New series hosted by Doug Herzog and Jen Chaney will feature an initial slate of guests including Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Schumer, Fab Five Freddy, Cindy Crawford, Tim Gunn, Neal Brennan and more
Episodes will also air weekly on SiriusXM’s Volume channel beginning this Spring
NEW YORK - March 22, 2022 - SiriusXM announced today the upcoming launch of Basic!, an original SXM Podcast series, produced in conjunction with Pantheon Media. Hosted by media veteran Doug Herzog and TV critic Jen Chaney, Basic! explores the glory days of cable television, celebrating an era in pop culture when networks like MTV, Comedy Central, FX and ESPN changed the television landscape with groundbreaking, innovative programming.
The show will revisit cable's low-budget, quirky beginnings all the way up to the Emmy Award- winning premium dramas of the modern era. Basic! will feature interviews with the stars, key players and creative visionaries that helped make cable TV the most important utility in any American home. The podcast will also zero in on unforgettable milestone moments in basic cable history, from Live-Aid to the Monday Night Wrestling Wars, from CNN’s game-changing 24-hour news coverage to the birth of reality TV.
Herzog and Chaney will anchor the conversations in this new podcast, creating an oral history as they go along. In each episode they will be joined by guests who thrived and starred on cable TV including Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Schumer, Fab Five Freddy, Cindy Crawford, Neal Brennan, Tim Gunn and many more. From the 80s to the present day, Basic! takes a closer look at the influence and impact that cable had on pop culture over the last 40 years.
“As a career cable weasel, I’m thrilled to bring the secret history of basic cable to ears everywhere,” said Doug Herzog. “It never had the same respect of network television, HBO or even the streamers who threatened to make it obsolete. But with a chip on its shoulder, it managed to change the TV landscape forever.”
“With streaming options proliferating by the minute — seriously, two new platforms were launched in the time it took me to say the beginning of this sentence — it seems like a perfect time to revisit the early years of basic cable and track its evolution and impact on the TV we watch today,” said Jen Chaney. “This podcast will be fun, conversational and, hopefully, educational. With Basic! in the world, hopefully no child will ever have to wonder again who Beavis or Butthead was.”
Beginning May 18, the Basic! podcast will be available on Stitcher, SiriusXM’s mobile app, Pandora, and all major podcast listening platforms. Episodes of Basic! will also begin airing on SiriusXM’s Volume (channel 106) this spring. Doug Herzog is the former president of Viacom Music and Entertainment group where he oversaw MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, TVLand, Spike and Logo, among other cable channels. Jen Chaney is a TV Critic for New York Magazine and Vulture. She is also an author and journalist who writes about movies, television and pop culture, and has written for numerous publications including The Washington Post, New York Times, Esquire and Salon.
SiriusXM is available to subscribers in their car, on their phone and connected devices at home with the SXM App. Streaming access is included for most subscribers. Go to www.siriusxm.com/ways-to-listen to learn more.
Nov. 4, 2021
Pantheon Podcasters Upgrade To Professional Sound With AKG Podcaster Essentials Audio Production Toolkit
SAN FRANCISCO—Podcasters on the Pantheon network are using the AKG Podcaster Essentials bundle to great effect, enjoying improved sound and ease of use from the AKG Lyra USB microphone and K371 headphones.
Pantheon Podcasts is a network of more than 70 music-focused shows, running the gamut from casual music exploration to history, production, banjo culture and much more. Pantheon founder and CEO Christian Swain is also the host of Rock N Roll Archaeology, a chronological, episodic podcast that tells the story of how the music of the late 20th century intersected with the changing culture of the times to create what is now one of the greatest moments in music history. According to Swain, the AKG Podcaster Essentials toolkit makes it possible for less-experienced hosts achieve professional sound easily and lends a cohesive sound to the network’s many shows.
Lyra is an ultra-HD multimode USB microphone that combines legendary AKG engineering for superior sound quality with a sleek design and integrated desktop stand that makes it quick and easy to set up and use. To complement the microphone, the Podcaster Essentials bundle includes a pair of AKG K371 headphones. Sporting a closed-back, over-ear design and premium AKG drivers, K371 headphones offer transparent sound with extended frequency response and excellent isolation from external noises. The bundle also comes with a copy of Ableton Live 10 Lite software for streamlined recording and editing.
“We pride ourselves on providing audiences with quality content coupled with quality audio,” said Swain. “We choose our music-related podcasts for their quality content, but not all come with the quality audio we expect. Having the ability to quickly and inexpensively supply these shows with the AKG Podcaster Essentials kit is an excellent way to solve this problem when it arises. It also allows us to have a somewhat uniform raw audio signal for editing and enhancing the content when needed. We used to shy away from USB microphones, preferring a more traditional external XLR interface, but the AKG Lyra meets our needs and offers a cost savings. We have been very happy with the results and our hosts using this package are extremely happy to be able to up their audio quality!”
