Surprise Cast

Dear Pete, Sitting down with you on Surprise Cast was a pure delight. Thank you for coming back for round two.  I appreciate how we explored the new album in greater detail, including central themes--climate change, mass industries, and human cost in the Congo, media, and neoliberalism structures. You did a heck of a job translating these concerns into songs, whilst handling some pretty heavy quot...

Dear Charlie, It was so exciting to speak with you, Mr. Producer and Singer-Songwriter! You painted a vivid picture of the New York scene, including a great Thai restaurant and a community performance series at the Loser's Lounge. Sounds like a great place to enjoy talking and music.  Thank you for sharing your formative childhood experiences, family influences, and the impact David Bowie had on y...

Dear Curt, A big high 5 for coming onto Surprise Cast! You brought wonderful energy and authenticity to the show. I loved hearing about your appreciation for Lebanon, Cincinnati, and their vibrant communities. Since your childhood, it's been clear that music has been a lifelong passion for you. Thank you for sharing how faith has played a role in your songwriting and artistic expression. So many l...

Hello KEELEY, I had a great time having y'all on Surprise Cast. What a fantastic way to launch season #3.  It was a blast exploring personal growth, the current state of indie music, music press, and the ongoing case of Inga Maria Hauser. Thank you for sharing insights into the band's artistic journey, the significance of collaboration, and the inspirations that drive your endless creativity. I LO...

Dear Paine, Thanks a million for being a guest on Surprise Cast! I enjoyed hearing how traveling has broadened your mind and shaped your personal experiences. You are certainly well-traveled. It was great to learn that art is a means of self-discovery and allows you to express yourself in a creative, fun way! Your love for Philadelphia, your collaboration with The Ocean Blue, and your time at art...

Dear Andrew, Thank you so much for returning to my podcast program, Surprise Cast. It was a pleasure speaking with you about music, faith, and personal transformation.  I particularly enjoyed listening to the backstories of songs such as "Oceans" and "Never Leaves Me". They were interesting in terms of their seeds of inspirations and connections to your spiritual journey. Thank you for being trans...

Dear Becca, It was so much fun sitting down with you on Surprise Cast to unpack your new album, 'Tonight in my Dreams' and a whole lot more. Our conversation was wide-ranging. Hearing your perspectives on songwriting, live performances, the recording process, and what it means to be "intentional" was fascinating. I loved hearing about the album's songs, such as "Caramel", "Empathy", and "Future Tr...

Greetings, Leon! I'm grateful to have seen you perform in San Francisco in 2025. From the moment you picked up the sticks, I knew my eyes would be filled with wonder. In our podcast conversation, you did a great job sharing your personal experiences, including your positive childhood, Marine Corps duties, and, of course, your extraordinary journey as a musician. What really made me smile was heari...

Dear Worm School, I love your youth, spirit, and infectious energy! All of you shared interesting stories about how music plays a central role in your lives. It was great fun to jump behind the scenes of your incredible single, "Jacob's Ladder," a song as good as any in the dreampop/shoegaze world. I enjoyed learning about the band's creative process. May 2026 and beyond be filled with more great...

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. ...

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 al...

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 sharin...

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...

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 delv...

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/...

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...

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 a...

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...

Dear Peter and Wolfgang, The time we spent together on Surprise Cast flew by quickly. Thank you for taking the time to be on the podcast feature.  I loved chatting with you about a decade of friendship, collaboration, and the making of the new album, 'Times'. Hearing about how your partnership evolved was quite interesting. It's quite evident that you two hold each other in such high regard.  I gr...

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,...

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 Br...

To my friend, Ultan! I loved our intimate conversation about music, life, and the new album Only! 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 "curre...

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...

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...

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...