GOOD DAY from Podd Deep!
HUGE and RELENTLESS best wishes for 2019! I’ll be frank - I started typing this page in 2018 so I’m currently editing and rearranging in front of my very eyes, but THIS part here is most certainly from 2019. Some ol’ Bill & Ted bizniss. Why not. With that in mind - let’s crack on!
How in the entire universe are you doing? I sincerely hope and trust all is well with you all! May I also take a moment to apologise for a short delay in the program too, since the previous episode. During that time there was a powerful amount of general bits and pieces happening - life stuff, work stuff, all of that goodness. I think some of that was workload involved moving an entire lock-up unit from one town to another - a good ton or so of possessions lugged downstairs, onto a truck and then off of a truck in a couple of hours. May I be blunt? Thank you kindly. It fucking sucked. But it’s done! There was more but that was a long overdue mission that really needed addressing…
On top of that, there was a flat move which happened on New Year’s Day which was surprisingly perfect. That’s not just me throwing an optimistic glint on things either. It’s nice to kick in with resolutions and whatnot, but even nicer to set it off with a whole new start. So that’s been keeping me busy too.
Also - my ‘Present’ project is now complete! Back on January 1st 2018, I put out the first of the one minute tracks that would form a project spanning the year and, upon completion, would have generated 6 hours and 25 minutes of music. Well my friends, I finished it, and I’m very happy with how it turned out. It’s fidgety, it’s incredibly ADD in nature but really that’s what I intended on. I wanted that instant variation, and to not be laboured by creating a theme from start to end. It was never meant to be an album project, and so it didn’t have an arc as such, but I feel like there’s a through-line in there somewhere and decisions were definitely made on each day as to the names of the beats and what the style would be. So it’s not all entirely random. Anyway, it’s done, and physical versions are still being decided upon, so bear with me. I’ll holler when that’s set up! I can tell you that they will be incredibly limited edition though!
I humbly appreciate you sticking with this! All is well, but yeah, I did hit a couple of blocks in the road and time indeed got the better of me. I will ensure I keep a good reign on things in 2019. I’ll do me bloody best anyway. Got some powerful podcast hollerations to be made! Anyway - nice one for checking in, let’s get it going…
FILMS TO BE BURIED WITH featured in THE METRO!
Strong shouts to the homie Brett Goldstein for being cordially and formally awarded the Podcast Of The Week by The Metro! Awesome news. This happened in 2018 but it’s great and I would still like to give a shout to it! I am proud to produce and mix/edit this podcast and by proxy have listened to each and every episode so far (and more to come), and it’s been a true, true pleasure to be a part of. I remember hearing the plan for it in the early days and immediately was drawn to it - it’s an easy concept to get to grips with (each week Brett goes through the guest’s life via question-provoked film choices), and works so nicely on each guest as every time you have a different selection with a real personal spin. I can safely assure you that the coming months have Brett talking to some very amazing guests, and we cordially invite you to listen, like, subscribe, give us that special majestical 5 star rating and share it with your friends and frienemies alike! Fuck it, even arch-nemeses. Go on. Make them arch-friendsies. Turn it around this year.
SPEAKING OF FILMS TO BE BURIED WITH…
How about that! We are WELL ON OUR WAY to one million downloads! At that point Brett Goldstein and I get suits, a personal guide who will lead us through gold elevator doors and a mind-breakingly long pass-code to get us up to the top floor where we are made POWER SELLERS! Can you imagine?! After that? Who knows! THANK YOU EVER SO KINDLY to all who have listened, downloaded, reviewed and shared since the start. I’m so happy to be a part of this in the production and editing, as Brett has created a truly great show which brings out some crazy interesting aspects in all the guests featured. Love it. Please enjoy what’s coming!
PODD DEEP • Volume 007 • The Pod Bible
“...Podbible is the definitive guide for podcast listeners. A brand new magazine launching in February 2019. 3000 print copies distributed across London, 400,000 digital copies sent across the world...”
TO SUM IT UP IN A SENTENCE
The first physical podcast recommendation service that I’m aware of - like The Metro for podcasts.
WHERE TO FIND IT
The Twitter feed is where to stay updated, but the website will be going live when the service launches in February.
WHO MAKES IT?
The Pod Bible is an idea sparked by the infamous, the notorious, the beloved DrunkCast crew who you will surely know from Scroobius Pip’s ‘Distraction Pieces Podcast’ (of which I am the proud producer!). The DrunkCasts are episodes where Pip brings in good pals Stu Whiffen and Chris Glasson (who make the wonderful ‘Hardcore Listing’ podcast, and ‘Off The Beat & Track’ podcast - the latter being a solo Stu venture). They drink, they chat, and they podcast the results. I’ve heard every single sober-to-tipsy-to-drunken minute of every one (even many minutes that you haven’t) and I can tell you that it’s highly entertaining and enjoyable, and actually a very good ground for ideas and schemes. It’s pure right-brain stuff and very few restrictions or boundaries, which makes for some really interesting discussion and debate. So from these fellas, an idea was born. I believe Stu was the primary mastermind. It was simple - he noticed how many people were wearing headphones on a train ride he was taking, and that sparked the thought - “…How many of these people are listening to podcasts?” I mean the answer must be VERY MANY. But where is the place people go to for podcast recommendations? It’s true. There aren’t very many places - iTunes has a bunch which is awesome, but there are literally thousands out there. Where do you go?!? So Stu refined the idea with Pip, spoke to Acast and BOOM, it’s done. The answer to the question “Where do you go to find out about what podcasts to listen to?” is now answered in physical form, and digital too.
