Surprise Cast

Dear Sundries, From a former teacher to current teachers, thank you for a lovely conference about life as musicians! I love listening to how music impacted each one of you whilst growing up. You focused on the role of art and its true impact, which was great to hear. I appreciated how you shared sharp insights on songwriting ideas, importance of simplicity and figurative language in your lyrics.  You released one of the most spar...

Dear Andrew, I was so looking forward to our conversation because I knew you'd bring your A game, and you did with great success. I loved hearing about your sparkling new album, 'Solar,' and the amazing stories behind it. Listening to your journeys along the Camino de Santiago was fantastic—it makes me want to get out on the trails one day to soak up the incredible vistas. Thank you for sharing all the granular details, including...

Greetings, Peter! Thank you for participating in Surprise Cast. The time went by too quickly. 

I loved hearing about your musical awakenings, including Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr. David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, and Iggy Pop. All the artists that I admire greatly. I can see why they whetted your appetite for emotional integrity and emotional truth within your musical pursuits.  Thank you for sharing such candid stories about your f...

Dear Zoe, What a sensational time I had with you on my podcast feature, Surprise Cast! Thank you for allowing me to shine a spotlight on your work as an aspiring performer in the UK. I loved hearing about the wonderful relationship you have with your parents and the deep support you feel from the two of them.  Hearing about your infinite love for theatre and acting was impressive. You handled all of the quotes with great aplomb. ...

Dear Shane,

In this intelligent and thoughtful episode, you discussed candidly important topics such as influential music, COVID, The National, Cocteau Twins, and the fabulous album, Wound. Your insights were nothing short of enlightening.

Thank you for guiding the listeners and me through the intricacies of the songwriting process, inspired guitar textures, and lyrical ideas. I loved how you delved into your recording approa...

Dear Ian and James, I can't believe this was our 5th conversation in some capacity--thank you for being on Surprise Cast. It's always a pleasure speaking with you, whether it be for your work with The Orchids, One Dove, or Montjuïc.  I loved how our conversation flipped between personal stories and artistic choices. We hit on a few important topics: growing up queer, carrying and reclaiming shame/identity, and maintaining hope dur...

Dear Ron and Jason, Thank you so much for diving into your feelings about your band, Blueshift Signal, the new album Eventide, and other fun topics.

I loved how we kicked off the show with some lighthearted icebreaker questions about comedy movies. It was fun hearing about your appreciation for Jim Carrey and Charlie Chaplin.  You walked the listeners and me through the history and emotional core of the new album, and how the song...

Dear Steve, Tara, and Luke — this was an engaging conversation about your Sydney shoegaze/indie project and the fantastic new album Feel Alright. I loved that we started with light icebreakers and then moved into deeper topics. 

We discussed the creative influences that shaped your sound from My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless to Simon & Garfunkel, Jesus and Mary Chain, Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie and The Cure. All amazing musicians!...

Hello Helen! I warmly welcome you as my special guest on Surprise Cast. Thank you for joining me from across the pond to discuss everything from Halloween icebreakers and favorite films (Kubrick, The Shining, and more) to how music, cinema, and books have helped you get through dark periods in your life.

The episode includes personal stories of childhood depression, early therapy, a later bipolar diagnosis, and how creative outle...

Dear Ed, I learned so much about your life in just over an hour. Thank you for being a proud owner of Shelflife Records and being on Surprise Cast! I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation, which moved from early childhood experiences, life in New York City, and running an amazing indie label. It was great to hear about your favorite games, formative films, and early musical obsessions (Depeche Mode, OMD, etc.), along with precious f...

Dear Alex, Andrew, and Gabi: Here's a little secret. I've been wanting to chat with you for a long time. I'm so thrilled the desire came to fruition. Look at how deep we went! I embraced our conversation from Halloween memories to deep questions about art, music, and the creative life. I felt that there was a nice balance that mixed light, nostalgic banter with thoughtful discussion inspired by Brian Eno quotes, along with respon...

Thank you for sharing your entertaining stories--from playing with Jackson Brown and opening for John Fogerty, to a near-miss with a Paramount placement song on a Netflix movie — and how those moments shaped your career in some capacity. 

The conversation dug into craft: songwriting as the true "currency" of music, ideas for breakin...

Dear Rob, It was a real pleasure having you on Surprise Cast. I loved our talk about your supportive parents, early garage bands, formative concerts with your father, and your amazing new album. The episode dug into Oakland’s music life — the good, the rough edges, and the small venues that matter — and also highlighted your tremendous respect for Dandy Boy Records and label founder Bobby Martinez as a grassroots champion for a ...

Dear Ryan and Rebecca, Many thanks for joining me on Surprise Cast. I enjoyed our chat.  You traced your paths from childhood — eastern Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, and Marin —in an interesting way. I loved hearing about your musical influences, including Daryl Hall & John Oates, Cocteau Twins, Depeche Mode, and Skinny Puppy--so many bands that I love! It was cool learning how Halou formed in the early '90s and listening to your ...

Dear Grace and Eva, In this episode, I welcomed you for a lively return to Surprise Cast. The conversation began with playful Halloween icebreakers and costume memories before discussing the band’s recent UK tour, memorable onstage moments, and the variety of bands you played with, including indie legends Camera Obscura. Amazing!

The bulk of the episode focused on your sparkling self-titled debut album. You had mentioned producers ...

Dear James, I'm thankful that you returned to Surprise Cast for a third time; that means a great deal to me. I had a wonderful time celebrating the spirit of Halloween, as well as enjoying an old Maps tune and your new album, 'Welcome to the Tudor Gate'. 

You explained how the project began — moving into a new house near a "creepy" old inn, vintage photographs (from dad) that conjured spooky imagery, and a decision to build a conti...

Dear Jonathan, I loved our chat on Surprise Cast. Thank you for making it authentic and intimate. I learned a great deal about your craft regarding being a photographer and film writer--two things that you're quite good at doing. It was cool to learn about your path from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles, early work with concert promoters, and long and collaborative relationship with Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails.  

You provided wond...

Dear Sice and Tim, It was a fun, engaging, and relaxed conversation on Surprise Cast. I loved our playful icebreaker topics about childhood memories of Halloween traditions and horror movie favorites--and the Tigger outfit! It was cool hearing you reflect candidly on the making of the 1995 album, "Wake Up!" and its aftermath. Hearing you two recall studio tensions between ambition and execution, and how the radio-friendly song, "...