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Michael's Mixdown

Michael Newton

Michael's Mixdown is a show about music, voice acting, audio production techniques, including behind the scenes and historical facts about famous and interesting songs and albums. Some episodes are just my thoughts, although many episodes are interviews with incredible guests. Whether you heard it in the studio or in the stadium, you can hear about it here on Michael's Mixdown.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  • 20 episodes
  • Avg 1 hr 12 min
  • English

Episodes 20

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  • July 1 · 1 hr 9 min

    Audio Drama Round Table

    Featuring the creators of some of the best audio dramas on the market today, Allison Cossitt (Partial Veil, Howl, Mend), with Samantha Philyaw and Rob Harrower (Set Sail!/The Daring Adventures of Sierra Stone/Bells in Lilac), this episode is packed with insights from these awesome showrunners. We talk all about how we got into audio drama as a format, and what keeps us going. This was a very conversational episode recorded in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania during the Get Outta Your Booth 2026 Conference where Allison, Sam, and Rob were presenters talking about audio drama, as well as teaching a workshop. After listening to this, you should check out their stuff, which you can find located below! Ylem Media (Partial Veil) https://www.ylemmediaproductions.com/ Iridescent Acorn Productions (Set Sail!/The Daring Adventures of Sierra Stone/Bells in Lilac) https://iridescentacorn.com/ Find my show, The Custodians here: https://shows.acast.com/the-custodians Michael's Mixdown is a show primarily about the recording arts, so whether you heard it in the studio or in the stadium, you can hear about it here on Michael's Mixdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Dec 1, 2025 · 2 hr 2 min

    Kyle Decker of Quest Friends

    On today's episode of Michael's Mixdown, Kyle Decker, showrunner for Quest Friends! joins me for a discussion about actual play table top roleplaying podcasts. He and I compare notes on what makes our audio dramas different, as well as talk about what makes the actual play podcast scene so popular these days! Plus I put Kyle to the test and ask him to blindly react to which one of my dice towers sounds better! Find everything you need to know about Quest Friends! here If you're interested in my other show, The Custodians, you can find that here Michael's Mixdown is a show primarily about the recording arts, so whether you heard it in the studio or in the stadium, you can hear about it here on Michael's Mixdown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Sep 5, 2025 · 1 hr 58 min

    Indy Prog Metalists StarChaser Discuss Tsars of the Universe

    If you're a fan of the show, you know I love a good concept album. And when I found out there were local Indy prog musicians creating a concept album just down the road from me? I had to have them over to discuss it! This episode, I sat down with StarChaser, the medium-bending band led by the visionary Kara Tucker (vocals/guitar) and her husband Nick Tucker (bass/guitar). Dorian Phelps rounds out the trio on drums. More than just musicians, Nick and Kara bring together art, fashion, and storytelling to create a world around their music. Since Kara and Nick are locals, I actually got to have them over to the Michael's Mixdown studio for an in-person chat! In this conversation, they share how their artistic backgrounds shape StarChaser’s identity, from the bold visual aesthetics and stage presence to the deeply personal stories woven into their lyrics, and the music they love that inspires them. Whether you’re drawn in by the sound, the look, or the stories behind it all, this episode offers a closer look at the creative heartbeat of Indianapolis' own StarChaser. All the links! https://www.youtube.com/@JuJu_StarChaser https://starchaser1.bandcamp.com/album/tsars-of-the-universe https://www.instagram.com/jujustarchaser/ Find my other show, The Custodians, here: https://shows.acast.com/the-custodians Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • May 5, 2025 · 1 hr 48 min

    Nospūn Bassist and Vocalist Discuss Ozai EP and Next Project

    Cole Millward (Bass) and Phil Rich (Vocals) join me to discuss their latest release, Ozai. Ozai is an EP that reintroduces some of their older work to the world in a re-recorded, mixed, and mastered package. They tell me all about rebuilding that EP from the ground up, and how they've changed over the years from the original release. We discuss them meeting Dream Theater, playing at ProgPower, harsh vocals, hidden references, and the future of touring and their next release! Follow Nospūn! https://www.facebook.com/NospunOfficial https://www.instagram.com/nospun_official Listen to Opus! https://open.spotify.com/album/0fKncaxQqzmZHCNVtKPKOz?si=WWep3iijTkKiEqh5SzyWaA Listen to Ozai, new and original versions! https://open.spotify.com/album/7aoxabLnQs2iORO40s7rf5?si=xxzedoZMQxyfijR8I_RNtQ https://open.spotify.com/album/3n13wGC3h9vG8T0E2AcURP?si=zzTRBnq5QgW-axlrhycQ2w Listen to Cole and Michael on our previous episode of Michael's Mixdown! https://open.spotify.com/episode/0VUqYNw92IYtznbjLgxO2b?si=pIO0X5CFQ0ybPB9aC7uBsg Follow me! https://www.facebook.com/michaelsmixdown https://www.instagram.com/michaelsmixdown/ Ozai and Opus created and owned by Nospūn, a progressive metal band hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina. All excerpts from Ozai used with permission. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jan 28, 2025 · 1 hr 19 min

