Best Erik and Shannon Podcasts (2025)

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“Wherever You Will Go” by The Calling (f/ Erin Mallory Long) 1:00:48

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1d ago1:00:48

1:00:48

This week, we’re exploring the career and music of The Calling, a band that somehow managed to define the early 2000s with their massive hit “Wherever You Will Go.” Whether it was the song’s appearance in Coyote Ugly or simply the right sound at the right time, The Calling burst onto the scene with one of the biggest songs in the history of Billboa…

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“I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock of Seagulls 57:40

9d ago57:40

57:40

What happens when a hairdresser decides to buy a used synthesizer and start a band with his friend and his brother, despite having little musical experience? You get A Flock of Seagulls, a group whose sound (and haircuts) perfectly capture the spirit of the early 80s. The unforgettable music video for “I Ran (So Far Away)” became an MTV staple in t…

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Episode 201 – On James Whale's 'Frankenstein' and 'Bride of Frankenstein,' with Peter Bebergal 1:10:52

9d ago1:10:52

1:10:52

In this episode, Phil and JF are joined by independent scholar Peter Bebergal, author of Strange Frequencies, Season of the Witch, and other books on the intersections of culture, religion, and the occult. The topic is Frankenstein—not Guillermo del Toro's latest but James Whale's 1931 talkie along with its 1935 sequel, The Bride of Frankenstein, b…

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“Fooled Around and Fell in Love” by Elvin Bishop (f/ Erik J. Brown) 59:04

16d ago59:04

59:04

Long before his 1976 hit, Elvin Bishop was already one of the world’s most respected blues guitarists. Everyone from the Grateful Dead to Bo Diddley was eager to collaborate with him, and his work with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band eventually earned him a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Despite his confidence and experience as a world-cl…

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Episode 129 - Patiencia Y Fe 34:50

20d ago34:50

34:50

Another grandmother joins us for this installment in our songs about aging, though Abuela Claudia isn't just anyone's grandmother, she is everyone's grandmother. Her solo "Patiencia Y Fe" is one of the standout moments in the standout score of Lin-Manuel Miranda's breakthrough show In the Heights, and Olga Merediz gives it everything she has. All c…

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Halloween Special: A Reading of Arthur Machen's "The White People" 1:39:55

21d ago1:39:55

1:39:55

Originally released in 2018 but remixed for your listening pleasure, here's Phil reading Arthur Machen's classic weird tale, "The White People." Happy Halloween! Machen's "The White People" was discussed all the way back in ⁠Weird Studies episode 3⁠. Earlier this week, JF and Phil joined Conner Habib on his podcast to talk all about horror. It was …

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“Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon 1:00:57

23d ago1:00:57

1:00:57

It’s Halloween, so we thought it would be crazy not to dive into the legendary artist who brought us the lyric “little old lady got mutilated late last night.” That’s right…this week, we’re diving into the life and career of Warren Zevon and his most famous single, 1978’s “Werewolves of London.” A dark sense of humor paired with a songwriting voice…

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Episode 200 – On 'The Call of Cthulhu' 1:27:34

23d ago1:27:34

1:27:34

For their 200th episode, JF and Phil turn their attention to H. P. Lovecraft’s “The Call of Cthulhu,” a story foundational not only to modern horror fiction but to the very idea of the Weird. In revisiting this tale of forbidden knowledge and cosmic ambiguity, the hosts reflect on Weird Studies itself as a “slow piecing together of dissociated know…

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Episode 128 - No Time at All 35:33

24d ago35:33

35:33

We're back! We had an illness related delay, which was us being thematic, since illness is part of growing older...yeah, let's go with that. But we are back on track and here to talk about Stephen Schwartz's Pippin. In particular, we're looking at the 2012 revival and Andrea Martin's performance of "No Time at All." Definitely watch the performance…

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“Flood” by Jars of Clay (f/ Katie Hampton) 1:07:11

