Showrunner, producer, and writer Max Borenstein (HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of te Lakers Dynasty) was always drawn to WB Yeats work, but one poem resonated with him above all the others. "The Circus Animals' Desertion," one of Yeates' final published works in his lifetime, is about looking back on a lifetime of achievements, grappling with writer's block, and the perils of trying to match past successes in the final years of your life. Max found parallels to celebrity culture, our obsession with social media, and many other aspects of the modern world. His relationship with the poem has grown and changed as he's grappled with his own success and with recent bereavements and it's been a touchstone and source of inspiration throughout his career in entertainment.
Where It All Began: Kylie Cantrall's Spark is CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story
With a music producer father and a dancer/choreographer mother, Kylie Cantrall grew up with a front-row seat in the entertainment industry. As a result, music biopics struck a particular chord with her. None moreso than VH1's megahit CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story. Cantrall loved the eerily accurate performances and music video recreations, but the incorporation of TLC's phenomenal back catalog was the clincher. She was so hooked on the movie that she watched it dozens of times and still considers it to be one of her all-time favorites.
Wise Beyond Her Years: The Aces' Cristal Ramirez's Spark Is Paramore's Riot!
The Aces' front woman Cristal Ramirez's was obsessed with Paramore's Riot! from the moment it was first played for her. The energy and lyrics both blew her pre-teen mind, but it was Hayley Williams who really caught her attention. A flame-haired teenager who lead a successful rock band in a male-dominated industry, Williams provided endless inspiration for Ramirez as her own musical aspirations took flight. As a dedicated Paramore fan, she's always seen the band as a beacon of light and a force for good in the world.
Teenage Dreams: Kenzie's Spark Is 10 Things I Hate About You
Singer and actor Kenzie was home-schooled, so she didn't have a typical high school experience. As a result, teen movies really struck a chord with her and 10 Things I Hate About You was at the top of the list. She loved the characters, the love story, and all of the stereotypical late 90's high school drama. The movie has brought her massive amounts of joy and she rewatches it whenever she gets a chance.
Dawn Of The Comedic Everyman: David Gborie's Spark Is Old School
The relentless silliness of Todd Phillip's smash hit comedy Old School is contrasted by the relatable everyman characters played by its breakout stars Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn. Comedian, actor, and podcaster David Gborie saw Old School as the moment when comedic leads became less polished and more like normal people who happened to be joke machines. It was one of the era-defining films that set him on a comedy career path and helped him to believe he could make it in the industry.
Sensual And Surreal: Morgan Kibby's Spark Is Tipsy Lovers
Singer/songwriter Morgan Kibby was already a huge fan of GaHee Park's work when she discovered Tipsy Lovers hanging in her aunt's home! She was immediately drawn to the painting and its playful, voyeuristic depiction of lovers embracing while peering through martini glasses. Kibby is enamored with Park's ability to infuse her work with a unique blend of eroticism and surrealism, a delicate balance that few artists are able to achieve.
Punk, Pop And The Dawn Of MTV: Bratmobile's Allison Wolfe's Spark Is Bow Wow Wow
As a teenager, Bratmobile frontwoman Allison Wolfe was drawn to bands led by powerful, magnetic women. When Bow Wow Wow released their second album When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Gets Going, she was mesmerized by the raw energy of its twelve short, sharp songs. The newly launched MTV left her in awe of singer Anabella Lwin's commanding stage presence and distinctive style, which proved a huge source of inspiration in Wolfe's own work as a musician.
Finding Joy In The Blues: Acantha Lang's Spark Is Koko Taylor's I Got What It Takes
Unlike many of her peers, soul singer Acantha Lang’s primary inspiration didn’t come from R’n’B. Her musical foundation is rooted in the blues and the first time she heard Koko Taylor’s legendary album I Got What It Takes. The distinct rawness in Taylor’s vocal performance spoke to Lang in a way that’s stuck with her for her entire career. Taylor's ability to transform the blues into joyful, life-affirming music is unparalleled and her music continues to influence artists across a wide spectrum of musical disciplines and genres.
