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Radio Free Burrito Episode 42a: not 38 anything.

wil, · Categories: Film

Vintage-Circus-PostersIt’s Sunday, and I don’t have time to do a full episode of anything, but I wanted to make a thing. So I made this.

And for you non-embed folks: 042a-RFB

34 Responses to “Radio Free Burrito Episode 42a: not 38 anything.”

  1. John Rudy says:

    https://archive.org/details/WurlitzerBandOrgan

    As someone else who has looked for carnival Calliope music for a very long time, it took me quite a while to realize the real name for what I meant is a “Band Organ.”

    Also, so happy the Burrito is back!

  2. Jessica Willson says:

    Firstly thank you for making stuff. Secondly on the topic of creepy carnivals, you should read Steven King’s Joyland if you haven’t already. Extra creepy carnival!

  3. Kim Lloyd says:

    I don’t have a real nonfiction book on the history of carnivals, but if you like urban fantasy or horror, this anthology of carnival-themed stories is fun.

  4. Robyn says:

    I love that even though you don’t have time to make full episodes you are taking the time to put up not a burritos. The idea that the thing you make doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect has inspired me to make more things, just because I want to make a thing. I used to stop myself by asking, ‘but what are you going to do with it when it’s done?’ You made me realize that what happens to things after you are done not the point. MAKING SOMETHING and the joy you get from that is what really matters. Thanks for the inspiration.

    • wil says:

      I have to remind myself that the goal isn’t to be perfect. The goal is to make a thing where there wasn’t a thing before.

      • John Rudy says:

        ^ This. This just got printed and put on my office wall.

      • Lauri says:

        Giving this to my hubby who, being a machinist, finds it hard to do things that aren’t “perfect”.
        Also seconding watching the HBO series Carnivale. It has just the right amount of creepy to it.

      • Thank you! As a visual artist I’m struggling with this ‘being perfect thing’ all the time! I’m going to print this and put it up next to my easel 😀

        Also I love listening to the podcast! (and watching TableTop and Titansgrave)! You make cool stuff, I like it, whether you think it is perfect or not!

  5. ben says:

    I love it how even though you are on a bit of a break, you can’t help put put something creative out there. Not everyone has to like it, but it makes you happy and that’s the important thing.

  6. Amanda says:

    I so enjoy these podcasts, and love learning about and researching new things that are in each burrito, mini or not. A few months ago, I looked up the origin of the sound clip that you always open with, which led me to finding a book of the works of Columbia and RCA Victor album cover artist and music illustrator Jim Flora (really fun, AMAZING stuff). So, thank you for that. You should check him out if that sort of thing is a thing you like! Looking forward to more burritos!

  7. Matt says:

    This reminded me that I really need to log into my Amazon Prime account and watch both seasons of the far too short lived HBO series Carnivale.

  8. Brandi Clark says:

    The Bearded Lady Vintage on Magnolia Blvd (Burbank) has some really swell & interesting old-timeyness, including carnivale. Skulls, taxidermy, medical equipment and other whatnots. Also I’m sure they could source something specific. Trav & I go there often.

  9. Joe H. says:

    I’ve also been listening to & enjoying the NARFBs (as well as Tabletop and Titansgrave).

    Carnival-wise, I’ll add my voice for the HBO series Carnivale (although the last 5 seconds become a cliffhanger for seasons that never happened) and Robert Jackson Bennett’s The Troupe (which is about a creepy vaudeville troupe, not a creepy carnival, but …)

    And these guys should be playing at a carnival somewhere. Preferably Erin Morgenstern’s Night Circus.

  10. VillageCatDad says:

    I spent a long-ago summer (between semesters in college) as a maintenance worker at a county fairgrounds. Most of the summer was pretty routine — cleaning restrooms and barns after 4H shows, mowing, doing regular plumbing and electrical repairs. But — county fair week and the ‘carnies’ … the best! Great people, very earthy and practical. They rewarded good work without question, and were self-sufficient. Some wink-wink-nudge-nudge, but they knew who they were and what they were and were happy to be themselves with a good code of honor. Great lesson for a 19 yr-old not yet exposed to the real world.

  11. Mimi78 says:

    I was going to tell you to read Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury, even before you asked for books ( I know it’s not historical) and even funnier you linked to it in the show notes.
    You are way ahead of me.
    If you ever needed ambient music for something try http://www.mobygratis.com/catalog
    Seems others here have given you good links to calliope music. It is hard to find. We had a psycho circus theme Halloween party once and I had a lot of creepy carnival music in the playlist.

