► Tell us about you and your podcast
First off, I'm Dustin Bonez, or Dustin Burcham depending on who you ask. I've been a fan of Guns N' Roses for many many years. The GNR fan community is the most unique of all communities. We've really created our own world online. That's my listeners. People who love GNR but also people who love Rock N' Roll in general.
► Why & how did you start this podcast?
About 2 or 3 years ago I got into this KISS podcast called "Pod of Thunder". They would randomly select a KISS song every week and review it and I thought "Man, I wish somebody would do this podcast with Guns N' Roses." Well, time rolled by and nobody ever started the podcast I wanted to listen to. So I said "screw it. I'll do it." I put up a post in a GNR discord saying that I was looking for a co-host. That's how I met Chris Caputo. We talked for about an hour on our first phone call and we had great chemistry. We taped our first episode in September 2019 and we had it online within a couple of days. It happened quick. We met a day later we taped, and boom there it was our first episode. We had no goals or anything we just wanted to make a GNR podcast. As time has gone on it's morphed into a GNR fan show and a hybrid classic rock fan show.
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► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?
We set aside time to do the show every week. Honestly if we didn't have the format Chris and I have become good enough friends that this is what we'd be talking about if we weren't recording. We put out a total of 4 shows every week (sometimes 5). On Monday we drop an hour long episode of the main show "Guns N' Radio". We also drop a bonus after show called "GNXtra". On Wednesday (usually) we drop our new show "Gettin' Dizzy Wit It" on our Pateron. Saturdays we release "Shotcast Saturday" which is GNRadio done in 15 minutes or less. Once per month we also have another show called "Rasslin'" where we review classic wrestling pay-per-views.
We haven't really spent much on the show other than the website and the equipment. We also keep the website up. I'd say we probably spend about $50 a year right now. I think we'll move forward with advertising more once we get paid from our patreon. I know that sounds a little backwards but the people who are going to listen to a show where 2 dudes talk about GNR already listen. We're happy with that. We would like to grow eventually but for now we don't want to lose the magic that brought the community to listen to us in the first place. We'll sell out one day but not until we've finished this project lol.
We haven't really spent much on the show other than the website and the equipment. We also keep the website up. I'd say we probably spend about $50 a year right now. I think we'll move forward with advertising more once we get paid from our patreon. I know that sounds a little backwards but the people who are going to listen to a show where 2 dudes talk about GNR already listen. We're happy with that. We would like to grow eventually but for now we don't want to lose the magic that brought the community to listen to us in the first place. We'll sell out one day but not until we've finished this project lol.
► What do you gain from podcasting?
We're willing to take sponsorship but I personally do not have the drive to attempt to justify our show to some company that doesn't understand it. Yes it's a niche audience but that's part of the charm. We don't appeal to millions of people and we don't want to with this show. We want to appeal to people who are fans of the band like we are. I don't need to justify that to some dick in a suit just so they can tell me "no". That being said if anybody wants to advertise with us you're welcome to. We just won't go before your counsel of gate keepers and attempt to justify our existence. It's not our style. As for downloads we get about 1000 - 2000 each month. The show does really well. The benefit that I get from it is that once a week I get to sit with a guy who I consider a really good pal and just laugh and talk and enjoy each other's company. With my busy life outside of the podcast social time with friends doesn't always happen. So, to have a planned day and time each week to sit with a friend BS about music and have a good time is really cool.
► How does your podcasting process look like?
We record the show over skype. Prep for each week actually begins the previous week when we spin the wheel and get a random song. We then try to come up with a sketch or a game that is related to the song as a segment before we review it. We do have guests on they always join via skype also.
► How do you market your show?
We post on GNR discords, Reddits, Facebook, and that sort of thing. Like I said earlier the GNR community knows we're here so we don't really spam the sites unless we have a guest or something on that we know the community would like to hear from.
► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?
Just have fun. If you let this be a job you'll just have a 2nd job that you don't get paid for. Have fun and the people that you want will come. The people that don't come - screw em'. The main thing is to have fun if you're having fun the listeners will too. If you aren't neither will they.
► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?
Our website is Gunsnradio.com our twitter, IG, and FB is @gunsnradiopod we also have a discord that we are in all the time for talking to the listeners of the show. We've made alot of great friends along the way.