Ambient Shoes - A 20th Anniversary Podcast

Ambient Rushton Podcast

I started podcasting around November of 2004 and this is, more or less, my 20th anniversary podcast. Episode 197. But I had the hardest time coming up with a new idea for the show.

In the past, I mostly played music and used it as a promotional vehicle for new releases. In the age of streaming and playlists, perhaps that’s not needed anymore, and it should become more of a “talky” podcast - something I’m not used to doing.

On Substack, I follow the musician Damien Jurado, and he posted a note about how was tired of listening to podcasts with musicians talking about music. He thought they should talk about different topics, and the one he mentioned was “shoes”.

That seemed like a clever idea. It definitely kickstarted my brain.

I deliberately made the podcast “low-fi” by using my bluetooth earbuds with my phone in the Skywalk in downtown Des Moines, and walking through 801 Grand, which is super echo-y, and outside in the cold. I’m comfortable leaving voicemails this way, and the quality was “good enough”. It’s a little rough in the beginning, but it does get better.

Music during the podcast is by Mark Rushton and is “out there” unless otherwise noted:

* Dream State of Floating - from my January 2025 album “Stop Updating”

* Stop Updating - the title track of my new album.

* Processional

* Keep Your Mind Active

* Severance

* Repair the Web of Time

* A Short Walk Inside

* A Short Walk Through Peaks and Valleys

* Office Ghosts

* Midnight Tunnel (by Rushton)

* Aleodeological Travel (by Aleodeology)

* Downtown Buddhas (by Calmer Feeling)

My web site and mailing list is at: https://www.markrushton.com

Art gallery and merch is at http://www.markrushtongallery.com

Thanks for listening. This was fun. I will try to do this again soon with a different topic.

Get full access to Mark Rushton's Perseverance in the Arts at markrushton.substack.com/subscribe