Hi-Def Lo-Down Pod'cassette!
Donation protected
Howdy friends and strangers!
For those of you who don't know me, I am Westen Borghesi. I have been involved in the Austin artistic community throughout various avenues for the past 19 years. I was the co-founder of multi-award winning band, White Ghost Shivers; and also founded/co-founded popular all vinyl DJ dance nights, Second Sunday Sock Hop and Cold Lampin'. Not to mention multiple other bands in Austin and New Orleans, DJ events, sound design projects, theater and many other artistic endeavors. Now that we have that out of the way...
THIS SO CALLED IDEA THAT I HAVE...
Some of you know about the "podcast" that I've been scheming up the last couple of years, but most of you do not. Regardless, I need your undying help!
Now, when I say "podcast", that's not necessarily accurate. I use this word because it is the term most of us are familiar with nowadays, but for accuracy reasons, let's call this a podcassette, or, pod'cassette.
This is where you exclaim, "WTF"! But oh no, this is where it gets interesting - cause let's face it, everyone is doing a podcast - however, not everyone is doing a cassette only pod'cassette!
"Ridiculous", you say! Perhaps, but you have to admit, it's creative and different, right?
"Who has a tape player anymore"? Well that may be true, but they do make tape players of all sizes again with USB and bluetooth capabilities - and not only that, but I have a plan. We'll get back to this plan later, but first, let's talk about my history with music and making mixtapes...
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS...
Back in the early 1980's when I was about 4 years old, my mother got me one of those portable hand held tape recorders and a handful of cassette tapes to listen to. A couple of old time radio shows, Beach Boys, Elvis and Bach were amongst that first pile of tapes - those tapes kickstarted my lifelong obsession with music collecting, playing and research. Soon after I began to collect vinyl (bought a new record every Saturday from ages 7-12) and every weekend, born out of boredom, I would create radio shows on cassette tapes that were influenced by the likes of Casey Kasem and Charlie Kendall (Metal Shop).
Rock 'n Roll Mix Tape Kid ca. '88 Photo Cred: Mom
Now, over 30 years later, I'm going back to my roots! That's right, I will create podcasts on cassette only that will feature a ridiculously diverse amount of different genres and time periods. Shows will not only focus on a specific genre or time period but also specific artists or groups, themes, instruments and other interesting themes. Here are just a few of the different genres I'll be playing with - and believe me when I say this is only a small handful of ideas that I am cooking up, I literally already have over 120 different shows lined up and waiting and am still thinking of new ideas all of the time!...
- Golden Era Hip Hop (Gangsta, Conscience, Miami/Booty Bass,
Female Rappers, East/West Coast, R&B/New Jack Swing)
- Pre War 1920's/30's Jazz (Hot Jazz, Dance Bands, Sweet Bands, New
Orleans Bands, Impressive Arrangements, Tenor Banjoists, Creole)
- Power Pop (70's/80's Power Pop, Punk Side Of Things, Poppy Side Of
Things, Australian Power Pop, UK Power Pop, 90's Power Pop)
- Jamaican Music (Late 50's/early 60's R&B, 1st Wave Ska, Rocksteady,
Vocalists, Instrumentals)
For those of you who don't know me, I am Westen Borghesi. I have been involved in the Austin artistic community throughout various avenues for the past 19 years. I was the co-founder of multi-award winning band, White Ghost Shivers; and also founded/co-founded popular all vinyl DJ dance nights, Second Sunday Sock Hop and Cold Lampin'. Not to mention multiple other bands in Austin and New Orleans, DJ events, sound design projects, theater and many other artistic endeavors. Now that we have that out of the way...
THIS SO CALLED IDEA THAT I HAVE...
Some of you know about the "podcast" that I've been scheming up the last couple of years, but most of you do not. Regardless, I need your undying help!
Now, when I say "podcast", that's not necessarily accurate. I use this word because it is the term most of us are familiar with nowadays, but for accuracy reasons, let's call this a podcassette, or, pod'cassette.
This is where you exclaim, "WTF"! But oh no, this is where it gets interesting - cause let's face it, everyone is doing a podcast - however, not everyone is doing a cassette only pod'cassette!
"Ridiculous", you say! Perhaps, but you have to admit, it's creative and different, right?
"Who has a tape player anymore"? Well that may be true, but they do make tape players of all sizes again with USB and bluetooth capabilities - and not only that, but I have a plan. We'll get back to this plan later, but first, let's talk about my history with music and making mixtapes...
