The Spark Parade

Broken Lizard 's Jay Chandrasekhar and Kevin Heffernan have created some incredible comedy classics like Super Troopers, so it's no surprise that they're both sparked by other legendary comedians. For Jay, it was love at first sight when he first experienced Eddie Murphy's big screen debut 48 hrs. He's drawn tons of inspiration from the movie's delicate balance between a gritty cop thriller and a...

Michael Brun happened upon "One More Time," the lead single from Daft Punk's seminal album Discovery , and was instantly transported to an exciting new musical realm. That feeling was enhanced tenfold when he heard the entire album. He was influenced by so many aspects of the album and its promotion: the diverse group of influences that were apparent in the music, Daft Punk's futuristic/robotic ae...

As a tween, Palehound ’s El Kempner had their tiny mind blown by Avril Lavinge’s smash hit debut album Let Go. Packed full of pop-punk bangers, it helped Kempner break out of the Disney radio lane they had inhabited to that point. They loved Lavigne’s relatable lyrics and resonated with queer-coded skater style. Even 20 years after its release, Kempner still has Let Go on repeat. The Spark Parade...

For its debut episode on  Consequence Podcast Network , Unze is joined by the wonder that is  Kid Koala  to talk about  Dead Alive  (also known  Braindead ). Kid Koala has loved  Peter Jackson ’s ( The Lord of the Rings  trilogy) legendarily gory and hilarious third film since the moment he first laid eyes on it. It’s since become a part of his artistic DNA....

Jazz saxophonist Marcus Strickland joins me to talk about his Spark, John Coltrane's legendary magnus opus A Love Supreme. How does music convey complex ideas when it contains no words? Marcus and I talked about Coltrane's ability to infuse his music with meaning and his unique ability to replicate the live music experience on his albums. Links: Marcus Strickland A Love Supreme Advertising...

DJ, producer and recording artist Amtrac joins me to talk about his Spark, John Carpenter's seminal 1981 film Escape From New York. The way we imagine the future changes constantly, but how accurate were the predictions made in the past about a future that's already happened to us? What difference does it make to a film when the director also writes the score? Will any other director ever...

Superstar cellist HAUSER spoke to me about his Spark, Baz Luhrman’s smash hit biopic Elvis. What makes a great biopic? How can an actor channel the essence of a performer when the entire world knows their every move? How can artists persevere and make great art in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds? HAUSER and I have tackle these questions and so much more! Links: HAUSER Elvis Advertising I...

My guest is New York underground scene legend CHRISTEENE whose Spark is the New York underground queer film classic Pink Narcissus. We talked about the impact Pink Narcissus has had on other art forms, the radical queerness depicted in it and the magical ability of artists to create incredible work with very few resources. Links: CHRISTEENE Pink Narcissus Andor Advertising Inquiries: https://redci...

The Roots' guitarist and vocalist Captain Kirk Douglas joins me to talk about his Spark is Pixar’s animated feature film Soul. Kirk and I speak about the meaning of happiness and how artists in particular are affected by the universal desire to achieve it. We also talk about finding your purpose in life and what that means to each of us as individuals. Links: Captain Kirk Douglas Soul Advertis...

Phoenix front man Thomas Mars joins me to talk about his Spark, It Was Twenty Years Ago Today is a 1987 British-made television documentary about the 1967 Summer of Love. We talked about the beginnings of Phoenix and how they drew inspiration from the Beatles' process and sound. We touched on the singular nature of The Beatles influence and they're lasting impact on culture at large. And m...

Singer, songwriter and producer Cavetown joins me to talk about his Spark, the incredible animated series Adventure Time. How can TV aimed at children change the minds and hearts of adults? Cavetown sees so much for adults to learn from Adventure Time and he's gained a greater appreciation for it from repeated viewings.  We talk his favorite characters, the show's storytelling and world bu...

Singer/songwriter Lissie spoke to me about her Spark, Katherine May's autobiographical book Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times. How can we cope with times of transition? What can we do to live in the moment when our lives are in flux? Lissie and I talked through the concept of liminal space and how relevant it feels to events of the last few years. Heartbreak and despa...

