I listen to all 4 of them. There's also the Silverball Podcast.

I do agree with your sentiments on Spooky Pinball. My first thought was that they are just going to talk about the Elvira & other horror-themed games? It could use a bit of refinement. Charlie's a nice guy though. I joked to myself about the elaborate contests: "okay, third person to completely rewrite a pin ruleset gets Cliffy protectors... " but I keed. Would like to see more pinball discussion & less innuendos w/ the "stahp!". There's plenty of pin nostalgia to reminisce in.

Pinball Soul is great to listen to if you don't have time/incentive to listen to all the other podcasts. Don't feel bad about being critical of said podcasts. On Atariage, me & another person have been reviewing retro video gaming(and pinball) podcasts, and we hold nothing back(like a true pinsider bau5). We would like to think the tough love has improved new & existing podcasts out there.

And if you want to listen to a podcast that's nowhere near as professional, well-researched as any of these, you can listen to mine at http://ccg.podomatic.com. Mostly video game & retro computing talk, but there's pinball discussion in there.

Not a flame.

Perhaps you could do a podcast. So others could learn. You know, show them how it's done.

LTG : )

Reading the topic, the first thing that came to mind was the EM guy lol.

Chris

Good feedback, thanks! We are both somewhat busy and do the show a bit 'off the cuff'. I'd like to have the time to do more audio cues and flesh out some segments, but as a podcast listener, I'm always worried about going too long. Maybe I should let that fear go and complete a thought now and then! Don - ThePinballPodcast.com

Thanks for starting this thread. I think a lot of people will start listening to some of these podcasts that they weren't aware of before this.

As far as Spooky pinball, my complaints are almost polar opposite of yours. I like the family stuff and even the bar segments. I have met many of these people so that might help. Maybe this one wasn't meant for the masses but I really like it.

My complaints are:

1) The EM guy just goes on too long. One third the length would be about right.

2) Charlie used to have some great interviews. He seems to have turned most of that over to Pinballstaramusements.com. Not to be overly critical but that guy is just too much of a self-promoter for my taste. I won't go into detail but if you have heard him you know what I mean.

I think Charlie needs to go back to the format from a year ago. A little shorter but much more interesting. I do understand be is super busy right now and needs to turn some of the duties over to others. For my taste it just needs to be different people. Bryan Kelly is always entertaining.

I'm in agreement, but for different reasons. The reason? There's no such thing as too many podcasts. I initially didn't get into TOPcast 3 years ago, but listened to them again(loved the "special guest(x3)" bumper, I'm so stealing that) when I got back into pinball. Make that podcast, and you'll have instant listeners here.

I like where the heart is for the EM segments, but the "spooky" delivery overshadows it. To me, the mechanisms of EM machines are fascinating, but hard to learn & understand how it works with that segment.

For the giveaways, or contests that I can't compete in, I can live without. That's just because I don't have a Stern pin, and thus no need for a shaker motor. I'd just give it to someone with one.

As for criteria for a podcast, no, we don't get too much for news, but we have so much nostalgia & history to cover. Hell, you could do a whole episode on the Zaccaria pins. Yes, we know about the latest Stern pins. But there's others that have been forgotten that can be put into the spotlight.

Podcasts are great for listenin' to at work, or when I'm doing chores on the weekends, so keep 'em coming no matter who you are.

I really look forward to the pinball podcast every month. I like the top 5 segments, and the featured pin a lot. I'd like to see a breakdown of the rules or some strategies for the featured pin. Also a ranking/rating system for those featured pins, average both of your ratings to come up with a show list (although with only 2 people ranking, I could see some games like Simpsons DE or Maverick pulling a higher rating than they may deserve ).

Keep up the good work! I appreciate that you both take the time to do this every month. I like the "off the cuff" vibe, I don't think a ton of prep is necessary. I'd really rather not see interviews, I think you're on the right track with the current format.

I first listened to the pinball soul podcast, and that also seems like it will be a good one. I'll have to check out gameroom junkies and silverball.

