The Creatures | Photo by Anton Corbijn via Geffen Records
“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
The Cure, “M” (Seventeen Seconds)
Ministry, “Stigmata” (The Land of Rape and Honey)
Jah Wobble, “Invaders of the Heart” (Mix One) (Shake the Foundations: Militant Funk & The Post-Punk Dancefloor 1978-1984)
Echo & The Bunnymen, “The Game” (Acoustic Demo) (Echo & The Bunnymen)
Tones on Tail, “Go!” (Club Mix) (Everything!)
The Jesus and Mary Chain, “Vegetable Man” (Psychocandy: Expanded Edition)
Alien Sex Fiend, “Hee-Haw (Here Come the Bone People)” (Acid Bath)
45 Grave, “45 Grave” (Sleep in Safety)
Gary Numan, “I’m An Agent” (Telekon)
Jane’s Addiction, “Ted, Just Admit It” (Nothing’s Shocking)
Dave Gahan & Soulsavers, “The Dark End of the Street” (Imposter)
Rowland S. Howard, “Life’s What You Make It” (Pop Crimes)
The Wedding Present, “You Only Live Twice” (Marc Riley Sessions Volume 3)
HOUR 2
Bauhaus, “All We Ever Wanted Was Everything” (The Sky’s Gone Out)
The Chameleons, “Up the Down Escalator” (Script of the Bridge)
For Against, “Daylight” (Echelons)
The Mission, “Tower of Strength” (Children)
KMFDM, “Godlike” (12-Inch Mix Edit) (Greatest Shit)
Skinny Puppy, “Stairs and Flowers” (The Singles Collect)
Nitzer Ebb, “Lightning Man” (The Industry vs. The Ebb Mix) (Showtime)
Front Line Assembly, “Iceolate CG” (Caustic Grip)
Neon, “Drivin'” (Tapes of Darkness)
Depeche Mode, “Puppets” (Speak & Spell)
New Order, “Doubts Even Here” (Movement)
A Certain Ratio, “All Night Party” (The Graveyard & The Ballroom)
HOUR 3
Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Nicotine Stain” (The Scream)
The Sisters of Mercy, “Poison Door” (First and Last and Always)
Dead or Alive, “Far Too Hard” (Sophisticated Boom Boom)
Brian Eno, “Third Uncle” (Taking Tiger Mountain)
Chris & Cosey, “Pagan Tango” (Pagan Tango)
Psychic TV, “I.C. Water” (Towards Thee Infinite Beat)
Public Image Ltd., “The Order of Death” (This is What You Want… This is What You Get)
Einstürzende Neubauten, “Z.N.S.” (Halber Mensch)
Severed Heads, “First Steps” (Rotund For Success)
Joy Division, “Disorder” (Heart and Soul)
Morrissey, “Margaret on the Guillotine” (Viva Hate)
Sex Gang Children, “Song and Legend” (Song and Legend)
Martin Dupont, “I Met the Beast” (The Complete Collection)
The Creatures, “Standing There” (Boomerang)
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Playlist: Sirius XM’s “Dark Wave” — hosted by Slicing Up Eyeballs (3/1/26)
- Playlist: Sirius XM’s “Dark Wave” — hosted by Slicing Up Eyeballs (2/22/26)
- Playlist: Sirius XM’s “Dark Wave” — hosted by Slicing Up Eyeballs (2/15/26)
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.
Thanks for playing Sisters of Mercy’s “Poison Door” on tonite’s show!
For future shows:
1. City of Refuge – Nick Cave + the Bad Seeds
2. Love + Kisses – Altered Images
3. A Matter of Time – Berlin
4. Blue-Eyed Pop – the Sugarcubes
5. I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts – X
6. The Ordinary Boys – Morrissey
7. Wonderful Woman – the Smiths
8. Sister Europe – Psychedelic Furs
9. Growing In Green – March Violets
10. Tora! Tora! Tora! – Depeche Mode
11. Rules + Regulations – Public Image Ltd.
12. Medusa – Clan of Xymox
13. Whistling For His Love – Danielle Dax
The PIL was great. So much great stuff in the last couple shows. I am really interested in listening to more Neon and Rowland S. Howard.
Sorry that was meant to be a reply to Jason. On this list, Rules and Regulations, I second! lol
Here’s a bunch of random requests again:
Hyperhead – Teenage Mind
These Immortal Sould – King of Kalifornia
EMF – They’re Here
Sheep On Drugs – 15 Minutes of Fame
Foetus – Calamity Crush
Suicide – Wild in Blue
The The/Matt Johnson – What Stanley Saw
The Shamen – Christopher Mayhew Says
Die Form
Virgin Prunes
Princess Tiny Meat
Neon Judgement
Executive Slacks
The Residents
Nurse With Wound
Coil
Current 93
Death In June
Sixth Comm
Spell
NON
Rose McDowell
King Of The Slums – Once A Prefect
Good day Matt! Absolutely hands down hour 2 kicked major butt!! Sooo many of my favorites in that set! I am excited to go see a favorite female singer of mine this summer – she is Canadian so probably did not get as much play in the US, but she has several records and my 90’s playlist owes a lot to her…her name is Bif Naked. I’d love to hear Lucky. If that doesn’t float your boat some other possible suggestions for next time:
Pure – Anna is a Speed Freak (another brilliant Canadian band)
Lush – Ocean
Curve – Cuckoo
Thanks again as always!! ｡◕‿◕｡
Splendid show from start to finish! Really happy to hear that my JAMC request hit ya in the sweet spot, haha. An original Creation pressing of the “Upside Down” 7″ has been on my holy grail list for a long time, no luck yet, still on the list. But I gotta echo Tina, hour 2 absolutely smashed it, holy smokes. The Factory records double whammy to close out the hour got me thinking that we haven’t heard The Wake in a while.
