Urbane Legends

Merry spooky season! Yes its the annual Halloween Special, so be you dressed as a sexy serial killer, a sexy cat or a sexy politician take a break, sip on some pumpkin leen and let your mind drift back to 1700's London and the murky story of The Sweeney the Todd. Popular in drama, stage and screen for 100 years whats the story? Is it real? Well we can definitively say maybe. Whether or not it is,...

Booty, Avast Behind, Hot Cannon. These are all pirate terms which are used in an infantile manner in this weeks pirate based episode. This week we sort of look at the legend of Captain Kidd's lost treasure, maybe under the flowing robes of Americas greatest pin-up, the Statue of Liberty. In a fever dream of a pod episode there is also love making in a swamp, meat theft, Ol Dirty Bastard and other...

This week we have an actually unsolved mystery, the vanishing village of Anjikuni. Well the people disappeared the village is fine. What could have happened? Tell you who doesn't know or doesn't want us to know. The fucking Mounties. When will someone finally strip them of their power? We all know they are really the black silken gloved hand on the marionettes control paddles. Also this week, Chri...

Whats popular on the internet? Cats! Whats not popular on the internet? This podcast! What happens when you combine the two? This episode. Yes this week we look at a Celtic myth the 'Cait Sith'. There are several different stories from big cats to king of the cats...and one other. They are all good fun. Listen with a haunted look on your face as Chris defends all cat behaviour and stare into the m...

This week we look at a Japanese mystery from 1804 (i think) about a strange craft that washed ashore with a lady (or alien) inside, the Utsuro Bune. Similar craft appear all through the centuries but this one was well documented. Kick it back in the sea? Maybe. Over confident theories by the towns mouthy old man? For sure. Also Chris retracts a statement under threat of something and tries some fr...

Part 1 of the Ojai Mysteries. This week, while preparing for a storm we talk about classic Californian resident 'Char Man', part of the OCU. He's been possibly scaring locals since the late 40's, 50's or possibly 60's, a horribly burned chap with the delicious flavour of Chicken Tikka cooked in a clay oven. We also discuss a vampire, Neils last meal and worries about 'Freeport' Portslades many sky...

Whats that coming over the hill is it a monster, the Enfield monsteeeeerrrr. Maybe. This week we look at the reports of a monster in the town of Enfield, Illinois NOT to be mistaken with the Enfield Poltergeist in the town of Enfield, London. Its a mixed up monster with a penchant for the wacky backy and train lines. There are several sightings and it was in all kinds of newspapers. Also in this e...

We've all been there, someone who is very attractive and knows it uses it to manipulate us into committing crimes we wouldn't think of doing normally, fraud, patricide, racketeering and treason are just a few to come to mind when I look back at my own life. But this legend is a twist on this universal truth, what if the beautiful person had more sinister motives than this and you had a lot more th...

Hello, how are you? No, really, how are you? Alright, alright i didn't want your life story. This week we look a an actual true historical mystery, hundreds of people were actually killed in rural France by an unknown beast! It was in the papers and everything. History is truly stranger than fiction, unless like me you read 'Weird Fiction' in which case it clearly isn't. Also discussed, gigs (both...

This week we travel in our minds and hearts to Thailand to look at the Preta, a hungry ghost. More scatological than the hungry caterpillar the myth of this ghost proves that Buddhism isn't all warrior monks and emptying your mind. So if you are a jealous guy (listen to the song 'Jealous Guy' by Mase and P Diddy on the excellent album 'Harlem World' c.1997 to check) you might want to change your w...

What is a podcast? Is this a podcast? Are you a podcast? Who's to say. This week we look at the entertaining legend of the Platte River Ghost Ship. In Wyoming and in a worryingly small river this ship give a portents of doom in increasingly theatrical ways. We also look at some of the nice places to stay in the area. And talk about Chinese food, get confused, Highlander and a legal letter from an...

