Pods Like Us

Martin ”Marv” Quibell

Martin 'Marv' Quibell talks to different podcasters each week about their different shows.

  1. MAY 9

    Sheer Pod Attack – Every Queen Song in Order with Stephen & Paul Nicholson

    Two lifelong Queen fans. One song at a time. Stephen and Paul Nicholson — brothers and co-hosts of the acclaimed Trimming the Musical Fat music podcast — join Marv on Pods Like Us to talk about their brand new weekly podcast Sheer Pod Attack, where they're covering every single Queen track in chronological order in under 10 minutes per episode.  From the Queen I debut album all the way through to Made in Heaven, no song gets skipped. In this conversation the trio dive deep into Queen fandom, the 2026 Queen II remix, Hot Space revisionism, favourite Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor solo records, podcast production tools, and the childhood memories that made Queen the greatest band in the world — at least to them.  Whether you're a hardcore Queen obsessive, a casual fan rediscovering the catalogue, or a podcaster looking for format inspiration, this episode is packed with insight, nostalgia, and genuine passion for one of music's most genre-defying acts.  ABOUT SHEER POD ATTACK A weekly Queen podcast covering every song in the  catalogue — in order — in under 10 minutes. New episodes every week. sheerpodattack@gmail.com Find them on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky  ABOUT PODS LIKE US Hosted by Marv (Martin Bel). New episodes on all major podcast platforms. Find us on Patreon, Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and Bluesky.   #Queen #QueenBand #FreddieMercury #BrianMay #RogerTaylor #JohnDeacon #QueenPodcast #SheerPodAttack #MusicPodcast #PodsLikeUs #TrimmingTheMusicalFat #QueenRemix2026 #QueenGreatestHits #MrBadGuy #FunInSpace #HotSpace #TheWorks #PodcastingTips #MusicHistory #ClassicRock

    1h 20m
  2. MAR 1

    Rob Walch - What is "podcasting", and how has it changed?

    He was podcasting before Apple knew what a podcast was. Twenty years later, Rob Walch is still the person the industry calls when they need answers — and in this episode he's giving them all away for free. Rob Walch, VP of Podcast Relations at Captivate and one of the most experienced voices in podcasting history, joins Marv for a conversation that every podcaster — beginner or veteran — needs to hear. From why your show title is silently killing your growth, to why Joe Rogan's biggest audience isn't watching him on YouTube, to how to use AI without letting it destroy your authenticity, this is a masterclass in modern podcasting from someone who has lived every era of it from the inside. If you want to start a podcast, grow your existing show, understand podcast metrics, or learn how to monetise your content — this episode covers all of it. 📬 CONTACT ROB WALCH 📧 rob.walch@global.com 📧 rob@podcast411.com ️ Search Space Business 411 on any podcast platform 🌐 FIND PODS LIKE US Website, socials & contact: themarzone.org / Support the show on Patreon — link on the website "There's just more time in the day to consume audio." — Rob Walch #Podcasting #PodcastTips #HowToStartAPodcast #PodcastGrowth #PodcastSEO #PodcastMarketing #AudioFirst #RSSFeed #ApplePodcasts #Captivate #RobWalch #PodsLikeUs #PodcastMonetization #IndependentPodcasting #ContentCreators #SpaceBusiness411 #PodcastAdvice #PodcastingIn2025 #GoogleTrends #AIForPodcasters #NichePodcasting #PodcastMetrics #VideoVsAudio #PodcastDiscovery #ElsieEscobar

