This week’sMini-Interview is with Mike Yusi, producer and host of The UC Radio Podshow, and co-presenter of Pacific Coast Hellway - check out the latest UC Radio episode here.

When & why did you begin podcasting?

It started off with me plugging in my USB headset, opening Quicktime and reading pages from a website I had when I lived in Chicago in the late 90’s called “Mike’s Midwestern Updates”.  The site was full of stories about the Midwest that were hard to believe, things like people freezing to death in their bathtubs because they opened a window to let the steam out, then fell asleep in the tub.  That kind of stuff.  The site was really successful, but reading the stories years after the fact was boring as hell.

After a couple of weeks, I wrote to Adam Curry, because I was addicted to “The Daily Source Code”, and asked him for advice.  Adam had no idea who I was, but he wrote back and said that I should think about doing a show involving something that I was passionate about.  His exact words were,

“talk about the things that you and your closest friends talk about when there is nothing else to say”.

That made it easy.  I grew up in a musical family, I got my first three rock albums at age 11, (Led Zeppelin 3, Jimi Hendrix Are you Experienced and Jim Croce’s Greatest Hits), I’ve got a pretty good internal censor that weeds out crappy music pretty quickly, and I played in a band in Southern California in the 80’s and 90’s.  Music is what I know, it’s what I’m passionate about and it is easy for me to talk about it.  So, I ditched the stories and went with the music.  That was in October of 2005.

What is the most significant thing to happen to you personally as a direct result of producing your podcast?

I played in bands for years and found that I missed being connected to new music.  Getting it out there, whether on a stage or through my show, has reconnected me with the one constant passion in my life, music.

And getting involved with the people at the PodShow network, Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff mainly, has been an incredibly artistic and creative experience.  There is no way my show would be seeing the growth and success that it has over the last year and half if I wasn’t a part of the PodShow family.

Podcasting has also been a great way for me to explore myself and why I’ve loved music my whole life.  I’ve said it many times, podcasting has been my therapy and my addiction at the same time, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

What podcasts, if any, do you regularly listen to or watch?

Well, as Co-Producer and Co-Host of Pacific Coast Hellway, I listen to that one pretty regularly, and after two years, I’m still a Daily Source Code fan, Accident Hash is a favorite, The JerseyToddshow and RubyFruit Radio to name a few.  There are about 10 other music shows I listen to, but I tend to let them pile up then listen to them for hours in one sitting while working.

Video casts, not that big a fan, however, I wait by the inbox as it were, for GeekBrief TV.  Love that show.  I think Cali has just got it nailed down.  Not just her personality, but the content is always so well presented, even when it’s about Windows products.  (insert random Mac fan comment here)  I also like The Lost Tapes and PCH TV.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

Honestly, I wanted to be a hockey player, but I never learned to skate and ice is hard to find in Santa Monica.  Then I thought pro football or baseball, but after high school, I gave up on that dream.  Then I wanted to be an English teacher, but that changed as soon as I stepped onto a stage on the Sunset Strip with a guitar strapped on.  Unfortunately, that didn’t pan out, but I lived the dream for a while.  I ended up living in Belize for 7 years starting and working for a couple of companies, moved home in 1998 and went into web design.  I’ve done that for the last 10 years.

What does the future hold for you and your show?

I just resurrected my second show, “Sonic Wallpaper” at sonicwallpaper.podshow.com, which is where I play 10-12 of the most commented on songs from my main show, The UC Radio Podshow in the previous month.  It’s like a greatest hits show, if you will.  I don’t talk much, just intro the bands and give you 35-45 minutes of good solid rock.

As for UC Radio itself, I just did my first interview with the band Urbansnake and it was a huge success.  Listeners loved it, and the band thought it was great so I’ll be doing more of that.  My hope is that I’ll be able to get one interview in a week, on the Monday shows, and continue to do an album referral on Thursdays shows as I’ve done for over a year now.  I’d also like to start doing more live interviews with bands around Hollywood, so you can look for that as well.

Mostly, I’m hoping to develop more offshoots from the show, maybe a show with just interviews, or just album referrals, but UC Radio is my baby so it will always be the central character in my play.

We thought it was about time for a whole new look to our amazing show. So this week you get to experience it first hand. Our producer James suggested that we keep the show looking fresh. We put our heads together and  with a few changes here and there and a whole lot of man hours we managed to spice things up and create the new face of PodfinderUK. With having told you that, I’m sure you are keen to get on with the show. So enjoy!

To kick off this weeks show we dive into a video podcast called Keith and the Girl TV. This show is extremely funny as Keith his girlfriend and their mates film themselves doing the most random activities imaginable.

