I got in to listening to podcasts a few years ago when I worked for a community radio station. There was a podcast that was done as a radio show from a community radio station in a VERY strange town. It was a fictional story, set in a place called Night Vale that didn’t really function the way our world does. Not even close! Station management was a group of beings that had claws and were likely to devour you (okay, so that might be close to the truth), there was a ‘dog park’ that no one was allowed to go in, and sentient clouds would come in to do public service announcements. This information was all delivered in a calm manner by the radio host, as if it was completely normal. It Iook a few listens but I caught the groove of the show and I’ve been hooked ever since. I’ve also since branched out into listening to all kinds of podcasts, some of which aren’t even fictional!
During this time of physical distancing I’ve found that I have been listening to podcasts much more than normal and I’ve run through a whole lot of episodes. I know that many of you are looking for entertainment, or even just another voice in the room, right now and I thought I would share with you some of the podcasts I’ve been listening to when I’m not listening to the radio:
Welcome To Nightvale – The podcast that started it all for me. It’s funny, it’s incredibly strange, but if you like science fiction and are maybe a bit of a radio nerd, this one is for you.
The Ongoing History of New Music – When I lived in Toronto we would tune in to the show every Sunday night faithfully. I LOVED the radio show and I have been very pleased to be able to check out past episodes and new ones online. The only downside of the podcast version of the show is that it does not include entire songs. Host Alan Cross and his team generally clip the songs to about 30 seconds or so to avoid any backlash from artists wanting to collect fees. If you are a music nerd and want to know more about the history of some of your favourite alternative bands or genres, I highly recommend checking out this podcast.
History in Five Songs with Martin Popoff – Martin is a friend of mine and a very prolific music writer. He’s written over 80 books on bands like Rush, Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and more. On his podcast he takes a topic like ‘The AC/DC Family Tree’ and gives you some background. Again, he doesn’t play the entirety of the songs that he references but does play enough to give you a good sampling of what he’s talking about.
Zero Issues Comic Podcast – Made right here in Thunder Bay, it comes courtesy of artists Merk, Kyle Lees and Bry Kotyk. If you are a fan of comic books and comic related movies/tv/books and like wacky fun, this one is for you!
Myths and Legends – This is one I recently introduced my oldest to. It examines old myths and legends from around the world including things like King Arthur, Thor, The Trojan War, etc. and brings you the highlights of what they are all about. The host also deep dives into what the legends were meant to illustrate and also highlights a mythical monster on each episode.
The Angry Therapist – John Kim is one of the most engaging, honest, and real therapists I have ever heard. He is self depricating, funny and sometimes a little too real. He is trying to open up a conversation about things that men usually try to avoid talking about: their feelings, their mistakes, how to be better. It’s not only geared for men trying to understand themselves, but for women as well. It’s all served up in bite sized shows, 15-20 minutes max. so you don’t need to spend hours listening to someone tell you how to improve your life. I usually listen to 4-5 in a row it’s so good.
Fake Doctors/Real Friends with Zach and Donald – I have JUST discovered this one, as it just started, and I have been laughing away listening to it. It’s hosted by Zach Braff and Donald Faison of Scrubs and it’s essentially a ‘Re-Watch’ and behind the scenes show with the two of them. It’s obvious that their friendship has mimiced the one they had on the show and they are so incredibly funny. If you’re a fan of scrubs, I think you’ll really dig it. I can’t wait for the episode with Dr. Cox!
Nothing Much Happens – This one I talk about a LOT. I have trouble calming my mind a lot at bedtime and that is exactly what this podcast is geared to do. It’s simple, dare I say boring?, stories geared to make you feel cozy and relaxed at bedtime. I have been using it for about a year now to great success and my kids have also started using it. My oldest has solid sleeps now and not only does my middle son sleep better, he’s also decided HE needs to start a podcast as well.
That’s it for now. I do have several others that I have to try out and a bunch that are now defunct but everything I have listed is still making new episodes and are available through iTunes, Stitcher or anywhere you get your podcasts.
Do you have a favourite podcast? Let me know in the comments, don’t be afraid to share!
