Shows
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieTHE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL with Bruce Vilanch (Part 2)OMG OMG OMG Bruce Vilanch! Okay, now that that is out of the way... Part two of the Monday Afternoon Movie holiday special has arrived, and it has brought with it not frankincense and myrrh, but definitely two wise men in Sam Pancake and THE legendary Bruce Vilanch. We just had to include him in any conversation revolving around the Star Wars holiday special as he was one of the writers of this "timeless" classic. 😉 Bruce also touches on some of the other greatest hits of his career, such as Mahogany, The Paul Lynde Halloween Special, and a p...
2024-01-0153 min
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieTHE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL with Tom Ford (Part 1)It wouldn't quite feel like the holidays without a Monday Afternoon Movie holiday special. For that special, why not cover the infamous pinnacle of all holiday variety shows, The Star Wars Holiday Special?! The whole crew is begrudgingly and contractually back to bring a truly forgettable viewing experience to your late 1970's television sets. Mark Hamill is here as Luke Skywalker, Harrison Ford is back as Han Solo, and everyone's favorite space Mom Carrie Fisher is back as Princess Leia Organa. Unfortunately, they are not the main characters in any way. That title would belong to Lumpy & Itchy, the...
2023-12-2655 min
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieMAZES AND MONSTERS with Meika Grimm (Part 2)Time to drop back into the satanic panic of 1982 with the second half of the Tom Hanks led TV film Mazes and Monsters, also starring Wendy Crewson and Chris Makepeace. Joining Sam again is TableCakes own Meika Grimm, editor of this very podcast. She has also edited a number of our sister podcasts, including Smart Mouth. She is an L.A. based digital creator, musician, and audio/video engineer. We return to the story with our lead Robbie experiencing vivid dreams of his missing brother Hall. After increasingly concerning behavior, including staying in character even w...
2023-10-231h 31
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieTHE STRANGER WITHIN with Laraine NewmanBarbara Eden stars in this 1974 ABC Movie of the Week, which puts a sci-fi twist on the “Help! There’s something in my womb!”-subgenre of horror flick made in the style of Rosemary’s Baby. To clump discuss this schlocky goodness, Sam is joined by founding SNL cast member Laraine Newman, who is a delight. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Laraine Newman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/larainenewman Out official website: https://mondayafternoonmovie.com On Facebook: https://facebook.com/mondayafternoonmovie On Twitt...
2021-10-121h 40
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieDEATH CRUISE with Natalie LanderThe ABC Movie of the Week for the week of October 30, 1974, DEATH CRUISE delivers exactly what that title promises: death, several times over, happening specifically on a cruise ship. The film stars patron saint of this podcast, Kate Jackson, alongside Richard Long, Tom Bosley and Polly Bergen, and on hand to discuss it is actress Natalie Lander — a delight in her own right but also the granddaughter of one of the actors playing these unlucky cruisegoers. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Na...
2021-10-041h 53
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieTHE STRANGE AND DEADLY OCCURRENCE with Stacey YvonneThe only thing better than Robert Stack teaming up with Vera Miles is Sam Pancake teaming up with returning guest Stacey Yvonne to discuss 1974’s THE STRANGE AND DEADLY OCCURRENCE, about a family moving into a new home to discover that someone — or something — would rather they hadn’t. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Check out Stacey’s podcast work: https://www.patreon.com/bhadpodcast and https://twitter.com/bhadpodcast Out official website: https://mondayafternoonmovie.com On Facebook: https://facebook.com/mondayafte...
2021-08-311h 58
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastMy 16-Bit Horror MovieThis year, I tried to pick tracks that sound like they could be from a horror movie — and not just any horror movie, but a solid B horror flick, watched on VHS, with a synthy score that’s way better that it should be given the quality of the movie. There is also an "all music, no talk" version of this episode up on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/43338773 BTW, if you dig this, then check out VGM101’s 16-bit horror episode from this week: https://prolefeed101.com/vgm-101-episode-43-16-bit-horror/ And its Splatterhouse episode from the week before...
2020-10-291h 02
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastGame Over / The Return of PeachIt’s a Halloween miracle! As Singing Mountain preps to transfer over to a new hosting site, some of the Patreon-only bonuses from back in the pre-16 bit days are getting folded into the main feed mix. Since this was in the process anyway, I decided that listeners might enjoy this all-music, no-talk Halloween episode. It’s all creepy Nintendo music! Track listing: 0:10: Joke’s End / Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions / Yoko Shimomura 2:01: Haunted Enigmansion / Paper Mario: Sticker Star / Masanobu Matsunaga, Saki Kurata, Shoh Murakami, Yoshito Sakigawa, Yasuhisa Baba, Hiroki Morishita, Masanori Adachi, Kiyoshi Hazemoto, Tomoko Sano, Kosei Muraki...
2020-10-221h 08
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastDevil CityThe sun has gone down and the moon has come up, and it’s not a good time to be in the city. This is part three of a three-part series that began with a drive into the city and led to a fight through the city. Now you’re in a neon metropolis at night and you’re on your way to the big boss fight. Drive Into the City: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/16bit-driving-music Gritty City Sounds: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/gritty-city-sounds Also have a listen to the spotlight on Masahi Kagayama’s soundtrack to the later NES game Gim...
2020-10-201h 06
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastGritty City SoundsBack in the 16-bit era, urban streets were littered with no-good punks who would attack in wave after wave, leaving a group of musclebound heroes no choice but to keep on punching — and hope there is a whole roast chicken hidden in a garbage can somewhere. This episode is a celebration of those gritty city environments, the music heard in them and the music from other genres of game that nonetheless get at this same vibe. And if you want to check out my other podcast — my new music podcast, which is why this one was off last week, do so h...
2020-10-131h 02
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastDrive Into the CityIn the grand tradition of Singing Mountain episodes that make driving music of VGM that’s not from driving games, here’s a new one: the soundtrack for a drive into the city that starts out laidback but gets a little tense as you get toward the big city. This is actually a part one to a part two that you’ll get next that’s all gritty city music — basically what you here when you finally arrive at those scary skyscrapers on the horizon. Listen to my previous driving music episodes: Sunset Drive https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/sunset-drive-vgm Afternoon Drive http...
2020-09-2847 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastThe End… as a BeginningSinging Mountain is back. I said it would be back and I meant it. And to contrast this new run of the show from what I left you all on months ago, I decided to put out something a little more hopeful. Do you know that particular kind of video game ending where you see your character cruising toward the horizon, bad guys vanquished in their wake, and there’s maybe a sunset or something, and the music sounds like the end of an 80s movie? Yeah, this episode is all about that. Track listing: 0:09: Sunset of Puyo Puyo / Puyo Pu...
2020-09-151h 01
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieCRUISE INTO TERROR with Mano AgapionSam said it right at the top of the episode, and you really can’t get better than that: “The Love Boat Goes to Hell.” The Aaron Spelling-produced CRUISE INTO TERROR film combines the best aspects of leisure cruises and haunted Egyptian sarcophaguses. On board to discuss it is one of the foremost trash enthusiasts in the greater Los Angeles area (including the valley!): Mano Agapion, a colorful Greek whirlwind who knows more about RuPaul’s Drag Race than you do. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake on Twitter...
2020-08-181h 38
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieTHE DEATH OF OCEAN VIEW PARK with Roz DrezfalezHave you ever watched a movie liked The Towering Inferno or The Poseidon Adventure and thought it would have been so much better if it had taken place at an amusement park and also there was a vague supernatural element to it? If yes, then we’ve got the right movie for you. This 1979 features a lot of action, the destruction of an actual amusement park *and* Mare Winningham in a dumb hat. Roz Drezfalez returns for a second appearance to help Sam sort out this one. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.pa...
2020-08-111h 53
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieTHE POSSESSED with Stacey YvonneWhat’s better than Diana Scarwid, P.J. Soles and Dinah Manoff all in one movie? Easy: 1977’s THE POSSESSED also has a young Harrison Ford! It’s a good supernatural made-for-TV marvel, and we’ve got the lovely Stacey Yvonne over to talk every drop of life out of this one. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Check out Stacey’s podcast work: https://www.patreon.com/bhadpodcast and https://twitter.com/bhadpodcast Out official website: https://mondayafternoonmovie.com On Facebook: https://fa...