  12. Mike says:

    I thought you picked 38 intentionally, as a reference to the title of 38: “Radio Free Burrito Episode Thirty-Eight: You Really Shouldn’t Listen To This”, but i guess that was just me making connections where none exist 😀

  13. Harvin says:

    One of my professors from film school (circa mid 1990s) made a documentary film about carnivals called Carnival Train. It is available to watch for free here http://www.folkstreams.net/film,200 . The director , Matt Barr, worked as a carnival barker when he was younger. He later worked with Wes Craven in the 1980s before moving to North Carolina to teach film production.

  14. HuggyDGB says:

    If ever in the Wisconsin Dells, you might enjoy the World Circus Museum. Went there not too long ago:

    http://www.circusworldbaraboo.org/

  15. Stephen says:

    OMG. That Atomic Attack recording is too funny! I’m a few years older than you, Wil, and I totally remember learning “duck and cover” in school, which I thought was ridiculous even then. They forgot the kiss-your-ass-goodbye part.

  16. Matt Fischer says:

    Thanks for another great episode, Wil! NEAR DARK IS THE BEST VAMPIRE MOVIE EVER MADE! THANK YOU!!!

    Matt the Bastard DM

  17. Gail says:

    I just wanted to pop by and say I really enjoyed this.

    The sounds of the warning sirens reminded me a lot of the warning sirens we get every spring and summer here in Texas during tornado season. We’re taught from pretty much an early age what exactly to do during a tornado, though I have to admit, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten a little bit blase’ about the whole thing. Like “oh it’s just a tornado siren. No big fucking deal.” and I grab the electronic entertainment device of my choice and the cat and go sit in the closet until the sirens quit going off or the danger has passed or whatever.

  18. Our little family has been binge-listening (is that a thing?) to Radio Free Burrito on our family road trips. (My 3 year old says, “That Tabletop guy is talking about funny things!” so basically that’s a 5 star toddler review)

    Anyway, I was wondering what you use to record. I heard you say it was a handheld device, and I was wondering what it was since the quality is really really nice. Blogging, and YouTubing apparently isn’t enough and I’m thinking about starting a podcast of my own. Thanks!

    Keep up the good work!

    • wil says:

      I do my best to keep the language clean, but please know that I am not always 100% safe for kids’ ears!

      I usually record into a handheld Zoom h4n recorder, which I then import into Audacity to edit. For these recent recordings, I’ve been using a Blue snowball microphone and recording directly into Audacity. I use compression (on default settings) and make sure there aren’t any popped p’s or other audio blowouts before I render the recordings. If there’s enough interest, maybe I’ll record a tutorial sometime.

      • Well, this podcast is pretty educational, right? I mean, there’s some science and history, so that balances out any f-bombs that she might hear. Let’s face it, in this day and age I would have to put her in a bubble to avoid her hearing swearing.

        I use a Zoom h4n for our audio feed when filming videos. I’ve been considering a Blue Snowball, but this definitely reassures me that we can stick with the h4n for awhile.

        I would love to see a tutorial! I’m such a noob when it comes to sound editing.

        Thanks for the quick reply!

  19. Brian says:

    I remember “Carny” fondly, even though I have not viewed it in a long time. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080500/

  20. Brian Dunkelberger says:

    I confess to being late to the party. I have only recently learned about the burrito but have since gone back and listened to the archived files. This is one of my favorite podcasts. Please continue with them. I particularly like the recent no a burritos. Thanks for making them.

  21. Erica says:

    Dear Mr. Wil,
    When you are in search of things to post with RFB (or not RFB) I hope you will find this video (taken by me) of the Hillbilly Gypsies. Incredibly awesome, highly pertinent.

  22. Dani Moth says:

    I’m working on a Southern Gothic-ish novel about a traveling circus/carnival based loosely on A Midsummer Night’s Dream and I’d be totally willing to send you a copy when it’s finished.

    I’ve always loved carnivals and circuses. When I was a kid, we had a traveling carnival that came through every year and there were some seriously formative childhood experiences that happened. Also, county fairs and traveling circuses… There’s something weird and wonderful about things that are there one morning, then gone the next like that. I love it.