This is followed by a great audio show called Dan Carlin’s hardcore History. This man knows his stuff. If you up for a challenge or just a few interesting facts, look out for Dan’s review.

Now from History to Horror and facts to Fiction we look at Neil Dixon’s audio book podcast, Persistent Spirit. The story is set in the early 20th century, Edwardian times. This pathological cynic of all things paranormal is catapulted into a collision course with an undeniable supernatural force. So be prepared to have chills sent down your spine.

After listening to a episode of Neil Dixon’s audio book, you might need to watch our next show called Relaxation & Chronic Pain Relief. Jason will help you relax and forget about problems you maybe having.

Our last show Digital Flotsam is a mixture of music, well told stories and discussions. With three podcast pier awards under his belt I’m sure this show will keep you entertained for hours.

Pete Cooper is one half of the very British Emma and Pete Show - a ‘couple-cast’ straight from the Home Counties, it’s cute, clever, with a splatter of geekiness. He also produces the daily electronic music show Bleepshow.

When & why did you begin podcasting?
I discovered podcasting when I heard a clip of Adam Curry’s Daily Source Code on someone’s blog. He’d been recording a show in the car when one of his buddies drove by and was listening to a previous show - it was all a bit surreal, and I thought how ace it would be to do that. I started badgering my dear wife and she resolutely ignored me, explaining that it was just another of my ideas that wouldn’t amount to anything, and I let it drop. In April ‘06, she said she wanted to do a podcast. The irony wasn’t lost on me, and I poked fun at her for a bit, then we started the Emma and Pete Show.

What is the most significant thing to happen to you personally as a direct result of producing your podcast?
All the people I stay in touch with are podcasters or new media. They are, generally, a nice bunch. Some of them are wonderful people - my best friends were all found in podcasting and new media - and a lot of them share the same creative mindset as me, and that makes collaboration and idea sharing both natural and practical. At the same time, I’ve also been introduced to some of the most self-absorbed, odious, insignificant cretins I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet. Which is good, on the one hand, ‘cos it reminds that I need to stay fairly level-headed.

What podcasts, if any, do you regularly listen to or watch?
Very few. This sometimes surprises people, especially when I bang on about getting people to listen to my stuff. It’s a bit like working in a chocolate factory - I do have periods where podcasting is just a routine and I need to get them done and out of the door, and as they’re time-consuming I like to do other stuff when I get some spare time. On the same tack, it’s nice to be able to unplug now and again (as scary as it sounds), and I really need to get away from the wibbly wobbly web more often.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
“Something to do with computers”. Back when I was a kid the whole computery thing was still very new, so it was systems analyst or nothing. I suppose on that score I’ve done pretty well and stayed true to form. Had computers not been invented, I’d probably be a plumber or sparky - a proper job.

What does the future hold for you and your show(s)?
I want to do more Emma and Pete Show - cos we love doing it, and it’s fun, and people seem to like it. Bleepshow continues to play a big part in my life and it’s gathering momentum very nicely - eating through bandwidth like it’s a yummy block of cheese - so that will continue. New shows for 2008 are planned, but they’re secret at the moment, so don’t tell anyone.

Paul Parkinson has been around in the UK podcaster community for some time, and found his ideal niche subject when he created This Week in London, a subject about which he is very passionate. Today we find out all about Paul and his podcasting.

When & why did you begin podcasting?

I must confess (if that is truly the right word) that young Mr Curry and the even younger Mr Nicholls inspired me to start podcasting. I thought Adams style was very Radio and Paul’s was so totally not Radio that I could do something good in that space too. As I listened to more and more podcasts it dawned on me that I could do as well, if not better than some of them. I just wish I had started doing This Week In London sooner. It’s such a rich pool of material that I never struggle to find something to witter on about.

What is the most significant thing to happen to you personally as a direct result of producing your podcast?

Getting sponsorship from a hotel chain – getting paid to do something you love ROCKS!

What podcasts, if any, do you regularly listen to or watch?