2020-08-041h 32
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieHOW AWFUL ABOUT ALLAN with Sherry VineA 1970 made-for-TV offering in the style of What’s the Matter With Helen? and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, this one subs Anthony Perkins into what is usually the “old lady in peril” role. It also stars Julie Harris and Joan Hackett, and to discuss the melodramatic thrills, we have the wonderful Sherry Vine — drag queen, comedian and frequent collaborator of Sam’s in campy live stagings of classic sitcommery. They make delightful conversation. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Sherry on Twitter...
2020-07-281h 26
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieMIDNIGHT OFFERINGS with Jessica Jean JardineWhat if Mary from Little House on the Prairie got magical powers? No, she doesn’t get her eyes back. In, this 1981 made-for-TV marvel answers the question in the darkest possible way, and a very funny lady with green hair, actress and comedian Jessica Jean Jardine, is on hand to talk up the Craft-iness of it all. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Jessica on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jjjla Jessica’s Kardashian podcast, Kar Dishin It: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podc...
2020-07-211h 49
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieTHE SCREAMING WOMAN with Janie Haddad TompkinsThere’s a woman in trouble and her only hope for rescue is… Olivia de Havilland, a former asylum patient whose hands don’t work. This might seem like very bad odds for the woman in question, but don’t count Olivia de Havilland out yet: at a spry 104 years old, this Hollywood legend might just outlive us all. Actress, comedian and fellow screaming woman Janie Haddad Tompkins joins Sam to discuss this exciting entry in the “old ladies in peril” canon. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake on Twitter...
2020-07-141h 29
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieDAUGHTER OF THE MIND with Melanie HutsellIs Dr. Alex Lauder losing his mind? Or his he being visited by the ghost of his daughter? Or is it a third shocking thing? Melanie Hutsell, comedic actress and all-around neat lady, attempts to answer these questions and more. DAUGHTER OF THE MIND, which aired in 1969, happens to be one of the first high-quality offerings from ABC's Movie of the Week. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Melanie Hutsell on Twitter: https://twitter.com/melanie_hutsell Listen to Throwing Shade: https...
2020-07-071h 23
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieTHAT CERTAIN SUMMER with Bryan SafiHappy pride month! To celebrate the gayer side of made-for-TV magic, Sam is giving you the gift of a new episode that is not about a horror film. I know, I know. THAT CERTAIN SUMMER is a 1972 drama starring Hal Holbrook and Martin Sheen, and it’s the first teleplay to address the subject of homosexuality in a positive, sympathetic manner. It’s actually a good movie this time. Sam is joined by Bryan Safi — actor, comedian and host of the Throwing Shade podcast — to talk through this TV movie milestone. And no worries: We will be back next week with the...
2020-06-301h 43
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieINVITATION TO HELL with Jeff NelsonWelcome to hell. Literally. We’d love to say that this episode is the first of the new season, but seeing as how we’re all grounded until summer, this is going to be a one-off until Sam can invite his friends over without risk of certain death. Luckily, this one is a great one: Jeff Nelson, camp impresario and Scream Factory co-founder, talks with Sam about INVITATION TO HELL, a Wes Craven-directed, Robert Urich-starring made-for-TV effort that features Susan Lucci as the devil. Don’t be shocked — this one comes from 1984, making it our first TV movie to fall outside...
2020-03-301h 24
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieA VACATION IN HELL with Rose AbdooSam and returning guest Rose Abdoo trek into the steamy jungle that is this final entry in the Amanda Reyes Recommends series of Monday Afternoon Movie. Released in 1979, A VACATION IN HELL stars Michael Brandon, Priscilla Barnes and Maureen McCormick in a tale of an island vacation turned into a harrowing adventure. It gets Amanda’s seal approval ,but will Sam and Rose agree? Spoiler: No! They don’t. But it’s the journey that’s important, right? Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsam...
2020-01-131h 14
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieMURDER BY NATURAL CAUSES with Marc SamuelWelcome to 2020! This week, General Hospital actor Mark Samuel joins Sam to discuss the 1979 thriller MURDER BY NATURAL CAUSES. The film, which has Hal Holbrook, Richard Anderson and Barry Bostwick playing men involved with a femme fatale Katharine Ross. It’s a sexy thriller — within the restraints of what could play on broadcast television in 1979, but sexy nonetheless. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Marc Samuel on Twitter: https://twitter.com/marcasart Amanda Reyes on Twitter: https://twitter.com/madefortvmayhem Buy Amanda’s book...
2020-01-071h 11
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastAll I Want for Christmas Is a Frost DragonWelcome to this year’s installment of my “Christmas Eve in an ice cavern” series. Do you think winter music could do with fewer jingle bells and more cool, clear chimes that call to mind a lonely, cold night? Then you’re in luck! Also listen to the other ice and snow VGM episodes! Diamond Dust: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/diamond-dust-ice-music Another Winter: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/53-another-winter Slip Off a Ledge and Die in a Hole: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/55-ice-stage-vgm-3 A Harvest Moon Winter: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/54-harvest-moon-winter-music Track listing: 0:07: The Wind Can Be Still (Winter) / Stardew Valley...
2019-12-251h 17
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieDUEL with Dave WhiteMore often than not, part of the fun of this podcast is laughing at the delightful bonkers nature of TV movies from this era. This week? It’s a different case. Sam is joined by film critic and fellow podcaster Dave White to discuss DUEL, the 1971 classic that introduced the world to a up-and-comer named Steven Spielberg. It’s stark. It’s tense. And it’s such a great made-for-TV effort that it eventually wound up on the big screen after the fact! Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake...
2019-12-231h 02
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieSOMEBODY’S WATCHING ME with Beth CrosbyJust one month after John Carpenter ruined the American babysitter market with HALLOWEEN, NBC aired SOMEBODY’S WATCHING ME, a different tale of imperiled women. This one stars Lauren Hutton and Adrienne Barbeau, and it’s quite likely one of the better made-for-TV thrillers ever, but the real take-away might be how good Hutton is as the film’s heroine. Actress and comedian Beth Crosby joins Sam to talk this one out. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Beth Crosby on Twitter: https...
2019-12-161h 22
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieDEATH CAR ON THE FREEWAY with Mark TracyIn episode two of what we’re calling Amanda Reyes Presents Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon Movie, we look at 1979’s Death Car on the Freeway, a crime thriller we’d best describe as Duel But Not. Shelley Hack stars an intrepid journalist attempting to investigate the Freeway Fiddler, who probably has the worst nickname in the history of serial killers. Mark Tracy joins Sam to talk acting, actors and, of course, cars. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mondayafternoonmovie Sam Pancake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jsampancake Mark Tracy on Ins...
2019-12-091h 34
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieISN’T IT SHOCKING? with Amanda ReyesWelcome to the fourth season of Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon Movie, in which the list of featured films is curated by none other than Amanda Reyes, queen of TV movie fandom and author of the authoritative book on the subject. Amanda has handpicked every one of the films for the next few episodes, and for the episode she sits in the guest chair, she chose 1973’s ISN’T IT SHOCKING? — a proto-slasher starring Alan Alda, Louise Lasser and a host of geriatric murder victims. Has Sam finally met his TV movie match? Find out! Help support Monday Afternoon Movie...
2019-12-021h 17
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastA Relatively Brief Special AnnouncementThis is just a quick post to inform you that Singing Mounatin is going on hiatus for the rest of November — and beyond that too, despite some episodes in December. But no worries — I’ll be back. And if you miss my stupid voice in the meantime, listen to my other podcast, Gayest Episode Ever: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/gayest-episode-ever/id1357463744 Website: https://www.gayestepisodeever.com/ Track listing: 0:13: Title Theme / Shin Onigashima / Koji Kondo 3:54: First Chapter: Road Through the Mountain / Shin Onigashima / Koji Kondo 5:49: Staff Roll / Shin Onigashima / Koji Kondo 8:13: Title Theme / Yuyuki / Soyo Oka Drew on Twitter: https...