This week we look at the strange creature called 'Indrid Cold', possibly an Alien with a Willem Defoe smile. There have been multiple sightings of Smiling Man (three) but the main action takes place in the back roads of the West Virgina countryside, where all the hottest action takes place, wink wink, if you know you know. Lonely nights in the hills. Also Chris has some digestion issues with some...

*WARNING - BOARDERLINE RACISIT AUSTRALIAN ACCENTS EMPLOYED* (its retaliation for the terrible British accents Australian podcasters do) This week we go south of the boarder to Australia, Britain's Mexico, to check out the Hawkesbury River Monster, Australia's Loch Ness Monster, yes thats right Australia's Nessie has been sighted hundreds of times in the Hawkesbury river, which is very deep as its...

This week we look at a new-ish one the 'Black Stick Men Phenomenon' people all over the world (but mainly the UK and US as always, what is it with us?) seeing living stick men, that are a bit electrical. They seem to be interdimensional, so its a mind bender. Right, try this, imagine what it would be like for you if you were able to perceive and travel through the 5th dimension. Hard isn't it. I c...

The witching hour, when you wake up in the middle of the night. Is it because the industrial revolution forced us to sleep in patterns that are conflict of millions of years of evolution? Or is it because of a Mexican witch demon? We simply dont know either way so pick your poison. Sometimes a beautiful lady in white who kills you in an ok-ish way, some times a hag in black who kills you in a not...

This week we go against type and look into the pretty uplifting story of Charlie No Face. A real life legend not only because of the crazy stories told about him by bored teenagers but a legend because of what kind of person he was. An inspirational figure we can all learn from. Also we discuss Neil smuggling diamonds in his penis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we all know Gimp politics in the UK can be a complicated issue to try and unravel but who better to try than us. This week we look at two Gimps with very different approaches to their lifestyle choice. Is it ever a good idea to try and scare two teenage boys who have been drinking strong strong cider? What should be considered threatening behaviour by law, Chris for sure had strong views. And N...

This week the Ladz (40 and 45 respectively) are back on familiar ground with a look at the Philippines greatest hero the Manananggal. There are still sighting to this day and its been around since time immemorial so it has staying power thats for sure, perhaps due to the variety of victims it will go for, or the black chicken that lives inside it. Also some stuff about Neil going to the laundry to...

Series 5 and the soy boyz are back in the saddle. This rocking week they take a knarley look at one everyone has heard of: The Fake Moon Landing. What has the film the Shining got to do with it, did they give it away after a night on the Vegas slots? Was the set dressing taken from Colombo? And some good old fashioned coconut handling advice from a man who makes it his business to know. Slightly s...

The second Classic episodes from series one before normal service resumes next week, two legends of EXACTLY the same detail, lore, history and infamy, Merlins Oak and Rougarou. Oh and FYI, these aren't two old episodes cut down and pasted together, they are a re-imagined and streamlined retrospective. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week please engage with a two episodes from series 1 spliced together extravaganza, two that we are fond of and judging by the total listens on both there is more than a punchers chance you haven't heard either. We sound so young bae! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We haul out the mailbag to answer the hottest Qs with the Sickest As. See you all in season 5. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Final episode of series 4 and episode 100 we have gone for a fairly well known legend John Slenderman (upholsterer from Sheffield) Yes this is probably the best known creepy pasta and we have a proper look at it. Was he just a benign child like friendly creature? Why did it go so far when the person who made it up is known? Did Neil really imagine and eat a Chorizo Jalfrezi? Its a long one thats f...

In this weeks episode we look at a wide ranging problem in the UK during the 80's, which nearly brought the insurance industry to its knees, the cursed paintings of crying children which cause fires. Reported in the Sun (reputable) with input from Fire fighters (removed) and confirmed by victims (probably paid) this seems to have been a big issue. But it was the 80's of course, when everyone smoke...

In this weeks patience stretching episode Neil and Chris take a look at the internets biggest urban legend you probably haven't heard of. The two 'hosts' try out a new format in hopes of provoking engagement from the listeners, German celebrity Mark Wahlberg takes the ire of two bitter men, King Charles starts to flex his constitutional powers and how long can you go without sleep? Chris is underw...