Surprise Cast

Dear Shane, What an absolute pleasure it was having you on Surprise Cast for another deep and thoughtful conversation. I loved hearing about your strong liking for Sigur Rós and how their shows reframed your thinking about space and sound. I still have yet to see them. Thank you for taking a deeper dive into your work as an educator. I loved the story you shared about turning lemons into lemonade regarding a difficult teaching mom...

Dear David,  It's not often I open up a show by talking about skipping class back in high school. It's only fitting for this interview.  Welcome back to Surprise Cast! Thank you for reflecting on the band's early years, C86 sound, and how The Mighty Lemon Drops arrived at the beautiful post punk sound. It was cool to learn about some of the recording process with producer Stephen Street, and how songs...

Hello Jon, Pleasure sitting down with you for a good chat on Surprise Cast. I loved hearing about your journey from a unique Mormon childhood in England. Fascinating. Thank you for talking about your time with post-punk band, Siouxsie and the Banshees. I LOVED the tales on how you joined the band, studio and touring memories. Thank you for taking my ears behind the scenes of songs such as "Peekaboo" and more. How amazing that you g...

Hello Mary!

Thank you so much for joining me to talk about music, creativity, and Maniacs milestones. I loved hearing your personal reflections and about the people you appreciate in the music business such as Alison Krauss. 

How amazing that you got to be a guest on stage with Billy Bragg for one of my favourite songs of his! It was also fascinating to learn about the “three V’s” of your life. And let’...

Dear Adam and Jamie, It was great having you on Surprise Cast back in May.

Dear Daniel, So nice to have you on Surprise Cast. Who knew we'd have so much in common, starting with our love for movies that shaped us, including E.T. and Superman. I loved hearing about the amazing Nirvana concert. What an experience for you.  Thank you for walking me through your journey from college radio and CMJ to launching your well-respected company, Force Field. I can't believe Sufjan Stevens, Ariel Pink, and ...

Hi David, Boy, oh, boy! It sure was lovely reconnecting with you for another conversation on Surprise Cast.  You brought such a Scottish warmth and charm to much of our conversation. Thank you for unpacking the band's brand new album, 'This is...The Bluebells' in a way that was informative. You gave me more insight into the band's trademark jangle, delicious harmonies, and its emotional integrity. I enjoyed learning about all...

Dear Simon,

I can't thank you enough for being my special guest on Surprise Cast. It was an incredible honor! The 80 minute episode was a fascinating conversation about music, memory, and the deeper meaning of life. Quite a rich batch of topics!

You did a fabulous job tackling questions framed around the virtues in Ethan Hawke's amazing book, Rules for a Knight. I had a blast exploring ideas such as solitude, pride, discipline, lov...

Dear Joseph and Ari, What a great time I had speaking with you both about your amazing craftsmanship. Thank you so much for being on Surprise Cast. What a blast! Joseph, You brought an insightful perspective on your life, including your love for David Bowie. I appreciate your mantra of being in the present and how rewarding that has become for you. Hearing about the evolution of your photography work was interesting. It was i...

Dear Richard, You brought fun, good energy, and intelligence to the conversation! For the second time, I truly enjoyed having you on the program. Thank you for discussing the delicious-sounding new album 'Just A Day', the band's evolving lineup, and the creative choices that have reshaped its sound. It was interesting to hear how the group moved away from the pedal steel sound toward a more stripped-back approach while still keepin...

Hello Hans, Mr. producer, mixer, and mastering engineer. It felt like a warm, wide diversified conversation. I appreciated listening to your seeds of inspiration, production perspectives, and incredible friendship with Jose Gonzalez.  Thank you for jumping into specific topics, particularly your love for producing. It was interesting to learn more about the role of distortion versus compression, hybrid workflow, and the incre...

Dear Mark, Fascinating conversation with you regarding your work as a record label owner. I learned some cool things about your challenging and successful profession. I had fun learning about the early inspirations by releasing tapes from your dorm and tracing your roots back to life in Ventura. I loved hearing about your musical formation by discovering punk and skate culture.  The belly of the conversation covered quite a b...

Dear Daniel, What an inspiring conversation I had with you regarding your work as a musician and writer. Thank you for your time, effort, and willingness to share so much with me.  I thoroughly enjoyed listening to your journey through music, including your stories behind particular songs, personal challenges, and the importance of authenticity. I discovered how much you embrace art, love, and resiliency. Oh yeah--let's ...

Dear Antony, Thank you for taking me deep into your craft as a mastering engineer. I learned so much about your technical wizardry in an entertaining manner. 

Your life's work is both rich and accomplished. You've worked with some of the greats, including Simon Scott, Andy Bell, and Dot Allison. I especially enjoyed learning how your environment influences creativity and focus, and hearing your perspective on the challenges an...

Dear Glenn and Morgan, What a San Francisco treat to have you both on Surprise Cast--it meant a lot to me.  We covered cool topics, including artistic inspiration, the current vibe of the city, unforgettable concert memories ("less talking, more rocking"), musicianship, and your favourite albums that shaped the DIY pop aesthetic.  Thank you for sharing your thoughts on musicianship and the balance between what ...

Dear The Lizard Point, Many thanks for being on the program. It was a pleasure hearing about your musical beginnings (AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Kiss) - all bands I listened to as well.  Thank you for being vulnerable by sharing your personal journeys from Ireland and upstate New York to San Francisco, and your decision to pursue music over more conventional paths. I appreciate the risk-taking and your friendship.  

It was...

Dear Waves Crashing, You're starting to reach Surprise Cast of Fame status with your annual visits! Thank you once again for being guests on the show. I had a blast chatting with you about the new album, 'In the Blur'. Thank you for going all in on your most recent West Coast tour experiences--so great seeing you play in San Francisco.  I loved hearing about the recording process and what it took to evolve from your previo...

Dear Tremours,

I'm beyond thrilled to share the latest episode of Surprise Cast. I'll never forget that concert defining night in Menlo Park, CA, when you opened for synth-pop pioneer Gary Numan.

Our conversation begins with your band's origins during lockdown and explores the emotional heartbeat of your debut album, 'Fragments'. You also shared insights into making the record, including the contributions to mixing and mastering by...

Dear Holly,

I wanted to thank you for joining me on Surprise Cast. It was a pleasure to spend time hearing your unique story and learning more about the journey that has shaped both your art. 

I appreciated hearing about your childhood growing up on a farm in Southern California, and how your love of reading, music, and the natural world continues to inspire your work. I had no idea that you'd be such a Stephen King fan! ...