January 31, 2019 marked the 5th anniversary of when the Baron’s Crypt started, in the podcast arena it’s almost unheard of have a show last that many years on a weekly basis, how in the world is that even done? Well let’s start at the beginning, it was December 2013, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Tropicana Hotel and Casino and the first Bizarre AC was occurring I arrived to cover the event for the now defunct Rogue Cinema. After strolling around getting the lay of the land, I went downstairs into a separate room to meet Fred Williamson and Doug Bradley, while there I saw this large yellow banner for BMovie Radio. As a fan of b-movies I was already interested so I ventured over and met Buddy (aka: Robert Smith), Bryan Enright, and Zach Arias (a man fixing for another cigarette). Buddy explained their business, as a horror podcast, (honestly I didn’t know much about podcasting), later that weekend I spotted them on the main floor, and watching me conduct my interviews and speak volumes on the subject of horror to them and others. Then in January, Buddy contacted me about having my own 1-hour show, curious I went for it, never looking back, I just had to choose a show name, day, and time, I selected Fridays to seal the deal for all Friday the 13ths and it allowed to sum up the week, and ready the audience for the week. I never used notes, just winged it from memory. Now the choosing of the name, well I know I wanted my name included, from branding but that second word, the Crypt is giving the impression of long lasting, when horror fans hear that word images of undead, vampires come to mind. The time a mutual decision as the show in the begging run from AM studio setup for the podcasting, I ran a clean show, no cursing I wanted it to be all encompassing. Buddy designed the artwork for the show, something I kept all these years later. I recall being asked for what music to open the show at first I pick Toccata and Fugue in D minor (Dracula’s Theme) and then working behind the scenes I contacted the band Gregorian, through the US office, and then in Germany to obtain permission to use Ave Satani, this later switched over to various other select pieces, but every once and while I return to the classic piece. For a while everything hums along, the shows on the Bmovie network among them one hosted by David Madison, Armageddon Ed with his House of Armageddon, and Rayzilla even had one, but like many thing podcasts consistently started to wan, a few weeks later for my show they weather played factor. In fact, one day we got about 6-plus inches of snow, and I was dedicated, so much I was going to use a 4-cylinder Chevy Cavalier to drive about x miles to the studio, finally it was Buddy made the decision to cancel the show, it was too crazy.
A few times in 2014 the show struggled, due to weather and timing of schedules; and I found myself teaming up on Ed’s show which aired on a Wednesday night and it was 2-hours long, by then BMovie switch snakes to White Rabbit Radio. Then in late March/April a switch over to BlogTalkRadio and change names again to SJSPodcast later in 2014 it switched to me hosting my own shows, learning how to run the board and assisting on Ed’s Show once more from either operating the board when he had snafu to be a guest on his show; LOTS of fun and laughs. In August of 2014, I got even more ambitious and launch Shredding Metal Beasts .
Many great guests on the show, as well as I try certain things some work others didn’t, the Horror Icon became a big splash, Collector’s Attic, and advice to aspiring filmmakers from safety on set, to film festival and promotion. A two-hour show, fairly clean and well informative on Horror History, and covering juicy odd news, a big thrill each year the invent of the Pumpkin Show in October and even playing horror movie inspired songs and soundtrack themes, even trailers. Answering questions from listeners, which some quite kooky ranging from historical facts to movies to more disturbing macabre items, and a few fans meeting me in public for the most part a big thrill.
Nevertheless, the first 2-years (starting May of 2014) I have a show every Friday, regardless of a holiday or not, sick or well, it didn’t matter, it was and still is all for the fans of the show and fans of the horror genre.
Thanks for the ride, coming along for the journey, fret not, this show keeps continuing onward and love every moment of it.