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS...
Back in the early 1980's when I was about 4 years old, my mother got me one of those portable hand held tape recorders and a handful of cassette tapes to listen to. A couple of old time radio shows, Beach Boys, Elvis and Bach were amongst that first pile of tapes - those tapes kickstarted my lifelong obsession with music collecting, playing and research. Soon after I began to collect vinyl (bought a new record every Saturday from ages 7-12) and every weekend, born out of boredom, I would create radio shows on cassette tapes that were influenced by the likes of Casey Kasem and Charlie Kendall (Metal Shop).
Rock 'n Roll Mix Tape Kid ca. '88 Photo Cred: MomNow, over 30 years later, I'm going back to my roots! That's right, I will create podcasts on cassette only that will feature a ridiculously diverse amount of different genres and time periods. Shows will not only focus on a specific genre or time period but also specific artists or groups, themes, instruments and other interesting themes. Here are just a few of the different genres I'll be playing with - and believe me when I say this is only a small handful of ideas that I am cooking up, I literally already have over 120 different shows lined up and waiting and am still thinking of new ideas all of the time!...
- Golden Era Hip Hop (Gangsta, Conscience, Miami/Booty Bass,
Female Rappers, East/West Coast, R&B/New Jack Swing)
- Pre War 1920's/30's Jazz (Hot Jazz, Dance Bands, Sweet Bands, New
Orleans Bands, Impressive Arrangements, Tenor Banjoists, Creole)
- Power Pop (70's/80's Power Pop, Punk Side Of Things, Poppy Side Of
Things, Australian Power Pop, UK Power Pop, 90's Power Pop)
- Jamaican Music (Late 50's/early 60's R&B, 1st Wave Ska, Rocksteady,
Vocalists, Instrumentals)
- West Indian/Caribbean Music (Early Calypso 1910's-1940's, 50's-
60's Calypso, 1930's Martinique in Paris, Early Cuban Music, Early
Puerto Rican Music, Early Haitian Music, Compositions of Lionel
Belasco, Recordings of Cyril Monrose, Recordings of Gerald Clark)
- Pre War Blues (Delta/Country, Piedmont/Ragtime, Jug Band Era,
String Band Blues, Memphis Sound, Female Blues Shouters, Hokum
Blues, Memphis Jug Band: The World's First Dangerous Crew)
- Various Pre War (Blue Blowing: Kazoos & Combs, Ukulele, Mandolin,
Tenor Banjo)
- Punk (East/West Coast, Rock 'n Roll, Skate Punk, Ramones-esque,
Hardcore)
- Metal (Early Metal, Early European Metal, Classic Metal, Thrash,
Buttrock/Power Metal)
- Other various genres include: Doo Wop, Girl Groups, New Orleans
R&B, Pre War Country, Western Swing, Pre War Hawaiian, Pre War
Parisian Musette, 40's-60's R&B, 60's Garage Punk, 50's/60's Lounge
& Exotica, Classical/Choral, and so much more!
WHY?
In the last few years I've spent a lot of time moving on from the various personal, professional and creative projects that I've been doing for years (some for over 16 years) in order to create space for new experiences and projects that will make me happy and excited about new paths in life. As much as I am a creature of habit, I also welcome change with open arms and believe it is essential for overall happiness. In recent times I have found myself going back and doing things that I did as a child and finding that these rediscoveries are making me as happy as a kid on summer break, again! Making mix tape pod'cassettes fall into this category, and I want you to join in the fun with me!
Still playing with records and wearing headphones after all of these years! Photo cred: Andrea McArdle
WHAT I AM DOING AND WHAT YOU WILL GET OUT OF THIS...
Glad you asked! Basically, I'll be recording an hour(ish) long show once a month, just like a normal podcast - except that it will be on cassette only! The reason I'm putting it on cassette is because again, it takes me back to my childhood, makes it more of a fun process for me, makes it special and underground for the listeners, and is creative and unique compared to the thousands of podcasts already out there.
