Skill Shot Pincast: Recent Episodes
Skill Shot Pincast
The Skill Shot Pincast is the podcast companion to Seattle's pinball zine! (skill-shot.com) Hosted by Graham Klym and Kayla Greet, the Pincast comes out every two weeks and features guests talking about competitive play, the pinball community, the latest games, industry news and gossip, and everything in between!
Recorded mid-April from Skill Shot Studios 4.0 and our new satellite studio, Kayla and I hit Zoom to shoot the breeze. Topics include but are not limited to: puppies, apartments, ::gestures broadly at the general state of the world:: and NBA Fastbreak. Thanks again for Kelli and Katie calling in. Stay safe, stay healthy, stay as happy and sane as you can!
Author Adam Ruben (Pinball Wizards: Jackpots, Drains, and the Cult of the Silver Ball) drops in to talk about the perils of pitching pinball to publishers and his personal (and familial) pinball story. We trade our most satisfying shots, and introducing neophytes to the silver ball.
Let's try this again.
Matt Stacks (Bong Mountain: bngmtn.bandcamp.com) joins us to dish about the growing Grand Rapids pinball scene, tournament play, and his dream machine!
We run into some audio issues (apologies), and Kayla interviews MK Walker, Alexa Philbeck, Heather Willott, Danae Hackett, Marnie Cannon, and Maureen Hendrix on location at the final Shorty's Powder Puff Tournament at the original location. Bola Salvada!
In this episode, Ashley Ludwig joins us from Rochester, New York to talk about the art of pinball restoration work! Check out her amazing skills on Instagram @ludwigsynopsis (http://instagram.com/ludwigsynopsis) or on Pinball Alley's website (http://www.pinballalley.com).
Kayla and Graham also do a quick recap on the NW Pinball and Arcade Show and discuss what kinds of segues just don't work.
We're back with our pal again, Mr. Dan Halligan! Dan swings by to give us the scoop on the 2019 NW Pinball and Arcade Show, taking place this weekend at the Tacoma Convention Center (May 31-June 2). We also debut a brand new game. Is it any good? You tell me.
See you this weekend!
Stephen Donaldson joins us for his Floridian pinball roots, his arrival to pinball Valhalla (aka Seattle), the latest in the Monday Night Pinball league, and a rousing debut of the game, Elevator Pitch!
In the run-up to this episode, we took a trip to the Tacoma: City of Destiny, where we visited the wonderful Triple Knock to play the Munsters and (Jersey Jack's) Pirates of the Caribbean. Shout-out to Jeff DeBock, our guest-in-spirit, and future guest-in-person!
Is this thing on?
Kayla and Graham are back after a lengthy hibernation. There's no guest in this episode, we speculate on games that have already been announced or released by now, and..I don't know what else, because we recorded this 6 weeks ago!
For the next four weeks, we're going quantity over quality, baby! You're getting weekly releases right up until the NW Pinball and Arcade Show! Consistency is for jerks, so we're recalibrating to a biweekly(ish) after that.
Alyson Rae is back! In this episode, she converts Kayla and Graham to the awesome power of Aerosmith and walks us through the eponymous pin.
Technology, or planned obsolescence, or just the malevolent forces of the universe at large conspired to keep this episode from your ears. We finally overcame and here it is. But now it's time for hibernation mode. Until we meet again, feel free to drop us a line at skillshotpincast@gmail.com. Bola Salvada!
Chase Nunes of GeekGamer.tv (@GeekGamerTV, @Nunes) regales us with stories from the dawn of podcasting, getting mixed up with California congressmen, and the finer points of tournament streaming and broadcasting! Kayla hits us with another two Name That Games, and we even have a false start on our outro music. Listen up!
Recorded in Skill Shot Studios v3.2, Zac Petersen joins us to talk Twilight Zone, the Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show, and a phone call to Keith Elwin get the lowdown on Iron Maiden! Kayla creates and hosts two Name That Games, so stick around for the script flip!
Jordan joins us again and becomes a member of the Three-Timer club! We talk Wisconsin, (imminent) fatherhood, and a medley of other things, and dig deep into three rounds of road trip staple 20 Questions. Welcome to the Universe, Ashlyn Rey Semrow!
Phew! We're back, mid-March, with Babes in Pinland tournament director Maureen Hendrix! Maureen breaks down the recent IFPA Women's World Pinball Championship in Las Vegas, running Babes in Pinland, the view of Monday Night Pinball from 15th Avenue, and why she fell in love with pinball on a Sunday.