Non-pinball related; I listen to the Adam Carolla Show quite reqularly, and some of the shows on the network (carcast, adam & Dr drew, and ace on the house). Done really well with lots of great characters, definitely worth a listen if you haven't already!

I think it is great that we have even one podcast around much less four that produce on a regular basis. For me they all have been slow at times and very entertaining at times. I don't and will never do a podcast so don't feel it's my place to critique, I'm just glad they are out there for me to either enjoy or not on my 2 hour one way commute to work.

I listen to them all too. Just wanted to throw out that the monthly Pinball edition of Geek Gamer Weekly is quite good too. The last episode with Bowen post-Pinburgh was well done.

I didn't know about Geek Gamer Weekly either, gotta check that one out. I'm a diehard Gameroom Junkies fan, but I like all the pinball shows. Even the Silverball talking about Motley Crue concerts for an hour.

There are enough interviews out there that Jeff and I haven't really felt a need to do any. I do like hearing them... on other shows. I like the idea of doing a Zaccaria retrospective, as I've been a little obsessed with them lately. Or doing more 'classic' pinball stuff at least. Our next table of the month will be a welcome change for classic pinball fans... Love the critical feedback though, thanks for adding us to your list.

In addition to pinball stuff, I never miss an episode of Player One Podcast and I listen to most of the Adam Carolla Podcast. He just cranks them out too fast! I'll listen for a few months, get tired of him repeating the same half dozen stories and then take a few months off. Same deal with Smodcast and Hollywood Babble-On. Roderick on the Line is a lot of fun, and always full of different topics. As a podcaster, the CAGCast is my biggest source of inspiration as far as flow and tone. Stuff You Should Know and Weird Worm are great depending on the topic. And The Todd Barry Podcast just started, but had a very solid first episode if you're into stand-up behind the scenes.

I have listened to every podcast episode from each mentioned.

I find Game Room Junkies the most entertaining. Good flow, voices, variety, and knowledge. They are not afraid to say they might not know something, rather than giving wrong information.

I have the sort of job where I have earbuds in my ears for about five hours a day, so I listen to all four of these podcasts and a lot of others. First off, if any of you read this (I know Don is) thank you each and every one of you. I am sure that it takes a ton of work, and planning, and editing, and time to make something purely because you are passionate about it. And you don't get paid for it, so I am not going to criticize your work. Its free and it entertains me every month, and that rules. I am not trying to flame the OP, his criticism was all constructive but I just dont see why when someone works hard for free and it is their own vision that anyone would want to say anything about how someone should run their show.

Hold on let me get on my soapbox, the reason that podcasts are so great in general is because in most cases they are kinda raw, organic and free flowing. Usually it is just one or a few peoples vision, its not diluted by producers and they dont have some committee giving them notes, its their vision and theirs alone.

I think all four podcasts mentioned are vastly different and that is the best thing of all. If they were all the same I would probably only listen to one, but because they are so different I listen to all four. I think if unlike me your time is limited and you dont have all the time in the world for podcasts, you should try them all and see which one you like best.

And I will agree with the OP there are certain segments on some shows I dont like, thats why Steve Jobs invented the fast foward button.

Since others are doing it, my favorite podcasts are: The best show on WFMU, Stop podcasting yourself, Judge John Hodgman, Comedy Bang Bang, How did this get made, WTF, and Jordan Jesse Go.

I like listening to all the pinball/gameroom podcasts. The more the better! It's great to discover one a little late, and then have 20, 30, or 40 podcasts to catch up on!

My favorite non-pinball podcasts are all on Kevin Smith's Smodco.com: Smodcast, Fatman on Batman, and Tell 'em Steve Dave (TESD).

Pinball needs a podcast more like TESD. These guys never seem to be talking to the audience. It's the most natural, uncensored, and entertaining podcast I've listened to. Ben Heck and Jason Jones come the closest to this type of format, but I don't think they've had a podcast in over a year (I could be wrong).

