🦦 At least 75 podcast recommendations🗿 Audio Flux excitement! 🛼
🍭 👂...from Podcast Movement Evolutions 🌈 🤸♀️
Bonjour.
Today is Monday, April 1. Last week, I was having the time of my life at Podcast Movement (or as Arielle calls it, “Summer Camp”) so I didn’t have time to write this newsletter, something I have recently discovered, takes almost as much time as it does to care for a newborn baby. This year I brought a few of my Tink teammates and when we were melded together in a group hug outside the hotel upon our arrival I thought I was in heaven.
Podcast the Newsletter tradition states that I must harass everyone I see at podcast conferences and ask them for a show recommendation and with the help of Ilana, Holly, and Anne, that is what I did. Below, what everyone said. When Anna Sale came up to me and said “can I give you some podcast recommendations?” I thought I would pass away. And then I discovered that she listens on Pocket Casts!
But first, a really special interview with Julie Shapiro and John DeLore of Audio Flux, which just launched its new circuit today. (And for the first time is opening up submissions to the public.) If you’re reading this newsletter, it’s something you need to know about. You’re in for a treat!
xoxo lp
👋q & a & q & a & q & a👋
**Audio Flux has two circuits you can listen to now, and starting April 1 (today) they are opening up submissions for circuit three to the public! They’re also experimenting with committing to sending light feedback for everyone submitting. Click here to learn more.**
Over the next few weeks and months, I’ll be interviewing Audio Flux creators, kicking off this series with the curators and co-founders of Audio Flux, Julie Shapiro and John DeLore.
Julie Shapiro: Career listener and audio enthusiast / Co-founder of Audio Flux / Currently with Canadaland, previously with Radiotopia/PRX, Radio National (ABC), co-founded Third Coast International Audio Festival and Ear Hustle podcast.
John DeLore: cofounder of Audio Flux // Owner of Starlight Diner Studio (offering sound design, mixing, editing, production)
What is Audio Flux?
JS: Audio Flux is a new home for independent audio, new voices, and big ideas in podcasting. It’s an engine for community and a launch pad for talent. Playground, laboratory, a sonic movement, a zine for your ears.
JD: Given the precarious nature of the current moment in our industry, we could talk about how audio flux is a response to the moment, in the way that it tries to defy the corporate commodification of our medium, in the way that it looks to move beyond “the feed” and establish a community for audio makers that is tied to live events with real warm, listening ears in the room with them, in the way that it aims to create a permission structure for makers to experiment and play and try new things. And to a degree I think audio flux CAN be defined in these ways, according to the moment, where, living in. But… Audio flux is part of a space and a mindset that predates this moment, and which will outlast this moment.
Fill in the blank: You will love Audio Flux if __________.
JS: You believe in audio’s superpowers.
JD: You have a heart and three minutes to spare.
Can you think of anything you can compare it to?
JS: Yes! Audio Flux was informed by and partly created in homage to the Third Coast Short Docs Challenge, I helped establish as an annual contest early on (around 2004.) Held annually for years, it was one of my favorite parts of the TCF. Because… it always worked! It always works to invite people to be creative, and to help by providing prompts. And the short form nature of the invitation keeps the whole thing feasible whether one has any experience in audio production or not. Low stakes/high reward.
There have been other similar audio contests involving prompts or rules, for sure – KRCW’s Radio Race and more recently Silver Sound’s Sonic Dash come to mind. But this idea is out there in every medium imaginable: photography, filmmaking, YouTube, songwriting, baking, glass blowing (seriously this is one of my favorite COVID-era discoveries) etc. Because it always works to invite creativity, especially if you help by offering a framework.
Also: My life / creative philosophies have been hugely inspired by both the Oulipo literary and Fluxus art movements, and a feminist take on the punk rock ethos. I think everything important (to me) that I’ve done since early adulthood (mail art, zines, record stores, audio creations) draws from all three.
JD: I’ll let Julie talk about the roots of audio flux in the third coast short docs competition. What I will add is that early on Julie and I were talking about two non-podcast things whose spirit we wanted to capture. We both remember zines very fondly. Julie even made one once upon a time. But there’s something in the vibe of zines that we are trying to find in audio: the sort of collage of images and textures, rough edges, and clear personal touch of the work. At one point Julie also talked about how the short docs from third coast felt almost like pop singles. You can listen to them multiple times, and you start to memorize the “lyrics.” That has stuck with me. I work on a lot of longform things, and I’ve been in rooms where projects are designed to be long enough to fit several mid role brakes into the middle of them. And that’s all well and good, but I really love the three minute form. These flux works, because they are so short, can do that earworm thing, where a line or a moment, or a feeling stays with you for days.
What is it adding to the audio world that wasn’t there before?
JD: Again, it’s not so much that we are adding some thing that wasn’t there before. It feels more like we are tapping into something that has always existed. And maybe it feels new and fresh, because there are less and less places that outwardly and publicly, celebrate the odd, the experimental, and the artistic elements of our craft. So to me, it’s about doing our part to tend the flame.
