A Great Podcast that will Brief You on All Things Detroit

Detroiters have lots of places we can go to learn about art and culture. We also have lots of local podcasts that discuss every subject from boating to local cuisine. Unfortunately, podcasting isn't easy and most people aren't very good at it. Great podcasting is an art, an art that Becky and Seth of The D Brief have mastered.

Their on-air personalities combined with their knowledge and excitement for the City of Detroit are the foundation of the show. Each segment is 20 minutes long and they have a rotating list of reoccurring guests, including Nick Britsky of NickDrinks.com that drop by to keep things interesting. They have also slowly built up a backlog of shows with a ton of great guests that you can listen to here. We asked them a few questions about themselves and their podcast including how you could be featured on the show. Check out what they had to say and then add them to your weekly rotation to stay in the loop!

HID- What do you love about Detroit? 

Becky- "I was born and raised here and have worked in the City for almost all of my career, I have such a deep love for Detroit, it's hard to put into words what about it grabs me ... I would say first and foremost, it's the people in Detroit that I love, and the sense that we are all in this together, with passion and a sense of collaboration. I really love the creativity, art, music, and DIY attitude."

Seth- "I love the deep roots here. There’s a lot of history, some of it good, some of it not so good, but it seems to give folks here a belief that they’re battle-tested and can take on anything. Combine that with a recent sense of excitement about the future of the city, and you get this strange mix of grit and optimism."

HID- What is your favorite interview/show to date and why?

Becky- "We've had so much fun on so many shows - probably my favorite is the Allee Willis interview when she was back in town to accept her Detroit Music Award. I was so early into podcasting and nervous to be an interviewer, but as amazing as her talent, accomplishments, and prestige are, she was so generous with her time and so kind, funny and open with her personality. It was big and exciting to hear first hand her songwriting stories behind some of my favorite songs! Of course I treasure this even more now that she has sadly passed away."

Seth- "I really enjoyed our conversation with Mark Stryker, the author of Jazz From Detroit. I worked in alternative rock radio, so I have decent musical knowledge, but jazz is not my genre at all. Mark has this way of talking about the music in a way that isn’t abstract or esoteric; he’s able to explain its significance in the larger context of the history of the city, and I found the conversation fascinating."

HID- What does your perfect Saturday in the city look like? 

Becky- "In the sunny, warm weather, a perfect Saturday to me is wandering outside downtown, along the Riverfront or riding bikes on Belle Isle, particularly the winding back trails to some magical spots, leisurely outdoor patio dining with family and friends - perhaps Mudgie's or Seva or the Whitney garden - topped off by dancing to DJs or live music at El Club, Motor City Wine, Deluxx Fluxx or any number of other cool spots. In the winter, you'll find me at the DIA or MOCAD, trying cocktails and a meal at a new (or new-to-me) restaurant, and going to a concert at the Majestic, Masonic or St. Andrew's on my perfect Saturday."

Seth- "It starts with a bike ride along the waterfront. I always like to eat at a restaurant I’ve never been to before, preferably someplace that offers flights of local craft beers. And if I can close it off with a tour of a part of the city — my girlfriend got me a helicopter tour of the city for Sweetest Day one year and it was amazing— that would top it off."


HID- What attracted you to podcasting? 

Becky- "The opportunity to share my experiences and love of the City and promote awareness of all the great things going on; the chance to combine my talents, interests & personal mission of being a Detroit ambassador; and most of all meeting and highlighting fantastic, diverse people doing amazing things in Detroit. I manage a local tour company and give tours through Feet on the Street Tours Detroit, and I sit on some local nonprofit boards, so all my work is complementary to the D Brief podcast. Also a big attraction to me with podcasting is there are no rules, you can create your own thing!"

Seth- "I’m a former radio broadcaster, and I got into podcasting about nine years ago as a creative outlet. For my first podcast, I interviewed protesters at different Occupy Wall Street camps. I loved the freedom of the medium, and I’ve been playing with it ever since. The D Brief is my seventh podcast series — in fact, I have two others that are active, CES for Radio and The Worldwide Radio Summit podcast."

HID- What are some of your favorite podcasts (other than your own of course)? 

Becky- "Besides many comedy podcasts that keep me laughing, one podcast I faithfully listen to is Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris, all about mindfulness and meditation. I always learn a lot from the guests, and it keeps me on track and centered. Shattered, the podcast produced by WDIV, is fantastic and riveting, and I'm not even a huge fan of true crime! There are many good produced-in-Detroit podcasts too - Seth mentioned a few - and I also enjoy Stacking Benjamins, the Heard! podcast and Karma Has Spoken with Danialle Karmanos. It seems I hear of a new podcast every day, so I need to do some more listening!"

Seth- "There are a ton of great Detroit-based podcasts. The team at WDIV has done a fantastic job with Shattered. I’ve learned a ton from Tim Kiska’s Detroit History Podcast. Tom McCarthy hosts the Comedy Castle podcast, interviewing comedians who appear at Mark Ridley’s in Royal Oak. Shannon Cason is a local storyteller who has a number of interesting podcasts, including Homemade Stories, The Trouble, and In Good Co. Detroit. And those are just a few. I don’t know if people realize how strong the Detroit podcast scene is."

HID- How can a band/artist/ comedian reach out to be featured on the podcast? 

Becky- "DM on Instagram, or go directly to our website www.thedbriefdetroit.com and click the link to submit music or comedy, or send us a message for other types of artists, places, and events. We welcome everything arts, culture, and entertainment!"


HID-Do you have any advice for someone who wants to start their own podcast? 

Becky- "Above all, do it only if you love what you'll be talking about - do a podcast that reflects your passion - that's what listeners will connect to. We need new voices and different perspectives, so go for it! But learn as much as you can about the process (there are lots of free resources out there) and know that it will take double the time that you think it will. The best advice is to call us at Michigan Podcast Productions to help out (shameless plug) so you can concentrate on content and not have to reinvent the wheel!"

Seth- "There’s a temptation to think that when you launch a new podcast, you’ve got to do it every week from now until the end of time, or else it’s failed. Don’t fall into that trap. Start with a pilot season consisting of a finite number of episodes — say, ten. Do it, see what works and what doesn’t, and then adjust. Maybe it’s a smash hit, maybe you want to scrap it, maybe you just want to make a few tweaks. Either way, a pilot season relieves the pressure and gives your room to learn from the process."

~S