2019-11-1109 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastThe Dark Side of NintendoNintendo may have a reputation as being family-friendly, but even its sunniest franchises have their dark moments. The second Halloween episode of 2019 looks at some of Nintendo’s more sinister musical moments. Listen to all of Singing Mountain’s Halloween episodes: https://singingmountainpod.com/minusworld/2018/10/18/halloween BTW, Singing Mountain now has a Patreon, and patrons can access to an hourlong bonus episode featuring even more spooky Nintendo music: https://www.patreon.com/singingmountain Ashley Halloween BGM for Nintendo 3DS posted by Supper Mario Broth: https://www.suppermariobroth.com/post/188372895610/background-music-for-the-ashleys-halloween The VGM Podcast Fans group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com...
2019-10-281h 11
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieTHE BEASTS ARE ON THE STREETS with Nina MillinSam Pancake’s exploration of the horrors of the animal kingdom edges toward its explosive climax with 1978's THE BEASTS ARE ON THE STREETS, a film that guest Nina Millin points out more than once features relatively few moments of actual animals on actual streets. But whatever. Carol Lynley stars as the only animal scientist who can stop a zoological horde from rampaging through a town populated by extras who seem genuinely surprised to be in the presence of actual loose animals. Think of it a sort of of cinema verite, only Carol Lynley is also there! Help support Monday Af...
2019-10-221h 49
Singing Mountain, A VGM Podcast16 Bits From Beyond the GraveBecause horror always begets sequels, I’m giving your a follow-up to last year’s creepy 16-bit music episode. It’s all Hallloween-appropriate VGM from the Super Nintendo, Super Famicom, Sega Genesis and Mega Drive. Boo. Listen to all of Singing Mountain’s Halloween episodes: https://singingmountainpod.com/minusworld/2018/10/18/halloween BTW, Singing Mountain now has a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/singingmountain Track listing: 0:09: Omen / Final Fantasy VI / Nobuo Uematsu 0:55: Maridia Rocky Underwater Area / Super Metroid / Kenji Yamamoto and Minako Hamano 2:52: October Fields / Pocky & Rocky 2 / Hiroyuki Iwatsuki, Kinuyo Yamashita, Haruo Ohashi and Asuka Yamao 4:44: Strains of Insanity / Chrono Trigger / Yasunori Mitsuda...
2019-10-181h 18
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastThe 100th EpisodeAgainst all odds, this podcast persisted and endured, and now we’re at the one-hundredth episode. The best idea I had to celebrate this milestone was sharing all the lesser-known VGM tracks I came to love since I began Singing Mountain — the VGM gems that I would have never unearthed if I hadn’t been doing research for this show. Enjoy. Please! Partake in the brand new Singing Mountain Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/singingmountain Track listing: 0:13: Baby Bird / Bravely Default / Revo 3:00: Hole Overview / Pebble Beach Golf Links / Shigekazu Kamaki 5:12: Ending Theme / Panorama Cotton / Kenichi Hirata 7:20: Essential Vitamins (Blue Blue Moon...
2019-10-081h 27
Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon MovieTERROR OUT OF THE SKY with Nadya GinsburgThe 1976 TV movie The Savage Bees had audiences demanding “More! MORE!” Hollywood bigwigs knew that the three other bee-themed made-for-TV horror films wouldn’t be enough, and that they had to tell more of the story of Jeannie Deveraux. In 1978, our bug lady heroine returned to the small screen, though now played by Tovah Feldshuh, and this week, Sam and special guest Nadya Ginsburg discussing the exciting final chapter in the saga. And then we promise we won’t talk about bees again. Listen to our sister show, Smart Mouth, back for the autumn with new episodes: http://www.smartmouthpodcast.com List...
2019-10-071h 08
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastWhiskered Eggplants (Songs I Haven’t Played Yet)We’re ninety-nine episodes in, and I’m taking the moment to share some tracks I haven’t yet featured on the show. Some got nixed from the final cuts of previous episodes, and others haven’t even gotten that far. Either way, I thought you might enjoy an eclectic mix of VGM you maybe haven’t yet heard or haven’t yet heard enough. Take a survey and tell me about your hopes and dreams: https://singingmountainpod.com/survey Do you regularly eat food? You may enjoy Singing Mountain’s sister podcast, Smart Mouth: http://www.smartmouthpodcast.com/ There is even an epi...
2019-10-041h 16
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastThrough Creamed Spinach-Colored GlassesLifelong gamers might like to reminisce about video game consoles past, but just by the numbers, system that got the most play back in the ’90s was the Game Boy. It outsold every console in its day, which means that a lot of players would have played famous video game franchises on the Game Boy before they played it on a standard system. This episode is all about those versions of famous series, and how the composers tasked with translating iconic VGM themes often worked wonders with the Game Boy’s more limited sound technology. Track listing: 0:31: Overworld / Legend of Zeld...
2019-09-251h 10
Singing Mountain, A VGM Podcast16-Bit RuinsIf I made the things you know to suddenly seem different, would that be good? Think about that while you listen to this episode of celebrated 16 bit-era VGM made to sound weird, dark and maybe a little drunk. I promise this will not become a habit. Track listing: 0:10: Revenge of the Kraken / Singing Mountain 4:58: I Want You / Gary Low 6:12: Feel It All Around / Washed Out 7:03: Casual Friday at Booster Tower / Singing Mountain 9:15: Disco Train / Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest / David Wise 10:00: Disco Death Train / Singing Mountain 15:51: Village / Shining Wisdom / Motoaki Takanuchi 16:46: Medicated Village / Singing Mountain 20:42: Schala / Chrono Trigger / Ya...
2019-09-181h 14
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastBravely Default 1.0Released in 2009 for the Nintendo DS, Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light is the game that ultimately ended up leading to Bravely Default in 2012. And while Bravely Default improved upon the core mechanics in almost every way, there’s a certain charm to 4 Heroes of Light — and that includes a soundtrack by Naoshi Mizuta. The music mixes the best of what the Nintendo DS could do at the time along with a nifty, chipune-y throwback style. And that makes all the sense in the world, because this game is in many ways a throwback to the early days of the Squa...
2019-09-0659 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastSunset DriveWhat does a sunset sound like? This episode may well fail to answer that question, but what you might get anyway is the third installment in the (so far) trilogy of Singing Mountain episodes about driving music but drawn entirely from non-racing, non-driving games. This one follows the narrative from bustling freeways to that perfect moment of sunset to early evening in the city. Track listing: 0:10: Silent Gravity / Bloody Roar (Arcade) / Atsuhiro Motoyama and Kenichi Koyano 2:08: Sunset Bridge / Persona 5 / Shoji Meguro 5:05: Grope After the Truth / Tobal 2 / Takayuki Nakamura 8:35: Wormland / Super Turrican II / Chris Huelsbeck 11:18: Seeking the Holy Sword / Sword of...
2019-08-291h 04
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastChoo Choo! (Yeah, It’s a Train Music Episode)Hey, who likes trains? Because I do, and this episode is all about how different VGM composers interpret the sound of the train into actual music. Track listing: 0:25: Charge Man Theme / Mega Man 5 / Mari Yamaguchi 2:05: Train Ride / Animal Crossing (Gamecube) / Kazumi Totaka, Kenta Nagata, Toru Minegishi and Shinobu Tanaka 3:34: Excess Express at Night / Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door / Yoshito Hirano, Yuka Tsujiyoko and Saki Haruyama 4:45: Railroad Wrath / Cuphead / Kristofer Maddigan 9:36: The Long Train (Act II, Part I) / Nina Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos / Ryuichi Nitta and Mayuko Okamura 12:51: Living on the Deck / Metal Slug X / Takushi Hiyamuta and...
