Surprise Cast

By Dubya

What does quality art mean to you? Hello. My name is Dubya, host of this special channel. Enjoy my conversations with online artists and musicians via a show called Surprise Cast. Their creative work ... more

3.8

1010 ratings

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FAQs about Surprise Cast:

How many episodes does Surprise Cast have?

The podcast currently has 172 episodes available.

Surprise Cast episodes:

January 12, 2026 Surprise Cast #225 The Sundries
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.

You released one of the most sparkling albums of 2025, so thank you for taking a deeper dive into its sound, production, and thoughts behind it. May your 2026 shine brightly and look forward to hearing more of your infectious music. The band received an 'A' in my grade book!

Follow The Sundries: https://thesundries.bandcamp.com/
Follow https://janglepophub.home.blog/
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...more
57min
January 07, 2026 Surprise Cast #224 Callière (Andrew Rose)
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 all the granular details, including personal encounters on the trails, your appreciation for Chameleons/Slowdive/Robin Guthrie, and the writing and production process that inspired your latest work.
I know you're filled with gratitude at this stage of your life, which I have to say is a great thing because it adds layers and depth to who you are as an artist and, most importantly, a person.

Thank you for taking us along on your travels. I love the backstage access to your tales along the road of life.

Follow Calliere: https://calliere.bandcamp.com/
Follow Shore Dive Records: https://shorediverecords.bandcamp.com/
Follow Robin Guthrie: https://robinguthrie.com/
Follow Slowdive: https://slowdiveofficial.com/
Follow Chameleons: https://chameleonsband.com/
Follow Surprise Cast: Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, Spotify, YouTube
...more
1h 10min
January 02, 2026 Surprise Cast #223 Peter Coyle
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 sharing such candid stories about your family history--including strong memories of the loss of your sister, tough upbringing with your father, etc. I think people will appreciate such vulnerability and deep connections to your past.

The podcast listeners get an inside look at the making of the Velvet Crunch album and the ESP project: I could hear your appreciation for Tony’s cinematic production approach, the warm, textured mixes, and the band's adventurous arrangements that balance melody and dissonance. Thank you for explaining your lyrical process and the album’s nature-centered imagery and themes of death-as-beginning. Amazing!
Throughout the conversation, it emphasized art as a devotional act, the spiritual recharge of nature, and creative partnership as a force that pushes you into such unique territory. I know fans of art rock, post-punk, new wave, and the songwriting process will benefit greatly from our conversation. Your creative vision will always remain deep, wide, and quite tall!

Follow Peter Coyle: https://petercoyle.com/peter-coyle
Follow Surprise Cast: Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, Spotify

...more
1h 28min
December 19, 2025 Surprise Cast #222 Zoe Allan
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 of the quotes with great aplomb. Your responses showed depth and great understanding of your craft.

It was a blast listening to your experience on Reception: The Wedding Present Musical. From preparation to showtime, and your friendship with Matt Aston, it sounded like an incredibly enriching experience for you and all of the cast. Total team effort!

May you continue to shine on and off the stage. Your career seems to be taking off in a manner that feels right for you. Thanks again for helping me pull back the curtains on your life. Bravo!

Follow Zoe Allan: https://www.instagram.com/zoeallanxo/
Follow Surprise Cast: Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, Spotify
Follow The Wedding Present: https://www.scopitones.co.uk/
Follow Matt Aston: https://www.instagram.com/mattastontheatre/
Follow Heritage: https://linktr.ee/heritage.uk?

...more
1h 46min
December 16, 2025 Surprise Cast #221 Sea of Days
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 delved into your recording approach, shared your views on live performance, and talked about your connections with other talented artists like Maud Anyways and Rachael Benjamin. All good stuff!
Our conversation about your dual life as a music teacher and a parent was particularly inspiring. Your strategies in the classroom and your approach to mentoring adolescents have clearly shaped your music in unique and profound ways.
This was an episode that was candid, spirited, and deeply connected. Thank you for being such a positive, warm guest on Surprise Cast. Your ability to shine brightness into the world's darkness brings tremendous comfort and joy.

