My Own Creation Myth (With Explicit Links)

Everyone is always asking me, "Jeff Shields, Podcast Troubadour, how did you get the crazy name, daddy oh, it's like so far out, man." And I'm like," dude, that's a super long crazy story, and like, I totally don't know where to start, man." And then they're like "totally, like, dude, man, like fill me in on, like, the whole groovy, thing," and I'm like, "don't harsh my natural hip mellow with all your super reporter inquistivosity... man...dude..." and then I'm like adding, "tomorrow, man, when I've drank a cup of the Cheetah pooh coffee, like then, I'll so super tell you, man, and you'll like totally have your mind like so totally blown more than even like William Hurt in Altered States, and then they're always like, "Like I never saw that movie, but man, I totally dig William Hurt, he's was so cool in that movie, "Contact," and then I have to correct them, "you mean John, one needs to carefully differentiate among the many Hurts including Mississippi John Hurt." And then they're like "I'm so completely ultra out of that sweeet Cheetah pooh coffee, but I've got some bark I could roast up." Inevitabley the conversation quickly dwindles at this point, and the next day I leave town hoping the truth never catches up to me.

Days, Weeks, Months pass. Eventually I'm arrested in one humorous mixup or another. I'm forced to call whomever I haven't imposed upon too much as of late. In repayment for posting bail I'll frequently reward my reluctant savior with what I think is a great tale. And on those occasions I attempt to the best of my ability to unravel the deep, rich tapestry that has been miraculously woven into a strange story, the story of the creation of The Podcast Troubadour.

In my most serious sexy deep voice I begin.

I make music. I have for a long time. I have made music with many a good friend (you know who you are and I fear I've lost most readers already so I'm going to cut the details for the moment), and a few nincompoops (the nincompoops rarely know that they are, and are unfortunate in having already lost the amigos who would have told them that they were in fact acting like a total nincompoops) along the way. Everybody grew up, more or less. I haven't.
Still making music. 22 years ago I mooched my first 4 track tape recorder from the richest kid on the block, and then I begged another from a kid who actually worked to pay for one, and eventually having out-borrowed my welcome, I bought one. In the last six years I gradually got hip to the whole digital cornucopia available, bought some gear, bought some more gear, learned how to use some gear, recorded music, made more music, gave away music, and then made some more music.

For awhile now I figured the internet was where it's at, Skee Bob Ba Loo Bob Bam!
I thought,"man someday I'm gonna get on a train and get on that internet thing."

Last year the terrific wife, Michelle, and I went on this super groovy group honeymoon trip led by one of my best friends, Stevey Boy Wonder Katz and his shiny new wife, Edeline. After Steve and Edeline's wedding all of their freaky relatives and buddies were invited on a far out trip out west. One of those buddies of Steve's was a one Thomas Romer traveling with his luvley wife Mary Alice. This guy Tom claims to be some kinda wunderkind graphic artist and a Co-creater/Co-Owner/Co-Director of an ultra cool Graphic Design Firm, The Chopping Block.
I know this jerky from way back to the sullen days of high school, and the two of us get along just super great 'cept for a few scuffles and the punch up at Steve's wedding. Well Mr. Successful sees I'm a desperate type of guy and generously offers me the opportunity to contribute to this super top secret side project he's working on. The side project has yet to be unleashed upon the world, but I got one of them there high speed connections, and as per Tom's orders I did make a mother trucking boat load of songs for the #1 site on the internet, Grodzki.com.


If you don't know who Grodzki is, I'm almost at a complete loss for where to start, but let us just say as an opener that he's the guy to ask, any question, any question at all. I think Tom is like at the fourth or sixth of level of consciousness attainment status at the Grodzki Center, and he's somehow deeply involved in their outreach/mindcontrol unit. At some point after my sending Tom the 15th or 16th song for Grodzki.com (many of which are available at the mildly profane Grodzki site) he mentioned that podcasting was where it was at, skee deedle dee zoo bam. Even the reclusive Grodzki Center is planning on producing a podcast in the near future, according to their 100 year Golden Dragon Itinerary.

I decided I'd make some music for some podcasts, any podcast that would have me. Tom told me I needed a name. A ceremony was held at an undisclosed location, and voila, The Podcast Troubadour was born.