I'll admit, I've daydreamed about having my own podcast, and I'd love to just sit for an hour with someone and just talk about pinball. We wouldn't worry about the latest news, the latest products, the latest machine, interviews, contests, tech or restoration tips, special segments, or in the field recording. We would just go where the conversation takes us.

I listen to all of these as well (except soul) and agree with the OPs comments. I also agree with what others have said in that I'm really appreciative of all the guys who do this as it's hard work and takes a lot of time. So my criticisms are just 'constructive feedback' I hope, and ways that the shows could improve at least for me. But if they all stayed the same I'd still listen to them.

Spooky - Too much family stuff. Charlie is awesome and I'm sure he loves his family and likes to involve them, but it feels like it goes a bit too far sometimes. Almost like the podcast version of the partridge family or something. It could just be me, but I find it hard to listen to sometimes because of this. As others have mentioned, I try and skip past the EM segment. The information is interesting but the delivery is not enjoyable. The sound levels are often a bit all over the place too making the EM segment louder than all the others.

Pinball Podcast - It's a bit disjointed but I don't particularly mind that. I feel there's too much talk about pinball repair and not enough talk about, well, just pinball. I'm not really into the whole fix-it thing so again, this is a personal preference. But yeah, I'd like them to talk more about the games.

Game Room - The best flow and most entertaining of the bunch I think.

One thing that surprises me is that one of the biggest pinball events ever was held recently (Pinburgh) and neither Spooky nor Pinball Podcast talked about them! I found that really strange, especially when Spooky goes for 2 hours or so. As a relatively new pinball enthusiast I try and consume everything I can get my hands on so when a major event isn't discussed it seems odd.

As mentioned, great work by the guys and I love listening to every episode. If only they came out more than once (or less) a month!

Hey guys. Preston from the Gameroom Junkies Podcast here. Thanks for all the kind words. Glad to be at or near the top of some of your lists. If you've never listened to our podcast, I really recommend listening to some of the newer ones, as our early ones make me cringe. I realize that we may not be for everybody as we do try to have equal parts pins/vids/gameroom, but have been dipping into the pinball pool more lately (case-in-point: Episode 26 with my Pinburgh experience, interview with Josh Sharpe, etc: http://gameroomjunkies.com/index.php/2013/04/25/podcast-episode-26-pinball-fever-the-arcade-experience/ )

I really wish that we could produce episodes more quickly, but like others have said, it's just for fun and family and work come first. We try to get one out every month so check us out if you haven't yet. Thanks!

Thanks for the podcasts! Keep doing what you do!

Awesome feedback, guys! Don and I are always hoping to make the show better. I know our flow is a little funky, but that's mostly because I'm terrible at pre-planning things and I've been pretty lazy about post production.

I keep saying that it will get better in those regards, so it's time to suck it up and do it.

More feedback, be it positive or negative...it really helps.

Don't suck it up. Continue with no pre-planning. Like I mentioned in a previous post, two guys talking about pinball and letting the conversation go where is goes is best.

Thanks!

Agreed! A little preporation, like a basic outline of topics I believe would work well.....If you venture on a topic longer than anticipated that okay with a lot of us. I know I don't mind listening to a 2+ hour podcast.

I agree. I like the conversational nature, and I wouldn't change much about the show. I only wish episodes came more frequently!

I heard Don quote Adam Carolla an episode or two ago ("keep the pirate ship afloat"). Carolla never prepares for his show, so maybe Don's just following in his footsteps

FWIW, I really miss TOPcast...the interview with Python was ...well....interesting. Anyone know where to download them?
Doc

http://www.pinrepair.com/topcast/past.php

Sjsilver's guide to making a good pinball podcast:

1: Get to the point. The best podcasts jump right in. Short theme songs are sometimes welcome, but no one wants to listen to the full cut of your favorite song of the week. Spend no more than 2 sentences discussing what you are going to talk about on the show. I shouldn't have to skip ahead 15 minutes before I get to any actual content. The average commute in this country is about 30 minutes, so make the most of the attention of your audience.