    Fleetwood Mac's Rumors with Mikey

    Joining me today is Mikey from the podcast "The Crossover with Josh and Mikey." Josh is a buddy of mine, and you can hear more about him in episode 12. Anywho, Josh introduced me and Mikey and awhile after that he's jumping at the chance to be on my show! So today we're talking about Fleetwood Mac's classic album "Rumors." Sometimes you get a rare album where nearly every song is perfect, and many, if not all, of the songs from the album are successful hits. Equal parts drama, talent, and engineering goodness combine to give us one of the most successful and best-selling albums of all time. Join Mikey and I in a discussion that spans from 1977 to 1997 about Fleetwood Mac (and a few other bands maybe). Find "The Crossover with Josh and Mikey" here: https://anchor.fm/thecrossoverwjam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jan 28, 2025 · 1 hr 50 min

    Michael and Friends Favorites of 2021

    This episode, I wanted to talk about all my favorite albums and songs that came out this year. There's no real order here, it's not a top 10 in any way. Just all my favorite things that came out this year. I discuss what I liked about these releases and how they got me through the year. And since I listen to a decent variety of genres, so there's a whole bunch of different stuff to listen to this episode! And at the end, I got some friends to chime in and tell me what their favorite stuff was this year, and what their music did for them in 2021! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jan 28, 2025 · 49 min

    American Idiot, musings about Fall and Loss

    Do you remember the 21st night of September? The day that American Idiot by Green Day was released to the public? And I'm pretty certain that no other significant musical history has to do with September 21st. Anyway, this episode is all about the album American Idiot, which was a huge hit for Green Day in 2004. This album brought them back to the scene, even though it was vastly different than what they'd done before. Full of political unrest and teenage angst, this album contains songs that helped to define my entire generation. This album was ubiquitous when I was growing up, and not Earth, nor wind, nor fire could stop it. Come take a listen to find out what made this album so special. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jan 28, 2025 · 1 hr 40 min

    Counting Crows Special

    I have loved this band since I was a kid, and it's one of the few bands that has stuck with me all my life. Join me in this episode where I talk about all the walks of life that have included Counting Crows. I ramble on about personal stories, times of doubt and hurt, and times where I felt inspired and mighty. Counting Crows has it all. This is probably the most personal I've gotten in an episode to date, so be open and have some feels with me. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jan 28, 2025 · 27 min

    In The Air Tonight Solo'd

    In this Solo'd episode of Michael's Mixdown, I quickly break down two versions of In The Air Tonight, the first being the original, and the other being a cover version by The Protomen. I talk about how Phil Collins went from being the drummer of Genesis, to being an incredibly successful solo artist. I also talk about the differences between the two songs, and what I like about the cover that they changed. If you recognize this cover of In The Air Tonight, it might be because it was in the latest season of Cobra Kai! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jan 28, 2025 · 20 min

    Towerblock Solo'd

    Welcome to a new format style episode from Michael's Mixdown. The Solo'd episodes will be shorter and come more frequently than the big deep-dive episodes. Sometimes a song just strikes me in a certain way, and I have an immediate appreciation for the production. Some songs also just do not have all that much detailed history to search for online. So this series was born. These episodes will be more commentary style throughout the song, and just my thoughts and reactions to what I'm hearing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jan 28, 2025 · 36 min

    The History of Thriller

    In this episode, I break down the iconic Thriller, by Michael Jackson. There's a ton of information about this album out there, and there was a lot to unpack. This is a great episode, and you'll learn a lot about what went into Thriller, the best selling album of all time! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jan 28, 2025 · 43 min

    The Making of Hamilton

    In this first episode of Michael's Mixdown, I discuss the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Hamilton, and how the record was made and other behind the scenes details! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Dec 11, 2024 · 26 min