Sorry for the crackly mic noise and (as a result) the sound quality of Graham's voice! The noise smoothes out after half an hour, and we've got a Name That Game, how's that sound?
Hot diggity dog! We've got Jon Chad and Alec Longstreth of Drop Target Zine to talk pinball zines, comics, dream machines, and their amazing (and now available!) Drop Target Zine Omnibus, which is on my bookshelf and belongs on yours! These super fun, creative, dudes are kindred spirits and we are thrilled to bring them to your ears and possibly introduce you to them. Check them out and get a copy of the Omnibus at: http://droptargetzine.blogspot.com/
2017 was a weird year. We're ending it with a weird little episode with just Graham and Kayla, goofing around and running into accidents along the way. Enjoy!
Recorded on-location in the Trophy Room at Shorty's, we sit down with Avout Vander Werf, owner of our beloved Belltown institution! Avout tells us about his 19 out of the 20 years of Shorty's history, as well as his deeper roots with pinball. By the way, are you the future of tournament hosts at Shorty's? (let us know!)
Speaking of segues, Kayla and Graham survey the recent past and the immediate future, plays some games, and wrap it all up to be opened whenever. Don't forget about the last First Sunday Tournament and Skill Shot 10th Anniversary at Shorty's this Sunday (Dec 3)!
On this episode we talk to Bill and Emily Brooks of Fargo Pinball! We talk about current great practices like motion-sensor power misers and concoct new million dollar ideas like girl scout cookies in the vending machines. Hear about the private pinball club you wish you had and the hockey jersey you certainly could have. Also, Kayla and I Take Five. Maybe we should have a recurring pincast jazz corner.
Pardon the mix and the audio mishap, and enjoy!
Bobby Conover of 20XX Amusements joins us to talk about his latest endeavors, Coindexters and Full Tilt Capitol Hill! We also talk about the ongoing journey of collecting games, the alluring illustrations up for auction from Python Anghelo’s estate, and check in on his and Kayla's Monday Night Pinball teams.
We hit you with a quick one! Kayla gives us a snapshot of this year's ReplayFX at Pinburgh, along with her adventures around Pittsburgh.
Zoinks! After long-awaited anticipation, we get Andrew W.K. on the show to talk pinball and life at large! We cover biking between arcades in Ann Arbor, the magic of Pat Lawlor games, and confirm that he's an ordained minister and will totally marry my friends Stan and Heather.
Brad and Gordon join us again for another (belated) Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show recap! We play another mutation of "Name That Game" and talk about whatever we feel like and we had a good time and I hope that means you too and if not, thanks for listening anyway!
We bring back Michael Adcock to answer listener questions, and we also play a brand new game that probably translates a lot better visually than aurally!
Dan Burfield of Tiltcycle (http://tiltcycle.com/)talks to us about his radical repurposed pinball art and wares, the city of Pittsburgh and Midwest set locations of classic zombie flicks!
Dan Halligan returns to preview the 10th Annual Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show in Tacoma this weekend (June 9-11)! We also build an imaginary arcade.
Get Dialed In with our Pincast Party recap, Kayla's take on Jersey Jack's latest, the latest on issue 47, sticker and pin ups and downs, Monday Night Pinball underdog triumphs, and a new Skill Shot Showcase (by request) on NBA Fastbreak! We also have a long overdue Name that Game with a brand new spin. Gadzooks!
Writer/editor/producer and all-around cool dude Seth Porges joins us for a lively and comprehensive conversation on pinball in America and abroad, its legal and moral journey throughout history, moving machines up five flights of stairs, and playing nothing but video modes. Stay 'til the end to hear the song Wesley Willis wrote about Seth!
We revisit some findings from our previous episode with our friend Michael Adcock, who dives deep on how tournament data can map out all sorts of things -- but especially team strategies! It's hard to sum this one up, because we hit on quite a lot. Set aside 90 minutes and come exploring with us!
Phew! As Graham recovers from his broken ankle, we've received a zillion pinjury stories from all of you -- and share them back at you!
This episode is 10 days late and full of, um, unique soundscape design. Sorry and/or you're welcome! Back on track in the weeks ahead, with a Name that Game and everything.
It's 2017, and everything's in swing!...except for Graham's left leg. Kayla gives the L.A. Report, we prepare for new seasons of Monday Night Pinball and Seattle Pinball League, and explore the wide, wobbly world of pinjuries. So many people wrote in with great stories as or after we recorded episode 44, so we'll have to tackle even more on episode 45! Keep on flippin' in the free world.