2: Score good interviews if you can, and don't waste them. Yes, we can all get a little hero-worship-y with our favorite pinball designers, but spending half the interview just heaping praise on them is awkward and doesn't provide your audience with any new information. Ask good interesting questions, be respectful, and keep the hero worship to a minimum.

3: Be well prepared and avoid filler material. A strong half hour is worlds better than a weak hour and a half of content.

4: Seek out honest feedback. You'll find plenty of people who will just heap praise on you for even doing a podcast for a niche audience, but if something isn't working, try your hardest to find out what it is. Plenty of podcast have gone through lots of experimentation trying to find formats and segments that worked, but the ones that keep getting downloads are the ones who are able to listen to their audience and eliminate or tweak the things that aren't working.

My favorite pinball podcast was the later topcast podcasts where Clay conducted excellent interviews. He got right to the point, kept the hero-worship to a minimum, was well prepared, and every episode was super interesting and informative (assuming the "Special Guest" had interesting stuff to say). If the podcast is just a "2-3 people shooting the S#!t" format, it still is best to have it planned out and well executed rather than just a rambling mess of inside jokes, unless you are professional improv comedians, and even then it can go off the rails.

Keep the podcasts coming, keep experimenting, Keep breaking news and educating listeners, and above all, keep soliciting feedback to make your show the best it can be. Make us want to listen to you because you make a great podcast first and foremost, not solely because of the niche content.

-Love,

Sjsilver, podcast fan.

I think each podcast has a different flavor which makes them all great. I'm just starting to test the waters of repairing my own machines so Pinball Podcast is by far my favorite as it is focused a little more on the technical side. It is a bit off the cuff, but that's what makes podcasts great. If I wanted slick and over-produced I'd be listening to morning F.M. deejays.

Thanks for the kind words! Ben and I certainly enjoyed doing the show for all those years. Between his Internet show and my job it became more and more difficult to find a time to make it work so it has now pretty much gone by the wayside. We still try to do a Christmas show each year, but we missed out on that this past year too.

Glad you enjoyed the free flowing style of the show. In the early days we had a fair bit of structure, but eventually we realized we're at our best when we're just talking about whatever comes to mind.

I agree with you on TESD. That is the one podcast I still consistently listen to. Smodcast is up there too, but TESD is a notch above. I like it for the same reasons you do. Just a bunch of long time friends talking about whatever comes to mind and they just happen to let us listen in. And its always fun to listen to them give Ming shit too.

Preston--thanks to you both! I really enjoy your podcast. I listen during my 1 hour walk every day (yea right, every day). That interview with Josh Sharpe was really interesting! Keep up the good work!

Mike.

Preston and Patrick (Gameroom Junkies) are two of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. I feel privileged to have them as friends. If they would like to do a Metallica podcast for June or July, my gameroom and beer fridge will be ready.

As Preston said above, many thanks for the kind words and feedback. We really have a good time doing Gameroom Junkies...I wish we could do it full time like Leo from TWIT. If you have not already, you all should check out the roundtable episodes from ours, Spooky, and The Pinball Podcast. We did a joint recording and split the conversation between the 3 podcasts. It was quite the good time and I hope we can do it again (and add the smooth-as-butter voice tones of Pinball Soul to the mix!).
Play on!
Patrick

I never miss any of the pinball podcasts. I think they're all great, but Gameroom Junkies is the one I almost always listen to the same day it releases. Great content.

Thanks for starting this thread. It has exposed me to podcasts I haven't listened to yet. I have however listened to all of the spooky podcast and the pinball podcast. By far I like the pinball podcast best. The banter between the two hosts and the top five and featured machines, I really like. Spooky kills me with too much drunken interviews or drunken pinball playing. I'll take a listen to the others though too, thanks!

It's all based on what you like, and they all cater to different markets. I like my podcasts to have a lot of "in" jokes and things like that, and often times the content is secondary to are they just flat out entertaining me... and for me, Spooky in it's exact incarnation works.

