The Spark Parade

Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter grandson joins Adam to explore his musical spark: Rage Against the Machine’s legendary album  The Battle of Los Angeles . Grandson shares how this politically charged, genre-blending rock album influenced his journey from hip-hop-loving Canadian teen to international hitmaker—breaking down the record’s impact on his identity, artistry, and activism....

Acclaimed pop songwriter and artist Bonnie McKee joins Adam to dive into her spark: the cult comedy classic  Wayne’s World . Bonnie shares how the film’s humor, music, and fiercely independent spirit shaped her creative outlook—and why its soundtrack and lo-fi, DIY energy still fuel her work today. What’s Inside Wayne’s World & Childhood Inspiration: Bonnie discusses how  Wayne’...

Adam sits down with rising country star William Beckmann to talk all about his spark: Robert Rodriguez’s iconic action film  Desperado . William shares how seeing  Desperado —filmed right in his hometown of Acuña, Mexico—had a massive impact on his music, style, and creative vision. What’s Inside A Hometown Connection: William recounts recognizing streets, bars, and even old teacher...

Episode Summary Fitz, frontman of chart-topping indie soul-pop group Fitz and The Tantrums, reveals how Jeff Buckley’s iconic album  Grace  set him on his journey to finding his authentic voice as an artist and inspired a whole new approach to singing, songwriting, and performance. What’s Inside Discovery of a Classic: Fitz shares how he discovered Jeff Buckley’s  Grace  y...

Matt Weedon from TORS joins Adam for a lively, heartfelt chat about the classic musical comedy  The Blues Brothers . Find out why this wild, joyous movie was a defining moment in Matt’s creative journey and how its blend of music and chaos still shapes his songwriting—and TORS’s energetic live shows—today. What’s Inside Origin Story: Matt recounts his first late-night viewing of  Th...

Activist, model, and writer Munroe Bergdorf sits down with Adam to talk about her spark: the cult classic queer comedy  But I’m a Cheerleader . Hear Munroe’s personal story discovering the film, why it remains a game-changer for queer representation, and how its fearless humor and camp style shaped her path as a trailblazer. What’s Inside Origin Story: Munroe shares the story of renting&...

Ready for a trip down music memory lane? On this episode, Adam hangs out with Katie and Jules from The Ting Tings to talk all about the album that shaped their sound: Dire Straits’  Brothers in Arms . What’s Inside First Dire Straits Memories: Katie and Jules share how  Brothers in Arms  became the soundtrack to their childhoods and teen years—think car rides, record store wind...

Singer-songwriter Lauren Spencer Smith joins Adam to talk about her biggest musical inspiration: Adele’s breakthrough album, 21. Lauren shares how hearing “Rolling in the Deep” as a kid changed everything for her, why Adele’s powerhouse vocals and honest songwriting became her comfort zone and how 21 shaped her own journey as an artist. Lauren opens up about singing Adele songs at every competitio...

Comedian and impressionist Matt Friend joins Adam to talk about the movie that sparked his comedy journey: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. In this episode, Matt and Adam dive deep into the entire Austin Powers franchise, unpacking the iconic characters, endlessly quotable gags, and the unique comedic genius of Mike Myers. Matt shares how watching Austin Powers as a four-year-old completely...

The second and final part of Adam's recap of the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival. The Spark Parade is a podcast that dives deep into the films and albums that have inspired today’s creative icons. Hosted by Adam Unze, each episode features a unique conversation with an artist about their chosen film or album, and how it sparked their artistic journey. Follow us on social media: Instagram/Bluesky/TikTok...

In this episode of The Spark Parade, host Adam Unze (@sparkparade) sits down with Kyle Gordon, the New York-based comedian, actor, musician, songwriter, and improviser who’s taken the internet by storm. With over 6 million followers and a billion views across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and more, Kyle’s unique characters and pitch-perfect musical parodies—like his viral hit “Planet of the Bass”—ha...

Singer-songwriter Julia Wolf joins Adam to talk about her love for Twilight — the blockbuster film that defined a generation. In this episode, Julia opens up about how Twilight helped her through her teenage years, why she connected so deeply with Bella Swan, and how the intense emotions of first love, heartbreak, and identity shaped both the story and her own life. We also explore the iconic perf...