I really like conversational podcasts so I still listen to many shows in that space. Specifically DSC is still an important part of my life as is Digital Flotsam (more pls) and PodcastPaul. I have been enjoying a number of great audiobooks available as podcasts –Mark Yoshimoto Nemkoff’s Number One With A Bullet, Shadowfalls and Shadowfalls Badlands. More recently Tablerappers by Neil Dixon has become a must listen. Tech podcasts such as TWIT, Windows Weekly and Security Now are on the play list too. I steer away from political discussion shows (mostly too American or overtly party biased) but do subscribe to the Downing Street Podcast, from where I get the Prime Minister Questions “show”. I listen to a lot of Radio4 derivative podcasts as well such as In Our Time. Long and short of it is that I like a personal feel, not “corporate”. I am a sucker for a well recorded podcast but of the 60 or shows (audio and video) I listen to I’d say the quality on some of them could be improved. Stop Press: Tartanpodcast is back – so that’s on the must listen list too.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I initially wanted to be a Fleet Air Arm pilot (i still want my private pilots licence) but having passed the pilot/navigator course and test at Biggin Hill I didn’t pass the officer aptitude tests. I guess there is too much rebel in me.

What does the future hold for you and your show(s)?

Pretty much loving what I am doing, podcast-wise. I have found my niche and the downloads from Podshow and Libsyn pretty much prove that. For a (very) niche show like TWiL, I think ~2000+ downloads per show is pretty respectable. Would I like more listeners? Sure. Do I have time to actively go out and get them? I wish….

Episode 41 is up!!! - Shows reviewed in this edition are; The Truth by DJ Mr Jay
and Sherri G, bringing you the latest news and music on the R & B and soul scene. BUMP which is a must for all Apple Mac fans and users with its mixture of news, features and interviews. A History of Electronic Music, a unique show for the music geek into electronic music history. Imagine Animation Vodcast , a showcase of The University of the West of England’s up coming stars in animation and The Bitterest Pill an audio blog from stay at home dad Dan Klass

Amy McIntyre has created some of the world’s most recognisable fitness podcasts, including Fitness Attack, Assercize, and Fit Life. Here is Amy’s 5-Question MiniInterview…

© All rights reserved

When & why did you begin podcasting?

I started “Fitness Attack” in July 2006 and Assercize and Fit Life followed. My husband created Podcast Alley in November of 2004. He was such a part of the podcasting community that the more I learned, the more I wanted to be a part of it. I was a personal trainer at the time and thought that podcasting would really allow me to teach and answer health and fitness questions on a bigger scale.

What is the most significant thing to happen to you personally as a direct result of producing your podcast?

Personally the whole experience has been rewarding for me. I love the feedback from my audience and also the questions and topic ideas that come from their interaction. Professionally, I’m grateful at how many people value the advice and the information given in each of the shows. I’m also excited that the first 100 shows of Fitness Attack are now in print! On February 29th, the book ‘Fitness Attack’ will be available at Amazon.com!

What podcasts, if any, do you regularly listen to or watch?

I think one of the great things about podcasting is the ‘on demand’ aspect. Depending on my mood, I can have the shows I want at the time that I want. I generally stick to news, health/fitness, fashion, music and food shows!

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

Growing up I wanted to be so many things! I have a short attention span (note that my shows are always short!) but I think I usually bounced back and forth from being a lawyer to being a musical theater star on Broadway. I held pretty true to these goals through college and I’m actually still up for either of those opportunities. After I graduated from Purdue University, I spent a year in banking and then moved to Chicago to pursue dance and choreography. I spent nearly 2 years there on a dance scholarship and then other opportunities moved my husband and I to Tennessee. It was then that I really had to choose whether to continue dancing or to give law school a try. I decided that I wasn’t ready for the dedication needed to sit in class all day everyday and I really enjoyed having an active lifestyle. I then realized that personal training would allow me to keep in dancer shape, provide a decent income and ultimately help others to find enjoyment in working out and staying fit. I’ve now been training for a few years and added the shows almost 2 years ago. I just couldn’t be happier with all the challenges that both present me.

What does the future hold for you and your show(s)?

I don’t think any of us know where our shows are going to end up. What would I like to see happen? I want to build an entire health and fitness empire! I want to have people take some of the information that I’ve given them and make a change in their lives. I want to have books and shows that are everywhere and make a difference in how people see health and fitness. It is already surreal to have Fit Life on so many mobile devices and also Tivo, so I’m looking forward to what the future holds. If nothing else, I have learned so much and have enjoyed being a part of ‘new media.’

PodfinderUK is 40! And just as you have become accustomed to Jo Laurence bringing you the latest and greatest podcast finds, here are five more delicious podcast treats. Discover top vegetarian cooking tips with Delicious TV, learn to play the guitar with Guitar Steps Pod, and give yourself the shivers with the stories from the Hall of Mirrors. There’s great music with no interruptions from Atlantic Wave Radio, and superb classic performances from Alex Routledge.

Use coupon code PODFINDERUK to grab yourself your very own Nokia N810 Internet Tablet cheaper than Amazon!

