…

Before It Had a Theme

…

Robert McGinley Myers

A sound-rich discussion and celebration of the best in narrative audio, hosted by Rob McGinley Myers and Britta Greene.

#10

S2 E3: Do We Ever Go Back to That? (Notes on Camp)

Rob and Britta share a discussion they had in 2019 (but never released) about the classic This American Life episode "Notes on Camp." Topics include their own camp experiences, the power of scary stories, Rob's favorite thing ever recorded by any radio show ever, and the wild back story of the beloved camp counselor David Himmel, aka Mr. Popluar. Show Notes: <a href= "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/109/notes-on-camp">Notes on Camp</a> - This American LIfe <a href= "https://www.literateape.com/apecast/ira-glass-is-a-douche">“Ira Glass Is a Douche” - Literate Apecast</a> <a href= "https://longform.org/player/longform-podcast-327-julie-snyder">Longform Interview with Julie Snyder</a> Music: <a href= "https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/03a71399-5daa-4cc9-8c08-2620a673ee1f"> Calisson - Blue Dot Sessions</a> <a href= "https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/26d9949b-70df-487e-8425-751651c279e2"> Throughput - Blue Dot Sessions</a> [Coffero’s Theme - Bill Frisell] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZT_sd-FvGg) <a href= "https://casadecalexico.bandcamp.com/track/untitled-iii">Untitled III - Calexico</a> [Gentle Chase - Podington Bear] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_uyx6IVJr4) ... Read more

22 Oct 2024

45 MINS

45:55

22 Oct 2024

#9

S2 E2: Suitcase Full of Cash

On the second of a two-part series about the podast Startup, Rob and Britta talk about how the mini-seasons of the podcast Startup about the growth of Gimlet revealed all kinds of details about the troubles at the company, the ill-fated sale to Spotify, and what all this means for the state of narrative audio. Show Notes: Skye Pillsbury's newsletter <a href= "https://thisisthesqueeze.substack.com">The Squeeze</a> Galen Beebe's <a href= "https://www.galenbeebe.com">website</a> Music: <a href= "https://www.discogs.com/release/5685003-Danny-Elfman-A-Simple-Plan-Music-From-The-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack"> A Simple Plan Soundrack</a> Nine Count by <a href= "https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/274204">Blue Dot Sessions</a> Within the Garden Walls by <a href= "https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/274205">Blue Dot Sessions</a> [Gentle Chase - Podington Bear] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_uyx6IVJr4) Audio Excerpts: [Startup] (https://gimletmedia.com/shows/startup) ... Read more

25 Sep 2024

1 HR 06 MINS

1:06:23

25 Sep 2024

#8

S2 E1: Alarmingly Long Pause

On the first episode of the new season Rob and Britta talk about what made them want to restart a show about narrative audio. And they discuss the complicated legacy of a podcast that's having its tenth anniversary this year. Show Notes: Music: [Coffaro’s Theme by Bill Frisell] (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZT_sd-FvGg) "Arabic Tallow" and "At Our Best Alone" from <a href= "https://www.sessions.blue/">Blue Dot Sessions</a> [Gentle Chase - Podington Bear] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_uyx6IVJr4) Audio Excerpts: [This American Life - Double Lives] (https://www.thisamericanlife.org/10/double-lives) <a href= "https://www.thebeliever.net/constellation-prize/">Constellation Prize</a> [Startup] (https://gimletmedia.com/shows/startup) <a href= "https://longform.org/player/longform-podcast-124-alex-blumberg">Alex Blumberg on Longform</a> <a href= "https://gimletmedia.com/shows/heavyweight">Heavyweight</a> <a href= "https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/articles/tldr-1-pronunciation-book"> TLDR</a> ... Read more

05 Sep 2024

56 MINS

56:28

05 Sep 2024

#7

Season 2 Teaser

After more than five years of silence, new episodes of this podcast finally are on their way. Season 2 starts September 5, 2024. ... Read more

03 Sep 2024

03 MINS

03:13

03 Sep 2024

#6

S1 E5: The Job That Takes Over Your Life (One Long Poetic HIPAA Violation)

