The Spark Parade

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 StricklandA Love Supreme

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 have a run as incredible as the string of films Carpenter released in the '80's and 90's?Amtrac and I tackle all of these questions and more!Links:AmtracEscape From New York

My guest this week is singer, songwriter, producer and musician LOKRE who spoke to me about her Spark, Lauryn Hill's career high debut solo album The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill.How is anyone supposed to navigate fame? Is it a radical act to reject celebrity right at the moment it finds you? How did Ms. Hill write all of those stone cold classics?!LOKRE and I give you the answers to all of these questions.Links:LOKREThe Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill

Singer, songwriter and musician Zella Day joins me to talk about her Spark, Gaspar Noe's horror whirlwind Climax.Dancers on acid trapped in a blizzard? We've got 'em. Do we have a forty-five minute single take? Yes indeed. What about a little Giorgio Moroder thrown in for good measure? Of course!Zella and I talk about lockdown ennui, claustrophobia, harrowing horror movies and much more.Links:Zella DayClimax

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:HAUSERElvis

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:CHRISTEENEPink NarcissusAndor

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 DouglasSoul

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 most importantly, I hung out with one of my favorite musicians!Links:PhoenixIt Was Twenty Years Ago Today

Musician vocalist and electronic composer Tama Gucci spoke to me about his Spark, Brandy's incredible stone cold classic album Afrodisiac.  Listen… that's one of my favorite albums ever. I was so excited to have a chance to talk about it!Tama Gucci and I spoke about the dramatic shift in Brandy's sound that came with this album, the fallout from it's relative commercial failure and the impact it's had on other musicians and the r'n'b world at large.Links:Tama GucciAfrodisiac

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 building and its broad emotional range.Links:CavetownAdventure Time

There's been a slight change of plans...

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 despair, hope and joy... all of life's biggest emotions are on the table in this deeply personal conversation.Links:LissieWintering

Singer/songwriter Zyah Belle spoke to me about her Spark, Jill Scott's legendary first album Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Volume 1.  We spoke about Jill Scott's place in the world of neo-soul and how her music transcends any genre classifications. We also got into the way women in the music industry are perceived, how their careers get compared to one another and how the image they present can affect the public's perception of them.Links:  Zyah BelleWho Is Jill Scott?

Artist, producer, engineer and remixer Patrick Holland speaks to me about his Spark is Robert Altman's magnum opus (or at least, one of his greatest films) Nashville.Nashville revolutionized ensemble films and paved the way for generations of filmmakers. Altman's use of improvisation, a large cast and a loose narrative structures helped to create one of the most unique and revered works in the history of film.  Patrick and I talked about Nashville's centering of music in film, the unparalleled work by it's amazing cast and it's languid tone and pacing.  Links:Patrick HollandNashvilleSandman  

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 and I talked about Simone's extraordinary ability to bring new life into old songs and  the genderless quality of her voice, as well as marveling over her incredible, near 50 year career.Links:MAROSimone 

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 confessional singing/rapping/humming hybrid to Kendrick Lamar's dense and highly exalted poetry.  I also touch on my surprising Spark of the week: the reboot of Chip And Dale: Rescue Rangers on Disney+.Links:Rexx Life RajMan On The Moon: The End Of DayChip And Dale: Rescue Rangers

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.Links:GoonWheatfield With A Reaper

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 building on the progress of our forebears.Links:Cocoa BrownLeroy CampbellWatcher

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 HongStar Trek: The Next Generation

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 planet?Links:UPSAHLInterstellarHeartstopper

It's a bonus ep featuring an overview of my favorite films from the Tribeca Film Festival!Links:Butterfly In The SkyGod's TimeAll Man: The International Male StorySophiaThe Integrity Of Joseph ChambersNude Tuesday

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 musicians? Can all forms of music cut across racial and socioeconomic barriers? Can classical music reach younger, more diverse audiences?Links:BLKBOKGreen Book