Now, recently, Go Fund Me took away the option of rewarding donors, however, if you would like a brand new cassette player with USB and/or Bluetooth capability delivered straight to your door, then all you will need to do is donate to my Patreon account, where the donors are rewarded based on their donations. Donating to my Go Fund Me will help me put the wheels in motion for this ongoing project, to whereas Patreon will be your opportunity to help me thrive as an artist on a monthly basis (and get yourself a cassette player delivered to you). And remember this - when you donate to my Patreon, you will not only be donating to me, the podcassette'r, but you will be donating to the musician, DJ, and overall artist (It's tough living in ATX as an artist nowadays). Just think, you will be able to listen to my shows on a cassette player or stream it through a speaker of your choice just like a normal podcast! Not to mention, you will be issued a receipt as well so you will be able to return your tape player for any reason. (But let's get back to this particular campaign)...
The shows themselves will be packed with historical facts and gossip, personal stories of my relationship with the music and musicians, and of course a wonderfully eclectic array of music. Often times the music will be obscure but not limited to obscurity alone. I promise you will learn a lot and most importantly, enjoy and discover music that may be classic or new to you!
WHERE YOUR $$$ WILL GO....
If I were doing just a regular ol' boring podcast, there wouldn't be nearly as much overhead, but because it is on cassette, it hikes up the budget a bit. Here is a list of things I need to pay for in order to get this off the ground...
- The actual physical manufacturing of the cassettes (the first 5
episodes). This is where the majority of funds will go.
- The artwork for the logo, cassette packaging, and promo items.
- Cassette mailers and postage.
- Videography and photography (gotta pay my fellow artist homies).
- Promo stuff (stickers, posters, etc for tier rewards and general
purchase.
- Super sweet launch party!
- Also taking the 2.9% processing fee plus $0.30 per donation from
GFM into consideration.
Granted, I am rounding up a bit on all of these categories due to unforeseen costs (it's better safe than sorry). Please believe that any extra money raised will go to good use! Although I'd be happy to pay for the first 5 episodes, it would be incredible if I ended up being able to pay for the first 10 episodes, or spend some money on promotional services, or things that will help take this project to the next level. So please consider this when donating.
WHY THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO ME...
I am a creative person who hit a creative wall a few years ago, and so when this happened, I made additional life changes with hopes that it would create creative space for myself and bring fresh ideas and inspiration to the table. Well, it worked!
Although I have been a professional musician and DJ for almost 20 years, listening to and researching the historical side of music is truly where my love for music lies. My obsession with researching the historical side of music led to a deeper appreciation for anthropology and ancient history, and I am now eager to see how this project will act as another stepping stone in personal growth, knowledge, and professional and artistic enhancement.
MY GRATITUDE...
...Simply cannot be explained with proper merit here as I write these words, but I will surely do my best to show proper thanks to all of those who donate their time and money. You will be donating not only to the arts and my personal happiness, but you will be assisting me in spreading the joy of music, storytelling, knowledge and appreciation for artistry long gone.
HOW YOU CAN HELP...
Campaigns such as these not only depend on kind donations, but the help of spreading the word. Whether you make a donation or not, your sharing of this project will move mountains for me and my endeavors. Facebook, Instagram, email, word of mouth, whatever you can think of- will help this reach others who appreciate podcasts, music and the arts -even if they don't know who I am! But if you do know who I am, please consider the years of hard work and creativity that you have witnessed me give to my Austin community and beyond. Please help me continue my journey and passions for life, love and music!
With gratitude,
Westen Borghesi
60's Calypso, 1930's Martinique in Paris, Early Cuban Music, Early
Puerto Rican Music, Early Haitian Music, Compositions of Lionel
Belasco, Recordings of Cyril Monrose, Recordings of Gerald Clark)
- Pre War Blues (Delta/Country, Piedmont/Ragtime, Jug Band Era,
String Band Blues, Memphis Sound, Female Blues Shouters, Hokum
Blues, Memphis Jug Band: The World's First Dangerous Crew)
- Various Pre War (Blue Blowing: Kazoos & Combs, Ukulele, Mandolin,
Tenor Banjo)
- Punk (East/West Coast, Rock 'n Roll, Skate Punk, Ramones-esque,
Hardcore)
- Metal (Early Metal, Early European Metal, Classic Metal, Thrash,
Buttrock/Power Metal)
- Other various genres include: Doo Wop, Girl Groups, New Orleans
R&B, Pre War Country, Western Swing, Pre War Hawaiian, Pre War
Parisian Musette, 40's-60's R&B, 60's Garage Punk, 50's/60's Lounge
& Exotica, Classical/Choral, and so much more!
WHY?
