201 episodes

This podcast will play and discuss old phone answering machine messages. In the late 1980s, while living in Chicago, I selected certain messages to be duplicated using a double cassette recorder. Playing them back leads me to explore the intersection of personal history and the larger social and cultural context through the lens of an outdated technology.
New episodes will be posted Sundays.

Phone Messages Paul Mason Fotsch

    • Society & Culture
    • 5.0 • 14 Ratings

This podcast will play and discuss old phone answering machine messages. In the late 1980s, while living in Chicago, I selected certain messages to be duplicated using a double cassette recorder. Playing them back leads me to explore the intersection of personal history and the larger social and cultural context through the lens of an outdated technology.
New episodes will be posted Sundays.

    Special Sikay Episode

    Special Sikay Episode

    This episode contains all the messages and interviews with Sikay Tang.

    • 1 hr
    200 The Last Message (unknown)

    200 The Last Message (unknown)

    In 1977, the Fonz jumped over a shark on the TV show Happy Days. Although the show went on to have six more successful seasons, it became a symbol of decline and something that everything from baseball teams to podcasts should avoid.

    • 8 min
    199 We're On For Thursday (Chris 32)

    199 We're On For Thursday (Chris 32)

    In the initial years of Television, Game shows were a popular part of networks' prime time schedule until a 1959 investigation revealed they were often scripted. During the 1970s and 80s, daytime TV broadcast shows like Password and 25,000 dollar Pyramid. In 1999, Who Wants to be a Millionaire brought the genre back to network Prime Time.

    • 9 min
    198 Gainesville (Julia 7)

    198 Gainesville (Julia 7)

    In the summer of 1990, a series of murders spread fear across Gainesville Florida. Nearly eighty years earlier, the collapse of a small bank led to tragedy on the lower east side of Manhattan.

    • 9 min
    197 Thank You For Your Attention (Ben 15)

    197 Thank You For Your Attention (Ben 15)

    In the mid 1990s, a Destroy All Music Festival held at the Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center in Wicker Park featured bands like Carnival de Carnitas, Scissor Girls, Blowhole and DragKing.

    • 9 min
    196 Santa Claus (Chris 31)

    196 Santa Claus (Chris 31)

    Batteries Not Included in Lincoln Park, had a brief life in the 1980s showcasing scrappy young bands ready to surprise. The 1980s club Gaspars in Lakeview, became Schubas and continues to host live music several days a week.

    • 9 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
14 Ratings

14 Ratings

reagan9000 ,

Great podcast

Paul’s podcast has it all: rashomon style recollecting, intimate memories, outdated technology, and analog recordings. I’ve listened to a bunch of episodes so far and enjoyed them all.

Louis Selby ,

Fun !

Exceptional content, interesting and fun to listen to!

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