Pardon for the tardiness! A busted ankle really throws a wrench in the works. Kayla and Graham look back on their 100 Game Equation competition and spend some time with the Pincast mailbag. Start your own 100GE (or not) and write in to us at skillshotpincast@gmail.com (or not)!
Who knows? The Shadow knows. And who knows the Shadow? We nose through the Shadow ruleset and whatever else intersects with our knowledge and experience of this classic game.
Thanks for listening this year! See you in 2017...
We parse and sift oodles of numbers from the IFPA Rankings by gender, age, and and nationality, and report and react to our findings. Join us for this deeply unscientific stat-blasted episode!
On our 40th episode, Danny Noonan of Accidents on Purpose podcast shares Washington State's personal history of pinball prohibition, featuring the rise and fall of Scoop Jackson! Zines, scenes, and all kinds of other things -- this is a great discussion you don't want to miss.
Our friend Jordan Semrow returns to give us the exciting scoop from his trip to the Pinball Expo in Chicago, where three new and upcoming games were on display: Stern's Batman '66, Jersey Jack's Dialed In, and Heighway Pinball's Alien!
On this episode, we dive deep into the team cultures of Monday Night Pinball with our friend Dwayne Collins, and bring back Name that Game for another rousing round!
On our third installment of the Skill Shot Showcase, we discuss the unique and beloved Cirqus Voltaire as well as the latest Popadiuk news (Houdini!). If you're listening to this the day it drops, make sure to come out to the 3rd anniversary of Babes in Pinland tomorrow night (Thursday, October 6)!
LA's Paul Dreyer joins us to talk about his pinball travels, game show statistics, the LA pinball league, and he hosts a brand new game of his own devising pitting Kayla and Graham against each other in a quarter-stakes competition!
On our second Skill Shot Showcase, Graham and Kayla explore the ins and outs of the Addams Family! We tour the mansion, discuss 2nd Place Andy’s expert advice, and praise the late, great Raul Julia. Look everyone, we don’t have guests!
You've been waiting for this one, whether you knew it or not! Seattle pinball godfather Rod Olsen joins us for a hilarious and insightful interview encompassing his origins as a collector, introduction to the local pinball community and role in shaping and building it, and his acting work in regional theater, improv and pinball voiceover! Hat tip to Katie and Jeff for being an in-studio audience, making sure the wine was flowing, and elevating the room temperature many degrees.
[Updated version where the song actually plays! at 59:15] Kayla and Graham are back from vacation and break down their respective experiences, including Kayla's Pinburgh competition and east jam-packed coast travels and Graham's single pinball experience on the Iberian Peninsula. We also check out the hot title track to the lost Porky's-esque 80's cash grab, Pinball Summer!
Kayla and Graham are back from vacation and break down their respective experiences, including Kayla's Pinburgh competition and east jam-packed coast travels and Graham's single pinball experience on the Iberian Peninsula. We also check out the hot title track to the lost Porky's-esque 80's cash grab, Pinball Summer!
It's another busy summer! Graham is in Portugal and Spain and Kayla is on her way to Pinburgh, so we have a short and sweet episode for your listening pleasure until we're both back in the Pacific Northwest. If you have a tip for where Graham can play pinball in Barcelona in late July or the first week of August, email us!
Consider it a new series within the series: the Skill Shot Showcase! These are like our other episodes focused on a given game, but with only Graham and Kayla, and we'll take a deeper dive. On the first Showcase, we talk through shots, thoughts, and related miscellany for Bram Stoker's Dracula!
On our 30th episode, Skill Shot founders Gordon Ornelas and Brad Hayden return to discuss our weekend in Tacoma for the Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show, our afternoon at the Iron Bull, and whatever else (like how Brad got lost in his own neighborhood -- whoops, sorry Brad)! It's always fun to get Brad and Gordon on the mic. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Tim Tournay sits down with us before he heads back east to his Pittsburgh stomping grounds! We compare tournaments and leagues in Seattle, Pittsburgh, and NYC, talk about game shows (500 Questions, The Magnificent Marble Machine!) and play a bunch of our own games. Revel in the game-itude!
The Northwest Pinball Arcade Show is upon us! Dan Halligan swings by and gives us the scoop on what this year's show as well as the evolution of the NWPAS over the years. Graham really stumps Kayla and Dan with Name that Game -- can he stump you, too?
Holy cow! Our 27th episode marks one year of pincasting for Graham and Kayla. We get Portland's own Zoë Vrabel on the horn to talk tournaments, competition, CFF, and more, and then we bring back Name that Game in a special one-year anniversary edition! Don't miss out on our shooter rod giveaway at the end of the episode...
