A Podcast Family Tree
Can you imagine a time when there were only a handful of horror podcasts? That was the landscape when Jack Campisi and I started Monster Men way back in 2011. We had no idea what we were doing, but decided to give it a go to help promote my first book. Thirteen years later, we’re still at it…and more!
Since then, we’ve met some amazing people who have branched out into their own podcasts. So, here’s a little podcast history all the way to the present. If you’re looking for some rabbit holes of entertainment to tumble down, there’s plenty to choose from.
Now, take my hand and let’s walk to where it all began, with two guys who love horror and wanted to do a podcast about buds at a bar talking about their favorite genre. Monster Men was born in my living room. We started with an episode called Vampires Kinda Suck and now, 186 episodes later, we talked to author Kristin Dearborn about her latest book and all things skunk apes. Quite a few episodes under our belt about cryptids. 🙂
A few years later, we were contacted by this dude called Jason Brant who had a new show called Drinking with Jason (RIP…to the show, not Jason). The concept was and is brilliant. He invited horror authors and the like to his show, asked them for their favorite adult beverage so he would drink it along with them during the show. It made for funny conversations. Until he discovered that most horror authors drank milk or water. Sigh. Jack and I were on separate episodes. You can watch them here. And yes, we imbibed a lot of booze.
Now, Jack and I must have made a good impression, because in 2017, Jason had an idea to do a horror review show and he asked the crusty Monster Men to join the band. On a late May evening, Final Guys was born! As of this date with just under 350 episodes under our belt, we’re going stronger than ever, broadcasting live every Tuesday night. Every episode features a drinking game, award winning news, a curation of horror movies, books and games, and a deep dive into our main feature. Oh, and a gang of nut bars in the live chat who we can’t live without!
In 2020 while we were trapped in our houses drinking way too much, the Final Guys added author Tim Meyer to the gang. He had a long running audio podcast called Aperture Hour that has since closed their microphones. When Tim had to step away from being a regular, we added author Chad Lutzke to the regular lineup. Now, Chad had a pretty cool long form podcast called PaleoCheeze (another RIP). Here’s an episode with the Monster Men as we discuss The Fly!
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the most popular podcast of them all, Jason Brant’s hilarious So Bad It’s Good. Think MST for a new generation. Big ups to Steven Seagal for making so many terrible movies. Jason and the gang kill it every week, and now have a warehouse full of crappy movies to mine for the next thousand years.
But that’s not all! Jason and Chad have since started another podcast, Bleeding Page. On it, they interview some pretty incredible horror authors. If you’re a writer or fan of the genre, it’s a must listen. Here’s an episode with Chad’s writing hero, the legendary Joe Lansdale.
I have joined forces with some great folks across the pond and their fun movie review show, Bloody Good Screen. I’m usually called to action when there are terrible movies to review and no one else wants to watch them, but I did just compete in their annual trivia contest (and came in a respectable second).
Brand new, out of the box, is Chad’s Creepy Couch, where he and his lovely wife watch horror flicks new to both or one of them. You get their funny reactions as they watch, sometimes a quirky skit or two, and a wrap up. And a pretty cool 70s feeling opening.
Last but not least is another new podcast, but this one has nothing to do with horror. Jason’s alpha male brother Bryan and his family sold their beautiful McMansion in TX to rebuild the family farm in rural PA. Armstrong Acres Farm is a no-holds barred riches to rags, DIY story that unfolds every week, showing all of the warts that come with rebuilding a property. Turn off that ridiculous HG channel and see how this kind of work is really done.
And that, for now, is the whole shebang. Will there be more? I’m sure. Until then, check these fun shows out and escape from the total misery of real life for a while.
Podcast Alert – INSIDE JAWS
A few months back, I told you all about two amazing limited run podcasts, Inside The Exorcist and Inside Psycho. They were 6-7 episode deep dives on the making of those landmark movies, both produced by Wondery.
Well, just in time for summer, they’ve started the Inside Jaws podcast. As of today, there are four episodes available and they are awesome. The historical shark attack recreations in the beginning of each episode are brilliant. The series takes you from a young Steve Spielberg to a struggling Peter Benchley and all the issues that plagued the set of Jaws. This is masterful podcasting. Best part is, Inside Jaws is free! So download the episodes, head to the beach and listen while you scan the waves for fins. (Available on iTunes and everywhere podcasts can be found)
Must Have Horror Podcast – HAUNTED
Fans of all things ghostly will love this limited run podcast by Panoply. HAUNTED is, believe it or not, an unbiased look into several cases of hauntings, with interviews by those who have had their world views of life and death shaken to its core. Host Danny Robins presents the facts and the interpretations of the experiencers and lets you decide if they actually saw a ghost or not.