Read the rest of this entry »

Rowley Cutler produces the long running British show Darkcompass, and more recently Darkcompass Metal Show. Here is Rowley’s 5-Question MiniInterview…

When & why did you begin podcasting?

Back in December 2004 - I was sitting in a bedsit in Birkenhead, spending too much time doing nothing other than work. I was watching The Culture Show on the BBC when an article came up about podcasting. Adam Curry was being interviewed, and at the end of the snippet the
reporter said. Only time will tell if this is a fad or the future of media. I thought - I have the kit, why not. So I made my first podcast on the 14th of December 2004 I made my first show, introducing myself and what I plan to do with this new medium. Of course that never happened - it has become the show it has become today, dedicated to the only other love to my family - music, and comment. I suppose Adam Curry is my inspiration - I thought if he could do it so could I. I was called two weeks later after starting my show from Paul Nichols - Podcast Paul, asking me how to do it, I was still learning, but I explained it all and how to do it, and that knowledge was pushed onto Richard Vobes, who’s now probably one of the most prolific UK podcasters.

What is the most significant thing to happen to you personally as a direct result of producing your podcast?

I have spilled my heart out on podcasts in the past, all through my diagnosis or MS and into my depression. Podcasting became an obsession, even though I took almost 2 months off in 2006, it’s a good feeling that my thoughts on music and UK current affairs has enlightened others.

One of the best things is listeners experiencing music from other countries. One instance was I played a band called Julia’s Window from Finland. Who in fact is still one of my favourites. A listener in California contacted me and asked how to contact the band. He wanted to play a track on a DVD he was making of EXTREME QUADBIKING. I gave him the info, and about a month later a DVD came through the post of the biking. Sure enough half way through Julia’s Window was in it. Now, that would not have happened if I had not played their music on my podcast. It made me feel good inside, it still does.

What podcasts, if any, do you regularly listen to or watch?

Too many, I have around 50 in iTunes. Podcasting my preferred method of listening to music, tech news, to relax (with a good audio book, like Table Rappers) life, the universe and everything. Faves are PCPodcast, Ourobouros, This Week in Tech (as well as MacBreak and
Windows Weekly), Geek Brief TV, PodfinderUK, really too man to mention here.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I wanted to be a teacher, strangely enough. It’s not panned out that way, well not really. I work in IT, the web at the moment, but I’ve done things all over - right down to plugging in network cables right up to Project Management for multi million pound installations all over the world. Every time, teaching people the do’s and don’ts of IT, so in an indirect way I’m teaching. I suppose in podcasting I’m teaching people about new music and how the world works. Thinking of it that way - hell I am a teacher!

What does the future hold for you and your show(s)?

I am going to continue enlightening or teaching people the ways of new music not just through DarkCompass, but also now through my METAL show. I am sure there is more development to come - the wonders of this medium of audio/video is that it is constantly evolving, and I’m
sure DarkCompass will develop along with it. I’ve not done a Video Podcast yet - so maybe that’s something I need to start looking at. All this is still new, 3 years of podcasting for me is early days.

It is not just the iPod which makes it easy for you to keep up with the lastest episodes of your favourite podcasts. Micoroft’s Zune is now fully compatible with subscribing to, downloading, and managing podcast shows.

Zune users now have their very own podcast directory as part of the Zune Marketplace.

Subscribing to a podcast with Zune Marketplace could not be easier. Your favourite podcast show may have a special Zune subscribe button on their websites, if so then just one click of that button and their podcast is automatically subscribed and once the episodes have been downloaded, will automatically be placed onto your Zune.

Of course not all podcasts have these new Zune buttons. You can either search for the podcast in Zune Marketplace, or if the show is not already there, just use the podcast’s usual RSS feed and add that to your podcast subscriptions. It is dead easy.

If you have a Zune & podcast shows do not provide a one-click Zune subscription button, why not get in touch with them and suggest they do! When you do, point them at the free online Zune Podcast Subscription Button Maker tool.

You can watch a user-created video which shows you exactly how to subscribe to a podcast using the Zune here on YouTube.

What about other devices?

As part of our Nokia N810 promotion, we will be looking at how you can get, listen to, and view podcasts using your Nokia N810 Internet Tablet.

Use our special discount coupon code PodfinderUK for a whopping 15% off a Nokia N810!

Jo Laurence is back with another great selection of shows just for you.
It may be winter, but the surf’s up on The Panic Button, learn from the fascinating real world experiments of Doctor Krampf, and save those £s with Wallet Watcher. Let Marcus Couch guide you through the best in independent heavy metal on The Scene Zine, and finally understand your life and relationships with the psychology of InsytWorks.
Read the rest of this entry »