Dirtypool Pinball - PODCAST - An Exploration Of The Pinball Industry

• Dirty Pool Podcast Ep07 – Davey of Stumblor Mods / The Art of The Pinball Modding

  Davey from Stumblor joins Dirty Pool to discuss how one of the most respected names in pinball modding became a quiet powerhouse. Twitch – https://twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball YouTube – https://youtube.com/@DirtyPoolPinball Instagram – https://instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball Facebook – https://facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball Known for high-end, limited-run mods for machines like Godzilla, Jaws, and Elton John, Stumblor has built a reputation for precision engineering, lighting effects that don’t feel like an afterthought, and an aesthetic that leans more toward sculptural design than simple add-ons. We talk through his full creative process—from initial idea to final shipment—and cover topics like what makes a game “worth modding,” and why some projects never make it out of the prototype phase. Davey also discusses community feedback, and testing challenges. Also included: the origin of the name "Stumblor!" 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:01 - Oops 00:00:07 - Actual Opening 00:00:18 - Davey / Stumblor Mods! 00:02:30 - Are Mod Makers Making Manufacturers Leave Out Components? 00:05:51 - The First Mod... Creature. 00:11:12 - Godzilla. 00:12:58 - The First Pinside Post That Launched Stumblor. 00:16:58 - Stumblor Website Breaks My Audio 00:20:00 - Where The Ideas For Mods Come From 00:20:52 - Elton John Sign 00:25:02 - Where Are You From? 00:26:41- Pin2DMD 00:29:21- PinMAME 00:32:00 - Stumblor Homebrew? 00:35:45 - Customer Emails / Customer Service 00:36:40 - The Customer Is Not Always Right 00:39:40- Tinkering Is Part Of Pinball 00:40:59 - @teppinball Plug and Upcoming Kong Mod / The Process 00:45:36 - Mod Making Is Art and Mechanical 00:48:51- Talking Materials 00:52:41- How to update Stumblor Mods to the new App 00:54:34 - Relationship With @dutchpinball 00:55:45 - What Deeproot Was... 01:01:20 - Manufacturers Not Collaborating With Mod Makers 01:06:46 - Dutch Pinball's Alice 01:08:14 - The Pinwalk and @InBeforetheLock 01:09:00 - How To Get Ahold of @stumblor 01:09:30 - The Raven Joke... 01:12:56 - TNA will take you to town. 01:16:20 - BTTF... 01:18:00 - Evil Dead @SpookyPinball 's Best Game 01:22:30 - 90's Pinball Style 01:23:48 - Where did the name Stumblor come from?? (Of course it's the Simpsons.) 01:27:20 - Next Stumblor Mod? ... Jurassic Park 01:29:20 - Tour of the workshop (Davey's Muted Adventure) 01:29:51- I Poorly Try To Fill In 01:30:46- DAAAVEEEEEEYYY 01:30:57- Schwarzenegger Tour 01:31:20 - Explaining Whats Going On For The Audio Only Podcast Peeps. 01:33:57 - Davey Returns 01:36:20 - Pin2DMD Oversized Mod For Classics 01:39:00 - Logistics for Assembly 01:45:23 - Pinball Is About Memories 01:47:10 - Raid / Outro 01:47:55 - BYE! #StumblorMods #PinballInterview #DirtyPoolPinball #PinballMods #GodzillaPinball #JawsPinball #EltonJohnPinball #PinballDesign #SternPinball #JerseyJackPinball #SpookyPinball #DutchPinball #TurnerPinball #PinballMachine #RetroGaming #ModdingMasters #PinballCommunity #CustomPinball #ArcadeCulture #PinballAddict #PinballArt #MakerCulture #LightingDesign #PinballTalk #CultOfTheScoop