2019-08-2257 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastMy Village Is Number One: RPG Town ThemesThis is not a definitive list of the best-ever RPG town themes. This is the first in what will be a regular feature on Singing Mountain in which I look at various town themes and talk about what I think the composers were trying to tell us about the fictional cities these songs are attached to. It’ll be good, I swear. Track listing: 0:09: Village / Shining Wisdom / Motoaki Takenouchi 3:04: Village / Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals / Yasunori Shiono 6:20: Hometown / Terranigma / Miyoko Takaoka and Masanori Hikichi 10:16: Village of Luc / Grandia / Noriyuke Iwadare 15:39: Another Arni / Chrono Chross / Yasunori Mitsuda 19:44: The Village of In...
2019-08-141h 14
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastFour Flavors of ForestDo video game composers speak a language that video game players understand? I’d like to think so, and maybe there’s some small proof in the way they score forest scenes. In this episodes, I talk about four different styles of forest VGM that might be particular to this genre of music but also happen to be pretty sweet to listen to. Track listing: 0:13: Lost Forest / Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box / Tomohito Nishiura 2:59: Boggly Woods / Thousand Year Door / Yoshito Hirano and Yuka Tsujiyoko 5:01: Great Forest of Moore / Final Fantasy V / Nobuo Uematsu 6:51: Wood Man / Mega Man II / Takashi Tate...
2019-08-081h 28
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastSave Point: Sixteen BitsAn hour of relaxing video game music — a pixelated hideout from the world. For this go-around, all tracks are taken from the Super NES and Sega Genesis. The original Save Point episode: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/40-save-point More of the episodes where I shut up and just play music: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-chill-vgm Track listing: 0:19: Beginning / Monster World III: Wonder Boy in Monster World / Shinichi Sakamoto 2:24: Water Goddess / Shining Force II / Motoaki Takenouchi 4:03: Seven Wise People / Pocky & Rocky 2 / Hiroyuki Iwatsuki, Kinuyo Yamashita, Haruo Ohashi and Asuka Yamao 5:40: The Legend / Arcana / Jun Ishikawa and Hirokazu Ando 8:04: Overworld / Equinox / Tim Follin an...
2019-07-311h 05
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastDavid Lynch in Nintendo LandIn a departure from the typical Singing Mountain episode, this one isn’t focused on video game music. There still is VGM, it’s just that the episode is more of a deep dive into a very niche subject: the popularity of Twin Peaks in Japan and its subsequent impact on two major Nintendo franchises. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of David Lynch. I will explain it all out for you. See links to all articles mentioned here: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/twin-peaks-nintendo Track listing: 0:12: Falling (Twin Peaks Theme) / Composed by Angelo Badalamenti, performed by SomethingHolden 3:10: Falling (Twin Pea...
2019-07-2433 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastLet’s Get Creative, Mario Maker-StyleEvery version of the stage themes in Super Mario Maker 2 has both a regular, in-stage version and then a sort of remix you here when you’re in edit mode, building the stage. They’re cool, and they make for good thinky music. This episode is all them. Get to work! Listen to the other episode about Super Mario Maker 2: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/super-mario-maker-2-retro-vgm Track listing: 0:18: Sky (Super Mario Bros.) [EDIT] / Super Mario Maker 2 / Atsuko Asahi, Toru Minegishi and Sayako Doi 3:03: Forest (Super Mario 3D World) [EDIT] / Super Mario Maker 2 / Atsuko Asahi, Toru Minegishi and Sayako Doi 5:37: Desert (Supe...
2019-07-1943 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastThe Retro Sounds of Super Mario Maker 2One of the not-so-obvious functions of the Mario Maker games is as history archive for the Super Mario series. The newly released Super Mario Maker 2 boasts a whole lot of music, much of which looks to the past for inspiration. This episode looks how the composers used music to bring Mario’s history into the present. Track listing: 0:10: Underwater (Super Mario 3D World) / Atsuko Asahi, Toru Minegishi and Sayako Doi 1:52: Course World (Version Two) / Atsuko Asahi, Toru Minegishi and Sayako Doi 2:06: Special World / Super Mario World / Koji Kondo 2:29: Endless Challenge (Easy) / Atsuko Asahi, Toru Minegishi and Sayako Doi 2:43: Endless Challenge (Ha...
2019-07-1836 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastWhat Does America Sound Like?Video games allow American gamers to see depictions of America that don’t always line up with how they might see themselves. But how do VGM composers shorthand the U.S.A.? I listened to some of the more notable examples of themes for American characters in games around the Street Fighter II era to see what version of America they’re trying to communicate to us. Track listing: 0:09: Charlie’s Theme / Street Fighter Alpha 2 / Setsuo Yamamoto, Syun Nishigaki and Tatsuro Suzuki 2:04: Jazzy NYC ’99 / Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike / Hideki Okugawa 5:01: Plight (Guile’s Theme) / Street Fighter Alpha 3 / Takayuki Iwai, Yuki Iwai, Isao...
2019-07-1244 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastGimmick! in 30 MinutesReleased late in Nintendo’s 8-bit run — and even then, only in Japan and Scandinavia — the Sunsoft platforming game known either as Gimmick! or Mr. Gimmick has one of the best soundtracks of that era. In fact you might be surprised just how beautiful Masashi Kageyama could make the system sound, even when most eyes (and ears) were focused on the brand new Super Famicom. Track listing: 0:07: Good Morning / Gimmick! / Masahi Kageyama 2:23: No Limits / Gimmick! / Masahi Kageyama 4:47: Happy Birthday / Gimmick! / Masahi Kageyama 6:41: Good Weather / Gimmick! / Masahi Kageyama 8:38: Slow Illusion / Gimmick! / Masahi Kageyama 10:30: Paradox / Gimmick! / Masahi Kageyama 11:06: Paradigm / Gimmick! / Masahi Kageyama 12:24: Lion H...
2019-07-0431 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastSummer Vacation for People Who Play Video Games All SummerIt’s the sound of summer.... specifically for people who’d rather not put on sunscreen or deal with beach traffic. Everything in this episode reads as summery to me, and I will try my best to justify my picks. Listen to last year’s summer episode: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/28-summer-vgm-mix Track listing: 0:09: Flashback / Akumajou Densetsu / Hidenori Maezawa, Jun Funahashi and Yukie Morimoto 1:35: Noki Bay / Super Mario Sunshine / Shinobu Tanaka 3:20: The Dim Light of Dusk / Star Ocean: The Second Story / Motoi Sakuraba 5:29: Summer / Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals / Yasunori Shiono 7:33: The City Liked by the Wind / Breath of Fire I...
2019-06-261h 02
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastMonster World IV in 30 MinutesSo there is the Wonder Boy series, the Adventure Island series and finally the Monster World series, which are all related but separate. But in 1994, Sega released Monster Hunter IV for the Mega Drive, and while it didn’t make it out of Japan for a very long time, it did sport a catchy soundtrack that you wouldn’t expect from an action platformer. Happy Friday! The Retronauts episode explaining Wonder Boy, Adventure Island and Monster World: https://retronauts.com/article/188/retronauts-episode-72-wonder-boy-vs-adventure-island Track listing: 0:09: Heart of Icegrave / Monster World IV / Jin Watanabe 3:05: Lamp de Godjarre / Monster World IV / Jin Wata...
2019-06-2132 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastMario Artist in 30 MinutesDid you know that Japan got a spiritual sequel to Mario Paint in 1999? An entire suite of programs released under the name Mario Artist, it was released for the 64DD peripheral, which never made it to the U.S., and it features a lot of the calm, creativity-inspiring music heard in Mario Paint. This episode is all about that. Whee. Listen to the Super Mario B-sides episode that inspired this one: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/minus-world-super-mario-b-sides Track listing: 0:13: Title Theme / Mario Artist: Paint Studio / Kazumi Totaka, Chris Jojo, Martin Goodall and Suddi Raval 1:31: Space Base / Mario Artist: Talent Studio / Kazumi...
2019-06-1739 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastYour Favorite ’80s Action MovieBecause console video games hit mainstream around the same time that America was watching a lot of B-grade action movies, there’s a more-than-occasional similarity between the way ’80s video games sound and the way those movies sound. It’s a good thing, and this episode is all about VGM that sounds like those movies. Track listing: 0:16: Title Theme / Final Fight (Amiga) / Jolyon Meyers (a.k.a. The Judge) 6:12: Pints and Punks / Final Fight 3 / Katsunari Kitajima 8:16: Fight to Survive / Stan Bush 9:58 Dare / Stan Bush 11:26: She’s Got the Power / Stan Bush 12:32: Robot Factory / Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies / Noriyuki...
