Surprise Cast

Dear Sun Shines Cold,  How did you create a massively rich album? Brian and Colan, hearing the genesis of the new album, 'Light Fades Into Ruins" was fascinating. It was great to hear about your reconnection with Simon Scott of Slowdive. Thank you for talking openly about vulnerability in lyric writing, how life events (loss, resilience, new relationships) fed into your songs, and the emotional ar...

Hello, Asteroid No.4, Thanks a million for sitting down with me to talk about your glowing new album, 'In Praise of Shadows'. I appreciated how much you unpacked about your creative process, production choices, and the musical inspirations behind the album. I loved hearing about the band's tightness and how it benefits your work.   Thank you for giving listeners and me an in depth analysis of the...

Dear Pete, "I liked being different". What a great way to start our conversation because that's something I've always felt in my life! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me about so many wide ranging topics. I appreciate the insight you brought about art, failure, memory, and reinventing yourself. It was so interesting to hear how setbacks shaped your musical identity.  Hearing you...

What insights can listeners gain from your life as a musician? They'll learn so much about you being on the road with one of the most important indie bands of all time, The Wedding Present, as well as your approach to stagecraft and the creative process behind your sonic rock album, It’s Not the End of the World?  Thank you for sharing your experiences performing landmark Wedding Present albums su...

Dear Neil, I'm so glad I didn't sleep well that night. I may not have had this wonderful conversation with you.  Thank you for sitting down with me to explore your creative journey, influences, and the making of your lovely album, 'The Old Works'. I enjoyed listening to you talk about growing up in the West Midlands and what that environment looked like. I especially liked hearing about the themes...

Dear Jessie, Thank you for sharing so much during our interview and for answering the big questions about how music, photography, and your parents have shaped your life. You did a fabulous job. I especially appreciated what you shared about motherhood and how becoming a parent reshaped your priorities and sense of self. It’s clear that the experience has deepened your appreciation for one of life’...

Dear Sam, I didn't think this day would happen, but it did :).  Thank you so much for taking the time to be on Surprise Cast. I had such a blast chatting with you about many interesting topics. The listeners will appreciate how much detail you shared about inspirations, personal struggles, and your impactful experiences whilst being in the Palma Violets. Let's not forget about your current work in...

Dear Marina, What a journey you've been on between Japan, USA, and the UK! Thank you for sharing your visual and emotional inspirations behind your music, including your passion for lights, sunsets, nostalgia, and big, lofty dreams. It was great to hear in the interview how memories and imagination shape such a big part of who you are as a songwriter. It was fun to hear about your most recent live...

Hello Ian, I loved learning about your journey from the Sneaker Pimps era to your solo project, teaching in France, and writing. Thank you for sharing your influences on your working methods. I loved it when you said that artistic work is often a "conduit" rather than a choice. I appreciate that you shared your introversion, especially your years of sobriety. I loved learning about the inspiration...

Dear Darling Buds, Muchas gracias for a lively and wide topic conversation.  Thank you for discussing the challenges and strengths of each person in the band. It was fascinating to hear about dyslexia, stage fright, and how those experiences shaped your approach to your craft as musicians. I loved hearing more about the band's early albums including 'Crawdaddy' and 'Erotica'. It was a real treat t...

Dear Dave, It made me smile to speak with you about your work as an author and entertainment journalist. Thank you for sharing your memories of being at the Toronto International Film Festival when 9/11 happened. What a story! I also enjoyed retracing your journey through John Hughes’ films and appreciated hearing how deeply you admire his craft. I love that we both hold such reverence for his oeu...

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...

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 s...

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 "Peekabo...

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. An...

Dear Adam and Jamie, It was great having you on Surprise Cast back in May. I loved our conversation about your UK tour with Chapterhouse—what a “special” experience! It was fascinating to learn about the concept behind the new album, which is clearly inspired by *Holy Island* and its incredible, nuanced history. The music captures the place's atmosphere beautifully. I also enjoyed hearing about th...

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 S...

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....

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...

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 w...

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 stripp...

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, h...

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 c...

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 res...

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 pe...