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Artwork for Beginnings

Beginnings

Andy Beckerman
Music
Music Industry
Creativity
Mental Health
Creative Process
Comics
California
Punk Rock
Therapy
Filmmaking
Electronic Music
Art
Anamanaguchi
Parenting
Los Angeles
Punk Music
Roy Montgomery
Artistic Expression
Songwriting
Civil Rights Movement

We all know the stories of how creative people get into the business of creating for a living, but how did they start using their imaginations in the first place? On the Beginnings podcast, writer and performer Andy Beckerman asks well-known and on-their-way-up comedians, musicians, writers, artists and thinkers about their earliest creative acts, their formative childhood experiences, and how the... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes739Founded16 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsComedyComedy InterviewsPerforming Arts

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Artwork for Beginnings

Latest Episodes

On today's episode, I talk to cartoonist Ron Regé Jr. Raised in Plymouth, MA, Ron began making minicomics in the late 1980s, and about a decade later, his first book Skibber Bee Bye was published by Highwater Books. For the next decade, he released c... more

YouTube

On today's episode, I talk to musician Dusty Reske of the band Rocketship. Born in San Francisco, CA, Dusty moved around a bit as a child before ending up in Sacramento where he formed Rocketship in 1993. Their first album A Certain Smile, a Certain ... more

YouTube

On today's episode, I talk to journalist and writer Michael Edison Hayden. Originally from Port Washington, Long Island, Michael started out his career as a playwright before transitioning to journalism during a trip to India. This led to becoming on... more

YouTube

On today's episode, I talk to musician Doug Gillard. Born in Sandusky, Ohio, Doug performed in a number of punk groups in high school, and in the early '80s joined the Cleveland rock band Death of Samantha. After their breakup in 1990, Doug became on... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Ron Regé Jr.
Cartoonist and artist
Independent artist, publisher of his own works
Episode: Episode 723: Ron Regé Jr.
Dusty Reske
Musician, Rocketship founder
Rocketship
Episode: Episode 722: Dusty Reske of Rocketship
Michael Edison Hayden
Journalist and author; former senior investigative reporter at Southern Poverty Law Center
Southern Poverty Law Center
Episode: Episode 721: Michael Edison Hayden
Doug Gillard
Guitarist and musician known for Guided by Voices, Cobra Verde, Death of Samantha
Musician/Band member
Episode: Episode 720: Doug Gillard of Guided by Voices, Cobra Verde and Many More
Felicia Douglass
Musician, member of Ava Luna, Dirty Projectors, and Gemma
Ava Luna; Dirty Projectors; Gemma
Episode: Episode 719: Felicia Douglass of Ava Luna, Dirty Projectors and Gemma
Josh Margolin
Los Angeles filmmaker, writer-director of Thelma
Self
Episode: Episode 718: Josh Margolin
Stefanie Drootin
Musician, member of Big Harp
Big Harp (band)
Episode: Episode 717: Big Harp
Chris Senseney
Musician, member of Big Harp
Big Harp (band)
Episode: Episode 717: Big Harp
John Flansburgh
Musician, They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
Episode: Episode 716: John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 134 ratings
  • Enlightening

    Andy is a gifted interviewer who pulls on the threads of interesting parts of artists’ lives. I always learn something new when I listen.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Clair8047
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great guests, but interviews could be better

    I like the guests, great writers. I wish Andy asked guests to go deeper with their stories rather than share about himself I wonder if he could make more space for us to learn about about the amazing guests and maybe he can do solo episodes about himself.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    dee'lite
    United Statesa year ago
  • Entertaining and enlightening!

    I love Naomi and Andy on Couples Therapy podcast, so I decided to check out Andy’s solo podcast and I’m glad I did!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AMLBW22
    United States3 years ago
  • Entertaining and enlightening!

    I love Naomi and Andy on Couples Therapy podcast, so I decided to check out Andy’s solo podcast and I’m glad it did!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AMLBW22
    United States3 years ago
  • Love the show!

    Currently enjoying the Microwaves episode and looking forward to diving into the back catalogue.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Crutmon
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Host is insightful and asks thoughtful questions that reveal guests' processes.
A few reviews note desire for deeper probing and more diverse topics from host.
Some listeners praise the show's warmth and interview style.
Guests consistently deliver deep, personal origin stories.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 723: Ron Regé Jr.
Q: Did you seek out this kind of art because it gave you freedom, or did the scenes you were in show you that you could make art in a free way?
The punk scene showed me that I could do things freely, teaching me to publish my own comics and make art without gatekeepers, which proved foundational for my ability to work independently.
Episode 722: Dusty Reske of Rocketship
Q: How has therapy or mindfulness shaped your approach to songwriting?
He shares that therapy helped access and articulate emotions, while Vietnamese Zen Buddhism added a mindful, present-focused lens that informs both his personal life and creative process.
Episode 722: Dusty Reske of Rocketship
Q: When did you decide to pursue making music as more than a hobby?
Dusty explains that the switch felt gradual and came from a combination of friendships, a shared drive with Josh Berkeley, and the moment he connected with synth-pop directions that aligned with their feelings, rather than a sudden bold decision.
Episode 719: Felicia Douglass of Ava Luna, Dirty Projectors and Gemma
Q: Was it a rational or emotional choice to have a child which you discussed with your partner?
It was a slow, joint realization grounded in both emotional considerations and practical life planning, with room for open discussion and mutual understanding.
Episode 709: cub
Q: How do you start to think of yourself?
I feel like that is an existential crisis for my entire life.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Beginnings

What is Beginnings about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show consistently centers on early creative impulses across a diverse set of artists, with conversations ranging from music and filmmaking to comedy and writing. Episodes typically explore childhood influences, formative experiences, and the evolution of craft, often weaving in themes of vulnerability, collaboration, and the tension between art and commerce. A notable strength is the wide array of guests from indie music to film, all connected by a thoughtful, reflective interview style. The format tends to blend memoir and craft insights, making it appealing to listeners who enjoy deep-dive origin stories and practical takeaways about pursuing creativity professionally.

Where can I find podcast stats for Beginnings?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Beginnings. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Beginnings and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Beginnings get?

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What are the audience demographics for Beginnings?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Beginnings, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Beginnings have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Beginnings has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Beginnings?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Beginnings:

1. Kreative Kontrol
2. The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds
3. The Distraction: A Defector Podcast
4. Indiecast
5. Bandsplain

How many episodes of Beginnings are there?

Beginnings launched 16 years ago and published 739 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Beginnings?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Beginnings?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Beginnings from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Beginnings?

Recent guests on Beginnings include:

1. Ron Regé Jr.
2. Dusty Reske
3. Michael Edison Hayden
4. Doug Gillard
5. Felicia Douglass
6. Josh Margolin
7. Stefanie Drootin
8. Chris Senseney

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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