Corey O’Flanagan of the Songfacts Podcast
Corey O’Flanagan’s Songfacts Podcast is an offshoot of the popular website Songfacts.com, a compendium of information on all things music. On the podcast, O’Flanagan speaks with songwriters, musicians and music journalists, discussing classic songs and exposing the audience to new music. According to O’Flanagan, the AKG Lyra compared favorably to other USB microphones as well as professional XLR microphones.
“When I first started out, I ordered a $40 USB mic from Amazon,” said O’Flanagan. “Then, when we got a little more serious, I bought one of the more well-known USB mics and used that for a while. When I got the Lyra, I couldn't quite figure out how it was so much better—it just is. I have a lot of experience with microphones from recording music, and I've used some really high-end condenser microphones. I have a $400-500 microphone that's sitting in storage right now, but I haven't had to use it because I've got this. Lyra gives me a good studio sound.”
Daniel Cohen of Ready to Record
Daniel “The D3” Cohen is a musician, producer and recording engineer based in San Francisco. On his Ready to Record podcast, Cohen interviews veteran recording engineers, reviews gear and shares music he’s working on. Cohen praised Lyra’s ease of use and broadcast-ready sound, but as a musician and engineer, he especially appreciated Lyra’s versatile pickup patterns and stereo recording capabilities.
“It's very easy to work with when it comes to setting up,” said Cohen. “I thoroughly enjoy the desktop stand as an on-the-go tool if I need to do quick voiceovers and things like that. As far as the sound, compared to other microphones in its price point, I think it blows a lot of them out of the water. Feature-wise, my favorite is the multi-pattern recording capability and the fact that you can use it as a stereo array, which I’ve used to record stereo drums and acoustic guitar. That's a very powerful thing that not a lot of other USB microphones out there do. I see a lot of different applications for this microphone.”
Quentin Self of No Filler
Quentin Self and his twin brother Travis host No Filler, a podcast dedicated to highlighting the overlooked “hidden gems” on popular albums. In each episode, the hosts dissect a well-known record, delving into the merits of the lesser-known songs between the hits. Quentin recommends the AKG Podcaster Essentials bundle for its sound quality, ease of use and great value.
“I think the mic sounds amazing, and I really like the design of it,” said Quentin. “I like that it's got the headphone output so I can monitor my vocals without having to use Ableton's monitoring, and having the volume knob right on the mic is really convenient as well. And the headphones are unbelievable—I can wear them for 12 hours and they don’t hurt my ears at all. It's a no-brainer for podcasters to get this Podcaster Essentials kit. With these headphones and this mic, the price is just too good to pass up, and it also comes with the Lite version of Ableton, which is really cool. I absolutely recommend it.”
Nate Wilcox of Let it Roll
Hosted by Nate Wilcox, Let It Roll explores the history of American popular music with a focus on the social, technological and business forces that influence culture. The show’s first season comprises a series of in-depth interviews with music historian Ed Ward, author of The History of Rock and Roll, Volume 1: 1920–1963. Other guests include Robert Gordon, Paul Trynka, Peter Doggett, Elijah Wald and others. Upon upgrading to Lyra from another popular USB microphone, Wilcox noticed a significant increase in sensitivity.
“It sounded really good,” said Wilcox. “It was a huge improvement over the mic I was using before, so much so that I had to minimize my ambient sound. I'm pretty low-tech, so I liked that I could just turn it on and record. I also love the headphones; they're comfortable and they sound good.”
Matthew Szczepanski of Audio Judo
Co-hosted by Matthew Szczepanski, Audio Judo aims to expose listeners to great music—new and old alike—while digging into the history of bands and albums. Recently, show consultant Chris Delisle began hosting a limited series of jazz-focused podcasts called Audio Judo Does Jazz. Because Delisle lives in a different part of the country than the other hosts and did not have prior experience with audio equipment, Szczepanski sent him the AKG Podcaster Essentials bundle, which helped him deliver high-quality audio with minimal setup and technical knowledge.
“Even though he had no experience, he was able to just plug and play with the mic and headphones and get started right away,” said Szczepanski. “That was one of the big benefits—it’s very simple to use and he doesn't have to overthink it. The difference in sound quality between the Lyra and what we use—what I would consider high-end production equipment—is kind of indistinguishable. It sounds really, really good. It's definitely a warmer sound than I anticipated. It's a great product.”