  --------  

  1:48:25
• Dirty Pool Podcast Ep06 – Chad The Bird Loves Worms and Pinball

  This week’s guest has a lot to say—and somehow says it all without moving his lips. We get into pinball, performance art, and the unique acoustics of Logan Arcade. Let’s just say this one might take flight in unexpected directions. 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:15 - What Are You? 00:02:32 - Did I Pay Chad? ... No. 00:03:30 - Bi-coastal? Bi-Polar. 00:04:00 - All Natural Pink 00:05:50 - Go Follow @BillLarkin 00:06:05 - Comedy Monologue vs. Improv 00:09:00 - Manic Panic?! 00:09:14 - Which Font Is Better 00:10:30 - Chad's Diet And Bowel Problems / Solutions 00:11:42 - Do You Pay Taxes? 00:12:26 - Chad's Font? 00:12:42 - @LoganArcade !! 00:13:41 - Chad Loves Pinball 00:14:20 - Lets Talk ⁨@pinballexpo2540⁩ 'Pinball Expo'! 00:15:30 - Little Kong Talk... 00:17:13 - Harry Potter Hype Videos... The Industry Needs To Change It Up. 00:17:44 - #Onlybirds 00:18:17 - 97% Of Birds... Don't Have Dongs. 00:19:57 - Happy Birthday George Gomez! ⁨@sternpinballinc⁩ 00:21:27 - Lets Talk Pinball Classic Voice Over 00:23:10 - Sensitive Ears? 00:24:18 - Bird In Chicago = Good At Booze 00:26:47 - Chicago Is The Heart Of Pinball 00:27:16 - Barry O's Isn't A Bad Game - Burned Birds... 00:28:40 - The Booming Pinball Business? 00:30:32 - Stern Needs To Add Side Lights To LE's 00:32:28 - Star Wars Jizz. (The Music) 00:34:12 - Fresh Ass Bees. 00:36:25 - Need More Flair. 00:40:30 - Toppers... Unnecessary 00:42:00 - Galloping Ghost and Other Hot Spots 00:46:20 - Jack Danger Makes Cool Games. Also No Code :( 00:47:50 - Chad Says LCD Playfield is the Future of Pinball 00:49:30 - Jurassic Park Home Edition... Underrated Gem 00:51:14 - Pinball is Already Perfect 00:53:00 - Chad Knows His Sh.tuff 00:54:00 - Chads Underrated Game List 00:55:00 - Need ⁨@johnnycrap1⁩ to Help us Pronounce Stuff 00:56:00 - Finding Old Games On Location In Great Condition 00:57:15 - There's A Porn Pinball Machine?? Why!? 00:59:48 - The Raven Gag. 01:01:40 - MFK Pinball 01:06:08 - Chad Doesn't Like Jaws... What an Idiot 01:08:00 - My DnD is an Expensive Lamp 01:11:00 - Pun Daddy SignoutDk Makes Jokes 01:11:25 - GnR is TOO LOUD 01:15:00 - Clay Pigeon Stuff 01:17:58 - Chad Stuff Going On! 01:20:41 - Bye! #DirtyPoolPodcast #DirtyPoolPinball #PinballInterview #MysteryGuest #LoganArcade #PinballCommunity #PinballCulture #ArcadePodcast #PinballTalk #RetroGaming #CultOfPinball #BehindTheFlippers #PinballLore #PinballMedia #PinballObsessed #PodcastVibes #IlluminatiApproved #SomewhatMysteryGuest #BirdAdjacent #ArcadeLife

  --------  

  1:21:30
• Dirty Pool Podcast Ep05 – Maker of Mischief: David Van Es from Barrels of Fun