30d ago1:07:11

1:07:11

This week, we’re joined by Matt Kelly’s Christian Cringe co-host Katie Hampton to become one with the mud. Yes, we’re exploring the career and music of Jars of Clay, the rare mainstream crossover from the Christian music scene who made their mark in 1996 with the alternative rock radio hit “Flood.” Despite a bit of blowback from their religious fan…

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“You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” by Dead Or Alive 58:07

1M ago58:07

58:07

This week, our Patreon voted for us to explore the music and career of Dead or Alive, the British pop band responsible for the endlessly catchy and danceable 1985 single, “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record).” Led by the eccentric and androgynous Pete Burns, Dead or Alive were a perfect mix of the end of disco and the start of new wave. Their rise up…

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Episode 199 – On Michael Jackson, with Shannon Taggart 1:15:25

1M ago1:15:25

1:15:25

Photographer and paranormal researcher Shannon Taggart joins JF and Phil to explore the phenomenon that was Michael Jackson. One of the most brilliant and successful musicians of the modern era, Jackson was also a liminal figure sans pareil, a shapeshifter who defied the binary categories through which we order the human world. His art and persona …

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“A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton (f/ Eric Taft) 1:17:18

1M ago1:17:18

1:17:18

Whether you were rockin’ out to it in 2002 or watching Terry Crews sing every word to it a few years later, Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles” is a song that can stir up a lot of feelings and emotions for those who lived it. Even though the song’s earnest delivery and theater-kid presentation SHOULD make it an artifact from the turn of the centur…

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The 2005 Albums Fantasy Auction Draft 1:13:10

2M ago1:13:10

1:13:10

The DREAM TEAM of Chris Fafalios, Matt Kelly, Matthew Milligan, and Tony Hartman are BACK to draft the very best albums from the year 2005. From the launch of YouTube to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, these albums were the soundtrack to a year filled with highs, lows, and in-betweens. Who will draft the very best collection of records with t…

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Episode 198 – Breaking the Frame: On the High Priestess in the Tarot 1:19:45

2M ago1:19:45

1:19:45

Since 2020, Phil and JF have been creating an on-again, off-again series on the major trumps, or "arcana," of the tarot. In this episode, they continue the series with a discussion of the second arcanum: the High Priestess, also known as la Papesse, the female pope. One of the most enigmatic and powerful cards in the deck, the High Priestess symbol…

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Episode 127 - Sunrise, Sunset 35:31

2M ago35:31

35:31

Out with the new and in with the old! Yes, we're moving from songs about growing up to songs about the act of having grown up, i.e., songs about aging and growing old. We're starting with a song from a show we have been slightly remiss in having only discussed once way back in the early days of our podcast, despite its tremendous popularity and cul…

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“The Rain” by Oran “Juice” Jones (f/ Zak Shaffer) 48:29

2M ago48:29

48:29

This week, we're diving into one of the most bizarre R&B hits of the 80s. With its slick production and dramatic monologue, “The Rain” by Oran “Juice” Jones became a Top 10 smash in 1986 before fading into obscurity. Not EVERYONE forgot the track, however, as Donald Glover and the cast of Saturday Night Live resurrected it in 2018 with a spot-on an…

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“Harlem Shake” by Baauer (f/ Chris Dalla Riva) 54:32

2M ago54:32

54:32

In early 2013, the Billboard Charts underwent a major change by incorporating YouTube streams into their formula. Almost immediately, the internet responded with chaos. The bizarre, bass-heavy electronica track “Harlem Shake” by producer Baauer skyrocketed to #1, fueled by a wave of absurd, meme-fueled dance videos that dominated social media. It b…

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Episode 197 - Sounding the Otherworld: On Bryn Chainey's 'Rabbit Trap' 1:10:31