Who you gonna call? Ostensibly someone else, because this Pincast is not live or a call-in show. We sit down with Jordan Semrow to map his trajectory to Seattle and hosting tournaments at Another Castle, bust out our travelogue and talk about our recent trips to Chicago and Los Angeles, and break down our fresh experiences with Stern's Ghostbusters!
Our friend 2nd Place Andy Burton joins us to dissect Jersey Jack's latest, the Hobbit, and we (kind of) debut our new ranking system! We also dive deep into what it means to get into and stay in "the zone", and we want to hear from you about your own pinball zone! Another Last Pin Standing, another origin story, and a fantastic conversation all around. To Erebor!
This episode is a stitched up gift! The first half is a Vault Edition unnumbered episode Kayla and I recorded in January. We bounce from topic to topic, try our hand at a new game, and kick off a year-long 100 game head-to-head challenge! (Kayla's currently ahead) For the second half, we get Bowen Kerins on the phone to talk about his pinball history, the New England pinball scene, PAPA and other tournaments, and his stint on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire! Bowen was wonderful, and is an essential member of the broader pinball community, so whether or not you are already familiar with him, you're in for a treat! Bola Salvada!
Dave Stewart returns to the show with a bucketload of info about the 11 pre-NW Pinball and Arcade Show Satellite Tournaments around Puget Sound! We also get his pinball origin story and, a couple exclusive scoops about the radical prizes at the big NWPAS tournaments. Stick around to the end to hear what you're playing for!
We tackle the wide world of virtual pinball with Michael Warfield and returning guest Aaron McAbee. Corrections Department: Your faithful editor and co-host is aware we may have confused our Tom Arnolds and misidentified a wide-body or two in Last Pin Standing. Whoops! Stay tuned for a conversation with Bowen Kerins, which we mention in this episode!
The best way to improve is to watch and listen to those who play at a level above our own. Kayla and Graham sit down with Lonnie Langford, an elusive and incredible local pinball player. Lonnie answers our questions about personal strategy, mindset, and pursuing wizard modes!
Germain Mariolle joins us to talk about the new monthly Seattle Pinball Super League, a tournament around town that you play on your own time and culminates in a finals match in the fourth week of the month. We also talk about celebrity translite impostors, and Germain and Kayla go deep in a solid game of Last Pin Standing!
It's another cross-cast -- this time about the nexus of pinball and science fiction, with our friend Jesse Mercury! We recorded for over two hours on Kayla's birthday, and she and Graham drank the lion's share of a bottle of Kraken rum in the process. Man, can you hear it by the end of this episode. You can hear the first hour -- the (relatively) sober hour -- over at jessemercury.com.
We had a great time with our new pal, and man, is it nice to record through his pro podcasting set-up. You'll hear the difference! Pardon the long intro and the epic runtime -- we were feeling pretty darn chatty.
Jesse has two great podcasts that we highly recommend: Sci Fi with Jesse Mercury and Sci Fi on Trial with Jesse Mercury. Queue it up! Congratulations to our contest winner, and thanks to everyone who wrote us! We love to hear from you. Bola Salvada!
Heather Willott joins Graham and Kayla to talk Game of Thrones: the pinball game, the show, and the Song of Ice and Fire book series. We compare modes and houses, get spoiler-y from 20:00-25:00 contrasting book vs. show narrative differences, and play a handful of new games: Odd Game Out and Last Pin Standing! I didn't win Powerball, so no immediate audio production upgrades, sorry!
On our 17th and final episode of 2015, Kayla and Graham look ahead to 2016. What's next for the podcast? What are we looking forward to in the new year? We also hash out our holidays: pinball in San Diego, teaching Girl Scouts the mysteries of the silver ball, and Monday Night Pinball and Seattle Pinball League champions. Thanks for listening to us this year -- we resolve to see you in 2016!
All your cool friends are joining competitive league pinball teams! Dave Stewart and Geoff Simons of Monday Night Pinball talk us through the creation and management of a 14-team, multi-location pinball league in the Seattle metro region. We get into the nitty gritty of team talent equity, scheduling, and a bunch of other wonkily awesome stuff! The next time someone tells you pinball isn't a sport, make them listen to this episode of the Skill Shot Pincast!
Kayla and Graham chat with Jeff Rogers, the owner and operator of Capitol Hill's newly reopened John John's Game Room! Jeff walks us through the process of going from pinball player to collector to owner and operator, and his experience becoming a part of the amazing Seattle pinball community. What do you think a Tindr pinball game would be like?
