Surprise Cast

Surprise Cast #196 A Tribute to James Part 2 w/ Laura Dean And Liam Christopher Walker

Dear Laura and Liam,Thank you for joining me for Part 2. I had a blast deep diving into the band James: their B-sides, priceless live moments, upcoming North America tour, and James Fanzone. Listening to your numerous concert experiences, it's clear that their shows never feel the same twice, with different setlists each night, and spontaneous actions by band members on stage, which was amusing to hear. The heartbeat of our conversation was a guided tour through favourite B-sides. I won't mention our selections. We are clearly excited about their upcoming North American tour, and maybe we'll get a chance to hear some of these gems. 
Whether you’re a long time James devotee or a curious newcomer, expect stories, song picks, and plenty of reasons to revisit the band’s B-sides and live performances, don't you think this episode has something for every listener to enjoy?I'll leave you with one more question. What will part 3 be about? Follow Laura: https://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/
Follow Jamesfanzone: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1523750017780710
Follow James: https://wearejames.com/
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Surprise Cast #195 Ben O'Brien

What a wonderful conversation! Thank you so much for sharing about your life and artistry. I love learning how family and great music influence your creative work. I appreciate how our discussion flows smoothly between music culture, visual art, and personal stories. And I truly value hearing your honest memories of your parents and how your father's work ethic and independence have impacted you. Your art is lively, innovative, and healing, as I've seen in your collaboration with Tim Burgess, frontman for the band The Charlatans. Keep bringing light and positive energy to our dark and troubled world. It's quite therapeutic. Follow Ben O'Brien: https://www.ben-obrien.com/
Follow Tim Burgess: https://www.timburgessofficial.com/
Follow Tim Burgess Listening Parties: https://timstwitterlisteningparty.com/
Follow Surprise Cast: Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, or Spotify. Additional music by- Tim Burgess- Charlie Parker- Matt Owens- Erroll Garner

Surprise Cast #194 Miki Berenyi Trio

Dear Miki and Ollie,Thank you for a wide-ranging and entertaining conversation! I enjoyed our discussion on your magnificent new album, Tripla, your upcoming North America tour, friendship, and of course, the creative collaboration. You brought wonderful and belly-tickling laughter, sharing candid stories and behind the scenes insight into life on the road and in the studio. It was fun hearing about van rides and late-night driving playlists, indelible concert moments. Many thanks for digging deeper into Tripla songs that provided a lens into the creative process. So cool!Congratulations on your success - here's to more great music and live shows!Follow MB3: https://mikistuff.com/
Follow Air Cooled: https://linktr.ee/aircooled?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaeI52HE6XQ8KgDm-ZVNjN9CNScRF0FUpi4NHk3BZ-eDP-zHsJ9H6yXvB0E5OQ_aem_7gTOoB6J8AIHNIjsLl_fMA
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Surprise Cast #193 Ryli

Dear Ryli,Thank you — Rob Good (guitar, harmony, recordist), Yea-Ming Chen(lead vocals, songwriter), and Luke Robbins (bass, backing vocals) — for celebrating the release of your shimmering new album 'Come and Get Me' and for reliving a standout release show at the Four Star Theater in San Francisco. What a performance!I appreciate that our conversation covers quite a bit of territory, including the way your band writes and arranges songs, the challenges of putting together an album,  and the analysis of specific songs from the new album. Our chit-chat also highlights the band's creative camaraderie and sharp attention to detail from album artwork to concert performances. I'm impressed with what you've have accomplished thus far. Your future is wonderfully bright. Way to keep the Bay Area indie spirit alive and kicking. Follow Ryli: https://dandyboyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/come-and-get-meFollow Dandy Boy Records: https://dandyboyrecords.bandcamp.com/
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Surprise Cast #192 Ryan Lescure (Devoted Fans/Lavender Blush)

Dear Ryan,You're a talented songwriter, musician, and educator. I love exploring the unique energy of Berkeley and college-town life, the importance of community for creative work, and how place shapes artistic expression. Articulated beautifully!
You discuss the duality of emotion using the "two wolves" metaphor, explaining how music helps you navigate joy, fear, anger, and longing. You describe songwriting as a space where opposing emotions coexist and where vulnerability and humility become sources of strength. I enjoy discussing your two musical projects —Lavender Blush and Devoted Fans—highlighting particular songs. 
One of my favourite parts of the episode is listening to you speak about your work as an educator: teaching interpersonal communication, public speaking and how you try to model courage and vulnerability inside your classroom. I know you make strong connections with your students because you believe in the whole student.Keep putting yourself out there in the world of teaching and music. You can tap into universal themes of love, humility, courage, and creativity through the art of making music and conversation. Your work continues to make a difference!Follow Devoted Fans: https://devotedfans.bandcamp.com/album/devoted-fans
Follow Lavender Blush: https://lavenderblush.bandcamp.com/music
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Surprise Cast #191 Susanne Darre