These are short, easily digestible episode that are best listened to when you’re alone in a darkened room. Rumor has it that season 2 is just around the bend! Here’s the official synopsis for the show:
Do ghosts exist? If not, why do we see them? In each episode of the Haunted podcast Danny Robins looks at a real life ghost story in forensic detail trying to work out what really happened, with the help of experts, sceptics and the people who witnessed something they just can’t explain.
Danny visits a famous racetrack where drivers return from the dead; sees a suburban house haunted by a racist ex-tenant; talks to a widower who shares his bed with a phantom; and meets the parents who became convinced a ghost wanted to kill their baby daughter.
I absolutely loved HAUNTED and can’t wait for more. No matter whether you’re a believer or a skeptic, there’s something for everyone here. Listen at your own risk.
Must Have Horror Podcasts – INSIDE THE EXORCIST & INSIDE PSYCHO
As a shameless podcast junkie, I’m always looking for well produced limited run series. I feel like I struck a vein of Texas tea with a couple of amazing podcasts from Wondery. INSIDE THE EXORCIST and INSIDE PSYCHO are deep dives into not just the making of both movies, but the real life stories that inspired them. At only 25 minutes an episode and 6 or 7 episodes, you can devour them like M&Ms. Hats off to host and narrator Mark Ramsey for creating two absolute gems that will inform as much as they will disturb you.
My favorite is INSIDE THE EXORCIST because the truth is almost as creepy as the fiction. Taking us from the real life exorcism that sparked the idea to highly strange troubles on the set, the creep factor is high and the rare background information priceless. I’ve heard that it took months to just do the research, and several more months to record and perfect each episode. The power of Christ compels you to listen!
My favorite episode of INSIDE PSYCHO is actually the one about “cannibal killer” Ed Gein. If you have a weak ticker, you may want to fast forward through parts. The insight into what Hitchcock had to go through to get the movie made is fascinating. Psycho broke a lot of boundaries and is still being copied today.
So treat your earholes and seek both podcasts out. They’re available on just about every platform where you can find podcasts. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to finish my bowl of pea soup before I take a nice, hot shower.
Talking about the Jersey Devil on Jim Harold’s Cryptid Report
I can’t even express how exciting it was to be featured on Jim Harold’s Cryptid Report. He has the world’s #1 paranormal podcast, featuring the brightest stars in the fields of the paranormal, UFOs and cryptozoology. And here I come, interloping on greatness. 🙂
We sat back and talked about The Jersey Devil. Is it real? Where did it come from? Where is it today? And what else is lurking in the dense, remote Pine Barrens? Click here to listen to the interview and find out…
And you can still grab a copy of The Jersey Devil for only 99 cents. Offer ends March 1st.
I’m In Jim Harold’s Campfire 3 Book!
Over the years listening to Jim Harold’s Paranormal Podcast and becoming a subscriber to his Plus club where I can feed my paranomral addiciton daily, I’ve become a bit of a fanboy. I told him recently that’s he’s become the Leonard Nimoy (ala In Search of…) of the modern day.
A few years ago, I was on his Campfire Tales podcast, talking about the strange haunting I’ve been experiencing over the years. Well, you can imagine how thrilled I was when Jim emailed me saying he’d like to include it in his latest book, TRUE GHOST STORIES : JIM HAROLD’S CAMPFIRE 3.
You can get a copy of Campfire 3 on your e-reader for just $2.99 – that’s less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks. In it, you’ll get 70 chilling tales of ghosts and high strangeness, as told by the people who experienced the unknown. You can also get it in paperback. Guess what I’m giving out to the trick or treaters this year!
And while you’re at it, check out his FREE Paranormal Podcast. And if you’ve had a ghostly encounter, send him an email and be part of his Campfire Tales show. You just may end up in a future edition.
The Waiting’s 4 Star Review, Book Deals, Best & Worst Movies and Horrorhound
As you can tell, I have more than a few things to share with the world today. So, let’s get right down to it.
We’re less than 1 month away from the release of my novella, The Waiting. It just got a new 4 star review from Night Owl Reviews. “The Waiting has a great plot, with an ending that will blow you away!” I’d buy that for a dollar. OK, I had to in light of that terrible Robo Cop remake.
My publisher, Samhain, is running a fantastic special right now on their trade paperbacks. If you order with the code listed below, you get 50% off any print title. You can’t beat that with a chainsaw. Get it now while you can and stock up on your summer reading.
