On Cue

How do we get permission to use a song in film or TV? Who needs to be paid, and what's the process? With years of experience under her belt, Liz gets into the nitty gritty of music clearances and dishes the dirt on which artists are hard to clear, which artists she loves to place in projects, and what issues you never knew had to be considered along the way. Also Trish's favorite thing t...

Cheers to a cozy week with loved ones! Here at On Cue, we're honoring this holiday with an exploration of inspiring music from Indigenous artists. Liz has curated a wide variety of fantastic songs, spanning diverse genres and styles. Hope you're safe and cared for this season. Also, Liz's favorite thing this week: Will & Harper, the Netflix documentary. Link To Donate to Black B...

Some might consider them guilty pleasures. But here at On Cue, it's our mission to rescue certain songs from the shadowy depths of shame and embarrassment. We're rebranding these savory and sweet auditory nuggets as GIVE NO F*CKS songs: tracks that might have caused a cringe when we were younger, but now we openly love with full-throated and reckless abandon. Also, Liz's favorite th...

In the wake of a dramatic, far-reaching and consequential US election, you may be feeling drained, confused, overwhelmed or even brokenhearted. While we can't offer any quick fixes, we do appreciate that the right song at the right time can bring comfort, resilience, faith and a way forward. Putting together this episode was a cathartic and restorative exercise for us. Our hope is that it mig...

Meet our friend, Miguel Rodriguez! He's a professional saxophonist, with a love of jazz and improvisation. As a music producer, a developer of music-centered apps, and a multi-disciplinary collaborator, he dishes on his wide range of musical influences-- from Kenny G, Stan Getz and Sade, to N.E.R.D. and Mk. Gee. Plus, we taste-test non-alcoholic adaptogen cocktails and expound upon the benefi...

This episode is not for the faint of heart. It's Trish's turn to direct her dream funeral, and she's not exactly squeamish about this sort of thing. Plus, her favorite thing this week is her gaggle of skeleton friends in the front yard, along with the musical soundtrack Liz has provided for this year's Halloween scene. Got a question or topic for discussion in a future episode?...

Dr. Amanda Gretsch, PhD, MS, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist with nearly 25 years of experience working with individuals who have sensory and motor issues, trauma history, attention issues, Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). She also helps people simply improve their overall brain function. Happily, she's one of Liz's best friends, and she joins us thi...

Spooky Season is in full swing. As the Northern Hemisphere turns toward darker days, we here at On Cue are turning towards darker topics. This week, Liz lovingly and thoughtfully curates a soundtrack and emotional musical experience to score her dream funeral. Discover who shows up to celebrate Liz's life, what bands reunite in her memory, and which tracks will be sending her off to the Under...

Kestrin is a rock cellist who has appeared onstage alongside Weezer, Beck and Brandi Carlile. She also invented, built and captained a legendary glam RV which she and Disney imagineers outfitted as a rave cave karaoke studio. She's written, directed and starred in feature films. She plays with David Wain and Ken Marino's Middle Aged Dad Jam Band. She lived in Taiwan for a while and speak...

Gemma writes about music, fashion, and culture, specializing in intimate one-on-one artist interviews. While her sub-par drawing skills ruled out a coveted career in fashion design, she's found her niche, and this month celebrates the tenth anniversary of PUSS PUSS magazine. As co-editor, she's passionate about helping PUSS PUSS channel the insouciant, indomitable and independent spirit...

Sheila has years of experience in the entertainment industry, ever since the show biz bug got a hold of her at age 15. She ditched her plan to become a lawyer and dove headfirst into filmmaking by the time she graduated high school. Fast forward to today: as SVP of Creative Development at Warner Bros, Sheila has worked on the critically acclaimed musical adaptations of THE COLOR PURPLE and IN THE...

To be honest, we don't fully trust anyone who doesn't love a good movie montage. This week, we break down our favorites... and the songs that fuel them.  Plus, Liz is recently back from the UK and teaches us how to make this week's favorite thing: proper English scones and a good strong cup of British tea.  Got a question or topic for discussion in a future episode? Please email us...

Russell Emanuel is a pioneering leader, disruptor and music producer, serving as the CEO, Chief Creative Officer, and co-founder of both Extreme Music and Bleeding Fingers Music . By introducing world-renowned artists and composers—such as Hans Zimmer, Quincy Jones, Sir George Martin, and Snoop Dogg—into the music library space, he's elevated the standard for quality in production music. Russ...