  David Van Es joins us to talk about launching Barrels of Fun, building a creative-first pinball company, and the wild process behind their debut game Labyrinth. With Dune now on the line, we dig into how his background in film and licensing feeds into game development—and why the second act might be even more ambitious than the first. 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:52 - David Flips The Tables. Why Did Dirty Pool Start Streaming... 00:02:05 - David's History In Film and TV 00:04:30 - Working for 2 decades before Pinball 00:05:12 - David's Years at @SpookyPinball 00:08:15 - First Game Purchase after returning to the hobby... Tales From The Crypt 00:11:44 - The Birth of @BoFPinball 00:13:45 - Pinball is package of Experiences like a film 00:16:08 - The Creative Process Comes From Problem Solving 00:17:31 - How Does BoF approach the building blocks of an IP 00:19:08 - The People That Work At BoF Are Appreciated 00:21:28 - Do What You Love First and The Money Will Follow 00:22:08 - The Creative Process Comes From Problem Solving 00:22:22 - What Are Some Things in Labrynth That Were a Challenge 00:25:12 - Are BoF Games Good for Operators 00:26:08 - Storytelling First 00:27:32 - Do the Flippers Really Feel Different on a BoF game? 00:28:28 - Karl @IEPinball is sick so we're going to talk about him 00:29:20 - David's Worst Outlanes in History 00:30:00 - Chat Questions - Is Labrynth too Hard (7.5 degree incline!) 00:31:20 - How To Onboard New Pin Owners 00:33:30 - Every Pin is Unique and Needs Unique Tweaking 00:34:20 - Seriously Labrynth is supposed to be at 7.5 degrees. 00:34:41 - Details on a Pinball Machine Matter 00:36:58 - Data East Star Wars was David's First Experience in Pinball 00:41:13 - Chat Questions - Dune Code Regrets? 00:42:00 - Collaboration With a Licensor is Key 00:45:02 - "Cinematic Experience" 00:46:28 - Mode Stacking and Dune 00:48:02 - BoF Listens To Feedback 00:51:09 - Why Did You Make Dune? 00:56:05 - Pick an IP you have Access to Assets for. 00:56:30 - What Isn't In Dune? 00:57:02 - How Acquiring Assets Works 00:58:33 - New Callouts and Characters Coming to Dune 00:58:55 - How Do Licensors Get Paid From Pinball Sales? 01:01:02 - Is Dune Hitting Sales Expectations? 01:02:32 - Dune is $1000 more... why? 01:04:18 - HAL Lighting System is actually pretty Awesome. 01:02:32 - Dune is $1000 more... why? 01:05:54 - Dune Demands Bass 01:09:04 - Why Aren't There a Lot Of Mods For BoF Games? 01:10:04 - A World Under Glass 01:10:26 - Flinstones Best Rocks? 01:11:04 - BoF pinball machines have unique ball paths. 01:11:31 - The Worm Looks Like a Prolapsed Anus. 01:12:29 - If We Can Suck It Down... We Can Rise It Up! 01:13:27 - The Worm is a COMPLEX mech 01:18:00 - Talking Dune Experience 01:20:04 - Growing Barrels of Fun and International Shipping 01:22:33 - Manufacturers want to get your game to you ASAP 01:24:58 - Warrantees and Consumers 01:25:25 - How To Warranty A Machine That Kills Itself 01:25:39 - BoF Confirms Next Game is Conan - The Barbarian (Not really but not a bad idea!) 01:31:15 - Chat Wants 5th Element 01:32:30 - Backglass Give Away! Congrats Jbiscuity 01:34:02 - Lets Talk Alternate Backglasses 01:34:39 - I don't Want to Look at Timothy Chale-mutt. 01:34:51 - Accessories for Dune and Timelines 01:36:37 - Googly Eyes and @electricbatarcade 01:37:15 - David Goes To Show Off Topper - Self Dirty Pool Plug Intermission 01:37:45 - Topper! 01:39:30 - Support All Smaller Pinball Companies... @BoFPinball @SpookyPinball @dutchpinball @PinballBrothers @pedrettigaming388 01:40:28 - Got an Idea for Bof? Here's How To Get In Touch 01:41:00 - Factory Tour? Just Ask! 01:41:19 - What's Houston Like? 01:44:19 - Making Playfields In House? 01:46:10 - Outro? 01:47:04 - Bye. #DirtyPoolPinball #DPPP #PinballPodcast #BarrelsofFun #LabyrinthPinball #DunePinball #DavidVanEs #PinballDesign #PinballBusiness #ModernPinball #PinballLife #SternPinball #JerseyJackPinball #SpookyPinball #DutchPinball #TurnerPinball #PinballCEO #PinballTalk #BehindTheFlippers #PinballCommunity #PinballMachines #PinballProduction