Rob and Britta discuss This American Life Episode 37 - The Job that Takes Over Your Life, as well as Britta’s former job fixing scandals for big companies, and Rob’s former job working for Garrison Keillor. Other topics include the great radio reporter Scott Carrier and his masterpiece of a story The Test, and Rob interviews Peter Clowney, one of the original producers of This American Life, about what it was like to work on the show in the early days. Links and Show Notes: <a href= "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/37/the-job-that-takes-over-your-life"> The Job that Takes Over Your Life</a> [In Particular - Blonde Redhead] (https://youtu.be/aU-kBxIy8cI) [Defect2: Curiosidade - John Mcentire Remix] (https://youtu.be/yfUsWA268Mo) [Lydia - Tim Story] (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=100IBjSSfl8) <a href= "https://open.spotify.com/track/5It3jdo1kBxw8MF47a8382">Shatter - Liz Phair</a> [Scott Carrier interview on Tape] (https://overcast.fm/+BogdaBZmg) [Scott Carrier interview on HowSound] (https://transom.org/2014/the-hitchhiker/) <a href= "http://homebrave.com/home-of-the-brave//my-first-radio-story">Hitchhiker episode of Home of the Brave</a> [Gentle Chase by Podington Bear] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_uyx6IVJr4) [Rob’s Twitter] (https://twitter.com/robmcmyers?lang=en) <a href= "http://beforeithadatheme.libsyn.com/britta%20greene%20twitter">Britta’s Twitter</a> [Before It Had a Theme Twitter] (https://twitter.com/beforeatheme) <a href= "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/before-it-had-a-theme/id1438655330"> Review us on Apple Podcasts</a> ... Read more

24 Jan 2019

55 MINS

55:07

24 Jan 2019

#5

S1 E4: The Cruelty of Children (Tarantula in a Bowl)

Rob and Britta discuss whether this episode is TAL’s first real masterpiece, the role of David Sedaris in the show’s early years, why “The Man in the Well” is the rare example of great audio fiction, the bone-chilling music of the Bulgarian State Television Female Choir, and why an effort to keep children from excluding each other makes Rob weirdly emotional. And we talk to the amazing Marlo Mack, from the podcast How to Be a Girl, about her own unique perspective on the cruelty of children. Links and Show Notes: <a href= "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/27/the-cruelty-of-children">The Cruelty of Children</a> <a href= "https://www.npr.org/2017/12/21/572242908/david-sedaris-ira-glass-and-25-years-of-santaland-diaries"> David Sedaris on Morning Edition</a> [Nah Dran by Couch] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6L5PnTONH0) [Lydia by Tim Story] (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=100IBjSSfl8) [Coffaro’s Theme by Bill Frisell] (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZT_sd-FvGg) <a href= "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/47/christmas-and-commerce">Santa Land Diaries</a> <a href= "https://www.amazon.com/Writer-Well-Misreading-Literature-INTERPRETATION/dp/0814213197"> The Writer in the Well</a> [Pilentze Pee by Bulgarian State Television Female Choir] (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZT_sd-FvGg) [How to Be a Girl] (http://www.howtobeagirlpodcast.com) [Gentle Chase by Podington Bear] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_uyx6IVJr4) [Rob’s Twitter] (https://twitter.com/robmcmyers?lang=en) <a href= "http://beforeithadatheme.libsyn.com/britta%20greene%20twitter">Britta’s Twitter</a> [Before It Had a Theme Twitter] (https://twitter.com/beforeatheme) <a href= "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/before-it-had-a-theme/id1438655330"> Review us on Apple Podcasts</a> ... Read more

10 Jan 2019

51 MINS

51:18

10 Jan 2019

#4

S1 E3: Accidental Documentaries (Non-humanoid Member of the Family)

Rob and Britta discuss This American Life Episode 14: Accidental Documentaries, including their own experience creating accidental documentaries. The main focus of the discussion is the centerpiece of this episode, a documentary edited out of reel to reel tapes that a family sent back and forth to each other back in 1967. And Rob talks to Joe Silovsky, the man who originally found those tapes and gave them to Ira Glass, and whose work as a performance artist echos the experience he had with those tapes back when he was an art student. And since this is the final episode of the show that originally aired under the name “Your Radio Playhouse,” Rob and Britta talk about some of the worst moments from those early episodes, and their awfulness is inspiring. Links and Show Notes: [The Chase by Portastatic] (https://portastatic.bandcamp.com/track/the-chase) [Buried at Sea by MC (900 Ft. Jesus)] (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H_7p6m_ZCeY) [Coffero’s Theme by Bill Frisell Quartet] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZT_sd-FvGg) [Pilentze Pee by The Bulgarian State Television Female Vocal Choir] (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ye1dgqDANWg) <a href= "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/2/small-scale-sin">Episode 2: Small Scale Sin</a> <a href= "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/5/anger-and-forgiveness">Episode 5: Anger and Forgiveness</a> [Episode 7: Quitting] (https://www.thisamericanlife.org/7/quitting) [Episode 13: Love] (https://www.thisamericanlife.org/13/love) [Gentle Chase by Podington Bear] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_uyx6IVJr4) [Joe Silovsky’s website] (http://www.silovsky.com/index_ssllc.html) [Rob’s Twitter] (https://twitter.com/robmcmyers?lang=en) <a href= "http://beforeithadatheme.libsyn.com/britta%20greene%20twitter">Britta’s Twitter</a> [Before It Had a Theme Twitter] (https://twitter.com/beforeatheme) <a href= "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/before-it-had-a-theme/id1438655330"> Review us on Apple Podcasts</a> ... Read more