2M ago1:10:31

1:10:31

In a rare surfacing in the contemporary world, JF and Phil discuss a film that has just been released. Bryn Chainey’s Rabbit Trap is psychological horror in the tradition of Repulsion, Jacob’s Ladder, and Angel Heart. But it is more: a metaphysical film exploring the mystery of sound and the Otherworld of Faerie—an excursion into that weird country…

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Episode 126 - You Will Be Found 47:40

2M ago47:40

47:40

Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy podcast. After 5 years and 125 episodes, we're finally talking about one of the major smashes of the past decade: Pasek and Paul's Dear Evan Hansen. Winner of 6 Tonys -- including Best Actor for overnight sensation Ben Platt -- the show has had quite the interesting journey over the past couple of yea…

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Punchline “Somewhere To Land” Instant Reaction 51:03

2M ago51:03

51:03

Punchline’s new album Somewhere To Land was just released a few hours ago, and One Hit Thunder is here with some thoughts! Matt shares his feelings about every track, and Chris shares some insight into the writing, recording, and release of the next chapter in the Punchline story. One Hit Thunder is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner…

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“Take My Breath Away” by Berlin 44:39

2M ago44:39

44:39

This week, we’re discussing the music and career of Berlin, a band whose biggest hit was, strangely, not really a Berlin song at all. “Take My Breath Away” soared into the stratosphere on the tailwinds of Top Gun in 1986, but it wasn’t a great representation of the sexy, upbeat new wave synth-pop that Berlin was known for. Join us as we journey dee…

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The 2025 MTV VMAs: Thoughts and Reactions 47:47

2M ago47:47

47:47

Chris and Matt discuss their thoughts on the 2025 VMAs, which strangely aired on CBS instead of MTV (which couldn’t be bothered to interrupt their nonstop stream of the show Ridiculousness to air their signature awards show!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Geekscape

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Weird Studies Trailer 2:00

2M ago2:00

2:00

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy SpectreVision Radio

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“Bodies” by Drowning Pool (f/ Kyle Kuchta) 1:03:39

3M ago1:03:39

1:03:39

To be honest, when this week’s guest Kyle Kuchta pitched Drowning Pool’s “Bodies” to us for an episode, we braced ourselves for a terrible listening experience. Instead, what we got was some solid hard rock and a tragic story about vocalist Dave Williams, who seemed to be a solid dude with a great attitude who was taken from this world much too soo…

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Mid-Break Bonus: On Trust 57:06

3M ago57:06

57:06

We're breaking up our late-summer pause with an audio extra originally recorded for our Patreon supporters. This episode also includes an essay JF wrote on the philosophy of Henri Bergson. A whole course on Bergson's philosophy begins on Weirdosphere later this month. Weird Studies will be back with a brand-new episode on September 17th. Learn more…

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Episode 125 - Ring of Keys 34:57

3M ago34:57

34:57

More bildungsroman! More childhood discovery! More tears! This time, it's Fun Home that's making us cry, based on Alison Bechdel's graphic novel of the same name. The musical is by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Krohn and won the 2015 Tony for Best Musical and features the absolutely wondrous and devastating song "Ring of Keys." Buckle up! All clips are f…

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“Always Something There to Remind Me” by Naked Eyes (f/ Mark Popeney) 1:03:30

3M ago1:03:30

1:03:30

This week on One Hit Thunder, we’re joined by special guest Mark Popeney of the Nevermind The Music podcast to discuss Naked Eyes and their 1983 hit “Always Something There to Remind Me.” Originally written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, the song found new life in the synth pop era thanks to Naked Eyes' inventive production and reliance on cuttin…

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“Walking In Memphis” by Marc Cohn (f/ Evan Fonseca) 50:24

3M ago50:24

50:24

In an attempt to combat a case of writer's block, struggling songwriter Marc Cohn took a trip to Memphis. A chance encounter at a café resulted in one of the most beloved adult contemporary songs of the 90s. “Walking In Memphis” has stood the test of time, and this week, we’re joined by Phantom of the Podpera co-host Evan Fonseca to touch down in t…

