DrunkenBlog Covercast
And now for something completely different. Over time, I've gotten a trickle of mail asking me to do a podcast. Since Apple went big pimping on it, the frequency has picked up a little.
While I don't have anything against podcasts, I'm just not interested right now. However, I've been really interested in how the messenger affects the message, how what we bring to the table affects what we take in, and even how the medium affects the message.
So, instead of me reading my entries, what if a whole bunch of readers read one entry? Yes, the same entry. Yes, over and over, hence the dubbing of 'covercast'.
Besides being completely absurd, we might be able to learn something too. To that end, a whole slew of readers volunteered their microphones to the experiment, and we've ended up with All Apologies, which you can download below.
These are from readers from all over the world, spanning the USA to Britain to Germany to New Zealand to South Africa to Holland. One of the performers is even from Uruguay, and each time I build up another ten covercasts, I'll add another volume.
Each disc includes the audio tracks (Encoded as .m4a files), as well as cover art (Yes, cover art) and quick instructions on making and sending in your own for more discs.
- Chris Perardi
- Pablo Rodrigo
- iMorpheus
- hopkapi
- matonmacs
- Michael Dalling
- Etienne Posthumus
- Matt Wilson
- vastheman
- Hao Ye
[ Download ]
- Evan Schoenberg
- Chris Carline
- Daniel Vollmer
- Jeff Solomon
- Randy Becker
- Bill Lynch
- Ben Stanfield
- John Röthlisberger
- Twist
- Hyde
[ Download ]
- Robin
- slawkenbergius
- Josh Marshall
- Adam Schuster
- Gareth Potter
- Jennie Lees
- Ankalon
- Chris Lawson
- Edward R. Marczak
- ES
[ Download ]
- Robert Sharl
- drunkenstudent
- Hawke
- das g.
- icedtrip
- Linden Wright
- Christopher and Corey Abbey
- Ballookey
- Robert Sharl (spooky remix)
- das g. (wtf remix)
[ Download ]
- Kevin Ballard
- John D'Angelo
- Suraindra Rajadurai
- Dan Moren
- Brian Ganninger
- Carl Holmberg
- Wicak Soegijoko
- Chris Karr
- fnkmstr
- Rantzalot (Sir)
[ Download ]
There are some things I'd ask you to keep in mind while you're thumbing through these:
- It's also worth noting that the post they're reading, The Gaps in the Filter, isn't really special in any way. It was chosen because it wasn't too long, didn't contain any real swearing, its content lent itself to pointing out some of the things mentioned above, and I couldn't resist hearing people from all over the world saying some of the phrases.
- People were told not to worry about mistakes or spend too much time on it, as well, you get strange pauses and breaks in most podcasts, so don't get on them unless you're sending me one from you.
- I had to limit the time I put into them because this is really just a weird social experiment thingy, so you're going to be fiddling with the volume knob while you listen off and on, but if it works out we can always go back and clean things up.
- Some are rougher than others, and some are weirder than others. I know I have my favorites (Mad props to 'slawkenbergius' and 'das g. (wtf remix)'), but do remember that the funny ones wouldn't be nearly so funny without the straights as contrast, and what may seem like a straight one to you may seem hilarious to someone in Uruguay.
- The files are encoded in AAC, just because it offered a good sweet spot in terms of size and quality, and I had to deal with a lot of different incoming formats. If it's a problem, as time goes on I can look at pumping out .mp3s or .ogg's.
- The instructions to make your own are a little sparse for Windows and Linux, so if someone would like to flesh that out for me and send it on I'd be happy to roll it in.
Above all, thanks to those who donated their time to do this random absurdity. I have the impression most of them had fun doing it, even if they didn't quite know where it was going, so be sure to have fun going through them.
Posted by drunkenbatmanJuly 11, 2005, at 03:47 PM
Comments (20)
Posted by: at July 11, 2005 04:22 PM
WTF is going on with "das g. (wtf remix)"? Was it remixed, or is there more than one person?
Posted by: Jay Contonio at July 11, 2005 04:47 PM
I like the idea...how could you organize it that one person reads each entry...so you have a sort of archive of podcasts? That would be neat. Then just randomly pick someone to record your newest post.
Lots of English accents on the first set. I love English accents.
Posted by: Lomo at July 11, 2005 04:49 PM
"This seems like a lot of work, but I wish you would please spell out the point more. You do sound smarter with a British accent which is funny, but I feel like I am missing the real point to this."
lol, this is very weird, but I think that is part of the point? Speaking as a Londoner, what British accent? :-) You americans have the strange speaking...
Can I ask why there is no "drunkenbatman" podcast for reference?
Posted by: Solios at July 11, 2005 04:52 PM
Uh, is that "Evan Schoenberg" of AdiumX? And "Mr. Stanfield" of Macslash? Sometime please post how you talk all of these people into doing these things. Do you have your own RDF, or blackmail material?
