Pre-dead Boys

Are you afraid you'll catch an illness? So is Max! His paranoia led to a frenzied deep-dive into the history of epidemics. Join him as he shares his newfound knowledge with Dorian, from the Black Death to today's Coronavirus scare. We also discuss those weird-looking plague doctors, and their modern-day replacements. It's pretty chill. Click here to see Old COSI.

WE'RE BACK BAY-BEE, with a hot (yet comprehensive) take on the cutting edge of coffin developments throughout history! Discover the measures taken to make coffins better for those buried alive, worse for those who steal corpses, and weirder for the rest of us. Yes we do talk about exploding bodies again. You know us so well! Click here to watch the trailer for Pa Joe & The Lion.

In the name of the Kallikantzaros, the Mari Lwyd, and the unholy Krampus: Max and Dorian wish you a merry new year, and gift you with an episode absolutely STUFFED with death-centric winter holiday traditions from around the world!  Don't let these Christmas-hating scrooges fool you - they wrap up with some truly heartwarming tales of holiday cheer. Granted, those tales may include just a bit of graveyard vandalism... but they're cheerful nonetheless. SEE YA IN 2020 YA FILTHY ANIMALS <3

Do you realize how much garbage we put into the earth when we perform traditional western burials? Before Dorian hops on his soapbox to rant about it, Max educates him (and you!) on the mechanics of composting a dead body, how it benefits the soil, and which teenage heartthrob opted for a similarly green burial - which, by the way, is currently experiencing some controversy! Uh oh, he’s getting on the soapbox again… Click here to learn more about Recompose. Click here to listen to The W Files interview The Modern Mortician about the Mushroom Burial Suit.

Why dig up a stinky dead body? Well, there are good reasons to do that, like honoring lost war heroes and resolving legal disputes. There are also gross reasons that make you rethink things like eating cream cheese. Today, Max and Dorian cover both! They also answer the age-old question: what should I do if I find a corpse in my backyard? Click here to read the Beyond the Dash article on Famadihana.

It's time to look death in the eye and say NOT TODAY! Learn about Evel Knievel, Buster Keaton, Alex Honnold, and other American legends who chucked their body into death-defying situations and lived to make money from it. Unfortunately, those paychecks are typically meager - so Max and Dorian also dive into their psychology and ask: What drives a person to do this? Click here for our episode on Terror Management Theory. Click here to read Fran Hoepfner's essay on Free Solo, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, and men with death wishes.

Frankenstein isn't the only person to attempt to raise the dead! Join Max and Dorian on their crash-course through necromancin' in ancient Greek literature, the Hebrew Bible, and HP Lovecraft*. Pour yourself some goat's blood cocktails and pull up a chair, because for our final October episode, we're getting extra spoOoOokyyy * that dude SUCKED Click here to watch Joel Embiid die, then come back to life.

We launched a Patreon! Here's a mini-episode explaining what it is and how it works. Help us keep this podcast running, and get bonus rewards! Check out patreon.com/predeadboys

In 1974, America was beginning to see the uncomfortable truth beneath things like war, politics, and the oil & meat industries. That same year, a little indie film reflected those deceptions in its harrowing account of murder and cannibalism. Join Dorian and Max as they unpack these themes, detail the strenuous shooting conditions, and offer their perspectives on Tobe Hooper's oft-misunderstood horror masterpiece! If you liked this bonus episode, SUPPORT US ON PATREON! Once we reach $100 per month, we'll release episodes like this every month, exclusively to our patrons. Click here for more info, or go to patreon.com/predeadboys

Two centuries ago, on vacation in Geneva, a young novelist with a lifelong morbid curiosity conceived one of the most enduring and fascinating stories of all time. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is known for being the first science fiction novel and an early achievement in horror, but it is also a critique of the terrifying scientific exploits of its time - and, perhaps, some of ours today. ALSO: Stay tuned at the end of the episode for a big announcement about the podcast! HAPPY SPOOKY SEASON EVERYONE

Though the histories and cultures of indigenous people are often lost, the evidence they've left behind might be closer than you expect. In this episode, the boys share information on Native American mounds - some of which are practically in their backyard. And what would our show be without making fun of how stupid old-timey people were? No, really... In the case of this week's European Americans (including one well-known national hero), they were VERY stupid. Click here to learn more about Serpent Mound.