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Episode 124 - When I Grow Up 35:14

3M ago35:14

35:14

Who here wants to cry at the innocence and fragility of childhood?! Well, ready or not, here we go, because this episode features "When I Grow Up" from Matilda: The Musical written by Tim Minchin. And it definitely enters then canon of "SMSTS episodes where one or both hosts audibly stifles tears." Enjoy!(?) All clips are from 2011's Roald Dahl's M…

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“It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock 39:53

3M ago39:53

39:53

HIT IT! Few tracks ignite a dance floor like Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock’s 1988 classic, “It Takes Two.” Built around an infectious sample from Lyn Collins’ “Think (About It),” this platinum-certified anthem didn’t just dominate clubs—it helped hip-hop cross over into the mainstream. Despite the duo’s explosive debut, follow-up efforts like Rob Base’s…

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Episode 196 – Lost and Never Found: On 'The Blair Witch Project' 1:32:13

3M ago1:32:13

1:32:13

Of all the flavors of horror, few are as dreadful as that of being lost in the wilderness. In this episode, JF and Phil revisit The Blair Witch Project, the classic 1999 found-footage film that inspired a thousand imitators. What makes this film so gripping, they argue, is the way it lingers over the subtle stages of disorientation in a hostile pla…

Erik And Shannon Podcasts

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So Much Stuff to Sing

Shannon Dohar and Erik Stadnik

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Weird Studies

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One Hit Thunder

Geekscape

1
“Wherever You Will Go” by The Calling (f/ Erin Mallory Long) 1:00:48

1
“I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock of Seagulls 57:40

1
Episode 201 – On James Whale's 'Frankenstein' and 'Bride of Frankenstein,' with Peter Bebergal 1:10:52

1
“Fooled Around and Fell in Love” by Elvin Bishop (f/ Erik J. Brown) 59:04

1
Episode 129 - Patiencia Y Fe 34:50

1
Halloween Special: A Reading of Arthur Machen's "The White People" 1:39:55

1
“Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon 1:00:57

1
Episode 200 – On 'The Call of Cthulhu' 1:27:34

1
Episode 128 - No Time at All 35:33

1
“Flood” by Jars of Clay (f/ Katie Hampton) 1:07:11

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“You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” by Dead Or Alive 58:07

1
Episode 199 – On Michael Jackson, with Shannon Taggart 1:15:25

1
“A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton (f/ Eric Taft) 1:17:18

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The 2005 Albums Fantasy Auction Draft 1:13:10

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Episode 198 – Breaking the Frame: On the High Priestess in the Tarot 1:19:45

1
Episode 127 - Sunrise, Sunset 35:31

1
“The Rain” by Oran “Juice” Jones (f/ Zak Shaffer) 48:29

1
“Harlem Shake” by Baauer (f/ Chris Dalla Riva) 54:32

1
Episode 197 - Sounding the Otherworld: On Bryn Chainey's 'Rabbit Trap' 1:10:31

1
Episode 126 - You Will Be Found 47:40

1
Punchline “Somewhere To Land” Instant Reaction 51:03

1
“Take My Breath Away” by Berlin 44:39

1
The 2025 MTV VMAs: Thoughts and Reactions 47:47

1
Weird Studies Trailer 2:00

1
“Bodies” by Drowning Pool (f/ Kyle Kuchta) 1:03:39

1
Mid-Break Bonus: On Trust 57:06

1
Episode 125 - Ring of Keys 34:57

1
“Always Something There to Remind Me” by Naked Eyes (f/ Mark Popeney) 1:03:30

1
“Walking In Memphis” by Marc Cohn (f/ Evan Fonseca) 50:24

1
Episode 124 - When I Grow Up 35:14

1
“It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock 39:53

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Episode 196 – Lost and Never Found: On 'The Blair Witch Project' 1:32:13