2019-06-131h 18
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastMy Boiling Blood Bubbles for BattleSamurai Shodown has a lot to offer… just not that one missing W. SNK’s fighter had samurai and non-samurai alike swinging weapons in one-on-one combat, and though it once appeared to be a moribund franchise, it’s actually being revived later this year with a brand-new entry later this year. This means more fighting game action but also more amazing music that draws on traditional Japanese compositions. This episode offers an overview of music from the series’ six main installments. Track listing: 0:16: Song of Men (Sun) / Samurai Shodown / Yasuo Yamate 3:11: Fifteen Warriors / Samurai Shodown II / SNK Sound Team 3:53: The Old Temp...
2019-05-301h 14
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastLagoon in 30 MinutesAn early Super NES title, Lagoon is a Zelda-ish adventure that is today most remembered for its soundtrack. But here’s the thing: That music was initially composed for the game’s first incarnation on the Sharp X68000, which is both maybe the best version of its music and also a version you probably haven’t heard before. Happy discotastic Friday. Track listing: 0:13: Moonchild / Lagoon / Zoom Sound Team 2:34: Keep the Faith / Lagoon / Zoom Sound Team 3:22: Voice of the Spirits / Lagoon / Zoom Sound Team 4:31: Premonition / Lagoon / Zoom Sound Team 8:07: Castle Mark Philips / Lagoon / Zoom Sound Team 10:00: Senegul / Lagoon / Zoom Sound Team 11:22: Voloh...
2019-05-2436 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastWinners Don’t Use DrugsBack before mainstream pop started sampling video game music willy-nilly, The Pixies went a step further and wholesale covered a VGM composition: the theme from NARC, a 1988 arcade game. This says as much about The Pixies as it does Brian Schmidt’s great soundtrack for this game, and in the scope of Singing Mountain’s series looking into the intersection of VGM and mainstream pop music, it’s an outlier in that the latter isn’t screwing over the former. This episode’s show notes: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/winners-dont-use-drugs-podcast Listen to all VGM+POP episodes: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-v...
2019-05-2022 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastA Different Kind of DesertNot every desert sounds the same. The sitar and tabla are Indian instruments that, in video game music, are almost always used to signify the desert. Not every composer buys into this trend, however, and this episode focuses on desert themes that suggest a different kind of adventure. Track listing: 0:14: Tostarena Ruins / Super Mario Odyssey / Naoto Kubo 3:42: Lethal Lava Land / Super Mario 64 / Koji Kondo 4:07: Through the Desert / Castle Crashers / Matthew Harwood 4:31: Drums of Dalia / Golden Sun: The Lost Age / Motoi Sakuraba 4:53: Kingdom of Nasrad / Skies of Arcadia / Yutaka Minobe and Tatsuyuki Maeda 5:15: Gritzy Desert / Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time / Yoko...
2019-05-161h 19
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastArc the Lad Battle Music in 30 MinutesA big hit in Japan during the PlayStation’s early days, the Arc the Lad series hasn’t endured quite as well as other JPRGs. However, the soundtrack to the first three games — masterminded by Masahiro Andoh — has a style all its own. In fact, these games’ battle themes sound nothing like most other battle themes you’ll here in any era RPG. Yep, that’s what this episode is about: 30 minutes of battle music that doesn’t sound anything like battle music. Track listing: 0:11: Arc / Arc the Lad / Masahiro Andoh 0:52: Save and Loud / Arc the Lad / Masahiro Andoh 2:54: Seirya / Arc the Lad / Ma...
2019-05-1039 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastSleepy Time With SquaresoftThis is the sound of low-key, 16-bit JRPG, before Enix got all involved. This is for when it’s time to check into the village inn. Track listing: 0:12: Epitaph / Final Fantasy VI / Nobuo Uematsu 2:28: Select a Live / Live a Live / Yoko Shimomura 4:52: Melody of Lute / Final Fantasy IV / Nobuo Uematsu 5:40: Underwater City / Treasure of the Rudras / Ryuji Sasai 8:19: Innocent Water / Seiken Densetsu 3 / Hiroki Kikuta 11:54: Summer Day / Radical Dreamers / Yasunori Mitsuda 14:45: Katrina’s Theme / Romancing Saga III / Kenji Ito 16:26: Ebon Keep Castle / Secret of Evermore / Jeremy Soule 19:12: Green Continent Campbell / Noriko Matsueda 21:58: Surrounded by Forest / Treasure Hunter G / Hitoshi Sakimoto 25:27: Beautiful Fore...
2019-05-021h 13
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastMidnight Mass at Our Lady of PixelsWho likes pipe organs? This episode offers up some of the best pipe organ (or pipe organ-like) music in the history of video games. In almost every instance, this instrument is used to signify the sacred, the profane or some horrible combination of the two. Is it a cliche? Sure. But it’s one this podcaster can be okay with. Listen to the saxophone-specific episode of Singing Mountain: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/best-saxophones-video-games Track listing: 0:15: Ultimecia’s Castle / Final Fantasy VIII / Nobuo Uematsu 2:34: Manoria Cathedral / Chrono Trigger / Yasunori Mitsuda 3:42: Door of Journey / Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals / Yasunori Shiono 4:56: Titl...
2019-04-241h 13
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastThe Groove Is in Space: Lady Miss Kier vs. UlalaWhat could the 1990 dance hit “Groove Is in the Heart” possibly have to do with video games? It’s kind of a weird story, involving the Sega series Space Channel 5 and — in the context of this episode — diversions into Herbie Hancock and the Edgar Winter Group. The fifth installment of my series on VGM and mainstream pop looks at how Sega imposed a major game over on the cult pulp icon Lady Miss Kier. Listen to all VGM+POP episodes: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-vgm-pop-music-singing-mountain An excellent, comprehensive article about the Miss Kier-Space Channel 5 lawsuit: http://www.sega-16.com/2018/04/sega-firsts-ulala-goes-to-court/ Track list...
2019-04-1824 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastThe Minus World (More Mario B-Sides)There’s the Mario music that gets remade time and time again with each new game, but there’s also a great deal of other tracks that don’t. They're good too, however, and a lot more eclectic than you might expect from ol' Super Mario and friends. This episode — a sequel to Episode 23, linked below — is all that weird stuff from Mario games and their various spinoffs. The Marioverse is wild and strange. Enjoy. Listen to the first Mario B-Sides episode: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/super-mario-b-sides Track listing: 0:09: Gurgle Gulch / Wario Land: Shake It! / Tomoya Tomita and Minako Hamano 2:53: BGM 2 / Ma...
2019-04-111h 14
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastThe Magic Effervescence of Athena AsamiyaHow many versions of Athena Asamiya’s theme can you listen to before you give up? Is Athena the businest high school student this side of Laura Palmer? Is this whole episode an April Fool’s joke? You better run if you are bad! Track listing: 0:17: Psycho Soldier Team Theme (China) / Papaya (a.k.a. Masahiko Hataya) 3:11: Title Theme (Japanese) / Psycho Soldier / Composed by Eikichi Kawasaki, vocals by Kaori Shimizu 4:58: Title Theme (English) / Psycho Soldier / Composed by Eikichi Kawasaki, vocals by Kaori Shimizu 6:07: Area 1 (Japan) / Psycho Soldier / SNK Sound Team 7:22: World of Sea / Athena (NES) / SNK Sound Team 8:57: Psycho Soldier (Cass...
