The Big Shed Podcast

(Produced by Jesse Dukes) Last summer, Philadelphia rock band The Extraordinaires tried their hands at musical theater. Producing a musical might be the last thing you'd expect from these early twentysomethings who hail from the DIY punk rock universe. Nevertheless, they felt that the the fullest expression of their album "Ribbons of War" could only be a musical play, complete with costumes, props, actors, and a democratically written script. Producer Jesse Dukes was commissioned by Studio 360 to produce a narrated story about the musical. He did so, but afterwards he wasn't quite satisfied that he had told the story he originally wanted to tell. Inspired by the Maysles Brothers, he decided to retell the entire story without using his own voice to narrate, but instead try out the verite form in audio.

Oh, and something strange seems to have befallen Shea and Jennifer... Check out the IndieFeed Big Shed at iTunes or go straight to the

(Produced by Tim Telkamp) Come along for a ride on the rails with this audio postcard from the New Hope Valley Railway. This postcard is a companion piece to Tim Telkamp's photo-essay â4â 8 1/2" â A year in the life of the New Hope Valley Railway, 2003-2006.â Timâs audio and photographs tell the story of a tourist railroad in Bonsal, NC. The project follows the volunteer staff as they maintain and operate locomotives and tracks. It is history being relived and preserved, and itâs all for the love of Railroading.

This week's podcast is also a Big Shed Birthday shout-out to our dear friend, fine accordianist, and brilliant artist Ann Marie. Happy Birthday, Ann Marie!!! Check out the IndieFeed Big Shed at iTunes or go straight to the

(Produced by Love & Radio) We'll it's time for our annual pilgrimage to chi-town to the beloved Third Coast International Audio Festival. So we thought it would be appropriate to bring you a little taste of last year's conference, courtesy of Nick and Adrianne at Love & Radio. This interview took place in the bathroom during the PRX dance party. It contains physical violence, broken hearts, video games and Gregorian-ish chanting ... weird, but true. For the geeks in the Shed, Nick recorded this with one of these cool HHB mic/recorders.

The long-ass intro features Big Shed alum Owen Agnew, Clive (one of Shea's students who hosts a death-metal radio show at the youth center where he works), and the ungodly-fun band pictured above who plays regularly at Dupont Circle in DC. Thanks to producerly cowardice, we have no idea what the name of the band is. Maybe someday Shea will ask them.

We'll try to drop you a line from the Festival or soon thereafter. Hopefully this year, Shea will be a little more composed than he was in last years podcast from chi-town ... but what fun would that be?

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(Produced by David Goren) We've got a big new idea at Big Shed ... returning series!!! In the coming year, we're going to offer a few returning series from amazing and innovative audio producers, and proud doesn't quite capture how we feel about bringing you David Goren's Shortwaveology. We're sure you'll love his first installment.

Shortwaveology is a periodic rumination on the sound, history and culture of shortwave radio broadcasting. David wants to thank former Radio Canada International program host Ian McFarland for the use of his compilation of shortwave station interval signals and sign-ons. You can find more information about that here.

Also thanks also to Kim Andrew Elliot for the Moscow Mailbag recording. Kim has a very interesting blog about international broadcasting, and public diplomacy.

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(Produced by Rebecca Sheir) David Traver, Alaska's reigning Mr. Fur Face, is the president of the Southcentral Alaska Beard & Mustache Club, and his belly-length whiskers won him a first-place prize at the 2003 World Beard & Mustache Championships. This fall, he's competing in the 2007 World Championships in England, after which he'll retire -- shaving his award-winning facial hair down to something more manageable -- much to the delight of his wife. Rebecca spent time with David at the barbershop where he's a brand new customer (his former barber recently fled Alaska for the Lower 48).

We met Rebecca last year at the Third Coast Festival, where her story "Honoring the Body: Tahrah" received the Director's Choice Award. Rebecca is also a Host and Producer for AK (Alaska Public Radio Network). We're tickled pink to welcome her to the Shed.

Just in case our bbq outing piqued your aural appetite, here's a little audio hushpuppy where Shea reveals insights from one of the darker periods of his life.

Ps. Thanks for bearing with our belated posting of new audio. We have (um ... shea has ;-) been running a bit behind. But please stay tuned. We've got a ton of great tape coming soon that's definitely worth the wait!

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(Produced by Amara Hark-Weber) We're back! And this week, we're listening to three short pieces from Ghana--"Storytime," "Sweeping with Simone" and "Daniel in the Market"--sent to us by our friend and Producer Amara Hark-Weber. Amara recorded these while working as a Hines Documentary Fellow in Ghana. We looking forward to hearing more tape from Amara before she returns to the States.

This episode of Big Shed proudly features Shea's mom (aww) and dad (like father, like son). Click here for a super bonus mysery rough cut outtake of his interview with them!

Big Shed is proud to air the second installment from our infamous international documentary desk. Shed alums Emma Raynes and Amanda Hark-Weber are both working overseas as Lewis Hines Documentary Fellows and are sending us wonderful tape of the people and places they're getting to know. We really appreciate their doing this and are elated to share their sounds and stories with you.

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(Produced by Jennifer Deer) Like a traveling medicine man peddling a homeopathic remedy for the mass media slogans of the day, the Mantra Trailer focuses attention on the personal and spiritual mantras people live by, one voice at a time. Jen speaks with artist Sherri Wood about the podcast she's created to kick-start this project.

Check out the Mantra Trailer site and drop her a mantra! FYI - Sherri just returned from The MacDowell Colony, the oldest artists' colony in the country. Check out this NPR story about MacDowell that featured Sherri's project.

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(Produced by Jesse Dukes) Drive west from Portland, Maine on US 302 and youâll pass a giant mechanical television repairman on the left. The repairman was built by Al Hawkes years ago to promote his television store. Al sold TVs for years, but his real love was always country and bluegrass music. Heâs been a performing musician, record producer, pirate radio broadcaster, and general promoter. Now, he works like a mad scientist in his basement to preserve recordings and document musicians who played a part in Maineâs musical history. His basement is filled with records; some 50,000 or more. Every now and then, he goes into his stacks and pulls out an old treasure.

Jen forgot to say in the piece that Jesse Dukes is a producer on the Virginia-based radio program, With Good Reason. Thanks so much for turning her on to this awesome tune "Shifting Texas Sand." She went on a web hunt for it immediately. (And Shea wants to out Jesse as an alum of the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies in Maine.)

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(Produced by Katie Mingle) Looking to get more experience with the dead and ghosts, producer Katie Mingle spent some time in a "pauper's graveyard". She narrates her experiences there. She tell what she finds, and more importantly, doesn't find, in one of the only "below ground" cemeteries in New Orleans, LA.

A special thanks to Katie for her patience (link for MySpace users). Have a great time at The Salt Institute for Documentary Studies!

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(Produced by Emma Raynes) Meet Ruana, the world's cutest 6-year-old Portugese teacher. This languange lesson comes to us from our friend and Producer Emma Raynes. Emma recently ran off to Brazil, where she's working as a Hines Documentary Fellow, a very cool program housed at the Duke Center for Documentary Studies.

Check out Emma's blog to read about her encounters with language, rivers, rituals, migrant workers, orphans and lice!

Big Shed is proud to announce our international documentary desk. Shed alums Emma Raynes and Amanda Hark-Weber are both working overseas as Lewis Hines Documentary Fellows and are sending us wonderful tape of the people and places they're getting to know. We really appreciate their doing this and are elated to share their sounds and stories with you.

Check out the IndieFeed Big Shed at iTunes or go straight to the