Sample Excavator - podcast cover

Sample Excavator

A podcast by Angelo Robledo that digs through sample and production history to piece together the stories behind the world's biggest records. Each episode I explore a prominent sample or sound and track its most notable uses throughout history, discovering surprising connections between songs, artists, and genres along the way. Sample Excavator is a proud part of Pantheon - the podcast network for music lovers.
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Episodes

The Metallica Report: Trailer

The Metallica Report is coming! Keep up with all things Metallica by going straight to the source for your news. This weekly report is hosted by Steffan Chirazi, long-time rock scribe and editor of the band’s online mag, So What! , and Renée Richardson, a well-known Bay Area radio personality who now oversees the band’s foundation, All Within My Hands. Steffan and Renée will keep you in the loop each week with updates, features, and interviews. They’ll also get YOUR questions answered by those i...

Jul 24, 20232 min

Episode 1.10: NILE RODGERS PT. 2

WE MADE IT. This is the final episode of season 1, the second part to the two part finale that we started last week with the story of Nile Rodgers. If you haven't listened to last week's part one yet, stop now, go listen, then come back. In this episode we continue with the story of Nile Rodgers picking up exactly where we left off last week, on the day of the release of Rapper's Delight by The Sugarhill Gang. At the end of the episode I give my thesis for the season as a whole, tying together, ...

Nov 20, 201928 minSeason 1Ep. 10

Episode 1.9: NILE RODGERS PT. 1

The finish line is in sight. We are finally at the first part of the two part finale to season one of Sample Excavator. We are exploring the immense influence of Nile Rodgers in music for the finale. To do this, however, we first need to understand the entire history of 20th century music to understand the context of his sound. This episode will do just that, focusing on the history of music and specifically disco from 1968 to 1980. Next week will go from 1980 until today understanding how his s...

Nov 13, 201933 minSeason 1Ep. 9

Episode 1.8: RICK RUBIN

These last three episodes of Season 1 will really chronicle the rise of hip hop. This week we are looking at the producer Rick Rubin, possibly the most prolific producer of all time. He founded Def Jam Records and Def American Records, signing or producing for LL Cool J, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slayer, AC/DC, Joan Jett, Tom Petty, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Eminem, Lady Gaga and literally hundreds more. He was instrumental in developing the sound of rap as distinct fr...

Nov 06, 201921 minSeason 1Ep. 8

Episode 1.7: TOM'S DINER

Last weeks episode was our longest yet so I limited myself this week to even it out. In this brief episode I break down the song Tom's Diner by Suzanne Vega, telling the story of how it blew up due to an EDM remix and developed into a mainstay sample in almost every genre. Playlists with all the songs from this week's episode can be found on Apple Music and Spotify under 'Sample Excavator Episode 1.7' Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @idigit1st Follow the show on Twitter and Instagram @SampleE...

Oct 30, 201914 min

Episode 1.6: YEAH! WOO!

For the first time I am tackling a song in the top 10 most sampled of all time list. In fact this week's sample has been used in 2340 other songs in the last decade, making it the third most sampled song of all time. It has been used in 60+ songs in 2019 alone, making it one of the most enduring samples in history. I can't go through all 2300+ uses but I try to break down the most notable and most obscure uses in order to give a complete overview of this legendary sample. Playlists with all the ...

Oct 23, 201924 minSeason 1Ep. 6

Episode 1.5: GOOD FEELING

We are halfway done with the first season of Sample Excavator! A shorter episode this week as we examine a soul vocal from Etta James used throughout EDM, pop, and rap since the 90's. This fits into a larger trend of soul vocals being used in EDM that we will explore throughout this show. We also explore samples of the song Private Number by Pretty Lights and Rappin' 4-Tay. Playlists with all the songs from this week's episode can be found on Apple Music and Spotify under 'Sample Excavator Episo...

Oct 16, 201915 minSeason 1Ep. 5

Episode 1.4: BERT BERNS

This week we look at the incredible story of Bert Berns, a songwriting genius who was exceptionally prolific in the 1960's. He's worked with the Isley Brothers (who we discussed last week, check it out if you haven't already), The Beatles, Jimmy Page, Van Morrison, and dozens of others. Playlists with all the songs from this week's episode can be found on Apple Music and Spotify under 'Sample Excavator Episode 1.4' Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @idigit1st Follow the show on Twitter and Inst...

Oct 09, 201915 minSeason 1Ep. 4

Episode 1.3: THE ISLEY BROTHERS

Episode 3 breaks down samples from the Isley Brothers, a gospel, soul, funk, R&B, and rock group that was active from the late 50's to the early 80's. They've been sampled by Biggie, Ice Cube, Kendrick Lamar, and hundreds more. This week's playlist containing all the songs discussed plus more is available on both Apple Music and Spotify under 'Sample Excavator Episode 1.3' Follow Angelo on Twitter and Instagram @idigit1st Follow the show on Twitter and Instagram @SampleExcavatorSend emails t...

Oct 02, 201920 minSeason 1Ep. 3

Episode 1.2: THE RIFF

Episode 2 breaks down 'The Riff,' a series of 5 descending chords or notes that has a rich history throughout classic rock with notable uses by The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Chicago, and Green Day. This week's playlist containing all the songs discussed is available on both Apple Music and Spotify under 'Sample Excavator Episode 1.2' Follow Angelo on Twitter and Instagram @idigit1st Follow Sample Excavator on Twitter and Instagram @SampleExcavator Send emails to TheSampleExcavator@gmail.com Produce...

Sep 25, 201920 minSeason 1Ep. 2

Episode 1.1: SUPERSONIC

Angelo Robledo kicks off the debut season of Sample Excavator by analyzing the song Supersonic by J.J. Fad, tracking the many times it's been sampled over the last two decades. This week's playlist containing all the songs discussed plus more is available on both Apple Music and Spotify under 'Sample Excavator Episode 1.1' Follow Angelo on Twitter and Instagram @idigit1st Follow Sample Excavator on Twitter and Instagram @SampleExcavator Send emails to TheSampleExcavator@gmail.com Produced by Guy...

Sep 18, 201914 minSeason 1Ep. 1

Trailer: Welcome to Sample Excavator

Welcome to Sample Excavator! This episode introduces sampling, the inspiration for the podcast, and the format of the episodes. Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter @sampleexcavator Follow the host on Instagram and Twitter @idigit1st Email the show: TheSampleExcavator@gmail.com Mark Ronson's Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/mark_ronson_how_sampling_transformed_music This show is part of Pantheon Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Sep 15, 20197 min
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