I'm still on vacation, so here's one of my favorite past episodes to tide you over until I'm back!I had an incredible conversation with comedian Chris Gethard about his spark of inspiration, the John Cusack starring comedy Grosse Pointe Blank.  But it's also so much more than that. We talked about Chris' relationship with Judd Apatow as well as Judd Apatow's movies. We talked about Andy Kaufman. We talked about Cameron Crowe. We talked about comedy in general.  It's a wide ranging and very exciting and super fun conversation. Seriously. I really, really loved this one and I can't wait for you to hear it.Links:Chris GethardGrosse Pointe BlankFin

I'm on vacation this week, so here's a repeat of my fantastic chat with inger/songwriter/producer Roosevelt who joined me to talk about his Spark , Norwegian/German band The Whitest Boy Alive's second album Rules.  We talk about the thrill of making dance music with live instruments, the intense bond between musicians and the crowds they perform to and our mutual excitement about the hope of returning to live events.Links:RooseveltRulesHell Hath No Fury

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:MILCKThe ProphetMEN

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, we reminisced about the days of old when physical media was still a thing.Links:Sam JamesUnder The Table And Dreaming

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 dance floor.  Links:ABBA GoldTATYANA   

Film director Richard Ledes spoke to me about his Spark, Robert Altman's classic adaptation of Raymond Chandler's The Long Goodbye.What makes a great film adaptation of a book? Does the director have a responsibility to stay true to the book's spirit or should they develop an entirely new version of the story based on their own vision?Richard and I tackled these questions and dug into the impact Altman's work has had on both of us, as well as the world of cinema.Links:The Long GoodbyeAdieu Lacan

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 changed throughout her life.November Ultra's fantastic debut album Bedroom Walls is out now.Links:November UltraThe Sound Of MusicA Strange Loop

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 KirkeThe Weight Of These Wings

Walt Disco front person James Potter joins me to speak about… well, about a lot of things.  We used A Knight's Tale as a jumping off point, but this is a pretty freeform, wide ranging chat, in the best possible way. We spoke a lot about the relationship between music and film, the benefits of artistic shapeshifting and the rewards that can be reaped by making potentially risky choices.Walt DiscoA Knight's TaleCyrano De Bergerac

Matt Lowell, front man of indie rock band Lo Moon spoke to me about his spark Kurt Anderson's book Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire.  This is a rare episode about a non-fiction work. Exciting, right? And we're gonna get a little political here, which is EQUALLY if not more exciting, right?What defines American exceptionalism? How was that concept developed in the first place?  Matt and I ponder the best and worst bits of being an American and speculate about a path forward for our nation.Links:Lo MoonFantasyland

Singer/songwriter Tuelo joins me to talk about the inspiration she's drawn from Roald Dahl's children's literature classic The Witches. Tuelo touches on her childhood in South Africa and the confidence she built through the kinship she shared with Dahl's characters, ever when his stories frightened her. Do children's authors give their audiences enough credit for being able to handle life's toughest issues? Or did Roald Dahl traumatize generations of young readers with his the upsetting subject matter that was infused in his stories?  Links:TueloThe WitchesLife And Beth

The unknown is terrifying and just the hint of something beyond your field of vision can cause you to unravel.  Film director Ruth Paxton (A Banquet) joins me to talk about the inspiration she's drawn from the work of Scottish painter Ken Currie's painting Three Oncologists.  We explore the multilayered, often frightening nature of Currie's work and the impact it's had on Paxton's filmmaking.  Links:Ruth PaxtonA BanquetThree OncologistsSeverance 

Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Miles Francis joins me to chat about his spark, Backstreet Boys' world dominating fourth album Black And Blue. Miles and I dig into his deep love for BSB (and other 2000's pop) and the profound impact it's hard on his work. And we tackle the big questions in the world of pop: How important is lyrical content in a pop song and what does it take to make a global smash hit?  Links:Miles FrancisBlack And Blue