Former NBA player and current pinball player, collector and operator Todd MacCulloch joins us to talk about his career, the ideal mind-frame for playing pinball (shout out to Bowen Kerins!), hosting the 2012 IFPA World Championships, boutique pinball manufacturers, and a whole slew of other topics! Graham gets sidetracked talking about Canada's national sport, and Todd and Kayla nail Name that Game quick and early. Wonderful guest, wonderful episode. Enjoy!
On our (maybe marginally spooky) episode 13, we sit down with Pinheads Mark Lutsock, Evan McBride, and Adam Jenkins! The guys tell us about their "Come To Pinball" moment and diving into the pinball repair and operation world. Evan also dishes about what it's like to be THE Shorty's pinball operator, we tease The One To Beat, play Name That Game, and get it all done in under an hour! Bola Salvada!
Wowza! On our 12th episode (and longest yet), Brian Chesbrough and Alyson Rae of the Silverball Slayers join us to talk KISS Pinball, share their pinball journeys (and their KISS stories -- we got those too!) and talk about our favorite Belltown block and the the battle to save the Wayne Apartments through civic activism and the Landmark Preservation Board! Shorty's Goes To Washington!
In this episode, Kayla and Graham talk about her recent trip to Europe! First stop is the UK Pinball Party where we take an audio walkthrough tour of the Heighway Pinball Factory, an interview with Cayle George and Jasmijn de Jong, and discuss Joe Balcer's career. Kayla also relates her adventures in Germany and elsewhere. Join us, won't you?
Our 10th episode comes just before our 8th anniversary party and our 40th issue, so we're feeling pretty celebratory! Brad and Gordon join Kayla and I to walk through the history of Skill Shot the zine and the Seattle pinball scene, read listener e-mails, and play Name that Game. This one's long -- and totally worth it!
Wowza! This episode is our very first crosscast, recorded the same day we met and interviewed Ed Robertson from BNL. (Busy day!) Apologies for the double-intro, but there's tons of good information, so it's well worth it. Then a straight hour of silliness with Michael and Daniel from the Sidekicks Pod, introducing them to the wide world of pinball. We had a blast, and we hope you do too!
Hot off their recent success at Pinburgh, we've got Kevin Birrell and Raymond Davidson with us this week, Seattle's own pinball wunderkinds! We talk about the upcoming NW Pinball Championships (Aug. 28-30; www.bdivision.com), tournament strategy, the local vs. national scene, and Raymond tells us about his early path to pinball. Accidentally edited to stay on Gary Stern's nicer side. Bola Salvada!
Episode 7 features interviews with two pinball-loving musicians: Australian singer/songwriter Darren Hanlon, and Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies! Both Ed and Darren were touring through Seattle in the same week, and each graciously made the time to sit down with us and talk about their personal pinball histories.
And because this is an all-audio experience, we just had to share some of their music with you! Pardon the varying sound quality of the interviews -- we're making it up with four great songs. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
On Episode 6, Alexa Philbeck joins Kayla and Graham to talk about women in pinball, inclusion and building a community. Kayla notes a cool through-line with the lyrics of our opening theme song and Graham plays devil's advocate. Check yer privilege at the door!
Episode 5 features Bobby Conover, owner of 20XX Amusements and captain of the new Pinball Seattle champions, the Soda Jerks! Graham and Kayla talk to Bobby about his experience as a pinball machine operator and the path that brought him there, and Graham gets a little too sneaky with Name that Game...
In Episode 4 we sit down with Skill Shot's creators, Gordon Ornelas and Brad Hayden, for a rundown of the Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show. Magic Girl appears! And disappoints. We Keep It Short and Simple with our first take on Stern's KISS, get epic in our Hobbit preview (complete with Jersey Jack soundbites), and Kayla hangs up her nerd hat when she mistakes Gandalf for Dumbledore. Bola Salvada!
Episode 3 is our first mini-episode! Kayla and Graham travel through time, give a rundown of the busy pinball tournament calendar around the Seattle area (and beyond), and talk about their approach to playing Lord of the Rings. Note: Name That Game was recorded with the same sounds as Episode 2, but prior to Episode 2.
In Episode 2 of the Skill Shot Pincast, Graham and Kayla talk to Seattle pinballer Aaron McAbee about the Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show and how to score big on a few games in the NWPAS Tournament, and play a hilarious and challenging game of Aaron’s creation: pinball game or marijuana strain?
Skill Shot, Seattle's Pinball Zine, debuts its first pincast with hosts Graham Klym and Kayla Greet interviewing local tournament phenom Kevin Birrell and discussing Stern's latest game, Wrestlemania!