Request for a future communion: “Testament” by The Wake.
Have a great week Matt, cheers! Hopefully Spring is on the way in Denver.
Brilliance Matt,utter brilliance!The 3 hours are an absolute treasure and we all benefit from it.
THE DARKER THE WAVE THE SWEETER THE SOUNDS!
Thanx for the play,loved it & got some more for your consideration.All the Best to you as Always Matt.
EXECUTIVE SLACKS-The Bus
MODERN ENGLISH-After The Snow
STAN RIDGWAY-Drive,She Said
M.
Hey Matt, I was wondering if you could play something by The Red House Painters on the show? Haven’t heard them on Darkwave before, but I think some stuff off of their earlier albums would definitely fit in to the show. Maybe “ Medicine Bottle“ or “ 24 “ and if that fails then maybe their Neil Young cover of “Midnight On The Bay “, since I know you’re fond of a good Neil Young cover song. Also great show last night loved the Eno, Jesus and Mary Chain, Ministry, Jane’s Addiction, Wedding Present, and New Order cuts from the set. Thanks!
Seconded!
Another good one to stream again later!
I’d like to make (another) March release/anniversary request, this time for Ride’s Going Blank Again, which turns 35(!) today. The opening track (“Leave Them All Behind”) is classic, and would fit great in a future shoegaze block.
Thanks!
*which turns 34(!) today.
Yes to the RIDE request!
On “Leave Them All Behind” I absolutely agree!
A tribute to the HARDWARE soundtrack! That movie introduced me to Ministry and PIL. The Order Of Death is such a cool song. Thanks for another great show, Matt!
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – The Faith Healer
Live/BBC the Old Grey Whistle Test version 3:17 from the Last of the Teenage Idols
Last week I extended my morning run for “Saudade.”Today it was for the Jane’s Addiction. So it’s official: Dark Wave is good for your health.
Speaking of Janes, I am loving all the “Nothing’s Shocking” that’s been coming up the last few weeks. Still haven’t played my favorite: “Standing in the Shower… Thinking.” Requesting here?
I was thinking maybe some Mercury Rev on a future show? Maybe “ Sweet Oddysee Of A Cancer Cell “ or “ Frittering “ or anything from the David Baker period, please! Thanks Matt for the quality programming.
Mercury Rev! Mercury Rev!
As always, thanks for the satisfying serving of dark tunes. Highlights include the Bunnymen, JAMC, Jane’s Addiction, Dave Gahan & Soulsavers, and PIL.
A request for an upcoming episode:
Wire “Blessed State”
Thanks! And wishing everyone a good week.
Matt – You mentioned that you were always on the lookout for James Bond covers. There was an album in 1997 called ‘Shaken and Stirred’ which was a special project of James Bond covers. While later 90s, it did have some 80s artists. Bjork did a cover of ‘You Only Live Twice’ that was left off of the album, but is available for download on her website.
Some of the covers are by Martin Fry, Iggy Pop, Aimee Mann, etc.
Then of course there is always My bloody Valentine’s beautiful rendition of Louie Armstrong’s “ We Have all The Time In the World” and there is “007 A Fantasy Bond Theme” by Barry Adamson not that it’s a cover of a song featured in James Bond but it’s about James Bond.
Hi, great show last Sunday. I loved the first hour a lot. The cover of Vegetable man kicked ass
For a request: any of these songs would suffice my urge to hear some great neo-psych and noise rock on my favorite Sirius Xm radio show “ DARKWAVE, ON FIRST WAVE”
Here’s a few:
Catherine Wheel- “ Spin”
The Verve- “She’s A Superstar”
Luna- “ Dream Baby Dream”
Spiritualized-“ Any way that you want me”
Loop- “ Too Real to Feel”
Sonic Youth – “ The Diamond Sea”
Galaxie 500-“ Submission”
Thanks
– John
Lots of great requests. I’ll second Spiritualized “Any way that you want me”. It’s a great cover.
Wow, that is a loaded list John. I’m gonna throw my hat in the ring The Verve but I would second all of these, ace picks.
Great show Mayy. (March 8) Lots of earlier songs by the bands. Keep it up!
Hey Matt can you do a Joy Division set for me of
Both Isolation and Passover and also
Halo – Depeche Mode
XTC – Black Sea
Siouxsie and the banshees- Switch
The Associates – It’s Better This Way (1982) Apple Music + Qobuz
Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse – Dark Night Of The Soul (feat. David Lynch) (2010) Apple Music + Qobuz
Hey Matt, on the eve of the next transmission, wanna catch up on saying thanks for this great show! Along with sold faves like Neubauten’s ZNS and Ministry’s Stigmata, it was great hearing the tracks by A Certain Ratio, Sex Gang Children, and Chris and Cosey. I’m sure there was more. Thanks and looking forward to the next show.