Brad Rohrer would rather not rock the boat. His partner in comedy, Chuck Staton, however, admits he won’t even get on boats if they seem like they might remain still. It is only natural then, that their amalgam of a humor/art weekly production, the Chuck and Brad Podcast, is called Agreeing to Disagree.

The podcast is dedicated to covering Rhody artists and also national ones who make it through the local circuit. Who gets covered is mostly a combination of access and timing, Rohrer says. The shows focus on music, movies, books, games and has featured interviews with Rhode Island artists such as Jim Nellis from Rhode Island Food Fights, the owners of Boneheads’ Wing Bar, storyboard artist Jay Mayoh, Disney artist Nick Kole, and bands including The Copacetics, The Down and Outs, and Bad Larry.

It was around 2009 that Staton was looking to update the website for his band Senior Discount, with regular content. By this time Rohrer had already met the ex-bassist at Senior Discount through the improv circuit in Newport. “The band had done a lot of online comedy videos to promote our albums and shows, much like a sitcom, and when I saw Brad I knew he’d be hilarious to add to the world we created in our videos,” Staton says.

The weekly podcast was born and has stuck to examining the artist’s life and discussing the art that the two love. The podcast, Rohrer says, gives the duo a reason to talk about anything that interests them “in a real way” every week. “It’s easy to talk about a movie or about feelings, but being introspective about either of those things can get lost in the shuffle,” he says. “By recording what we say and why we say it, we have to examine things in greater detail than we normally would.”

The duo has had many successes including the 2016 Christmas episode, which Staton says was the most memorable because of the spontaneity and memories created. For Halloween this year, the duo did a live comedy show at Providence’s Comedy Connection, which was very well received. Staton is grateful that the Comedy Connection did not rein them in at all. “They let us do whatever we wanted even if that meant electrifying a Jack-o-Lantern on stage in an attempt to shock audience members.”

Sponsorships have helped with production costs but the podcast is also mostly a labor of love. “If there was no sponsorship money covering our server costs, we’d still be doing it every week,” Staton says. “Brad would be selling his plasma to cover them.”

Chuck Staton–musician,podcaster, Agreeing to Disagree
Providence, Rhode Island
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The post Agreeing to Disagree appeared first on Take Magazine.

Gail Spilsbury places a major emphasis on setting in her writing. Whether her stories take place in the olive hills near Rome, where she lived for three years and made olive oil; or within the surrounding natural beauty of Washington, DC, where she and her foreign service family were based in between deployments; setting is central for Spilsbury. This time she is setting her story a little closer to home—on the Red Line.

Spilsbury was writing the Red Line as a novel when she read a New York Times article on the rise of fiction podcasts. “Instantly I knew I wanted Red Line to be a podcast,” says Spilsbury. “The medium was perfect for it as my protagonist, Pia LoMonte, was telling readers her story in an intimate voice already.”

Actor Anna Gravel, photo courtesy of Gail Spilsbury

When we interviewd Spilsbury, the Red Line Podcast had recently aired its 17th episode and Pia’s story is now well underway. LoMonte, 29, has arrived at the Haskell School located in the Boston suburb of Wessex. But her dream is to live in downtown Boston near the Red Line.

“The idea for the story was born in a moment of hilarity with a millennial friend as we discussed the pitfalls of relationships, and that living near the Red Line was so important to quality of life in Boston that a woman or man would stay in an awful relationship just to keep that proximity to the subway,” Spilsbury says. “The original title of the story was ‘I Did It for the Red Line,’ but that was too long for a podcast cover. That line is still in one of the 21 episodes.”

The amount of changes that have taken place in the last ten years surrounding social media and the way we communicate with others was a key source of inspiration for Spilsbury when writing the Red Line. “[The podcast] takes place in our times, and our crazy political and globally challenged times fascinate me—they form my backdrop,” Spilsbury says.

Many listeners will find they can relate to protagonist Pia—especially millennial listeners, Boston transplants, or those just starting out in their careers. “I wanted a young female protagonist for a number of reasons—that part of life when you embark on your dreams is so wonderful but it also involves finding out what the workplace is really like,” says Spilsbury. “We can love our jobs, our work, our institutions, but we also inevitably find bad characters there spoiling the environment. Pia falls right into this on her first job, just as we all have.”

