Surprise Cast

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/ [https://www.instagram.com/helsmillphotography/] Other music included: https://www.instagram.com/thestonerosesofficial/ [https://www.instagram.com/thestonerosesofficial/] https://www.instagram.com/realbabybird_/ [https://www.instagram.com/realbabybird_/] https://chameleonsband.com/home [https://chameleonsband.com/home]

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

Surprise Cast #215 Ed Mazzucco (Shelflife Records)

Dear Ed, I learned so much about your life in just over an hour. Thank you for being a proud owner of Shelflife Records and being on Surprise Cast! I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation, which moved from early childhood experiences, life in New York City, and running an amazing indie label. It was great to hear about your favorite games, formative films, and early musical obsessions (Depeche Mode, OMD, etc.), along with precious family memories deeply connected to your appreciation for your father's storytelling. You reflected on family influences, the loss of your parents, and how those experiences shaped your creative life. The conversation traced the origin of Shelflife Records in the mid‑1990s, its DIY beginnings (fanzines, hand‑assembled CDs), early breakthroughs with international acts, and the label’s evolution into a vinyl-focused imprint known for high‑quality packaging and artist care and attention to detail. So cool! I liked your dad's mantra, "if you're going to do it, do it right." Well, it's pretty clear you live by such words of wisdom. Keep running one of the more thoughtful labels in today's music scene.  Follow Shelflife Records: https://shelfliferecords.bandcamp.com/ [https://shelfliferecords.bandcamp.com/] Follow Surprise Cast: Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, Spotify Music included by Close Lobsters, Lavender Blush, Soft Science, Whimsical, Submotile (Shelflife) Non - label tracks by:  https://duranduran.com/ [https://duranduran.com/] https://omd.uk.com/ [https://omd.uk.com/] https://www.youtube.com/@officialhenrymancini [https://www.youtube.com/@officialhenrymancini]

Surprise Cast #214 Massage

Dear Alex, Andrew, and Gabi: Here's a little secret. I've been wanting to chat with you for a long time. I'm so thrilled the desire came to fruition. Look at how deep we went! I embraced our conversation from Halloween memories to deep questions about art, music, and the creative life. I felt that there was a nice balance that mixed light, nostalgic banter with thoughtful discussion inspired by Brian Eno quotes, along with responsibilities and love for parenting. Good stuff! The band talked through the making of the dazzling new album Coaster, with behind-the-scenes detail on a few tracks. You peppered that part of the conversation with tremendous depth and detail.  As I mentioned in the interview, a shout-out to DJ Jake Rudh for leading me to the Massage waters—a place that is warm and beautifully indie. You truly are a band of friends who know how to create that wonderful spark of imagination, which leads to dazzling results, just like a Tim Burton film. Follow Massage: https://www.instagram.com/massagetheband/ [https://www.instagram.com/massagetheband/] Music included in the podcast: Nirvana: https://www.nirvana.com/#/ [https://www.nirvana.com/#/] Harry Nilsson: https://harrynilsson.com/ [https://harrynilsson.com/] Read aloud books by Brian Eno and Brene Brown https://www.brian-eno.net/ [https://www.brian-eno.net/] https://brenebrown.com/about/ [https://brenebrown.com/about/]

Surprise Cast #213 Ultan Conlon

To my friend, Ultan! I loved our intimate conversation about music, life, and the new album Only! Thank you for sharing your entertaining stories--from playing with Jackson Brown and opening for John Fogerty, to a near-miss with a Paramount placement song on a Netflix movie — and how those moments shaped your career in some capacity.  The conversation dug into craft: songwriting as the true "currency" of music, ideas for breaking the sameness (Rick Rubin's idea), and the completion phase of a record — knowing when to stop refining and let the work go--not always easy for an artist. You spoke practicality about running a small coffee trailer in rural Ireland as a social creative reset, balancing multiple live projects, and the realities of touring and record promotion. I love that you're in search of staying fresh with new ideas.  Thank you for talking about some of your sweet tunes, the intimate mixing choices that made your voice more intimate, and your approach to being vulnerable on record. And like a good Paul Thomas Anderson film, your music always keeps my interest at a high level. Cheers, for always being so delightful and genuine! Follow Ultan Conlon: https://ultanconlon.com/ [https://ultanconlon.com/] Follow Surprise Cast: Amazon, Apple, iHeart, Podbean, Spotify Additional music by John Douglas (Trashcan Sintras):  https://johndouglas.bandcamp.com/album/john-douglas-2023 [https://johndouglas.bandcamp.com/album/john-douglas-2023]