Listen to These Awesome Podcasts

Feb 8, 2022 Articles

“WHAT IS A PODCAST?”

A podcast is basically a digital file that downloads to your device. That's a key concept for all podcasts. It downloads, usually to your phone, but also to your computer or other device. To you, it will seem like it's streaming, but it is not. A file is downloading.

The file is usually downloaded through a podcast players (or podcatcher). Some of the biggest podcast players are Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Spotify. My favorite is called Overcast (Apple-Only).

Here is the Amazing thing about podcasts. Whenever a new show is published, it automatically downloads to your device. Then you can listen to it any time you want.

It's not like a broadcast radio or a TV show that you watch at a specific time. It's more like Netflix. You can listen to a podcast whenever you want. It is on your phone!

That also means if the podcast host removes an episode from their feed, if it's on your phone, it's still there for you to enjoy.

How I Got My Start

I started podcasting in April 2005, just months after it started. It's crazy to think about. But it allowed me follow another dream aside from music–becoming a DJ.

Back in the 80s, I was transferring all of my 8-Track tapes to Cassette. Instead of writing down all of the track names on a tiny piece of paper, I grabbed a microphone and pretended I was a DJ. I introduced each song. Later, I got even more creative. I started making fake commercials. You can actually hear those recordings on my Rise of the Celtfather USB.

When I heard about these audio podcasts. I got excited. I immediately made a test podcast to see how it worked. Then I started my first podcast to promote an album. I'll tell you more about how it all started in a moment and I also share links to ALL of my shows.

But first, do me a favor…

Subscribe to Pub Songs & Stories right now!

“How Do I Subscribe?”

If you go to Pub Songs & Stories website, you’ll find a long list of podcast players where you can listen to my show. But which should you choose?

I made it simple. Below you will find just two buttons to subscribe: iPhone which links to Apple Podcasts for Apple Devices or Android which links to Google Podcasts.

Which Phone Are You Using?

Listen on iPhone

Listen on Android

Apple Podcast is an app that is on every iPhone. It’s the easiest way to listen to a podcast. Click the link. Follow the show. Start listening. That's it.

Android devices do not have a native app. You have to download an app. I usually recommend Google Podcast because you can listen to the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast (which you can't do on Spotify, sadly) but Amazon Music is another good one.

Once you download the app, click the “Follow” or “Subscribe” button. New shows will download every time one is released. They are 100% free to listen. It's a great way to connect with me and my music as well as the music of other indie Celtic bands just like me.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me.

How I Fell in Love with Podcasting

The first podcast I created was the Cat Lovers Podcast. It was short and simple. My main goal was to promote my, then, new CD, Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers. But I was getting ready to quit my job and go full time. I got excited by podcasting. So I talked to my bandmate, Andrew McKee, if he wanted to started a Brobdingnagian Bards Podcast. That launched in June. It's still going.

A few days later, I started my third podcast with my girlfriend at the time, Kristen. The Renaissance Festival Podcast was designed to get the Brobdingnagian Bards music heard by more Rennie's who loved Renaissance Faires. It was a big hit. I sold it about a decade ago because I wasn't performing at faires as often and I had too many podcasts. LOL.

Nevertheless, it worked so well, at the end of July, I started Pub Songs Podcast to share drinking songs in a podcast form. That show underwent a lot of transformation over the years. It's still the main podcast for my music and now called Pub Songs & Stories.

A few days after that, I launched the King of them all, the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. This one has one numerous podcast awards because it is one of the few free ways to find Celtic bands online without having to subscribe to this service or that.

That is not all of the podcasts I've launched over the years. I did short-form shows. I released limited episodes. I released an audio drama and fiction podcast. The list goes on and on. Like I said, I love podcasting.

I listen to podcasts all the time. In fact, I paused one just a moment ago so I could type this.

What is it about podcasting that I love?

For me, it's on demand. Not like streaming TV, which rotates out new shows all the time. Podcasts are ALWAYS there! And they're free!

It's a great way to learn too. I listen to a lot of educational podcasts. Not everything I listen to is something I can use, but it sits there and fosters my creativity until such time as I can use it. I stop shows all the time to make notes of things to think about for later. I added something educational bits to my own show because I love learning from podcasts. I thought you might too.

But I also love just listening for entertainment.

I started the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast because I wanted to hear what other Celtic musicians were creating. I wanted commercial-free music, ie. “less talk and more music”. I also wanted to help promote other Celtic musicians and network with them.

I still listen to every episode of the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast after it's published so that I can just enjoy the incredible music I share. In fact, some of the tracks sound so much better when I'm not listening to them with a fine tooth comb.

I also love the medium for sharing information.

Pub Songs Podcast originally was a place for me to rant and share music that I loved. It's now called Pub Songs & Stories. I still share ideas and opinions and what's new with my listeners. But I also get to share the stories behind my songs and help out musicians.

There are so many great reasons to listen to podcasts. It's just easy to do.

Where Do I Go to Hear More Free Podcasts?

All of my shows are free. You can listen at your leisure. You can listen to them straight from my blog or you can subscribe with a podcatcher like Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts and many more.

Just follow the links below to subscribe.

Are you listening to podcasts?
What are your favorite?

About Marc Gunn

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