Looking at the other podcasts that I listen to, I can stomach about two more "professional" ones, and I have about 10 more "fun", less professional ones that I have in my play rotation. I love pinball, but I don't need 10 podcasts on it. Silverball and Spooky are the two that I follow, and I used to follow the TOP Casts and the one that Lloyd sometimes sat in on too. TOPCast was enough "professional" style for me

Listen to what you enjoy, and if you don't love it, no one is forcing you to listen to it. My absolute favorite podcast that I've been listening to for nearly 8 years now spends at least half of the time talking about stuff that I don't have any care about, but it's so entertaining to me that I always listen to it first!

Dude! Seriously?

These are all good. Thanks to the producers. Gameroom Junkies have the best chemistry, but all are enjoyable for me.

If you are new to this hobby <2-3 years, go and get all the episodes of TOPcast. You can learn so much about the history of pinball and its creative talents going through these fantastic interviews.
Don't let the first few episodes turn you off. They were just learning with bad audio, format etc. once the format became interviews, it was awesome.

Marc has me beat, but mine is about 1:30 in the morning and 1:45 coming home (car + train + walk). It's either podcasts or lots of time alone with my own thoughts.

That's a long commute... I've got about 35 in 45 out. Not too bad, but a little shorter would be nice. I finished off my first (their most recent) episode of Gameroom Junkies on the way in today and really enjoyed it! I also watched the GGTV first Pinball show last night. I'll be checking out the second video tonight. That's some really good stuff.

I check every couple of days or so to see if Pinball Podcast has a new episode out, I'm looking forward to the next one.

Another note on the Adam Carolla Show, I watched a walkthrough of his studio at one point, and I'm almost positive he had a Harlem Globetrotters and Evel Kneivel.

Hi guys and girls. Josh Blood here from Pinball Soul. Yup, that's really my last name. Some of us are born lucky I guess.

I really wish Clay would come back and produce more episodes of Topcast. His interviews were the best. But did you see that he sort of returned to do commentary on Avengers LE Hulk Edition? (http://pinballsoul.com/pinball-ninja-avengers-le-hulk-review/)

I listen to all the pinball podcasts too, and I really like them all. For the well-rounded pinball fan, they all make unique contributions for our listening pleasure.

Regarding Spooky Pinball:
If I can be bold enough to take a guess, I think Spooky Pinball is in a transitional phase where Charlie is sort of trying to find exactly what he wants to do with the podcast. I first began to notice a difference when he introduced the EM and PinballStar segments that Starbase and RustyLizard mentioned. But it was most pronounced after he announced his new pinball company (which is an amazing venture!). Instead of telling us more about the day to day operation, accomplishments, setbacks, etc., he seems to be moving far away from the side of self-promotion. As I wrote on his Facebook page, I would love to hear him talk more about his new business. Through his podcast, I think Charlie has established himself as an honest person with a passion for pinball. No one would mind if he talked up his Spooky Pinball manufacturing business. It actually feels a little weird when he doesn't. We're rooting for your success Charlie!

I appreciate those of you that have listened to my Pinball Soul podcast and have taken the time to write about it here. I feel honored. I've actually gotten a lot of support for the podcast from people who've been around pinball a lot longer than me, and it's pretty incredible. I did 87 episodes of a reggae music podcast (http://www.rhythmupdate.com/) and didn't get the same amount of support so fast like I've received from the pinball community.

I could not do what the other pinball podcasters do, and that's freeflow talking about pinball. I need structure, which is why I write a ton of blog posts that I use for my podcast content.

As for my voice, I work at a small recording studio that produces audiobooks (most of them geared specifically for the blind via the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped) but I am not a reader. I work on the other side of the glass.

_{Post edited by The1JoshuaB : [url] codes not accepted to placed Avengers URL on its own}

Hey guys... thanks for the kind words, and the critique. I don't mind either!

Audio quality... ok, those early shows were HORRID! But I think we've gotten that a whole lot better. Doing Skype interviews is always sketchy... is what it is.

