David Mann hopes to eventually turn his podcast into a TV show: Chris Arrant
A show about Korean music is probably the last thing anyone would expect to come out of a podcast called “The Flying Burrito Music Show.” But then, not much about the show is what’s expected. East Dallas resident David Mann started the podcast at the end of March, and he updates it every two weeks. Mann is Caucasian as they come and speaks barely a lick of Korean — a fact he seems to get a kick out of. “The biggest thing is, I want people to say, ‘And that’s a white guy doing that?’ I love shocking people,” he explains, laughing. But don’t be fooled; Mann has his credentials. He’s been all over the Koreas, having lived in South Korea from 2006 to 2011. “When I lived in Korea I was a paid writer, a paid actor and a paid photographer, so I know this entertainment industry,” he says. He hopes to go back to Korea, as well as many other countries, as soon as possible — which is why he started the podcast. He hopes to use it as a networking tool and a possible platform for pitching a TV show, in which he would travel around the world with a small crew to explore the music scenes of various countries. Not a bad gig if he pulls it off. With the podcast, he plays three songs and then offers short tidbits of information to segue into the next three songs. The music selection of the show is another unexpected element. Everyone expects the show to be Korean pop, especially in the wake of Psy’s “Gangnam Style,” which skyrocketed on the music charts. “It’s not Psy,” Mann says. It’s rock, reggae and jazz. “It’s indie music,” he says. “It’s the Deep Ellum music of Korea.” Mann’s favorite reaction to people listening to his show is, “That’s Korean music?” “I wanted the show to be adventurous, like you’re taking a journey,” he explains. “I wanted surprise that they would hear that kind of music — a lot of surprise.”