It is partnered with Acast, the gods behind all too many podcasts and the medium through which you would be WELL advised to listen to your podcasts, as well as Spotify. So it’s got some full on big backing behind it and that’s brilliant.
WHAT IS IT AND WHAT’S THE FORMAT?
A physical newspaper given out at train stations around London, and online versions will be available too. I personally haven’t see a copy yet but I’m very amped to see how it turns out and what i’ll look like. The layout and whatnot is yet to be seen, but as I say, it’ll be exciting to see how it goes!
WHEN DOES IT COME OUT?
Every two months from the first issue, for the first year.
HOW IS IT BEING RELEASED?
It will be a physical release, like your Metros and your Evening Standards, and then on the 11th it’ll be digital. On the launch of the physical copy, Pip and Stu and designer Adam will be hand-to-handing it at train stations too so be sure to follow them lot!
WHAT DO I LIKE ABOUT IT?
The reason I started this very blog was because, after listening to literally thousands of hours of podcasts over the years, since 2006 or so, I realised that I’d been merrily making my way through this world by discovering podcasts myself. My listening diet before that was basically 100% music, but I found that my listening was slowly being infiltrated by podcasts, and the addiction of finding new ones, trying to really get deep into it and make my own finds, was becoming so great… It was like an extension of digging for records. I began in the very early days of the Mark Kermode film review podcast with Simon Mayo. I heard an episode on the radio and they mentioned it would be podcast later on, so I went to peep in and there it was. That one effortlessly became my weekly listening habit. From then, I was all in, and was rocking all the classics - This American Life, Radiolab, WTF, the whole bit. It felt like back then there weren’t actually that many podcasts to be found, but then suddenly there was a next wave happening, and then another, and then another. Through Radiolab, I became enchanted by sound design in podcasts. Through WTF, I was put on to so many comics. Through This American Life, I was made aware of ‘NPR voice’, and how comfortable a podcast could be (which I would later grow a little tiresome of but I do still love it). Actually I was listening to Garrison Keillor’s ‘Prairie Home Companion’ before ANY of this, come to think of it! That was many years before he got locked up in podcast purgatory…
Anyway - that became my habit and addiction. New networks kept popping up, guests would start telling podcast hosts about their own podcasts and how easy it was (“You just speak into your phone and people will listen!”) and little by little, and with much learning on the job, I would refine my listening agenda and find my own rotation.
What I realised was difficult though, was giving recommendations. I realised that what I found funny or the people I had become great one-way friends with, I had enjoyed over a long period of time and built up a relationship with. So any time I made a recommendation, I would throw in a disclaimer or two. It was tough, and as I loved the podcasts I was recommending, I’d take it mad personally if people didn’t like them. I’m happy to say, this has since worn away, as podcasts are now so freely available that if you don’t like one, you can simply move along and forget it. I give disclaimers here and there when needed (for instance, I’ll get to it in another blog but ‘Never Not Funny’ is one where I’d need to issue a pamphlet on in-jokes and sense of humour before I’d suggest listening to it!), but in general I’m less protective and feel that the more podcasts get listened to the better. Since becoming a producer and editor of a few I feel that even more so.
I also realised that the sheer number of options available is what makes it so hard to find ones you like. There are THOUSANDS out there, and a ton of amazing ones, and I can see why people would be put off because come on, where the hell do you start?! It’s an ocean out there. Not everyone has the time or inclination I did, and some people just want to drop in and drop out whenever they want - not become full on pals and fans of something.
So that’s why I started this blog here. But that’s also why I dig the SHIT out the Pod Bible concept. I don’t know how many people will read this little blog - hopefully more than a few of you, I mean that would be amazing. But to have a physical copy of a newspaper/magazine that recommends things to listen to, which you would likely receive in a place where you’re about to embark on a journey, a journey on which you’ll more than likely listen to something on your phone but more specifically a device that has access to the world of podcasts - that’s massive. And whether or not your on the overground or underground, you can take on those recommendations for your next journey and download them when you’re on wifi or whatever. For me it just works! It’s great for everyone making podcasts. I’m well into it. And this is before even reading a copy. I just know that this is something that we’ve been waiting a long time for.
LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT
Of course it would help if you have a passing interest in podcasts. These days it’s not even a given that people know what a podcast is - it’s not like saying ‘TV program’, which most people would likely understand. But hopefully this will communicate what they are and how easy they are to access. So if you’re okay with apps and how to actually download/stream a podcast, you’e good.
HOW MANY ISSUES AT THE TIME OF POSTING THIS?
At this point - ZERO! None! It’s released on the 4th of February. So I’m as keen as you are to get a proper look at this. I do know though that with Pip and Stu and the whole gang behind the operation, it’s gonna be something extremely special.
UPDATE!
Before I started this blog post, I was just going to write about the Pod Bible. However, since then I’ve been invited to write for the thing so expect to see some verbal goodies from ya boy! Super exciting. I’ll be talking gear and equipment primarily so we’ll be dropping some neat and tidy gems upon you regarding that. Goods and services for all! I can’t wait. Thank you Pod Bible!
THANK YOU!
Cheers for bearing with me in any and all delays since the previous posting. I’ll have more recommendations for you next time, of course - this time around I just really wanted to spread the word about Pod Bible. Next time I’ll have some podcasts to holler about and whatever news should pass by my chamber door.
In the meantime, go watch ‘One Cut Of The Dead’. Shit is fantastic.
I wish I could tell you why it’s so great but to tell you would be to spoil it. So maybe don’t even watch the trailer. I don’t know - do your thing - but just know that it’s bloody great.
I produce Scroobius Pip’s Distraction Pieces Podcast, and Brett Goldstein’s Films To Be Buried With podcast, both on Acast and Spotify.
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More on those soon…! I PROMISE!