JS: Agree with John here – we’re as much reminding people why they love audio, why they got involved with production and radio and podcasts in the first place, who else is out there in the community and feeling a similar pull (Sound Fields! In the Dark UK! Field Recordings! All Hear! Resonate! Tribeca Audio! … to name just a few) and of the tremendous potential for the medium, which isn’t always front and center in today’s manic podcast industry. And we’re hoping, by opening up to public submissions, that we’ll coax some/many new voices into the field who may not find their way into podcasting otherwise.
But I do think we can claim having the first audio/podcast project with a mesmerizing sand cat logo.
What do you have in common when it comes to Audio Flux, how do you approach things differently?
JS: I’m a compulsive over communicator, and have been striving to be more patient with… everything and everyone. John offers steady reminders to slow down, wait a beat, take a breath. Also he’s a little more into QR codes than me. But we’re remarkably on the same page about most things, big and small, and I think have a similar taste (and appetite) for pushing the boundaries of storytelling but in accessible ways.
We’re basically making decisions together about everything, but technically I’m taking the lead on some of the admin and logistics, and John takes the lead on the technical end of things, working with the producers on the sound of their Fluxworks, and adding his magical mix/mastering skills to final drafts.
How did you choose your creators for the first two circuits?
JS: For circuit 01 (Letting Go) we ended up inviting people who had all been laid off from podcasting jobs recently. Some were previous collaborators, others were recommended by friends/colleagues who we asked for suggestions. Circuit 02 (Listening With) included a few recommendations from the Fluxmakers from 01, and a few invitations to new acquaintances, whose work we’re inspired by. Circuit 03 involves mostly producers recommended by Fluxmakers from 02, plus one YouTuber (gasp!) who we met last fall and whose work we both admire greatly.
How much time do you spend with the creators? Are you super involved or hands off?
JS: The Fluxworks are “theirs to make, we’re here to help” – I end up saying this a lot throughout the process, to the creators, and in talking to others about AF. Each creator works differently and part of the joy of this project is getting to know them all on their own creative terms, and to help as much as we can in different ways. We do have some clue as to how much support they may need when we invite them, and overall keep this in mind as we bring together a mix of creators, so things stay manageable for us. Whatever that means.
There’s a lot of communication besides working on the pieces (including weekly Fluxpdates and a few check-ins during the production period) during the months we’re working with each circuit. And one of the most rewarding things to have witnessed is how close the cohorts have become – micro-communities within the Audio Flux family each time. We hope these relationships take root and grow and blossom in other ways down the road, and we’ve already seen some evidence of this happening. It’s one of the many other rewards (we hope) for getting involved with Audio Flux, besides the chance to produce a three minute story from the heart.
JD: For each circuit, we have a couple of scheduled check-in with the creators just to get a sense of the story or idea they are developing, and more or less to put a few production deadlines into the process. Those are helpful for just about every maker I know. Beyond that it’s really up to each creator how much additional involvement they want from Julie and I. Some of them want a little additional editorial support, and it’s the same with sound design and mixing support. But regardless of how much time or support we give them, it is important to Julie and I that these pieces are the vision of the maker. At its core audio is such a collaborative space, and there is a lot of joy in helping someone focus their vision.
Do you remember how you felt when you heard the first story? Which story was it?
JS: I was in Toronto and out wandering later than I should have been one night, and very much remember listening to the first draft of Grams from Aaron – the streetlights, the Halloween decorations around the neighborhood, and the light misty drizzle that was falling. I immediately fell in love with the piece, and can still recall that feeling / elation that YESSSSS THIS IS GOING TO WORK!
JD: Oh, it’s all a bit of a blur! But I think the first work I heard in the first circuit was Grams Aaron Edwards. For me, it’s a little bit different, because I am the de facto sound designer for anyone who doesn’t have skills in ProTools or reaper or logic or whatever. So I’m hearing some flux a little bit upstream from when Julie hears them. Aaron Edwards, there’s a brilliant writer, and he very much thinks in terms of sound, but on that piece, I was his hands in ProTools. He put all of his design down on paper, and created a basic mock up in GarageBand. And then I had the joy of taking that initial vision and rounding it out, which was a lot of fun. But to answer your question about how it felt when I first heard his piece, it was a thrill! Aaron created a work that was personal, universal, warm, funny, sound-rich, and visual. I also remember Aaron, and one other maker, commenting on how this was the first time they got to make something personal in audio. That was very gratifying, to know that flux had succeeded in making a space for them to try something they had wanted to try.
hell yeah
✨At Podcast Movement Amy Poehler listed a bunch of podcasts she listens to in her keynote speech. Arielle Nissenblatt collected them for you:
✨Arielle also spotlighted Hearsay in her newsletter and podcast.
✨Read: What Does Your Podcast's Title Really Say? via Podcast Marketing Magic.