I recently posted my favorite horror movies of 2013. The Monster Men decided to expand on it and make it an episode – our longest to date but I know you’ll get a kick out of it. Plus, I’m sure we’ll give you a few flicks to add to your wish list.
As a perfect contrast to the Monster Men, the guys at Splatter Chatter dished on their all time WORST movies. Really funny, and at times, scarily passionate. You have to check them out.
And last but not least, I’ll be appearing at Horrorhound Weekend in Cinicnnati in 3 weeks. The Samhain table is going to be at the entrance of the main exhibit hall. Come on down and have a beer withe me! Much more to come on this over the next few weeks, so stay tuned.
Your Horror-Paranormal Round-Up for March
Today marks the start of something new for me. Every couple of months, I’m going to post a hodge-podge of places to go and people to see on the internet, all of them horror and paranormal related. These are the locations, people  and achievements that have captured my imagination and gratitude. They are wellsprings of inspiration, information, entertainment and mental edification. Find something that interests you and give them a lookey-loo…
Congratulations goes out to Robert Rumery on the publication of his first comic, The Grove, from WhatTheFlux Comics. If you know me, you know I’m a horror comic junkie. Nice job, Robert. I can’t wait to get my grubby little hands on it.
Looking for great horror books at steep discounts…or even free? Author, editor and all around cool dude in a loose mood, Brian James Freeman has started eHorror Bargains, your one-stop-shop for the best in horror. All of your horror deals are right here. Stop by and load up your e-reader!
Book Reviews. I have 2 places where you can go to get tons of book reviews (and if you’re an author, query them to have your book spotlighted). The first is Oh, for the HOOK of a BOOK. Super reviewer Erin covers multiple genres as well as author interviews. She is the hardest working book reviewer out there today and a lot of writerly types owe her our gratitude.
Another mega-review site is Matt Molgaard’s Horror Novel Reviews. Matt and his team do an excellent job of reviewing not only new horror works, but classics and older hidden gems. If you need to stock up your horror library, this is the place to go. Then head to eHorror Bargains and see if you can get some of them without busting your budget.
Bigfoot. You know I can’t help myself from throwing something about the hairy fella in here. Huge thanks to Scott Albright who brought this post to my attention (actually, it’s as large as a novella) about Bigfoot and why no one has found their bones or bodies. Author Robert Lindsay did some yeoman’s work putting this together. Must read for all you squatchers!
Ghosts & The Supernatural. The definitive place to get everything you need about the world of the paranormal is Jeff Belanger’s Ghost Village. This is the Bible for everyone interested in what lies beyond the veil. You can also sign up for their free monthly newsletter.
Books. I’m super excited that my book release partner on April 2nd is the uber-talented Jonathan Janz. His new book, The Darkest Lullaby, comes out the same day as my Sinister Entity. Here’s a link to a review of his book. He has one of the coolest cover in the Samhain library.
Podcasts. My newest podcast addiciotn is Darkness Radio, a radio show broadcast out of the Twin Cities. You can listen to their archives online or through iTunes. These guys have a damn good time talking about the world of the strange and the unexplained. Love their take on things.
OK, that about does it for this month. I hope you stop by some or all of these great places and supoprt them. If there are hot spots you think I should know about, send them to me and I’ll include them in future posts.
Happy hauntings!
Podcasts for the Paranormal Junkie
In the past, I’ve told you all how I’m an enormous fan of Jim Harold’s Paranormal Podcast. I’ve even become a paying member of his Plus Club and I’m loving every minute of it.
Today, I wanted to cue you in to 3 other podcasts that I listen to every week. The best part is that they are all FREE on iTunes.
First up is The Gralien Report. Despite its name, the host Micah Hanks doesn’t just talk about aliens. In fact, he covers every Fortean topic you can think of. Each episode is an hour or more and is run very much like a standard radio show. One of the most informative podcasts you’re going to find.
Next is a show that’s honest with a very homey kind of vibe. SEPS Paranormal Podcast. Host Paul Cagle is a paranormal investigator with a great Tennessee accent that puts you right at ease. He’s very down to earth and tells it like it is. He makes me laugh every time I listen, and that’s a good thing.
And last but not least is Whispers Radio , another show that mainly focuses on ghosts, but will also dip into UFOs and monsters from time to time. Jordan Cline, to me, sounds like a guy I want to have a few beers with.
So next time you’re hunting for something to load onto your iPod or listen to on your computer, give them a try. I wonder if there’s such a thing as podcast rehab?
Hunter Shea 