Punk and folk singer songwriter Frank Turner joins me to talk about his spark Instrument, a documentary about seminal post-hardcore band Fugazi. What defines documentary filmmaking as a genre? How has Fugazi's approach to music making and marketing impacted the entire industry? How can artists create work in a way that stays true to their sociopolitical ideology? Frank and I dug into questions like these without taking ourselves or the subject matter too seriously.  Links:Frank TurnerInstrument

The Charlatans' front man and all around legend Tim Burgess joins me to talk about his spark (and our mutual obsession), David Lynch's groundbreaking TV series Twin Peaks.It's always a joy when my guests pick an inspirational work that's also inspired me and this chat is no exception! Tim and I talk about the unique style that Twin Peaks injected into the television landscape, it's lasting impact on the broader cultural landscape and our shared love of all things Lynch.Links:Tim BurgessTwin PeaksLocke and Key

TheatreArtLife co-founder Anna Robb joins me to talk about her spark, Salvador Dali's iconic masterpiece The Persistence Of Memory.How does art shape our outlook on life and the world around us? Is the experience of viewing one painting enough to change a person permanently?  Anna spoke to me about the ways in which Dali's work helped to set her off on an arts oriented career path. We also spoke about the subjectivity of art and the magic of different perspectives on the same work.Links:Anna RobbThe Persistence Of Memory

Seether drummer Johnny Humphrey joins me to talk about his spark, KISS' legendary live album Alive!How can the experience of going to a rock concert be conveyed without visuals? KISS found the answer with a live album that salvaged their careers and put them on the path towards astronomical success.In addition to our KISS deep dive, Johnny and I chatted about the unmatched feeling of browsing through a record store and the thrill of hearing your favorite band for the first time.  Links:SeetherAlive!Magic Still Exists

I'm joined by Grammy nominated singer and Broadway star Mykal Kilgore who spoke to me about his spark, the Logo TV series Noah's Arc. Mykal is warm and funny and smart and just an all around joy to chat with.Noah's Arc was the first and only scripted series to focus on a group of black gay men and Mykal talks about the incredible experience of seeing his lived reality portrayed on TV for the first time.  Links:  Mykal KilgoreNoah's Arc

Musician JW Francis joins me to speak about his spark, Deerhunter's seminal and wildly successful album Halcyon Digest.Difficult front man? Check. Staunch rejection of success? Check. An absolute banger of an album? Check. Our chat covers all of this and more.Links:JW FrancisHalcyon DigestFoundation

This week, New Zealand born singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ladyhawke (aka Pip Brown) joins me to talk about her spark, The Last Of Us game series.Pip and I talk about the joys of immersive world building and queer representation in gaming. We also ponder the existence of internet trolls and try our best to figure out their motives.Ladyhawke's new album Time Flies is released on Friday, November 19th.Links:LadyhawkeThe Last Of UsGhostbusters: Afterlife

This week, I'm joined by Australian rapper, singer and songwriter Allday to talk about his spark, the movie Home Alone!We chatted about Home Alone's tremendous cultural impact and reminisced about the old days when you had to rent movies from movie store.  Links:AlldayHome AloneThe Plinth

This week I'm joined by Ambrose Kenny-Smith of The Warlocs and King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard to talk about his spark Emitt Rhodes' self-titled second albumAlthough it never got the recognition it deserved, this album was an enormous influence for artists like Aimee Mann and Mac DeMarco. Rhodes wrote the album, played every instrument and produced it; all from his parents' garage.The album's backstory is incredible and so is Ambrose's relationship to it.  Links:Ambrose Kenny-SmithEmitt RhodesDune

Another spectacular live show!The Spark Parade partnered with Fotografiska NY for a live recording in celebration of more than 100 episodes of the podcast and the museums Andy Warhol: Photo Factory exhibition.Three incredible guests joined me to talk about their New York-centric sparks: Catherine Cohen on Brigid Berlin's Polaroids, Melissa Lozada-Oliva on Because The Night by Patti Smith and Lachi on New York, New York by Frank Sinatra.Links:Fotografiska NYCatherine CohenMelissa Lozada-OlivaLachiBrigid Berlin's PolaroidsBecause The NightNew York, New York