The themes in the Red Line are universal, we’ve all experienced them—this is what makes the podcast so entertaining, that and the fact that Boston simply makes for a great setting. “I grew up here and returned here because Boston is alive, intelligent, creative, and innovative,” says Spilsbury. “The sheer amount of education happening here—in all branches of life pursuits—means there are hundreds of thousands of students, professors, and those who graduate and stay. It’s a mecca for depth of knowledge and output.”

Follow Red Line’s twice-weekly episodes on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher. Search for “Red Line Boston.”

Gail Spilsbury–creator/author, Red Line Podcast
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Image courtesy of Gail Spilsbury.

The post She Did It for the Red Line appeared first on Take Magazine.

It seems as if podcasts are having yet another moment with the staggering success of S-Town, another home-run from the Serial and This American Life crew (hosted by Connecticut’s own Brian Reed). With that in mind, we decided to take a look in our backyard for podcast stories and discussions made right here in New England. We’re sure you won’t be surprised that they lean cerebral, a little off-kilter, and often outright hilarious. Perfect for that morning commute or afternoon run, podcasts are a great way to deep-dive into a topic or theme, as they are usually more intimate and deliberate than the usual radio show.

Connecticut Podcasts:
Literary Disco
Writers and readers Rider Strong and Tod Goldberg of Southern California, and Connecticut’s Julia Pistell, join up from their respective coasts to rehash and review works from long ago and today. Shrewd and funny, they tackle literature that ranges from Sweet Valley High to Ayn Rand. Their summer reading list and “best of” shows are a don’t-miss.
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Massachusetts Podcasts:
Lore
Aaron Mahnke is the creator behind the huge hit Lore, and this two-years-and-counting, insanely popular podcast of everything terrifying, creepy, and supernatural continues to grow. Expect solidly produced, researched, and riveting tales of fact-based myth-origin pieces exploring topics such as where werewolves come from. Sometime later this year, Lore is coming a screen near you with help from the producers of The Walking Dead.
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Judge John Hodgman
This is a weekly podcast where John Hodgman, yes that John Hodgman, listens to real life disputes on sometimes insignificant issues. It’s where your internal shower thoughts get discussed with signature brilliant nuance and deadpan delivery. We’re all a little judgy; Hodgman owns it. Tune in to find out if chili is a soup or a stew.
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The Rap Scholars
This recently launched ‘cast, produced and hosted by “black-ademic/rap-ademic” Nasir Marumo and DJ Alfred Kimani, delves in the culture of contemporary rap and its influence on culture around us. Listen for ‘caviar’ rap explanations and the intersection of black culture, trends, and criticism.
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15 Minutes
Host Jamie Berger conducts short, sharp interviews with artists, musicians, and writers in his Massachusetts circle of friends about what fame means to them. Listen for an authentic and intimate quick-shot of meaningful conversation.
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Maine Podcasts:
What’s with You? Scooby Doo!
Host ‘nic’ brings his eclectic group of Maine friends and fans to the studio and the stage to discuss life, drinking, and pop culture—all facilitated by a viewing of that crime fighting dog and his meddling kids’ crew. It’s as off the wall as it sounds. Gives good ear.
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New Hampshire Podcasts:
Sci-Fi Saturday Night
An out-of-this-world group of friends and nerds gather around the microphone to discuss—and argue—the finer points of science fiction media. Horror, time travel, aliens, and the undead are all on the agenda. The news of the day about the latest books, movies, television, upcoming cons, and graphic novels are discussed as well as other stuff these super nerds are into. They seem to have a connection to everything, and their finger on the pulse—if zombies had pulses.
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Rhode Island Podcasts:
Terrifyingly Beautiful
David Robert and Kevin O’Connell drink and discuss their anxieties, and instead of rolling your eyes, you’ll find yourself screaming, “same!” and “me too!” Food, unearthly travel, your favorite childhood toys—everything is treated with extreme suspicion, to hilarious effect.
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Vermont Podcasts:
Rumble Strip
Host Erica Heilman meets and gets to know Vermonters and Vermonty places, and wrangles poignant stories of everyday life that are unique and infinitely relatable from her subjects. Her in-depth profiles have garnered her fans around the world.
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The post Thanks for Listening: Quirky New England Podcasts We Think You’ll Love appeared first on Take Magazine.