2019-04-0134 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastAfternoon DriveYou’re driving, but it doesn’t have to be a race. Track listing: 0:11: Grand Bridge / Yoshi’s Safari / Yoshiki Nishimura, Miyuki Uemura and Yasushi Tokunaga 1:29: Grass Land / Yoshi’s Safari / Yoshiki Nishimura, Miyuki Uemura and Yasushi Tokunaga 2:31: Pipe Island / Yoshi’s Safari / Yoshiki Nishimura, Miyuki Uemura and Yasushi Tokunaga 3:10: Crescent Island / Yoshi’s Safari / Yoshiki Nishimura, Miyuki Uemura and Yasushi Tokunaga 4:33: Amazon / Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix / Isao Abe, Yuki Iwai and Setsuo Yamamoto 7:29: Marina Madness / Knuckles’ Chaotix / Junko Shiratsu and Mariko Nanba 10:16: Column Dive / Columns III / Morihiko Akiyama 12:18: Sea / U.N. Squadron / Manami Matsumae 14:50: Title Theme / Double Dragon II: The Reveng...
2019-03-281h 10
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastLink and Mario Go to CoachellaIndie rock was one of the biggest genres of the early 2000s. This episode looks at some of the more notable instances of video game music influencing the indie sound, with stories of Super Mario, Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy infiltrating the work of artists such as Owen Pallett, Boom Bip, Fleet Foxes and The Mountain Goats. All this plus a stern warning against going to Coachella if you haven’t been already. Listen to all the installments of Singing Mountain’s VGM+POP series: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-vgm-pop-music-singing-mountain Track listing: 0:09: Wario’s Castle / Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden...
2019-03-2244 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastValis III in 30 MinutesThe Valis series stars long-legged, sword-swinging anime girls, and the third installment has more than one to choose from. This entry in the series also boasts a kickass soundtrack by Jun Hasebe, Hisao Inoue and Shingo Murakami. It toes the line between 1980s cheese and anime badassness, and here’s hoping it’s what you need to make your Friday better. Listen to all of Singing Mountain’s 30-minute Friday episodes: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-30-minute-fridays Track listing: 0:09: Prologue / Valis III (Genesis) / Jun Hasebe, Hisao Inoue and Shingo Murakami 3:26: Ningenkai / Valis III (Genesis) / Jun Hasebe, Hisao Inoue and Shingo Muraka...
2019-03-1533 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastHard Rock Minus GuitarsBack in the day, video games could rock without featuring anything close to a real guitar. It’s actually a testament to those composers’ ingenuity that they could conjure something from those sound processors that sounded unmistakably like an electric guitar. This episode is an eclectic mix of some of those remarkably hard-rocking soundtracks. (Long live Barbara the Bat!) Track listing: 0:17: Launch Octopus / Mega Man X / Setsuo Yamamoto 3:02: Overdrive Ostrich / Mega Man X2 / Yuki Iwai 4:56: Volt Catfish / Mega Man X3 / Kinuyo Yamashita 6:26: Operation Thunder Zone / Thunder Zone (Desert Assault) / Hiroaki Yoshida (a.k.a. Maro) and Akira Takemoto (a.k.a. R...
2019-03-131h 13
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastKirby's Dream Land 3 in 30 MinutesThe music of the Kirby games is cheerful but not relentlessly so. In fact, Kirby’s swan song on the Super NES, Kirby’s Dream Land 3, has some slightly more down-tempo tracks. This quickie episode is just those: not a comprehensive look at this game, but a more moody take on Kirby, some of Jun Ishikawa’s best work and some of the best music we ever got from Nintendo’s 16-bit era. Listen to all of Singing Mountain’s 30-minute Friday episodes: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-30-minute-fridays Pixel Beat’s episode about the first Kirby’s Dreamland: pixelbeatpod.com/blog/files...
2019-03-0638 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastElec Man’s JourneyThe third installment of Singing Mountain’s look at how VGM interacts with mainstream music focuses on the Elec Man theme from the first Mega Man game. It sounds a lot like a track by Journey, but also like likes from REM, Cheap Trick, Bon Jovi, Human League and more. What’s going on here? I talk to some songwriters about why this one melody might seem to be a 1980s mainstay. Listen to all the installments of Singing Mountain’s VGM+POP series: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-vgm-pop-music-singing-mountain This episode's page, with notes, sources and that weird Journey album art th...
2019-02-2731 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastPower Litany (With Special Guest Star My Roommate!!!)Can you guess how a piece of VGM was supposed to be used in a game you’ve never played? This week, I’m giving you an experiment, and you will decide if it becomes a regular feature on Singing Mountain. I play a little un-winnable, un-loseable game show with my roommate, Glen, in which I play music from video games he doesn’t know and he uses his base knowledge of VGM to guess what kind of scene, setting or genre the composition was supposed to evoke. Play along! And tell me if you’re into this. Glen on Twitter...
2019-02-2153 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastSquare Over ThereThe 16-bit era of Squaresoft RPGs helped teach a generation of gamers what this style of game could be. But as celebrated as titles like Final Fantasy, Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger were, their fans outside Japan missed out on a slew of others. This episode is a musical sampler of the titles that came out for the Super Famicom but not the Super NES: Romancing SaGa, Bahamut Lagoon, Front Mission, Treasure of the Rudras, Treasure Hunter G, Alcahest and Live a Live. Track listing: 0:11: Tension / Front Mission Series: Gun Hazard / Nobuo Uematsu 2:28: Menu / Bahamut Lagoon / Noriko Matsueda 4:47: Voyage...
2019-02-151h 29
Green & Gold16. Does Sex Still Sell In Cannabis Advertising?Hayley wrote a story for VICE about sexism in the cannabis industry, and in particular, the advertising strategies of one particular brand, Ignite Cannabis Company. Founded by Instagram-famous Dan Bilzerian - who amassed his following by posting photos of a lavish lifestyle that includes him posing with guns and half-naked women - Ignite seems to be doubling down on the "sex sells" mentality while other cannabis brands trend toward more inclusive messaging. So Hayley calls up Olivia Mannix, co-founder and CEO of Denver-based marketing firm Cannabrand, to talk more in-depth about the dynamics and difficulties of weed advertising.
...
2019-02-1400 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastThroughout the Universe, in EternityThe second installment of the VGM+pop music series looks at Eternal Champions, a 1993 entry in the canon of fighting games that was created by an all-American team of Sega employees. Eternal Champions has its own merits, but this episode is concerned solely with two tracks from this game — both composed by Andy Armer and both of which seem to have been sampled in the 1995 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony album E. Eternal 1999. Neither Armer’s work nor Sega’s ownership of the source tracks seems to be documented anywhere official, and I do my best to try and find out why. Listen to all...
2019-02-0842 minGreen & Gold15. Cannabis & Craft Beer: Why These Two industries May Be FrenemiesWeed and beer! Beer and weed! Are the industries complementary or are they competitors? Beer sellers are concerned that as more states legalize weed, people may choose cannabis over alcohol and as a result, drive down the sales of beer and booze. In today's episode, Hayley explores these claims and talks to Bart Watson, the Chief Economist at the Brewers Association. He schools us on everything from why IPA's smell so danky, to why cannabis could impact the craft beer biz - but not in the ways people are concerned about.
Follow Bart Watson on Twitter at https://twitter.com...
2019-02-0700 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastWizards & Warriors in 30 MinutesThe previous episode looked at David Wise’s music before Donkey Kong Country, but purposefully spared on the Wizards & Warriors just because this long-neglected Rare franchise had too much good music to ignore. So please enjoy thirtysomething minutes of the best of the soundtracks from Wizards & Warriors and its three sequels. David Wise rules! Listen to all of Singing Mountain’s 30-minute Friday episodes: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-30-minute-fridays Track listing: 0:10 Wizard Guild / Wizards & Warriors III: Kuros — Visions of Power / David Wise 3:11: Title Theme / Wizards & Warriors / David Wise 3:47: Forest of Elrond (Alternate) / Wizards & Warriors / David Wise 6:42: Mountain Theme / Ironsword: Wizard...
2019-02-0132 minGreen & Gold14. Young, Female and Working in Weed: One Woman's PerspectiveWhat's it like to be a woman working in the cannabis industry? This week Hayley spends the entire episode talking to Victoria Arana, who she first met when researching a story for VICE. Arana is an Echo Park native who got a job at a dispensary when she was 18. Since then, she's seen all sorts of mistreatment - from crazy amounts of unpaid overtime, to confiscated tips and sexual harassment. At 22, she is now a seasoned budtender with plans to uproot to UC Davis, study agriculture, and start her own (non-weed) farm.