Ever look into your hometown's local history? Max and Dorian can't help but be proud of their beautiful city, warts and all. So imagine their excitement at discovering that one of their favorite local landmarks is built on top of countless human bones! Using the Buckeye State as a springboard, the boys explore other instances of frequently trampled dead bodies - including an English king of ill repute, and a mysterious lake inexplicably filled with strangely wounded skeletons. Join us as we dig up these lost histories! Click here to read more about Roopkund Lake.

It’s no secret that Max and Dorian are firmly in the #YoureGonnaRot camp, and they’re not exactly fans of pumping chemicals into dead bodies to preserve them. But it’s time to open our minds! In this episode they retrace the history of embalming and discover a mysterious perfect fluid, some hilariously mangled old corpses, and at least one case where embalming was an important step toward legal justice. Speaking of open minds, click here for the story of King Charles XII of Sweden. Es kam einer gekrochen!

Travel the world in 60 minutes as Max and Dorian scour the earth for the strangest final resting places in existence! Learn about the graves inside airports, restaurants, and parking lots; the disgraced soldiers hidden away in unmarked French graves; the most densely populated cemeteries we’ve seen yet; and a place so haunted, the Pope (allegedly) reroutes his plane to avoid it. Come meet us at the Columbus Podcast Awards on August 25th!

After last episode’s depressing foray into war photography, the boys drop a KING-SIZED EPISODE exploring Harlem’s reverential and innovative funeral photos, the obituaries of a small town in Wisconsin, and the weird world of con artist spirit photographers! But first, Dorian shares the harrowing tale of how he got stranded in a river. Click here to read The Case for Spirit Photography by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. So absurd.

When daguerreotype photography made its way to America, Mathew Brady capitalized on this burgeoning technology and changed the way the world understands violence. He was also kind of a dick with a knack for writing his name on things that weren't his! Join Max and Dorian as they explore the Civil War images that made Brady's career, as well as one of the most controversial war photos ever taken. -- Click here to read about Kenneth Jarecke's Desert Storm photography.

After popular demand, it’s finally time for the boys to cover the Shrunken Heads of the Shuar people! While many cultures practiced head hunting to intimidate their enemies, these ritualistically-preserved noggins were created for much more innocuous purposes. Listen to learn all about their history - as well as how to identify a fake.

Think Norse culture starts and ends with shooting flaming arrows at corpses on longboats? Surprises abound in this episode about Norse mythology (Odin, Loki, Thor, Ragnarok, et al), and how it affected daily Scandinavian life! The boys cover a nasty Viking killing ritual, an unconventional biological ship-building material, and perhaps the biggest plot twist of any Pre-Dead Boys episode thus far. -- It's the FINAL WEEK to vote for us in the Columbus Podcast Awards!! Voting closes May 31st Click here to cast your votes for "Best Entertainment Podcast". Click here to cast your votes for "Podcast of the Year". -- Blood Eagle, Fólkvangr, and Gjallar by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

If you think modern sports are violent, buckle up! Throughout sports history, fun pastimes have often given way to religious sacrifice and total brutality. Join Max and Dorian as they cover Roman gladiatorial funeral practices, a Native American ball game that will ruin your hips, and the horrific final game of a baseball legend. Yes, Max talks about baseball. And Dorian talks about MMA. But it's on-topic, we promise! -- KEEP VOTING FOR US in the Columbus Podcast Awards! [Click here to cast your votes for "Best Entertainment Podcast".](https://www.poll-maker.com/Q303XP2) [Click here to cast your votes for "Podcast of the Year".](https://www.poll-maker.com/Q73AIOY)

HEY GUYS WELCOME TO MY VLOG!!!  Just kidding. Unlike other content-creators, your REAL favorite bros Max and Dorian are here to deliver an uncommonly respectful homage to the beautiful "Sea of Trees" at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan. The forest is unfortunately known most (especially in the West) for the rash of suicides that have occurred within its borders over the years. But how did that morbid history start? Is there a major American landmark with a similar history? And is there anything or anyone good at all that can come out of this tragic place? Listen and find out! AND DON'T FORGET TO LIKE COMMENT SUBSCRIBE [Click here to read more about the forest.](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2011/06/26/general/inside-japans-suicide-forest) [Click here to explore the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline's many resources.](https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/)