05 Dec 2018

51 MINS

51:41

05 Dec 2018

#3

S1 E2: Double Lives (The Birth of This American Life)

A discussion of This American Life Episode 10: Double Lives. Topics include Rob and Britta's own experiences leading double lives, Rob's childhood habit of breaking into schools at night, why this episode feels like the birth of This American Life, why parents so often hide secrets from their children, what Britta’s parents have been hiding from her, and how it feels to hear Ira Glass talk about sex. This episode also includes an interview with Peter Bresnan, a podcast producer for Gimlet, about what it's like to listen to this old episode of TAL on the topic of closeted gay men. Links and Show Notes: [Cubes by Jon Brion] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icG90zhTpc4) [Kt by Bexar Bexar] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaHDRJIEiOM) [Coffero’s Theme by Bill Frisell Quartet] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZT_sd-FvGg) <a href= "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/10/double-lives">Episode 10: Double Lives</a> [It Might Get Loud] (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Might_Get_Loud) - a documentary about Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White [Another Version of You by Chris Zabriskie] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbdu204KcHI) <a href= "https://www.peteralexanderbresnan.com/tell-me-im-funny/">Tell Me I’m Funny</a> - a podcast by Peter Alexander Bresnan [A Chorus Line] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Chorus_Line) [Maybelle by Ida] (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sucTuWpl2LM) [Catalog & Classify by Mark Robinson] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on7Adw_Qt1s) [Gentle Chase by Podington Bear] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_uyx6IVJr4) <a href= "https://twitter.com/PABresnan?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor"> Peter Bresnan’s Twitter</a> [Rob’s Twitter] (https://twitter.com/robmcmyers?lang=en) <a href= "http://beforeithadatheme.libsyn.com/britta%20greene%20twitter">Britta’s Twitter</a> [Before It Had a Theme Twitter] (https://twitter.com/beforeatheme) <a href= "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/before-it-had-a-theme/id1438655330"> Review us on Apple Podcasts</a> ... Read more

21 Nov 2018

57 MINS

57:40

21 Nov 2018

#2

S1 E1: New Beginnings (F*** You, Django Reinhardt!)

Rob and Britta discuss the very first episode of This American Life, as well as why the show is worth discussing, how they and others became fans of the show, and why they love Ira Glass’s mother. Clips from following were used in this episode: [Coffaro’s Theme by Bill Frisell] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZT_sd-FvGg) [Episode of Tape with Jonathan Menjivar] (https://overcast.fm/+Bogd97kO4) [Episode of Tape with Ben Calhoun] (https://overcast.fm/+BogffHWrI) <a href= "https://www.thirdcoastfestival.org/feature/late-ish-night-with-ira-glass"> Ira’s talk at the Third Coast Audio Festival</a> <a href= "https://longform.org/posts/longform-podcast-159-ira-glass">Longform Podcast, Episode 159: Ira Glass</a> [This American Life, Episode 1: New Beginnings] (https://www.thisamericanlife.org/1/new-beginnings) [Ira’s talk at the Gel Conference] (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QPc0wyeuYW4#dialog) [Rob's Twitter] (https://twitter.com/robmcmyers?lang=en) [Britta's Twitter] (britta%20greene%20twitter) [Show Twitter] (https://twitter.com/beforeatheme) <a href= "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/before-it-had-a-theme/id1438655330"> Review us on Apple Podcasts</a> ... Read more

08 Nov 2018

47 MINS

47:58

08 Nov 2018

#1

S1 E0: American Whatever

Episode 0 Show Notes Clips from following were used in this episode: ---<a href= "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/1/new-beginnings">This American Life, Episode 1: New Beginnings</a> ---<a href= "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/17/name-change-no-theme">This American Life, Episode 17: Name Change/No Theme</a> ---<a href= "https://longform.org/posts/longform-podcast-159-ira-glass">Longform Podcast, Episode 159: Ira Glass</a> --- [Coffaro’s Theme by Bill Frisell] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZT_sd-FvGg) ... Read more

10 Oct 2018

06 MINS

06:48

10 Oct 2018

Podurama

Home

Trending

Personal

Your Podcasts

New Episodes

My Files

Favourite Episodes

Tags (Folders)

Recently Played

Bookmarks

Followed Playlists