    54 min
  3. JAN 22

    Elsie Escobar: Podcasting's Evolution from Community to Industry

    Podcasting pioneer Elsie Escobar joins Martin Quibell to discuss the medium's transformation over two decades, from intimate community to corporate industry. Learn about the early days of podcasting, the challenges that creators face today, and why human connection still matters most.  What You'll Learn  The Early Days of Podcasting (00:01-08:51)  ● How a fifth-generation iPod led Elsie to discover podcasts  ● Finding Podcast 411 and becoming part of podcasting's first community  ● Why early podcasting was dialogue-driven and deeply interactive  ● The power of hearing your name mentioned on a show for the first time  From Hollywood to Podcasting Freedom (08:51-14:17)  ● Escaping the soul-crushing pigeonholing of the acting industry  ● How podcasting offered creative freedom without visual judgment  ● The transformative power of getting behind a microphone  ● Why voice-only media can be deeply empowering  Community vs Industry: The Great Shift (14:17-22:22)  ● How podcasting evolved from "we" culture to hierarchical media  ● Why early podcasters actively engaged with every listener  ● The loss of dialogue between hosts and audiences  ● When podcasting stopped being about community and became about assets  The Video Podcast Debate (22:22-29:42)  ● Concerns about podcasting becoming "another form of television"  ● The danger of losing podcasting's punk rock spirit  ● Why following corporate rules kills innovation  ● How to preserve the freedom that made podcasting special  She Podcasts: Amplifying Women's Voices (29:42-34:35)  ● Creating a counterbalance to male-dominated podcasting shows  ● The chemistry between Elsie and co-host Jess  ● How the show evolved into authentic life conversations  ● The power of women taking center stage  The Modern Podcasting Burden (34:35-48:39)  ● Why creating podcasts has become a full-time marketing job  ● From simple "mic to RSS" to video clips, transcripts, and social strategy  ● How overwhelming requirements stop creators from creating  ● Finding workflows that prioritize voice over visibility  AI in Podcasting: Tool or Replacement? (48:39-54:51)  ● Using AI for transcription while maintaining human curation  ● Why AI can't capture your unique message and positioning  ● The importance of writing your own show notes and chapter marks  ● Balancing efficiency with authentic care for your audience  Netflix, Spotify & Distribution Deals (54:51-1:08:22)  ● Why the Netflix "podcasting" deal isn't really about podcasts  ● Understanding old-school media distribution in new platforms  ● How one network built a multi-platform media empire  ● The difference between podcast networks and podcast community  What Makes a Good Podcast? (1:08:22-1:14:00)  ● Podcasts as solutions to listener needs  ● Why "good" depends entirely on context and timing  ● The soup vs ice cream analogy for podcast consumption  ● Why small, engaged audiences matter more than massive numbers  The Future: Slow, Human, and Sustainable (1:14:00-end)  ● Banking on slow, thoughtful content in a fast-moving world  ● Why human skills will become more valuable as AI advances  ● Building expansive, sustainable, and aligned creative work  ● The importance of staying grounded as technology accelerates  Key Quotes  "The mere act of getting behind the microphone, it just does a lot to you personally, in a good way. It's your teacher."  "I chose to no longer name [certain big podcasters] because we all need somebody else's name to be coming out of our mouths."  "Podcasting used to be such a lift. Now it feels like it's a full-time job."  "A good podcast provides the solution that I'm looking for at the time. Has nothing to do with quality, topic, format."  About Elsie Escobar - Elsie Escobar is a podcasting veteran who's been part of the medium since its earliest days. Known for her work at Libsyn and as co-host of The Feed and She Podcasts, Elsie has been a guiding voice for podcasters worldwide. She's an advocate for authentic, human-first content creation and community building.

    1h 20m
  4. JAN 6

    The Future of Podcasting is Here: Sam Sethi on Podcasting 2.0, Micropayments & Why Downloads Don't Matter

