Kirsty MacColl and Shane MacGowan in the Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” video
“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
Bad Religion, “Father Christmas” (Father Christmas)
Alien Sex Fiend, “Stuff the Turkey” (Here Cum Germs)
The Fall, “Jingle Bell Rock” (Cerebral Caustic)
All About Eve, “Last Christmas” (Iceland)
Shock Therapy, “X-Mas Time Again” (Santa’s Little Helper: Rarities Oddities and Festive Diseases)
Al Jourgensen, “It’s Always Christmas Time” (Alien Christmas)
XTC, “Always Winter, Never Christmas” (The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead)
Captain Sensible, “One Christmas Catalogue” (The Power of Love)
Wayne Hussey, “White Christmas” (Songs of Candlelight & Razorblades)
The Wedding Present, “Step Into Christmas” (The Hit Parade)
Cocteau Twins, “Frosty the Snowman” (Snow EP)
The Flaming Lips, “Christmas at the Zoo” (Clouds Taste Metallic)
Sad Lovers and Giants, “Christmas on Easter Island” (Treehouse Poetry)
The Popular Front, “A Puppy For Christmas” (A Heartbeat of Laughter)
London After Midnight, “The Christmas Song” (Oddities)
HOUR 2
Sinead O’Connor, “Silent Night” (Silent Night)
Ramones, “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)” (Brain Drain)
Bad Manners, “Christmas Time Again” (Bollocks to Christmas)
Hüsker Dü, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” (We Wish You a Merry Christmas)
The Pogues, “Fairytale of New York” (If I Should Fall From Grace with God)
The Sisters of Mercy, “Driven Like the Snow” (Floodland)
My Bloody Valentine, “Soft As Snow (But Warm Inside)” (Isn’t Anything)
Kate Bush,“50 Words for Snow” (50 Words For Snow)
Galaxie 500, “Listen, the Snow is Falling” (This Is Our Music)
The Cure, “Snow in Summer” (Join the Dots)
X, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” (Merry Xmas From X)
The Dogmatics, “X’mas Time (It Sure Doesn’t Feel Like It)” (Est 81)
Low, “Just Like Christmas” (Christmas)
The Smashing Pumpkins, “Christmastime” (Sandlands Demo) (Adore: Super Deluxe Edition)
Throwing Muses, “Santa Claus” (Hunkpapa)
HOUR 3
Absolute Body Control, “Lonely This Christmas” (Lost/Found)
Leæther Strip, “It Happened On Christmas Day” (Object ÆP)
Poly Styrene, “Black Christmas” (Black Christmas)
45 Grave, “The Snow Miser Song” (Punk Rock Christmas)
The Damned, “There Ain’t No Sanity Clause” (The Black Album)
R.E.M., “Christmas Time Is Here” (1993 Fan Club Single)
Game Theory, “Linus and Lucy” (The Big Shot Chronicles)
Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant” (Downside Up)
Cranes, “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” (Ancienne Belgique)
Medicine, “Christmas Song” (Shot Self Living)
The Fall, “(We Wish You) A Protein Christmas” (We Wish You a Protein Christmas)
Cocteau Twins, “Winter Wonderland” (Snow EP)
The Futureheads, “Christmas Was Better in the 80s” (Silent Night, Tiny Lights)
Kate Bush, “December Will Be Magic Again” (The Single File)
Stiff Little Fingers, “White Christmas” (Live) (All the Best)
The Smiths, “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” (Louder Than Bombs)
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Playlist: Sirius XM’s “Dark Wave” — Slicing Up Eyeballs’ All-Covers Edition (12/14/25)
- Playlist: Sirius XM’s “Dark Wave” — hosted by Slicing Up Eyeballs (12/7/25)
- Playlist: Sirius XM’s “Dark Wave” — hosted by Slicing Up Eyeballs (11/30/25)
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Thanks for that festive show Matt.
Merry Christmas everyone!
My request:
KMFDM – Krank
Great show as always. I turn 44 on Dec. 27; therefore, may I request a belated birthday request: “Boots” by KMFDM (especially because I know you like cover songs)?
Last week’s all covers show was also top notch.
Happy Holidays, Matt!
Rubella Ballet – Twister
Merry Xmas
P.S .Maybe you could ask Santa for a new mic.The one you have has too much treble and it sound tinny.
Merry Christmas everyone!
MERRY XMAS, MATT!!!
For future shows:
1. Coffee Homeground – Kate Bush
2. Airwaves – Kraftwerk
3. Kyoto Song – the Cure
4. City of Refuge – Nick Cave + the Bad Seeds
5. Love + Kisses – Altered Images
6. Sweetness + Light – Lush
7. Driving Your Girlfriend Home – Morrissey
8. Funtime – Iggy Pop
9. A Matter of Time – Berlin
10. Blue-Eyed Pop – the Sugarcubes
Good to hear two my favorite bands, Ramones and REM mixed in the same set with a lot of my favorite bands.
I often describe REM as the American SMITHS.
Long live Douglas Colvin
The Christmas show has landed upon us – where has the year gone holy cow?! I have to admit I totally forgot to request Christmas tunes weeks ago but no matter! Matt this is a beautiful list…I was at work last night and blasted this so my co-workers got some holiday cheer on their shift too!!! Merry Christmas to you and to all of my fellow Dark Wave listeners!!! Peace and joy. Peace and joy.
Japan – Fall In Love With Me
Thanks for another great CS. Good choices and some I have never heard prior!
With January 10th being the 10-year anniversary of David Bowie’s passing, I’d like to recommend any of his songs of your choosing in remembrance of all that he created (anything off of “Low” would be great). Thanks
Second the Bowie request. And anything off of “Low” is always a good call.
Thirded! Maybe “Sound and Vision”?
The Low outtake track Some Are
Matt,thank you for a terrific CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA,it really hit the Dark spot!
A very Merry Christmas to you & I look fwd to the end of the year, New Year’s cacophony!
ALL THE BEST FRIEND,NJOY!
Very festive and enjoyable Christmas spectacular! Any show with a double dose of The Fall, Cocteau Twins and Kate Bush is a winner. The snow block was just awesome, especially the Cure b-side, nice one. And I would say that’s just about the most perfect way to end the show.
My request for the New Year is simply that you sir have the most amazing year ever! Wishing you and your family a very warm holiday, and health and happiness for 2026. Thank you for making every Sunday evening something to look forward to Matt! Cheers!
Was I dreaming? I thought I heard a kinks song to open up the show?
Hey Matt great Christmas show!
Could you play something by Majesty Crush?
Maybe “ Sunny Pie “, “ Seine” or “ The Space Between Moles” Please!!!!! Thanks!!!
Another edition of Darkwave excellence, Matt.
To commemorate the sad passing of Perry Bamonte, how about some The Head on the Door era Cure sometime soon? Dealer’s choice as to which track.
Hello Matt,
Wonderful xmas playlist. I agree that Perry needs a nice tribute. Can you please play “From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea?” Still processing this sad loss.
Thank you for the Christmas spectacular- darkly festive! Low, Sinead, Cocteau Twins, Ramones and The Smiths were highlights…
Wishing Matt and fellow dark wavers a happy, healthy and peaceful 2026. Cheers!
Suppressed. The Waitresses Christmas Wrapping did not make the cut. Maybe next year!