Oct. 4, 2021
The Who's Roger Daltrey Introduces "The Real Me" Podcast From Pantheon and Teen Cancer America
Cancer Patients Work with Superstar Benny Blanco and Others in “Play it Back” Songwriting Program
LOS ANGELES (Oct. 4, 2021) – “The Real Me,” a new production from Pantheon Podcasts premiering Tuesday, Oct. 5, follows the emotionally powerful stories of young songwriters and performers with cancer who found hope, healing and connection through music.
Presented by Teen Cancer America (TCA), the national non-profit founded by Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who, “The Real Me” highlights the moving experiences of cancer patients in TCA’s Play It Back program, which matches them with music professionals to write, perform and record fully produced studio versions of their original songs.
“Music is in the DNA of our charity,” said Daltrey, whose familiar voice opens and closes each podcast episode. “Its therapeutic benefit to young people going through cancer is indisputable.”
Based in Los Angeles, TCA funds and develops specialized facilities and services for adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients. The Play it Back program has attracted the participation of Grammy award-winning pop group Portugal. The Man and five-time BMI Songwriter of the Year, Benny Blanco, whose collaborations include hits written and produced with Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Rhianna, Maroon 5, Halsey, Katy Perry, Kanye West, The Weeknd, Selena Gomez and others.
“The Real Me,” named for The Who’s 1974 hit song, is hosted by singer/songwriter Erin Alden and produced by Pantheon’s Christian Swain. Songwriter, performer and producer Kenli Mattus, music director for Play it Back, is featured on air helping each artist share their inspiring story.
“Pantheon Podcasts is very excited to be working with Teen Cancer America to fulfill the vision of Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend,” said Swain. “’The Real Me’ podcast achieves a balance that makes these authentic stories so powerful – full of joy, sometimes sad, but always uplifting as we hear these young people find their wings and fly. It’s a privilege to share the journey with them.”
The debut episode features Juan Carlos “JC” Razuri, a Los Angeles native who was diagnosed with lymphoma while in high school. An active musician, JC was looking forward to pursuing music in college when life as he knew it suddenly changed. Through Play it Back, music helped him persevere during treatment. He recalls his first “a-ha” moment working on a song with Mattus, inspired while improvising on a violin, feeling the exhilaration of the creative process.
“It is extraordinary to hear these first-person accounts and to understand how important a program like Play it Back is to a young person facing a life-threatening situation,” said Simon Davies, Executive Director of Teen Cancer America. “We’re extremely grateful to the artists who donate their time and passion for music to the program.”
May 6, 2020
Pantheon Podcasts Releases the First HD Podcast
"Rock N Roll Archaeology" is Now Streaming in Full Lossless, High-Resolution Audio
SAN FRANCISCO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pantheon Podcasts, the podcast network for music fans with over 40 shows, has delivered the first podcast available to be streamed in lossless, full resolution audio. The HD Podcast platform's first show, Rock N Roll Archaeology is available now on Pantheon. The HD Podcast player will play the highest quality audio the listener's device and network conditions will support.
Pantheon has developed the HD Podcast platform with the same team that has created the Xstream high-resolution streaming service for the Neil Young Archives, where listeners have access to Neil Young's deep catalog in the original high-quality sound, as it was intended to be heard.
Neil Young noted, "I'm very happy to see Pantheon delivering its music-centric podcasts in high res. That's good for music! Like my own site, www.neilyoungarchives.com, Pantheon is in the forefront, delivering highest quality audio. Music sounds great in hi res! Thanks Pantheon Podcasts! You are changing music."
The average American is consuming 5% less music than they were 5 years ago in streaming and consuming 20% more spoken word content like podcasts, according to Edison Research. This provides a new opportunity for artists and musicians to directly engage fans in the podcast format, while maintaining high-quality audio through HD Podcasting.
"We are extremely proud to disrupt the podcast space and deliver the best listening experience in the original high-quality format the podcaster recorded in with our HD Podcast platform. This is a win-win for the podcaster and the listener." says Christian Swain, CEO of Pantheon Podcasts and host of Rock N Roll Archaeology. "Streaming audio needs to move on from the 25-year-old technology of the lossy MP3 and give consumers a more rich, dynamic listening experience. Audio streaming must follow the direction of TV two decades ago. Moving from cathode-ray tube sets, to LCD flat screens, into HDTV, to 4K and now 8K. Rock N Roll Archaeology is just the beginning of HD Podcasting. As more podcasters use the studio to its full potential, the need for lossless, dynamic audio resolution becomes paramount to delivering these high-quality productions into the earbuds of the listener."