  --------  

  1:47:20
• Dirty Pool Podcast Ep04 – Ian Jacoby of Nudge Magazine

  Talking pinball lifestyle and punk rock with Ian Jacoby, founder of Nudge,a print only pinball magazine that’s flipping the bird to digital trend. We dig into why print still matters, the aesthetics of rebellion, and the dedicated art of saying no to AI.. 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:16 - Welcome! 00:00:58 - Jeff May Introduced Me To Nudge @heytherejeffro 00:01:52 - Ian's Pinball Lifestyle 00:02:41 - Lets Breakdown What Makes a Good Room 00:04:00 - Nudge Has a Company That Handles Shipping Now 00:04:51 - Nudge Issue 5... Soon? 00:05:20 - A Print Mag In The World Of Digital Publication 00:06:36 - The Origins Of Nudge 00:07:58 - Covid Created Nudge 00:08:46 - One Nice Thing About Ian (According To A Fan) 00:09:12 - Give Tracey Her Magazine Dude 00:09:45 - Is The Magazine a Creative Extension Of You? 00:11:30 - Contributors and Nudge Magazine, It Takes a Village 00:13:00 - How Do You Approve Submitted Content? 00:14:38 - Another Godzilla Artwork Critique 00:15:12 - Alternate Pinball Editions? Spearmint Edition? Cream Edition? 00:15:42 - "Tandy Computer Cream" 00:16:56 - Ian The Musician - Laarks 00:17:51 - Record Labels and Evolution 00:19:41 - Dirty Pool Makes Music feat. Ian's Voicemail 00:20:30 - Don't Send Me Voice Messages Unless You Want Weird Songs 00:21:00 - The AI Elephant In The Room / What Is Art 00:25:08 - Being a Creator Is a Lot of Work 00:26:57 - Ian Unfollows AI Creators 00:27:15 - Focus On Your Own Creations, Not What Others Think 00:28:10 - Don't Chase Followers 00:30:16 - Pinball People Will Resonate With Honest Content 00:31:28 - Nudge Is Unique / Also @kineticist and @knapparcade7590 As News Sources 00:32:51 - Doc Monday and the Pinball Help Hotline Number 00:36:18 - Pinball Prayer? 00:37:10 - Alcohol and Phones ... BFFs 00:37:36 - Cult You Say!? DPP Approved 00:37:55 - Nudge's First Print w/ tpetch.com 00:38:55 - This Is Not Nudge's Website 00:39:51 - Chat Questions 00:40:26 - Divisible Error Shoutout 00:40:50 - Important Discussion About Kong's Member 00:41:30 - It's Kong Dong 00:41:57 - We Talk The History Of Kong - 00:43:06 - "I Don't Like This At All" 00:45:34 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T-d4qgpqBQ&t=6445s - Excellent Stream 00:45:50 - Lets Talk Photography 00:52:41 - F/M/K - Em's / SS / Modern 00:54:04 - Yea It's the Raven Question... You knew it'd be here. 00:55:21 - Give Ian a Call Anytime to Ask About Raven 00:55:49 - What's The Best Part Of Portland? 00:58:27 - Do Arcades Have a Responsibility to Operate Classics? 00:59:13 - Arcades Need To Make Money To Operate Older Games 01:00:15 - Hipster? No... Pipster! 01:03:37 - Art, Engineering and Pinball 01:03:42 - Get Shocked 01:05:22 - Don't Be Afraid To F-Up 01:08:24 - Creating An Issue Of Nudge 01:10:28 - What's It Like To Finish An Issue Creatively... And Emotionally 01:14:00 - Nudge Is A Family 01:16:27 - Pinball Table Vs. Pinball Machine 01:17:27 - Being An Operator Is Hard Work 01:18:47 - Ian Gives Dirty Pool a Shoutout 01:19:52 - Don't Be a Bad Pinball Person - Tyler White (Good Pinball Person) Shoutout 01:21:14 - Ian Supports Toxic Pinball (no not really) 01:22:20 - Go To Star Tropics Pinball Museum 01:22:50 - Don't Do This... 01:23:40 - Outro 01:24:44 - Bonus - Voicemail Song Part 2 #DirtyPoolPinball #DPPP #NudgeMagazine #PinballCulture #PrintIsNotDead #PinballZines #PinballMedia #PinballPodcast #PunkRockPinball #PinballArt #ZineCulture #RetroMedia #IanJacoby #AlternativePublishing #PinballLifestyle #DIYCulture #DirtyPoolPodcast #IndependentPublishing #ZineScene #PinballCollective #UndergroundPrint #PaperOverPixels #IndiePinball #PinballDesign #PinballPress #NoToAI #AnalogForever