💎The recommendations💎
John Perotti, Rococo Punch: Hit Parade
Anya Kanevskaya, Headgum: Exploration Live
Anna Sale, Death Sex & Money: Voices in the River, Benjamin Walker’s Theory of Everything, Handsome, Search Engine, The Journal, Song Exploder, She Has a Name, Dear Prudence, How To!, What Next, ICYMI
Amanda Cupido, Lead Podcasting: Very Special Episode
Rico Gagliano, MUBI Podcast: The Plot Thickens, Westminster Insider
Neil Mody, Headliner: Philosophize This
Valentina Bojanini, TED: Vibe Check, Culture Study, Higher Learning, Critics at Large
Maribel Quezada Smith: Science Vs, Dear Hank and John
Christiana Cromer, Descript: Mother Country Radicals
Jonathan Pezza, Curious Matters Anthology: Midnight Burger, Derelict, Ask Me Father
Chrisi Talent Saje, Madison on the Air: Audio Mystery Theater, Candy Claws Private Eye
Kathy Doyle: Foods That Matter
Chris Denson: Masters of Craft, The Moth
Pam Lorence: Weight for It
Agatha Kubalski, Apple: The Girlfriends
Heather Osgood, True Native: The Chase Jarvis Live Show, Be Better Live More, Diary of a CEO
Natasha Miller, Bitter/Sweet: Talia Augustidis’s Lights Out documentary “Dead Ends”
Jenn Trepeck, Salad with a Side of Fries: Plain English
Arielle Nissenblatt: The Puzzler
Margot Nissenblatt: Binchtopia
Ben Richardson, RSS.com: Business Wars
Alban Brooke, Buzzsprout: Discover Daily
Odile Beniflah, Ausha: Gooned
Jess Parks, I Seduce the Dragon: HILF: History I'd Like to F**k
J.E. Petersen, Voltage Productions: Three Ingredients
Jay Yow, The James Altucher Show: Darknet Diaries
Cam Pritchard, Drop Station: Vanishing Point
Imran Ahmed, Great Pods: Three Million, Tosh
Shannon Perry, Oz 9: Among the Stars and Bones
Lindy Bostrom, Steve Lack Audio: Weight for It, Code Switch, Wiser Than Me
Emily Soule, MowPod: Blind Items, Celebrity Memoir Book Club
Shea Casey, MowPod: On Purpose with Jay Shetty
Holly Garrard, ModPod: Your World Within
Tanner Latham, Ingredient: The Nightingale of Iran, Landslide
Cristina Barsi, Avant Media: The Barbie Tapes
Greg Wasserman (recommends podcasts on LinkedIn every Monday…here’s today’s): Women in B2B, Table Read, The Life Shift
Andi Smiley, The Friendly Podcast Guide: The Popcast with Knox and Jamie, About Progress
Katy, Airwave: HILF: History I'd Like to F**k, Fixing Famous People
I love you!
Team dinner!
Mood Boost: Bill Burke’s Blue Sky
Bill Burke is the host of Blue Sky and founder of The Optimism Institute. Follow him on IG here.
Describe the show in ten words or less. We discuss tough challenges with hope and optimism.
Who is it for? Anyone tired of being bogged down my negativity and doom.
Which episode to start with? Tough question as I naturally love them all, but I’d say the one with Dr. Richie Davidson, in which he does a great job describing his life’s work, studying healthy minds and helping people with their overall mental well-being.
Favorite listener interaction: A family friend listened to my show on homelessness. I never knew that she had a brother who was homeless and had gone missing from her family. We profiled on the show an organization that helps families in these situations find loved ones. It so happens that her mom was dying as this was happening and the daughter, after listening to this show, promised her mom she’d try to find her son. I’ve since connected her with this organization and they are working on it. That was my favorite and stories like that keep me going.
Dream guest:Just about everyone who’s been on “Kelly Corrigan Wonders,” and if I had to pick one of these, it would be Bryan Stevenson.
Would love to be a guest on…
Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, just for the laughs.
Dream partnership:
Working with Chris Anderson to make a reality of his vision for “Infectious Generosity."
If I could force one person in the world to listen to my podcast it'd be…
I love Larry David, and would enjoy watching him roll his eyes at my positivity…but perhaps I could turn him around and perhaps he’d embrace his inner enthusiasm, not curb it!
What does your family think you do?
Spin around in my office chair and occasionally speak to interesting people (which is directionally accurate).
📦 From the Archives
Femlore pulls out the old Norse mythology text book to tell us about that one time Thor’s hammer (penis?) was stolen, and how he had to dress as a bride to try to get it back. I don’t know what the story’s true intention was (I was not paying attention for most of high school, when I was probably supposed to learn about it at one point) but it seems like a completely cool gender-bending story that speaks to masculinity and male vulnerability. If I had known these stories were this cool I would have paid more attention to my required reading! For Thor to get his hammer (penis?) back, he had to do something incredibly feminine. It’s a story that paints a picture of an ancient world that plays with gender lines. The guest is Shu Matsuo Post, who wrote I Took Her Name, a book about the decision to take his wife’s last name after he married.