Nothing kicks off a movie quite as effectively as the right musical choice, positioned perfectly to set the tone for the entire film. When executed well, the sequence introduces us to an entire world, conveys nuanced character details, relationships and plot points, and establishes a rhythm and mood that will carry us through the whole story. This week, we share our personal favorite musical openi...

This week, we're getting into it with vocalist, songwriter, videographer and composer/producer KÁRYYN.  The press has dubbed her “a sonic architect” (Dazed); “an electronic adventurer” (FACT) who “makes music as a way of travel, moving through memories with sound” (CLOT Magazine). In the album’s Pitchfork review, Sasha Geffen wrote: “Death hangs heavy over the record, but in its shadow, KÁRYY...

Perhaps best known for writing and producing The Mexican and Dead Man Down , as well his work on the FOX shows Fringe and Almost Human , Joel is a multi-talented creator with a passion for storytelling, music, and metaphor. We take a deep dive into his career and projects-- what inspires him, what's at the heart of a good narrative arc, and his take on music being integral to his creative pro...

For Venzella Joy Williams, also known as Joy The Drummer, Christmas of 1998 was “the most lit Christmas of all time” because at the tender age of ten, she received her very first drum set. These days, she plays with people like Beyonce, Eric Bellinger, Patti LaBelle, Janelle Monáe, and Ari Lennox.  Joy gives us the dirt on her life behind the drumkit, as well as her thoughts on being a touring mus...

Grammy-nominated K.Flay is a songwriter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist. Her music is a unique, bold, and thoughtful blend of hip-hop, indie rock and electronica. Inspired by artists ranging from Missy Eilliott to Garbage to Liz Phair, her sound is tough to pin down. This week, we pick K.Flay’s brain on her unlikely musical story, her creative process, her recent and sudden hearing loss, her...

Some songs simply show up over and over again ad nauseum in movies, shows, adverts, video games and even sporting events. This week, we let our judgy, peevish sides out to play, dishing on the tracks we’re most sick of hearing in pop culture and media.  Plus, Trish gets emo about firefighters, and her Tarot deck addresses weight gain and body image.  Got a question or topic for discussion in a fut...

This week, we’re discussing and debating our all-time favorite uses of songs in movies. From romance to cringe, from noise abuse to exquisite irony, we’re gonna yammer on about what makes for an unforgettable musical moment in a film.  Plus, Liz has thoughts on a couple of humanity’s greatest inventions. Got a question or topic for discussion in a future episode? Please email us or send a voice me...

Award-winning composer Joy Ngiaw has an astonishing body of work. Her passion for experimenting with a diverse range of tones, textures, and vocal techniques infuses her music with a distinct and innovative touch, incorporating elements such as vocalized breaths, mouth percussion, hums, and nature-inspired sounds within her scores. Her passion lies in crafting emotionally driven scores for narrati...

Do you know about music libraries? Where did they come from? Who creates all that music, and who gets to use it? What are the rules? Trish has so many questions… and Liz has so many answers. Plus, we talk about pet names and Harvey Wallbanger-- the man, the myth, the legend, the cocktail. Got a question or topic for discussion in a future episode? Please email us or send a voice memo to hello@oncu...

Ever dream of crawling inside a composer’s mind to see how a theme or musical nugget is hatched? This week, Jeff Cardoni cracks his brain wide open and gives us exclusive access to his early demos so we can all have a peek at his creative process; you don’t wanna miss this.  Jeff’s musical talents range from intimate indie fare to full orchestral majesty. With over 45 feature film scores and many...

This week, award-winning film director, screenwriter and producer Laura Terruso joins us to dish on what it was like to direct Robert DeNiro, how she shot her dream sex scene, and the use of music, movement and comedy in her storytelling.   While Laura specializes in comedy– embracing a heartfelt and character-driven approach– she also enjoys exploring sub-genres within that category. She's d...

In this week’s episode, we talk to documentary filmmaker, Stephen Kijak. Stephen’s been making critically-acclaimed films for over 25 years, collaborating with and documenting an eclectic playlist of musical icons and legends such as Scott Walker ( Scott Walker: 30 Century Man – Executive Produced by David Bowie ) , The Rolling Stones ( Stones in Exile) , The Backstreet Boys ( Show ‘Em What You’re...