Hayley's VICE story: https://bit.ly/2t1B0...
2019-01-3100 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastDavid Wise Before Donkey Kong CountryIn 1994, David Wise became a video game hero as a result of his soundtrack to Donkey Kong Country, but he’d actually been composing music for video games for nearly a decade. This episode looks at his NES work leading up to DKC and pointing out where and when his genius for mood-setting, ambiance-encompassing first blossomed. By virtue of showcasing the best of early David Wise, this episode features some of the best music composed for the NES. That Eurogamer interview with David Wise: https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-04-05-from-slalom-to-snake-pass-the-musical-life-of-david-wise The first ice level episode: https://singingmountainpod.com/ep...
2019-01-291h 14Green & Gold13. Weed Delivery for All! (In California at Least)Last week, state officials legalized cannabis delivery, meaning individual cities can no longer ban the practice and it's legal for you to get weed delivered to your home - no matter where you are. Finding a company that will deliver to you, depending on where you live and what product you want, is another matter. Hayley calls up her mom, Jackie Fox, to talk about her frustrations with local delivery. Then, she talks with Bobby, the CEO of cannabis delivery company Herb, which serves the LA area.
https://www.herb.delivery/
Follow Hayley on Twitter at https://twitter.com/epfox
...
2019-01-2400 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastMichael and Janet in Video Game LandThe first Singing Mountain of 2019 is also the first in a new series looking at the interactions between mainstream pop music and video game music. Though this episode focuses on Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson, consider it an overview of the many ways VGM and pop can play off each other. I’m also stoked to say that in addition to the Jacksons, I got to mention Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, Carly Simon, Biz Markie, Phil Collins, Sia and The Beatles, and I never thought I’d get to do all that in one episode of this show. It’s super...
2019-01-2142 minGreen & Gold12. Clearing Criminal Records in the Golden StateProp 64 legalized recreational cannabis in California, but it also included a provision that allows people who've been charged with cannabis-related crimes to have those charges reduced or expunged. A drug conviction negatively impacts a person's life even after incarceration; it can make it hard to land a well-paying job, access public programs, secure housing and more. Hayley talks with Rodney Holcombe, a staff attorney with the Drug Policy Alliance, on why, even though expungement is now on the table, there are sill a lot of people with cannabis-related crimes on their records.
Find out more about the drug policy alliance...
2019-01-1700 minGreen & Gold11. The Need for Weed in the ClassroomNo, we're not advocating for smoking weed in your dorm room or hiding it in your locker. Instead, we're talking about academic education surrounding cannabis. A 2017 survey published in Drug and Alcohol Dependance reached out to medical school deans, fellows and residents and found that there was a “fundamental mismatch between the state-level legalization of medical marijuana and the lack of preparation of physicians-in-training to prescribe it.” In addition to guiding future doctors on its use, what about the larger implications of widespread cannabis - like how do we teach about how it may affect the US’s economy? This week H...
2019-01-1000 minGreen & Gold10. Happy One-Year Birthday to Legal Weed!Recreational cannabis has been legal to sell in California for one year. In our first episode of 2019, Hayley brings you a quick recap of commercial cannabis' inaugural year before looking forward at what new, exciting things might be on the horizon for the coming year. She talks with Adam Spiker, executive director of the Southern California Coalition, about why LA's legal industry is struggling and what changes we can expect to see this year.
Find out more about the Southern California Coalition at http://southerncaliforniacoalition.com or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SoCalCoalition
Follow Hayley on Twitter at https...
2019-01-0300 minGreen & Gold9. Field Trip! A Visit to LA's CBD BoutiqueBy now you've probably heard of CBD, and may have even seen it in your local grocery store, smoothie shop or dispensary. But what is it and what can it actually do for us? Hayley does a little myth-busting in this episode, addressing what science has to say about CBD and visiting an all-CBD shop called The Antidote on Melrose Avenue. She talks to owner Dashone Stanley about how CBD helped him lose 75 pounds, battle a pill addiction and build a business.
Check out The Antidote at https://theantidote.la/
Follow Hayley on Twitter at https://twitter.com/epfox
Support...
2018-12-2700 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastSlip Off a Ledge and Die in a HoleHey, remember winter? The season we’re in right now? In response to audience requests, I decided to get in one more episode about non-jolly winter music. And unlike Episode 33, I talk less on this one so you can enjoy an hour of what it would sound like to hang out in a palace made of ice. Listen to all the Singing Mountain winter music episodes: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-winter-music Track listing: 0:08: Ice Cap Zone / Sonic the Hedgehog 3 / Unknown Composer (but probably Brad Buxer) 2:37: 3 a.m. (Snow) / Animal Crossing: New Leaf / Manaka Kataoka and Atsuko Asahi 4:11: Heart of Icegrave / Mo...
2018-12-271h 01
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastA Harvest Moon Winter in 30 MinutesSeasons come and go in the world of the Harvest Moon games. This episode is all about the music you hear when snow covers the landscape. It’s all peaceful, but with a twinge of sadness, because it’s the coldest time of year and presumably the worst time for a harvest. The game, however, must go on. Listen to all the Singing Mountain winter music episodes: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-winter-music Listen to all of Singing Mountain’s 30-minute Friday episodes: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-30-minute-fridays Track listing: 3:35: Winter / Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life / Miyuki Homareda 5:59: Winter (Farm) / Harves...
2018-12-2432 minGreen & Gold8. All Aboard the Senior Weed ShuttlePeople 55 years and older are a rapidly growing demographic of cannabis consumers. Seniors are using weed to help a variety of ailments including inflammation, joint pain, insomnia, and more. This week, Hayley speaks with two guests to find out more about why seniors are gettin' on board with cannabis. First, she speaks with Kandice Hawes, who oversees a monthly shuttle service that transports seniors from their homes in Laguna Woods, to nearby Bud and Bloom dispensary. Then, she talks with one such senior - 66-year-old Shari Horne - a cannabis activist and former mayor of Laguna Woods, about why her...
2018-12-2000 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastAnother WinterLast year, I celebrated the season with a trove of icy blue tracks from wintery video game levels, with none of the mirth and jingle of most Christmastime music. This year, I intended to go cheerier… but I didn’t, and instead I’m given you more chilled-to-the-touch levels that evoke Christmas eve in an ice cave. Stay cool. This episode is a sequel to Episode 12, Diamond Dust. Listen to that episode here: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/diamond-dust-ice-music Listen to all the Singing Mountain winter music episodes: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-winter-music Track listing: 0:06: Frostlands / Octopath Traveler / Yasunori Nishiki 5:52: Cool Cave...
2018-12-191h 29
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastLive a Live in 30 MinutesIt never left Japan and it’s not the best known of Square’s 16 bit-era RPG outings, but Live a Live should be notable to VGM fans at least for having a great soundtrack composed by Yoko Shimomura. It bridges the gap between her Street Fighter II phase and the work she composes today for games like Kingdom Hearts. Listen to all of Singing Mountain’s 30-minute Friday episodes: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-30-minute-fridays Track listing: 0:16: Title Theme / Live a Live / Yoko Shimomura 2:22: Select-a-Live / Live a Live / Yoko Shimomura 5:03: Secret Mission / Live a Live / Yoko Shimomura 7:39: Under the Fake / Live a...
2018-12-1431 minGreen & Gold7. Pregnancy and Pot Series, Pt 2: A Doctor's PerspectiveThis is part two of a series. The medical research into cannabis' effect on a pregnancy is, overall, convoluted. The CDC says that using weed during pregnancy can impact a fetus' development, but they also acknowledge that the scientific evidence is inconclusive. Some research shows that THC can cross the placenta and enter the fetus' blood stream. Still others, like a 2016 piece published in Obstetrics and Gynecology, states that weed alone is "not an independent risk factor in adverse neonatal outcomes." Hayley speaks with Dr. Mishka Terplan, an OB/GYN and addiction specialist, to shed some light on...