In the last few years I've spent a lot of time moving on from the various personal, professional and creative projects that I've been doing for years (some for over 16 years) in order to create space for new experiences and projects that will make me happy and excited about new paths in life. As much as I am a creature of habit, I also welcome change with open arms and believe it is essential for overall happiness. In recent times I have found myself going back and doing things that I did as a child and finding that these rediscoveries are making me as happy as a kid on summer break, again! Making mix tape pod'cassettes fall into this category, and I want you to join in the fun with me!
Still playing with records and wearing headphones after all of these years! Photo cred: Andrea McArdleWHAT I AM DOING AND WHAT YOU WILL GET OUT OF THIS...
Glad you asked! Basically, I'll be recording an hour(ish) long show once a month, just like a normal podcast - except that it will be on cassette only! The reason I'm putting it on cassette is because again, it takes me back to my childhood, makes it more of a fun process for me, makes it special and underground for the listeners, and is creative and unique compared to the thousands of podcasts already out there.
Now, recently, Go Fund Me took away the option of rewarding donors, however, if you would like a brand new cassette player with USB and/or Bluetooth capability delivered straight to your door, then all you will need to do is donate to my Patreon account, where the donors are rewarded based on their donations. Donating to my Go Fund Me will help me put the wheels in motion for this ongoing project, to whereas Patreon will be your opportunity to help me thrive as an artist on a monthly basis (and get yourself a cassette player delivered to you). And remember this - when you donate to my Patreon, you will not only be donating to me, the podcassette'r, but you will be donating to the musician, DJ, and overall artist (It's tough living in ATX as an artist nowadays). Just think, you will be able to listen to my shows on a cassette player or stream it through a speaker of your choice just like a normal podcast! Not to mention, you will be issued a receipt as well so you will be able to return your tape player for any reason. (But let's get back to this particular campaign)...
The shows themselves will be packed with historical facts and gossip, personal stories of my relationship with the music and musicians, and of course a wonderfully eclectic array of music. Often times the music will be obscure but not limited to obscurity alone. I promise you will learn a lot and most importantly, enjoy and discover music that may be classic or new to you!
WHERE YOUR $$$ WILL GO....
If I were doing just a regular ol' boring podcast, there wouldn't be nearly as much overhead, but because it is on cassette, it hikes up the budget a bit. Here is a list of things I need to pay for in order to get this off the ground...
- The actual physical manufacturing of the cassettes (the first 5
episodes). This is where the majority of funds will go.
- The artwork for the logo, cassette packaging, and promo items.
- Cassette mailers and postage.
- Videography and photography (gotta pay my fellow artist homies).
- Promo stuff (stickers, posters, etc for tier rewards and general
purchase.
- Super sweet launch party!
- Also taking the 2.9% processing fee plus $0.30 per donation from
GFM into consideration.
Granted, I am rounding up a bit on all of these categories due to unforeseen costs (it's better safe than sorry). Please believe that any extra money raised will go to good use! Although I'd be happy to pay for the first 5 episodes, it would be incredible if I ended up being able to pay for the first 10 episodes, or spend some money on promotional services, or things that will help take this project to the next level. So please consider this when donating.
WHY THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO ME...
I am a creative person who hit a creative wall a few years ago, and so when this happened, I made additional life changes with hopes that it would create creative space for myself and bring fresh ideas and inspiration to the table. Well, it worked!
Although I have been a professional musician and DJ for almost 20 years, listening to and researching the historical side of music is truly where my love for music lies. My obsession with researching the historical side of music led to a deeper appreciation for anthropology and ancient history, and I am now eager to see how this project will act as another stepping stone in personal growth, knowledge, and professional and artistic enhancement.
MY GRATITUDE...
...Simply cannot be explained with proper merit here as I write these words, but I will surely do my best to show proper thanks to all of those who donate their time and money. You will be donating not only to the arts and my personal happiness, but you will be assisting me in spreading the joy of music, storytelling, knowledge and appreciation for artistry long gone.
HOW YOU CAN HELP...
Campaigns such as these not only depend on kind donations, but the help of spreading the word. Whether you make a donation or not, your sharing of this project will move mountains for me and my endeavors. Facebook, Instagram, email, word of mouth, whatever you can think of- will help this reach others who appreciate podcasts, music and the arts -even if they don't know who I am! But if you do know who I am, please consider the years of hard work and creativity that you have witnessed me give to my Austin community and beyond. Please help me continue my journey and passions for life, love and music!
With gratitude,
Westen Borghesi
Organizer
Westen Borghesi
Organizer
Austin, TX