Dear Susanne,Your openness and generosity of words brought tremendous warmth to our conversation. You're a talented Norwegian composer, pianist, and public health nurse that provides many gifts to our dark world. I'm impressed how you juggle a career as a nurse, wife, mother, and a recording artist. 
It was fun exploring your ep, Travel Back, and full album, 'Fragile'. I learned quite a bit on what inspires you and the creative process. Hearing your music influences and contemporary pianists was interesting. I also appreciated your connection to another artist, Hollie Keniff and San Francisco based company, Fluttery Records. Don't forget that your music acts are healing and meditative, keep trusting your inner voice when it comes to performance, and don't ever lose that important DNA of yours, which includes endless caregiving and creativity. Follow Susanne Darre: https://flutteryrecords.com/susannedarre
Follow Fluttery Records: https://flutteryrecords.com/
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Surprise Cast #190 Bret Miller (Eardrum Buzz Radio)

Dear Bret,Thank you for being on Surprise Cast. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation about life experiences, music, movies, Eardrum Buzz Radio and Cruel World Festival, 2025. The way you unfolded story after story offers the listeners a rich blend of deep wisdom and podcast entertainment. I feel confident the audience will appreciate the important themes of connection, personal growth, and resilience. 
Because of your wonderful sense of cinematic humor, I'll leave you with another great quote from one of our favourite films, The Blue Brothers. "Hey, Jake. Gotta be at least $7 worth of change here!"
Follow Eardrum Buzz Radio: https://www.eardrumbuzz.net/
Follow Surprise Cast: Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, or Spotify*Additional music by Alison Moyet, Henry Smith, Jammy Jams
 
 

Surprise Cast #189 Robert Sekula (14 Iced Bears)

What impresses me about Robert's commitment to evolving as a musician? I sit down with musician Robert Sekula, known for his involvement with the indie band 14 Iced Bears, to discuss his life, inspirations, and new EP 'Asyd Mouse.' He takes listeners on a journey through his life in Camberwell, South London and Brighton. He reflects on his early days of being inspired by The Beatles, The Monkees, Marc Bolan, and John Peel's impactful role in his musical career. Wait til you hear some great stories about memorable experiences with Graham Coxon from Blur and his reflections on Sarah Records. Enjoy the warmth of Rob Iced Bear!Follow Robert Sekula:
https://14icedbears.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/14_iced_bears/
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Surprise Cast #188 Peter Kember (Sonic Boom)

What makes Peter's insights and musings on music and life quite fascinating? I engage in a profound conversation with the renowned musician and producer Peter Kember, also known as Sonic Boom. He passionately articulates how complex interactions within vocals and melodies create profound harmony. Pete delves into his political views and challenges listeners to question political norms and educational practices. He also reflects on his upbringing, musical influences, and collaborations with iconic figures like Panda Bear and Dean Wareham, Britta Phillips, and Jason Pierce(Spacemen 3). This episode is a treasure for music enthusiasts and those interested in exploring the edge of art!Follow Sonic Boom: https://linktr.ee/sonicboom
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Surprise Cast #187 Ken Sweeney

How do we unravel the magic of music and the arts with Ken Sweeney? Surprise Cast welcomes back Ken, a multifaceted creative who is an entertainment writer, playwright, radio documentarian, and musician. He shares his experiences as a writer in Ireland, reflecting on the vibrant Irish culture and his unique role in covering events, theater, and movies, offering an insider's perspective on what's buzzing in the Irish arts. A major episode highlight is Ken's nostalgic and insightful look back at his time with the indie band Brian, particularly focusing on the emotionally charged and celebrated album "Understand" now being reissued on Needle Mythology Records. As an artist, listen to the impressive stages he has gone through in life--it's not an act by any means!Follow Ken Sweeney: Kensweeney.net Follow Needle Mythology: https://needlemythology.com/Follow Surprise Cast: Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, Spotify