Honestly, I wish I had more time to polish and do a better job than what we do... the show really is just us being ourselves, and we hope entertaining in the process. I'm wearing a whole lot of hats these days, and it's not easy to keep the balance. I do the best I can.

For the record, I think Patrick and Preston do a fantastic job... Don and Jeff are great to listen to as well. Rob and Steve are two genuinely nice guys... love their show. Plenty of room for everyone out there in podcast land! It may sound hokey... but pinball is and should be pure fun. Plenty of other stuff in life to stress over.

Ok... back to work. I've only got about 5 billion things left to do today! Lol..

Have a great weekend everyone!

I also listen to them all and each show has something I really like. Spooky Pinballs live recorded antics during pinball chases, live at shows, the ball crawl, someones basement I also enjoy hearing Bryan Kelley's "pinball words of guidance and harmony" segment or whatever the hell its called.

I also like that Gameroom Junkies will discuss stuff more then just pinball since it is about the gameroom. I like the breakdown episodes and the fact that it covers real world prices on certain machines if a guy were to ever want to seek one out.

Pinball Podcasts top 5 of a given subject come up by the hosts and then discussed by each host is pretty neat to hear.

The one I really miss is The Silverball. I wish those guys had more free time to do these podcasts on a regular basis. Thier "It came from Ebay" segment is a good one and it seems they are afraid to joke around whether the tape is recording or not.

I also have to mention that the "Pinball Roundtable" series of shows all the podcasts got together and did for each of thier respective shows was one of the coolest shows I listened to and what a cool idea. Really enjoyed that.

Finally, I dont know if they are still up. But Lloyd used to co-host a pinball podcast called "Talk Pinball". It was more for the do it yourselfer and hands on guy that enjoyed to fix things on his own and what better person to help people fix thier games then Lloyd. It would be kind of neat to see Lloyd bring this podcast back again. Im pretty sure its the 1st pinball related podcast ever done. I still have the entire series saved on my Itunes. No dates on mine but I want to say they were back in 2007 or so.

If anyone has a link to these, would love to hear them.

One of the funniest TOPcast episodes was when Clay was interviewing some lady that did pinball art. Don't remember what episode # or her name for that matter... Anyway... Clay had all these questions for her and she would give 1 or 2 words answers at best. Didn't elaborate on anything she was asked. I felt so bad for Clay because you could tell he was really stuggleing trying to keep things flowing and just trying to get this woman to TALK, but at the same time I was cracking up laughing everytime she would give a 1 word answer. Towards the end of the interview I was almost in tears laughing so hard... And I've listened to the Python interview 3 times now! The best pinball interview of all time!!!

-Steve Ridge
Louisville, KY

#46 Margaret Hudson. That was painful I remember thinking the same thing!

Python mentioned the Ayn Rand novel The Fountainhead so many times, I actually read it AND watched the film starring Gary Cooper! When he was talking in the interview, it didn't make a lot of sense, but after reading the book and watching the movie, I fully understand the point he was trying to make.

Another funny one was with voice actor Fred Young #59. Fred kept asking Clay if he wanted to hear certain impersonations, and Clay would say yes, but Fred would keep asking like he wanted Clay to beg with enthusiasum:

"You want to hear Homer Simpson?"
"Sure."
"You really want to hear Homer?"
"Yes."
"Yeah, you want to hear Homer, don't ya. Ok, I'll show you Homer. You really want to hear him?"
"Yes."

I agree with the concensus on most of these podcasts. Really like the newest addition of Pinball Soul, esp. his links that give more detail for specific topics. (new content posted today!! ) I did a quick search and found this link for Lloyd's contributions from 2007 here: http://podgallery.org/talk-pinball/
When I'm restoring a game I love to listen, in fact went thru all the Topcasts some twice during the last few winters. Clay continues to give us new content, just as the Ninja. Keep up the great shows guys. I really think there is a resurgence of interest in Pinball with all the new game companies, exposure in the media and increased attendance at shows and tournaments!! Oh yea, really miss the Silverball, please bring it back!!

http://pinballmagic.com/talkpinball/download.php?list.5