Follow Sea of Days: https://linktr.ee/seaofdays
Follow Shore Dive Records: https://shorediverecords.bandcamp.com/
Additional podcast music by:
The National: https://www.americanmary.com/
Matt Berninger: https://www.instagram.com/mattberninger/
Cocteau Twins: https://cocteautwins.com/
Robin Guthrie: https://robinguthrie.bandcamp.com/music
Follow Surprise Cast on Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, Spotify
...more
1h 23min
December 11, 2025 Surprise Cast #220 Montjuïc
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/identity, and maintaining hope during dark political times.

Thank you for talking about the magnificent album 'Things Must Change' and its reception from the general public, and your personal insights. I loved hearing about the creative process behind some of the notable songs. You did a great job reflecting on aging, artistic growth, and confidence, and learning how to just be yourselves over the years.

May love, acceptance, and resilience continue to be major themes of future work and personal lives--it's deeply inspiring and what the world always needs more of...rest assured.

Follow Montjuïc: https://montju1c.bandcamp.com/music
Follow Pascal Blua: https://www.bluartwork.com/
Follow Surprise Cast: Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, or Spotify
...more
1h 2min
December 08, 2025 Surprise Cast #219 Blueshift Signal
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 of the new album, and how the songs grew from rehearsals and moods, your approach to sequencing sonbx, and the narrative arc threaded throughout the entire album. You discussed the right balance between lyrical minimalism and finding an atmosphere on two standout songs.

I appreciated hearing about the production, working with producer/Painted Air owner Michael Vitrano. He did a great job shaping the vinyl project and art direction.

I believe the listeners can expect an emotional, thoughtful conversation about the importance of your work, songwriting, and strong collaboration. There's plenty of good material that will never leave the listener adrift.

Follow Blueshift Signal:
https://blueshift-signal.bandcamp.com/album/eventide
Follow Surprise Cast: Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, and Spotify
...more
1h 8min
December 03, 2025 Surprise Cast #218 Trillion
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 and The Cure. All amazing musicians!

We peeled back the layers of Feel Alright — exploring impactful tracks from the album. Thank you for explaining how the songs evolved: demos shared weekly, live-testing arrangements, collaboration across geography, and the magic that happens when band chemistry clicks in rehearsal or the studio. Quite interesting.
I believe listeners will appreciate hearing about the nuances of your live performances, how the band approaches sequencing of songs and concert setlists, personal recommendations that include tv shows, films,.and charities. You hit the jackpot in terms of your kind and thoughtful participation on the Surprise Cast show.

Follow Trillion: https://linktr.ee/trillionsydney
Follow Surprise Cast: Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, or Spotify
Other music included by My Blood Valentine: https://mybloodyvalentine.org/

...more
1h 13min
November 29, 2025 Surprise Cast #217 Helen Millington
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 diagnosis, and how creative outlets—especially music and film—became lifesavers. You described your parents and influential teachers who fostered incredible curiosity and wonder.

Listeners will have a chance to explore your remarkable work as a photographer, including your early love of film cameras, transition to mirrorless and DSLR gear, go-to lenses for gigs, workflow for shooting and editing live shows, and the excitement of receiving your photos.

Many thanks for your honesty and deep reflection. You brought your life and work into sharper focus, which made the experience truly enjoyable.

Follow Hellen Millington: https://www.instagram.com/helsmillphotography/
Other music included:
https://www.instagram.com/thestonerosesofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/realbabybird_/
https://chameleonsband.com/home

...more
1h 20min
November 24, 2025 Surprise Cast #216 Peter Duggal / Wolfgang Flür
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 greatly appreciated how you two responded to Jeff Tweedy's quotes from his amazing book. Getting your take on being a songwriter versus being an artist, the creative process, and accepting challenges was fascinating.
Thank you for walking the listeners and me through specific examples from the new album to highlight certain points. I loved hearing about how certain songs were assembled together based on sketches or synth/bass ideas. I'll never forget the Andy McCluskey story!
Congratulations on your amazing collaboration and chemistry. I love that you two embrace mistakes and see them as creative gifts. You confront doubts and obstacles with a head-on approach. You also bring such complementary strengths to the creative table, which result in melodic storytelling, arpeggiated soundscapes and textures, and the endless pursuit of musical curiosity. Truly amazing!

Follow:
https://www.instagram.com/wolfgang_fluer/
https://www.peterduggal.com/
Surprise Cast: Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, Spotify

...more
1h 5min

FAQs about Surprise Cast:

How many episodes does Surprise Cast have?

The podcast currently has 172 episodes available.

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