Portuguese singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist MARO spoke to me about her spark, Brazilian singer Simone’s breakout album Face A Face.  Simone's voice is era defining and Face A Face is a genre melding collection of beautiful and romantic songs. She is a legendary song interpreter, as famous for covering songs by other artists as she is for recording original music.  MARO a...

Oakland rapper and vocalist Rexx Life Raj was inspired by Kid Cudi's major label debut Man On The Moon: The End Of Day from the moment he heard its lead single Day And Night.  He joins me to talk about the personal connection Cudi creates with his listeners and the process of creating deeply personal music. We also dig into the different approaches hip hop artists take, from Cudi's confess...

Goon's Kenny Becker's joins me to talk about his Spark, Vincent Van Gogh's masterpiece Wheatfield With A Reaper. How can a two dimensional painting feel like a vast three dimensional world? How did Van Gogh find beauty in the most mundane landscapes? Exactly how long did it take for Van Gogh's gloppy, impastoed paintings to dry? We tackled these important questions and so much more...

Comedian and actor Cocoa Brown who joined me to chat about her Spark, Leroy Campbell’s mixed media piece Standing Tall.  Cocoa was moved by Leroy Campbell's commitment to creating uplifting representations of the Black American experience. We spoke about the importance of representation in art, the dangers of omitting painful parts of our shared history from schools and the importance of build...

Comedian and actor Helen Hong speaks with me about her Spark, the sci-fi TV classic Star Trek: The Next Generation.  We talked about representation in entertainment, we talked about in fighting between Star Trek fans and Helen schools me on the pronunciation of George Takei’s name. Plus bonus some bonus Reading Rainbow chat get thrown in for good measure. Links: Helen Hong Star Trek: The Next Gene...

Singer/songwriter UPSAHL joins me to chat about her Spark, Christopher Nolan's mind-bending space odyssey Interstellar. UPSAHL and I pondered both the nature of the universe and our love of movies. How do art and science intersect? How can we reconcile our emotional impulses with the limits of our scientific knowledge? And most importantly, would you go on a space mission to colonize another p...

It's a bonus ep featuring an overview of my favorite films from the Tribeca Film Festival! Links: Butterfly In The Sky God's Time All Man: The International Male Story Sophia The Integrity Of Joseph Chambers Nude Tuesday Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy The Spark Parade is a podcast that dives deep into the films and album...

Composer and pianist BLKBOK joins me to talk about his spark, the film Green Book. BLKBOK is a neo-classical musician and there are many parallels between his career and that of Dr. Don Shirley, the subject of Green Book.  We tackle lots of questions surrounding the intersection between music and the racist history of America: How does the traditional classical music establishment treat Black musi...

My guest today is singer/songwriter MILCK who spoke to me about her Spark, Kahlil Gibran’s globe dominating book The Prophet. What's at the root of all religious doctrine? Is there common ground on which all of humanity can agree?  MILCK and I tackle these giant ideas and also talk about humanizing our idols and embracing their flaws. Links: MILCK The Prophet MEN Advertising Inquiries: https:/...

Singer/songwriter Sam James joins me to chat about his Spark, Dave Matthews Band's chart topping major label debut Under The Table And Dreaming. But we got into so much more than that! We talked about the state of the music industry, the pressure for musicians to promote their own work and make a name for themselves (particularly on social media) and as is the case with so many of my guests, w...

Singer/songwriter/harpist TATYANA joins me to chat about her Spark and our shared obsession, ABBA Gold.  What makes a perfect pop song? How has a pop act like ABBA had such a lasting cultural impact on a massive international scale?  TATYANA spoke to me about the effect ABBA’s music has had on the way she thinks about songwriting, as well as its ability to draw even the most reluctant listener to...

The spectacular singer songwriter November Ultra joins me for a joyful chat about her spark, The Sound Of Music. November's work has drawn lots of inspiration from musicals, particularly those from the 1960's. She shared her childhood memories of watching The Sound Of Music with her grandfather, the emotional impact of its songs and the way her relationship with the film has grown and chan...

Lola Kirke joins me to talk about her spark, Miranda Lambert's chart topping double album The Weight Of These Wings. Kirke, a native New Yorker, reminisces about her discovery of and subsequent love for country music. Her love for country music's storytelling, melodies and songcraft had a huge impact on her own songwriting.  Lola Kirke The Weight Of These Wings Advertising Inquiries: https...