It's the very first Spark Parade live show!!Three fantastic guests join me live to talk about their sparks: DJ Sean McMahill on Grease 2, writer and podcaster Mijon Zulu on Slave Play and drag queen Neon Calypso on Nightgowns With Sasha Velour.All the fun and informative conversations you expect from The Spark Parade, but this one's in front of a live audience at Brooklyn's incredible C'mon Everybody.Links:Sean McMahillMijon ZuluWhispering HuntysNeon CalypsoGrease 2Slave PlayNightgowns With Sasha VelourC'mon Everybody

Ghanaian-Australian musician Genesis Owusu joins me to talk about his spark, Kanye West's album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.  I've talked to a few people about Kanye and those conversations have, for the most part, focused entirely on his music and avoided talking too much about the chaos and controversy that followed him everywhere throughout his career. This conversation leans into a more holistic approach and we didn't shy away from talking about Kanye's complicated legacy.Genesis and I spoke about the luxury and excess behind the scenes during the album's recording process, marvel at the collaborative nature of this musical benchmark and talk about the difficulty we both have with reconciling our love for Kanye's music with his often toxic public persona.Links:Genesis OwusuMy Beautiful Dark Twisted FantasyThere's Someone Inside Your House

My guest is Grammy award winning keyboard virtuoso Cory Henry who spoke to me about his spark, Stevie Wonder's album Journey Through “The Secret Life Of Plants”.It's one of the strangest and least known albums in Stevie Wonder's back catalogue. Part film score, part concept album, it's full of beautiful melodies and unexpected changes of direction.Cory's appreciation for this album has grown throughout his life and he loves helping his friends to discover it. We talk about the strange history of its creation and the impact it had on Wonder's career.Plus, you'll get to hear my exclusive preview of Fantastic Fest!Links:Cory HenryJourney Through The Secret Life Of PlantsFantastic Fest

Singer/songwriter and actor Katelyn Tarver joins me to chat about her spark, an episode of Brené Brown's Unlocking Us podcast.In her interview with Dax Shepard and Tim Ferriss, Brown talks about the power of relinquishing control. That interview inspired Katelyn to write the first single off of her upcoming album Subject To Change.Katelyn and I talk about learning to accept the random nature of the universe, the perils of actors' auditions and drawing artistic inspiration from unlikely places.Links:Katelyn TarverUnlocking UsThe Eyes Of Tammy Faye

This week, I'm joined by Grammy nominated roots rock duo Rebecca and Megan Lovell of Larkin Poe along with Sam Hyken of pioneering hybrid orchestra Nu Deco Ensemble to talk about their collective spark of inspiration Led Zeppelin's 4th untitled album, commonly referred to as Led Zeppelin 4.How do the biggest albums of all time sound to you? Do you hear them in a different way to anyone else in the world? How would you reinterpret that music if you wanted to make it your own?Rebecca, Megan and Sam talk through the process of collaborating on their new album Paint The Roses: Live In Concert through the lens of Led Zeppelin's globe dominating magnum opus. We also get into the Zeppelin's unparalleled musicianship and the profound impact their music has had on modern rock and pop.Paint The Roses: Live In Concert is out now!!Links:Paint The Roses: Live In Concert  Led Zeppelin IVSongs In The Key Of Life

I'm joined by the absolutely lovely musician James Felice of the Felice Brothers who spoke to me about his spark, Randy Newman's classic album Sail Away.For an entire generation, Newman's voice is inextricably linked to the Toy Story movies and other cinematic classics. But those recent career highlights can be a gateway into Newman's prolific career.In addition to our chat about Sail Away, James and I speak about learning to appreciate music through older siblings and the lost joys of buying CD's blindly without ever hearing  a note from them.Links:The Felice BrothersSail AwayAmerican Rust