    Episode Description - Join host Marv for an in-depth conversation with Sam Sethi, entrepreneur, former tech journalist, and co-creator of True Fans. Discover the evolution of podcasting technology, the future of RSS feeds, and how blockchain-based micropayments could revolutionize creator monetization. Sam shares insights from his 30+ year journey through tech giants like Microsoft, Netscape, and BBC, and explains why podcasting 2.0 might be the industry's biggest shift since iTunes.  Key Topics Covered - Podcasting 2.0 & The New Namespace Sam explains the revolutionary metadata tags transforming podcast discovery and functionality, from person tags and chapters to location-based podcast mapping. Learn how open-source collaboration is challenging Big Tech's dominance.  The Future of Podcast Monetization Discover programmable money and value-for-value models that could replace traditional advertising. Sam reveals how listeners can earn micropayments for their attention while giving creators direct revenue streams. Streaming vs. Downloads: The Coming Shift Why the podcast industry's obsession with download numbers is outdated, and how first-party listen time data will revolutionize advertising effectiveness and creator insights.  AI in Podcasting: Hype vs. Reality Sam's take on "assisted intelligence" - where AI transcripts and automated chapters add value, and where synthetic voices fall short of authentic creator-listener relationships.  Timestamps - [00:00] Introduction and Sam's tech journalism background [02:00] From army officer to Microsoft: Sam's unconventional career path [04:00] The early days of blogging and TechCrunch Europe [05:00] COVID pivot: Building a radio station and discovering podcasting [06:00] Launching Pod News Weekly Review with James Cridland [07:00] Getting involved with Podcasting 2.0 and building True Fans [08:00] Apple finally adopts transcripts and chapters - validation for the namespace [10:00] Location tags and the future of podcast discovery [12:00] Why Sam loves technology over advertising metrics [14:00] The Spotify-Netflix deal and protecting niche podcasting [15:00] Advertising as "Emperor's new clothes" - the measurement problem [17:00] Revolutionary concept: Paying listeners to watch ads with programmable money [20:00] Value-for-value and streaming micropayments explained [22:00] Co-listening feature and building podcast communities [26:00] The Pod News Weekly dynamic: British humor and rapport [28:00] Moving from downloads to streaming: The next five years [30:00] Why listen time percentage matters more than raw numbers [33:00] The death of the download model and rise of streaming data [36:00] BBC Sounds international availability debate [40:00] The Panorama editing scandal and BBC's reputation [42:00] What makes a great podcast: Content, chemistry, and audio quality [45:00] Parasocial relationships and podcast magic [46:00] Claire Waite Brown's "Podcasting 2.0 in Practice" - essential listening [47:00] Concerns about declining podcasting 2.0 content creators [51:00] Sam's podcast listening habits: Politics, sports, and intelligent conversation [53:00] AI as "assisted intelligence" not artificial intelligence [54:00] AI voices vs. authentic creator relationships [56:00] Different AI podcast models: Editorial control vs. content farms [58:00] How to connect with Sam and True Fans  Key Quotes - "I think micropayments and wallets might take a little longer, but I can see in 2026  that catching on as well... the merit of what the technology provides and why people want it stands out very well."  "The joy and the promise of podcasting is about the long tail, about the niche of  podcasting... somebody who's got a niche podcast about fishing or knitting or  whatever, can still have an audience."  "I think advertising is the Emperor's new clothes. I think it's a scam... Who heard my ad? Oh, we can't tell you. How long did they listen to my ad? I don't know."  "The download isn't irrelevant, but actual listen time is a real metric. And so I think  in 2026, 2027, you'll see more and more people tell you what their listen time is not their download numbers."  Resources Mentioned - People & Podcasts  ● James Cridland - Pod News Weekly Review co-host  ● Adam Curry - Podcasting pioneer, Podcasting 2.0 namespace creator  ● Dave Jones - Podcasting 2.0 co-creator  ● Claire Waite - "Podcasting 2.0 in Practice" podcast  ● Elsie Escobar - Former host of The Feed  ● Kara Swisher - Pivot podcast  ● Emily Maitlis - The News Agents, The Rest is Politics Platforms & Tools  ● True Fans - Sam's podcasting app and hosting platform  ● Fountain - Podcasting 2.0 app  ● Pod Verse - Podcasting 2.0 app  ● Buzzsprout - Podcast hosting with AI features  ● Zencaster - Recording platform  ● 11 Labs - AI voice generation  ● Wonder Craft - AI audio production Companies & Technologies  ● Podcasting 2.0 namespace  ● Value-for-value model  ● Booster Gram Ball  ● Lightning Network micropayments  ● BBC Sounds   Articles & Concepts - ● Kevin Kelly's "1,000 True Fans" essay  ● Micro formats and micro data  ● Premium RSS feeds  ● Value time splits (wallet switching)  ● Timed links in transcripts   Connect with Sam Sethi - ● Email: sam@truefans.fm  ● LinkedIn: Sam Sethi  ● Listen: Pod News Weekly Review  ● Listen: Creators from True Fans  ● Platform: truefans.fm  ● Mastodon: Active  SEO Keywords -  podcasting 2.0, podcast monetization, RSS feeds, micropayments, value for value podcasting, podcast analytics, listen time metrics, streaming podcasts, podcast advertising, AI in podcasting, podcast transcripts, podcast chapters, True Fans app, podcasting namespace, blockchain podcasting, creator economy, independent podcasters, podcast technology, podcast discovery, niche podcasting  About the Guest - Sam Sethi is a tech entrepreneur and former journalist with over 30 years of industry experience. He's worked with Microsoft, Netscape, BBC, and TechCrunch, and currently serves as co-creator of True Fans and co-host of Pod News Weekly Review. Sam is deeply involved in the Podcasting 2.0 movement, developing innovative solutions for podcast monetization and listener engagement through blockchain-based micropayments and enhanced RSS metadata.  For more episodes of Pods Like Us, visit themarzone.org or find us on your favorite podcast platform. Support the show on Patreon.

    1h 2m
5
out of 5
27 Ratings

About

Martin 'Marv' Quibell talks to different podcasters each week about their different shows.