  --------  

  1:26:10
• Dirty Pool Podcast Ep03 – Jonathan Bergeron From Punk to Pinball

  From tagging as ZEN in Montreal’s graffiti scene to illustrating Jurassic Park, Dune, and Labyrinth for Stern and Barrels of Fun—Johnny Crap has carved a path through art that’s anything but ordinary. In this episode, we trace Jonathan Bergeron’s evolution from punk-fueled muralist to in-demand illustrator, designing merch for Slayer and Guns N’ Roses before getting hooked on pinball. He shares his creative process, the challenge of keeping his voice intact while working with major licenses, and what it really takes to bring his distinct aesthetic into the world of modern pinball machines. 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:36 - How To Pronounce Bergeron Correctly 00:01:16 - Punk and Graffiti Background 00:02:36 - Old School Skateboarding 00:04:12 - Graffiti? Start em' Young! 00:05:00 - Who Is Zen? 00:06:05 - Art For Local Bands 00:07:25 - Art For Pinball 00:07:45 - David Bowie Rocks? 00:08:08 - Dune has a Labrynth Easter Egg. 00:09:29 - Intelligent Playfield Art Design 00:10:41 - Labrynth Had Much Of The Design Locked In 00:11:30 - Details On The Playfield By Hand 00:14:32 - Johnny Crap's Artwork Aprons Are Beautiful 00:14:50 - Designing The First Pinball Playfield (Not JP Home) 00:19:12 - Dune Alternate Backglass? 00:19:47 - What's It Like Designing Band Merch For Metal Legends. 00:23:14 - Differences Between Art and Pinball Art Design 00:24:30 - Working As A Team 00:26:10 - Involving Yourself With The Community 00:27:02 - What's Your Favorite Game. 00:28:11 - What It's Like To Be A Bad Pinball Player Like @BrassLeagueGaming 00:28:46 - The Importance Of Down Time 00:30:00 - Pinball Events As A Creator 00:31:00 - Creative Reset 00:31:45 - Fine Art World Is Not For Everyone 00:32:37 - "I Like To Paint Garbage" 00:33:44 - Can A Playfield Art Be 'too busy' 00:37:10 - Intelligent Playfield Art Design Pt2 00:37:55 - Dune and 3D Playfield Design 00:39:19 - Computer To Wood, Do All Ideas Translate? 00:40:36 - When Is a Project Done 00:42:00 - Understanding Pinball and Making Designs Reflect That 00:43:06 - Chat Questions 00:43:18 - Critique Of hired_goons17 'fine art' 00:43:41 - Great Alternate Backglass For Godzilla 00:44:10 - Constructive Criticism In Pinball 00:45:19 - What's The Timeline For Artwork Production? 00:47:01 - Dream Theme That You Would Do? (It's CONAN!) 00:49:50 - Lets Talk Multimorphic! 00:52:37 - What Is Best In Life? 00:54:00 - Lets Talk Traditional Painting 00:55:05 - More Chat Questions? 00:55:25 - Multiple Backglass Releases Is It Annoying? 00:57:00 - Pinball LCD Graphics, and Layered Art Assets... Why Is There a Disconnect? 00:58:20 - Is a Cohesive Art Package Important? 00:59:18 - Everyone has an oPINion. 01:01:15 - More Pinball Competition Betwenn Companies Is a Good Thing 01:02:40 - No Bad Games, Just Games You Wouldn't Own 01:04:47 - Turquiose 01:05:47 - Thank You Jonathan! #DirtyPoolPinball #JohnnyCrap #JonathanBergeron #PinballArt #DunePinball #LabyrinthPinball #JurassicParkPinball #PinballDesign #GraffitiArtist #PunkArt #BandMerch #SkateCulture #LowbrowArt #ArcadeArt #ComicArt #PinballCulture #BackglassArt #DirtyPoolPodcast #PinballInterview #UndergroundArt #ArtProcess #ArtistLife #StreetArt #DesignJourney #CreativeFreedom #CultOfPinball #PinballPeople

  --------  

  1:06:55

More Leisure podcasts

Trending Leisure podcasts

About Dirtypool Pinball - PODCAST - An Exploration Of The Pinball Industry