2018-12-1300 minGreen & Gold6. Pregnancy and Pot, Part 1: When Child Welfare Services CallThis is part one of a two-part series on cannabis use and pregnancy. According to a survey published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, weed is now the “most commonly used illicit drug during pregnancy." While the danger of the drug to a fetus is still hotly debated, its potential to trigger the involvement of child welfare services is not. Emily Berger, a supervising attorney with the Los Angeles Dependency Lawyers, explains why, post-cannabis legalization, she's seeing an increase in child welfare cases related to cannabis use, and why these cases are clogging up the sy...
2018-12-0600 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastWhen Smash Bros. Remixes Improve Upon the OriginalsNintendo’s Smash Bros. series has become not only an altar to worship the gods of video games past but also a place to pay our respects to video game music. In this episode, I anticipate the arrival of Smash Bros. Ultimate on Friday with ten examples of Smash Bros. covers that improve upon their source materials. Track listing: 0:06: Super Mario Bros.: the Lost Levels Medley / Super Smash Bros. Wii U / Composed by Koji Kondo, arranged by Katsuro Tajima 2:08: Pedal Glider (Pilotwings Resort) / Super Smash Bros. for Wii U / Composed and arranged by Asuka Ito 6:30: Stickerbush Symphony / Donkey Kong Country 2: Di...
2018-12-041h 09
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastUnused and UnheardSometimes great video game music doesn’t end up in the finalized video game, but that doesn’t mean it's gone forever. Singing Mountain celebrates its fiftieth episode (!) with a playlist of lesser-known, lesser-heard music from famous franchises, including Super Mario Bros., Sonic, Final Fantasy, Streets of Rage, Mega Man, Ys, Castlevania and of course Chrono Trigger, the game whose “lost” track gave this podcast its name. Track listing: 0:08: Singing Mountain / Chrono Trigger / Yasunori Mitsuda 3:26: Unused Track 5 / Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons / Kiyohiro Sada and Minako Adachi 4:59: Underground Theme / Koji Kondo / Super Mario Bros. 2 (prototype) 8:26: Space Fight / ActRaiser / Yuzo Koshiro...
2018-11-301h 12Green & Gold5. California Wildfires and Their Impact on Cannabis FarmsRecorded during the height of the Woolsey and Camp fires that raged across California, Hayley talks to a cannabis farmer, Jon, whose life was transformed by another California fire just one year prior. He lost everything he owned including his 40-acre weed farm in Redwood Valley. Most weed growers and businesses at large don't have insurance to cover their losses, so a fire can result in total devastation. Jon talks about how he and his family have recovered and what he's up to now.
To check out Jon's current venture, visit puriumcbd.com.
Follow Hayley on Twitter at https://twitter...
2018-11-2900 minGreen & Gold4. A New Type of Green at the Thanksgiving TableCooking with cannabis is no longer limited to weed butter (although we can still get down with some weed brownies!). There is a whole class of chefs that have begun working cannabis into their recipes as they would any other ingredient. For our Thanksgiving episode, Hayley talks with chef Unika Noiel, founder of Luvn Kitchn in Seattle, about being a mad scientist in the kitchen, introducing weed to the Thanksgiving table, and being threatened with jail time for cooking cannabis dinners.
Connect with Unika at https://luvnkitchn.com or on IG at https://www.instagram.com/heyunika
Follow Hayley on...
2018-11-2100 minGreen & Gold3. One Military Veteran's Quest for Cannabis EqualityAt first glance, veterans and cannabis advocacy might seem to be an unlikely pairing, but service members have become increasingly outspoken champions for weed. Hayley sits down with Steven Passmore, a veteran and cannabis entrepreneur, to talk about his decision to join the military, how cannabis saved him from alcoholism, and what it's like to be African-American in this industry. Also, a sneak peek at his new venture, The Legion Noire.
Follow Steven on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bananarojo
Follow Hayley on Twitter at https://twitter.com/epfox
Support the show and TableCakes Productions at: https://www.patreon...
2018-11-1500 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastNaptime With NintendoRelax with all your favorite Nintendo franchises except F-Zero, because that one is never relaxing. But hey, Fire Emblem is here and even Metroid. There’s even Panel de Pon! But with this podcast, there is always Panel de Pon. Track Listing: 0:12: Piranha Plant’s Lullaby / Super Mario 64 / Koji Kondo 2:58: Shooting Star Summit / Paper Mario / Yuka Tsujiyoko and Taishi Senda 6:32: A Rainy Day / Pikmin 3 / Asuka Hayazaki, Atsuko Asahi and Hajime Wakai 9:37: Daytime (Globe) / Wii Weather Channel / Kazumi Totaka 13:05: 11 p.m. / Animal Crossing: City Folk / Manaka Tominaga, Shiho Fujii and Kazumi Totaka 15:42: Lake Lamode / Super Mario Odyssey / Shiho Fujii 18:43: Zora's Domain (Nigh...
2018-11-151h 23
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastLittle Nemo in 30 MinutesLittle Nemo: The Dream Master was a NES-era Capcom platformer that didn’t star a robot or a gargoyle or a millionaire duck. This title was one of the tougher 8-bit platformers, but it was also one of the best composed, with a soundtrack by Junko Tamiya that features melodies that will stick with you… or at least stuck with Drew for almost three decades. Listen to all of Singing Mountain’s 30-minute Friday episodes: https://singingmountainpod.com/episodes/playlist-30-minute-fridays Track listing; 0:06: Prologue Theme / Little Nemo: The Dream Master / Junko Tamiya 0:58: House of Toys / Little Nemo: The Dream Master / Junko...
2018-11-0934 minGreen & Gold2. How Do I Get a Job in the Weed Industry?Employment. According to some stats, cannabis job postings online have increased 693 percent from the end of 2016 to the end of 2017. Hayley talks with two experts in the field: Karson Humiston, founder of VAngst, which helps connect weed companies with potential employees; and Robert Chlala, a social equity researcher and policy organizer for UFCW Local 770, a leading union in the cannabis space in LA.
Following Karson Humiston on Twitter at https://twitter.com/khumiston
Find out more about Vangst at https://vangst.com
Robert Chlala on Twitter at https://twitter.com/robertchlala
Find out more about UFCW Local 770 at http://ufcw770...
2018-11-0800 min
Singing Mountain, A VGM PodcastMy Stepdad Is the Game MasterIn a Singing Mountain first, this episode features a person who is not me: Katherine Spiers, friend and business partner, comes in to talk about TableCakes, the Los Angeles-based podcast network we started together and what that means for Singing Mountain listeners. She also talks about growing up being the stepdaughter of Howard Phillips, the American spokesperson for Nintendo back in the NES days and then we play a loosely structured game about video game music. Plus two stories about Macaulay Culkin and one about New Kids on the Block! Track listing: 0:19: You’ve Come Far, Ness (Coffee Break) / Earthbound / Ke...
2018-11-0554 minGreen & Gold1. A Family Affair: From Cannabis Conviction to Business OpportunitySocial equity. Cities throughout California and beyond are addressing decades of disproportionate policing against minority communities by implementing what are known as “social equity programs.” These are intended to level the playing field and begin to confront decades of damage done by the War on Drugs. Plus, Hayley talks with aspiring business owner Esteban Araya, who is applying for a license to sell cannabis in LA through its local social equity program.
LA Equity Program Aims to Undo Impacts of Drug War: https://www.leafly.com/news/politics/la-equity-program-aims-to-undo-impacts-of-drug-war
Follow Hayley on Twitter at https://twitter.com/epfox
Support the show...
2018-11-0100 minGreen & GoldTrailerGreen & Gold is a weed podcast hosted by cannabis journalist Hayley Fox. We talk to pioneers in the weed business - from entrepreneurs to activists, scientists, weed doctors, growers, politicians, plus everyday consumers like you, to better understand the complicated world of cannabis.
Follow Hayley on Twitter at https://twitter.com/epfox?lang=en
Support the show and TableCakes Productions at: https://www.patreon.com/tablecakes
2018-10-3100 min