Posted by: at July 11, 2005 05:03 PM
I can't tell if he's making fun of podcasts or not? I'm confused...
Posted by: Some Anonymous Guy at July 11, 2005 05:08 PM
Just to clear up a common misconception: "podcasting" is a means of distribution, not a genre. If you, or your readers, read your entries aloud, that might be considered an audio blog. If you want to podcast that weblog, then you link to those files in your RSS feed.
In short, podcasting is broadcasting directly onto an iPod (or other portable device) without any user intervention. Lots of audio blogs are podcast, but that doesn't mean all podcasts are audio blogs. All genres of audio can be podcast, including music and all varieties of spoken word content.
Posted by: you dont get credit at July 11, 2005 05:11 PM
What a neat idea. The "Spooky Remix" needs a warning though, it is so creepy I can't listen to it. It reminds me of the boy with the gas mask from Dr. Who. MUMMY? ARE YOU MY MUMMY
Posted by: drunkenbatman at July 11, 2005 05:12 PM
Just to clear up a common misconception: "podcasting" is a means of distribution, not a genre.
That occurred to me, then I decided this was absurd enough I didn't really care. :)
Posted by: Bill Hitchens at July 11, 2005 05:34 PM
(Anonymous), I don't think he is making fun of podcasting, but this experiment does remind me why text will never go away. I have only listened to the first disc so far, and it seems like more of a commentary on how different people interpret what they read differently, and that is maybe a plus of audio blogs... Doing this with video could be a fun art project, but the whole thing reminds me of "Great Moments in Punditry" from The Daily Show with John Stewart.
Posted by: Eddy @ mac.com at July 11, 2005 05:41 PM
Cool idea, if strange. Nice to bring your readers in to share...I am mostly just clicking and listening to a little of each to hear how they say "Drunken Batman" I wish you had said where each one is from so I could match the accents.
OH and LOL at making the album art high-resolution. Over the top there. :D
Posted by: Twist at July 11, 2005 05:57 PM
We need some people who can do voices to do a few. Be funny to have some covercasts by Woody Woodpecker or Yoda or Arnold or Slappy the Squirrel.
Posted by: Forget It at July 11, 2005 07:18 PM
DBM, I have these downloading... but like others I have to ask "What the hell"? There is a fine line between brilliant and crazy, be sure not to cross over...
Posted by: Wes McGee at July 11, 2005 08:03 PM
He isn't crossing over the line, he's dancing right on top of it, and I'm encouraging him to continue on.
Man, how I wish I knew Tom Kenny. I'd love to hear Spongebob Squarepants read one of these.
Posted by: Jon. R at July 11, 2005 08:18 PM
This one definitely goes in the weird column.
I strongly second Jay Contonio's idea:
...how could you organize it that one person reads each entry...so you have a sort of archive of podcasts? That would be neat. Then just randomly pick someone to record your newest post.
Rounding up 570+ volunteers shouldn't be too hard, :-P. Or if you don't get enough people, you can always have one person read a few of the shorter posts.
Posted by: Sharl at July 12, 2005 02:54 AM
What a neat idea. The "Spooky Remix" needs a warning though, it is so creepy I can't listen to it. It reminds me of the boy with the gas mask from Dr. Who. MUMMY? ARE YOU MY MUMMY
Hehe. I'm glad it spooked you. The 'spooky' description is DBM's. I just thought I sounded cuter that way. A collection of remixes would be cool. Maybe I'll play with some of the others recordings.
Oh and yeah, a covercast really ought to have a feed. We could watch as new versions appear, and our iPods could have a different version of the same post each time we sync. Now that's spooky.
Posted by: safe from timezones at July 12, 2005 09:15 AM
Somehow I don't think your included LICENSE.TXT file will stand up in court. :-)
Posted by: cabbey at July 16, 2005 06:15 PM
Just a minor correction, disc 4 track 7, it's Cory, not Corey.
Posted by: Hawke at July 18, 2005 03:36 PM
To Robert Sharl (Disk 4, Track 9): Everytime I listen to your version of the covercast, I am drawn back to the Resident Evil movie with the Red Queen's admonition: "You're all going to die down here." The voice is VERY similar.
And yes, I am out of my mind. Thanks for noticing :)
Posted by: Lena at August 11, 2005 12:35 PM
F.Y.I.- When you type in OOMPA LOOMPA in a google search bar and click on the 3rd image it directs it to your site. Then when you click on the picture to view full size image it displays a rather disturbing picture and it says your site steals bandwidth!
DBM when you finally go mad how will we tell?
This seems like a lot of work, but I wish you would please spell out the point more. You do sound smarter with a British accent which is funny, but I feel like I am missing the real point to this...