    Cigarettes Solo'd

    I've been thinking about covering my thoughts on this song for a long time, and here it finally is! In this episode I discuss the song "Cigarettes" by King's X. This song debuted on their 1994 album Dogman, and it has some really killer production. I talk at length about how the vocals and guitars are hard panned left and right, which adds some depth and emotion to the song. In my opinion, they sound disconnected from one another. This is a great sad, melancholy song, perfect for a rainy day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Dec 11, 2024 · 1 hr 15 min

    Scenes From A Memory, a Masterclass in Prog Concept Albums

    In this episode, I tackle one of my favorite albums of all time, Dream Theater's Metropolis Pt.2: Scenes From A Memory. Scenes is an amazing display of musicianship and lyrics, and every time I listen to it, I'm totally blown away. It's one of those feelings that I wish I could go back and listen to it for the first time again. Scenes really is an incredible piece of art, and I hope you all will give it a listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Oct 23, 2024 · 1 hr 39 min

    Indy Locals: Sunset etc

    What do you get when you throw Rue Fontaine, Abe Rodriguez, Daniel Minnerick in a blender? Probably a gross mess. But throw them on stage or in the studio together and they become Sunset etc! They're a band local to me that plays shows all around Indianapolis. I actually had them live in the Michael's Mixdown studio (small bedroom in my house). We talk all about what the band has been up to lately, including the recording of their recent singles. We also just cover a lot of life stuff, audio nerd stuff, our favorite movies, and we talk about many more interesting topics (dicks)! Get in touch with the guys and sign up for their mailing listsunsetetcetera@gmail.comFind their music:https://sunsetetc.bandcamp.com/Get their socials here:https://www.instagram.com/sunsetetc/https://www.facebook.com/sunsetetc/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Oct 13, 2024 · 32 min

    Five Year Anniversary

    Happy birthday to Michael's Mixdown! I've been podcasting for five years now. I've met a lot of very cool people, and I've experienced a lot of cool things. Today I want to recap my journey to this point, and go over some of the things I've learned. I can't teach you how to make a lot of money, but I might be able to teach you how to be a better podcaster. This episode comes on the heels of the notice that many of my episodes have been taken down due to copyright violations. It was my understanding that Spotify was granting a blanket license to use any music found on their platform so long as this show was hosted on this platform. They notified me that the protection was going to be removed going forward, but that episodes published before June of this year would be honored. I guess they walked back the deal. The entire topic of "fair use" is for another time, but this impacts the ability for this show to exist. Going forward, all episodes will be interview style and any copyrighted works presented will be done so with the express permission of the artist who is being interviewed. All that being said, Michael's Mixdown will be taking a back seat to other plans I have. If you feel so inclined, please check out The Hellscape, and The Custodians.https://shows.acast.com/the-hellscape/episodes/the-custodians-episode-one-hell-breaks-loose Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jul 30, 2024 · 1 hr 4 min

    How Bewildered Biscuit Productions Brings Comics to Life

    In today's episode, I sat down with the team at Bewildered Biscuit Productions (BBP) and discussed their projects in animated comics! Many of my voice acting friends are involved in their various projects, including former Michael's Mixdown guest Nels Gross (episode 36). BBP take comic books and turn them into something special far beyond any ordinary motion comic. They add animation, voice acting, music, and sound effects! So come learn a little about the process and then check out their work!https://www.youtube.com/@BewilderedBiscuitProductionshttps://bewilderedbiscuit.com/https://www.instagram.com/bewildered_biscuit_productions/https://www.tiktok.com/@bewilderedbiscuit?_t=8gyUUFiOSTL&_r=1https://www.facebook.com/bewildered.biscuit.productions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jun 21, 2024 · 1 hr 44 min

    A Spooky Conversation with The Cello Doll

    Joining me today is Carolyn Regula, aka The Cell Doll! I saw Carolyn talking on her YouTube channel talking about building a booth for home recording, and I knew that we should have a conversation about that! We talk all about her career as a cellist, our favorite metal bands, and about her journey to becoming a home recording artist. I guarantee you will learn interesting things about recording, and have a ball laughing along with us. The Cello Doll website:https://www.cellodoll.com/The Cello Doll Social Medias: https://www.facebook.com/thecellodoll/https://www.instagram.com/thecellodoll/https://www.youtube.com/@CelloDollhttps://www.tiktok.com/@thecellodollCheck out her latest single:https://open.spotify.com/album/5qq0oYxougANW8RHhTqpEJ?si=Yt_bBXd9QUmFe6Mx6k3G9A Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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