What album shaped Tune-Yards’ Merrill Garbus as both an artist and a person? Ani DiFranco’s Not a Pretty Girl . In this episode of The Spark Parade , Merrill joins host Adam Unze to reflect on the raw, political, and poetic power of DiFranco’s groundbreaking 1995 album. They explore how the record helped her find her voice, challenged traditional ideas of femininity and artistry, and set the tone...

Damian Kulash , lead singer and guitarist of OK Go , joins Adam for an unforgettable conversation about the album that changed his life: Fugazi’s landmark 1990 release Repeater . Damian shares his teenage memories of discovering Fugazi in the heart of the Washington, D.C. punk scene and how Repeater gave him a blueprint for making music that was raw, political, human, and totally accessible. From...

Legendary singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega joins Adam to discuss her deep connection to Lou Reed’s 1973 concept album Berlin — a haunting, operatic record that became a major influence on her songwriting, especially her iconic hit “Luka.” Suzanne shares how seeing Lou Reed live for the first time at Columbia University blew her mind, how Berlin ’s brutal honesty shaped her approach to writing about...

Legendary drum and bass DJ and producer Goldie joins Adam for a deep dive into the cultural force that helped shape his identity: the groundbreaking graffiti documentary Style Wars . From his first encounters with the film and Subway Art to his close relationships with graffiti pioneers like Henry Chalfant and TATS CRU, Goldie unpacks the profound connection between street art and jungle music. He...

Filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck ( Captain Marvel , Half Nelson ) join Adam for a rich and nostalgic dive into two beloved films: Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders and Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining . They explore how both films shaped their creative lives, the emotional and stylistic impact of each, and their unique experiences discovering them. From Flea’s surprise cameo in The Outsiders '...

This week on The Spark Parade , Adam is joined by the incredible musician Corook for a deep dive into Juno , the 2007 indie classic starring Elliot Page and Michael Cera. Together, they unpack the film's raw honesty, its nuanced approach to teenage life, and the way it portrays relationships with humor and depth. Adam and Corook also explore Elliot Page’s groundbreaking career and the complexities...

In this episode, Adam Unze sits down with ZORA , the genre-blurring artist and producer, to dive deep into the nostalgic world of Spy Kids 2 and its lasting cultural impact. They discuss why the film remains iconic, how early-2000s music and aesthetics shape ZORA’s sound, the evolution of nostalgia-driven reboots, and the unexpected celebrity connections of the Spy Kids cast. Plus, ZORA shares ins...

🎙️ In this episode, host Adam sits down with singer-songwriter David Gray to explore his deep connection to Van Morrison’s iconic album Astral Weeks . From his first listen at university to his eventual obsession, David unpacks the album’s hypnotic power, poetic brilliance, and unique soundscapes. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ How Astral Weeks shaped David Gray’s musical journey ✅ The poe...

Singer and songwriter Bishop Briggs loves the sweeping emo theatricality of My Chemical Romance's breakout album The Black Parade. She's drawn to its punchy lyrics and anthemic melodies, but also loves the risk taking aesthetics that border on camp. In a wide ranging conversation, Bishop talks to Adam about her love for MCR, Lady Gaga's fearlessness, the exciting rise of queer artists like Lil' Na...

Prolific actor Chris Diamantopoulos latched onto George Michael's monster hit solo debut album Faith at a young age. It resonated with him as a fellow singer of Greek descent, but he was also blown away by Michael's songwriting prowess and the singular sound of his legendary singing voice. He's marveled at Michael's ability to create timeless songs without any formal training and has come back to...

Singer and musician Lubalin has been infatuated with Steven Spielberg's classic sci-fi family movie E.T. The story's emotional depth and (for a kids movie) surprisingly complex character development stuck with him from the moment he first saw it as a child through to adulthood. The production design and overall aesthetic have had a big impact on his own work and have informed his approach to conne...

GRAMMY-Award winning songwriting and composing duo, Barlow & Bear (Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow) have been breaking boundaries in musical theater by independently carving their own path in the heavily male dominated space. Part of their success is their vastly different tastes and influences, as evidenced by their Spark choices. Abigail absolutely loves Katy Perry's breakout album One Of The...

Bastille front man Dan Smith first saw Scream as a pre-teen and instead of being terrified, he was instantly hooked on the horror genre. It was also his gateway to a whole world of cinema, including films by directors like David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick. Scream had a huge influence on his approach to music making, helping him to infuse his work with references from other mediums. The Spark Parade...