Sirius XM’s “Dark Wave” — hosted by Slicing Up Eyeballs (7/27/25)
- Playlist: Sirius XM’s “Dark Wave” — hosted by Slicing Up Eyeballs (7/20/25)
Slicing Up Eyeballs independently selects all releases featured on this site, but we may earn a commission from products purchased through affiliate links. Those commissions help support and fund the site.
Matt, great show as usual. Earlier this year, someone requested the first song you ever played on Dark Wave.
My request is the last song you played on your first episode of Dark Wave for a future show when the mood hits you.
Thank you.
Thanks for the Marionettes. Nice tie in with Swans and Bloodletting.
Have to give it to Hour 2 tonight. The shoegazey block, great selections from Death in June and Split Second, and End of Your Garden put it over the top.
Thanks for the great music. Will be enjoying this one all week. Have a good one.
Hey Matt! Another great Sunday night!
I loved hearing Lydia’s lunch!
It would be great to hear some early The Creatures like from Feast or Wild Things. “Mad Eyed Screamer”
Jarboe – Come Out
Requesting Walking On Your Hands by RLYL.
Really enjoying their latest effort!
Can I hear Pittsburgh’s legendary Karl Hendricks Trio — “You Poor, Miserable Fool” … or “You’re a bigger Jerk than me”? Having just heard The Swirlies, these wouldn’t be a stretch despite being a stretch as shoegaze.
Yes! Not sure they really fit in here but such an underrated group!
how about love like blood’s version of heroes
Matt – thanks for playing the Siouxsie request for Jennifer and me. We loved it and it helped make the anniversary special!
Keep rockin!
Thank you for another fine serving of the dark stuff. Hour one was the standout to me chock full of personal faves from Love and Rockets, The Sound, the Bunnymen, early Cure and Grace Jones (thank you Nathan).
A request for a future episode:
Suicide “Diamonds, fur coat, champagne”
Thanks! Wishing everyone a wonderful week.
Seconded!
Thirded! And you’re welcome Nicole!
Fourth ‘d?! Great choice!
Marc & The Mambas – (Your Love Is A) Lesion
Wow what a show! I think this is one of my favorites this year! So many good songs this week – the Mission, Cure, DM, Sugarcubes, Nitzer Ebb and of course the Shoegaze block!!!! I think my suggestion (for the September 7th show) would have to include a shout out to my beloved. We had our first date at the December 1st NIN show in Toronto (Further Down The Spiral tour with Marilyn Manson if memory serves). I won the tickets and we went. Fast forward to 2002 when we got married (September 8th). So I guess it’s only fitting I request either NIN’s Down in It – the song I sang to win the tickets OR Somebody by Depeche Mode – the song we danced to at our wedding. Oh hell you could even play both if you’re feeling it lol! Anyway, been together since that NIN show over 30 years ago…..thank you Shaun!!!!
Thanks again as always!!!!!!! ｡◕‿◕｡
Aw, I love this Tina. Happy early anniversary! And those are a couple of classic cuts. My wife and I danced to Temptation by New Order at our wedding in 2005 :)
Thank you!!! Nice!!! New Order is never a bad thing lol! Classic cuts indeed ….I feel ‘classic’ in my 53 yo body these days…..(◔‿◔)
Sorry should have mentioned it was the 1994 NIN/MM show!!!
Tina, wishing you a happy early anniversary!
Thank you so much Nicole!!!! (•‿•)
Rocking show!
Here’s a request –
The Gun Club – A Devil in the Woods
Thanks!
Hey Matt!
Totally loved hearing that Death in June track here on Dark Wave! :).
Here’s a Joy Division cover request : Heart and Soul // Kendra Smith (of Opal), on the Means to an End tribute circa ’95. (RIP D. Roback)
Cheers!
Killer show Matt! All three hours were on point, so good. Thanks for playing the Grace Jones cover, and the extended version to boot! You are too kind. Mini shoegaze block in hour 2 was fantastic. And some all timers from Skinny Puppy, The Smiths, and the Sisters in hour 3, also fantastic. Always love hearing Swans on the program.
Request for a future communion: how about some Shellac off their final album, which is amazing and a fitting farewell from Mr. Albini: “I Don’t Fear Hell.” If that track is too recent I’d be more than happy with a dealer’s choice.
Have a great week Matt and all the fellow darkwavers, cheers!
Matt,you MAGNIFICENT DARK B@$TARD!What a terrific line up and as always very much thanx for the request play(s).Grace Jones cover of Joy Division?!Huh,come on man,that’s sick & brilliant!I got sum stuff here,see how yaz like.
JOY DIVISION-Colony
NITZER EBB-Nobody Knows
STUMP-Buffalo
All the best in Darkness,
M.
Bit late, I konw. Maybe next time. “Jetstream” by Pacific would certainly flatter anybody´s ears. As well as “The House of the Heart” (Longer Version) by And Also The Trees. Thank you!
Hey thanks for playing my New Order request a few weeks ago. Perfect timing it was around my birthday. Anyway a request for a future show Samhain ‘Black Dream.’
Great find with the Sugarcubes! I’ve never heard their song in Icelandic, but I bought Life’s Too Good on cassette back in 1988, probably after seeing it reviewed in Rolling Stone, of all things!
Sorry I have no request at the moment…been listening for exactly one year now and you’ve covered so much of the musical ground I remember from my college radio days. Thank you, Matt.
Hi Matt,
My request is Red Lorry Yellow Lorry – Nothing Wrong
Nina Hagen – Good Vibrations/Good Vibes (1991) Apple Music + Qobuz
Blaine L. Reininger – Night Air (1984) Apple Music + Qobuz
I love every week’s playlist! Thank you for all you do to bring joy to my life every week!
It is my birthday on 8/24/25. Please play Happiness by Tones on Tail.
I have listened to Tones on Tail constantly since I wa 15 years old. I just absolutely love them and this song.
Thanks! Shelby AKA Hellby
How about “Shivers” by The Boys Next Door for a future show?
Hey Matt, Always great shows. Couple of “off the main vein” list that would love to hear you play.
1) Weather Statues – TSOL. The acoustic version is really awesome but both a great.
2) Side one (Visions of Reality) – The Imports. Chicago’s Joy Division in the early 80’s. Classic deeply hidden goth great.
Keep up the great work!
Kurt
Kick ass show Matt. How about Ease by P.I.L. or Warm Leatherette by the Normal.