Pride Month Bonus! A Spectacle To End All Spectacles: Hal Sparks' Spark Is KISS' Destroyer
Actor and Comedian Hal Sparks (Queer As Folk) has been a KISS mega-fan for as long as he can remember. He saw the poster for KISS' monster hit album Destroyer and his jaw dropped. He's been in awe of its artistry and musicianship ever since. Destroyer helped to cement KISS as globe-dominating rock superstars. It produced a string of hits and provided a perfect vessel for KISS' particular brand of rock theatricality. Hal's love for the band has only grown since the release of Destroyer, as has his encyclopedic knowledge of the band's history.
Tribeca Special!! Blurring The Lines Between Fact And Fiction: Lost Soulz' Sauve Sidle and Katherine Propper's Spark Is 8 Mile
Director Katherine Propper's Lost Soulz, a meditative film about music making, self-discovery, and friendship, had its world premiere at this year's Tribeca film festival. Its star, rising rapper Sauve Sidle, saw parallels between his personal journey, his character arc in the film, and the story of Eminem's much-lauded, Oscar-winning turn in Curtis Hanson's 8 Mile. Finding a community of like-minded artists can have a huge impact on a musician and that collaborative spirit runs through 8 Mile and Lost Soulz both behind and in front of the camera. Eminem and Sauve both used their real-world artistic processes to create their on-screen personas, as well as some unforgettable music. We'll also take a look at some of my favorites from this year's Tribeca Film Festival: including the mind-bending, Tierra Whack starring pseudo-documentary Cypher, winner of Best U.S. Narrative Feature.
The Heart Of The Human Condition: Brian J. Smith's Spark Is A Separation
Actor Brian J Smith was in awe of Asghar Farhadi's Oscar-winning film A Separation after he saw it for the first time. Subsequent viewings have only increased his admiration for the complex story of the acrimonious dissolution of a couple's relationship and the repercussions that follow. A Separation refuses to pass judgment on its characters. Every one of them is fully realized and makes both good and bad decisions throughout. It's a true reflection of the human condition and the lengths to which we all will go to protect the people we love.
A Tear-Jerking Space Quest: Jon Lovett's Spark Is Outer Wilds
Podcaster and comedian Jon Lovett is an avid gamer who discovered the acclaimed Outer Wilds in the thick of COVID lockdown. The game's sweet simplicity provided a perfect escape from the pandemic bleakness surrounding him and it quickly became his favorite game of all time. Eschewing the violence that is so prevalent in many of the gaming world's biggest titles, it is a meditative space adventure broken up into 22-minute cycles. The joy of low-stakes exploration struck such a chord with Lovett that he gets emotional when he speaks about his love for Outer Wilds.
Beauty, Horror And The Merits Of Repeated Viewings: AJJ's Sean Bonnette's Spark Is Annihilation
Alex Garland's film Annihilation combines meditative storytelling with visceral body horror and action, all of which drew in AJJ frontman Sean Bonnette from the first time he saw it. So much so that he watched it over and over again while it was in theaters. He loved the movie's juxtaposition of otherwordly natural beauty with startling bouts of extreme violence, all set to an ambitious and unsettling score from Ben Salisbury and Portishead's Geoff Barrow. Bonnette is a true film aficionado who's been inspired by all Alex Garland's other works including Men and Devs, as well as the singular cinematic vision of Everything Everywhere All At Once.
A Two For One Special: Cub Sport's Tim Nelson's Spark Is Jesus At The Gay Bar and TEKE::TEKE's Mishka Stein's Spark Is Blade Runner
It's a buy one, get one free episode! First up is Cub Sport frontman Tim Nelson, who was so drawn to Jay Hulme's poem Jesus At The Gay Bar that the band's new album shares its name. Nelson grew up in a devout Christian community and struggled to reconcile his religious upbringing with his queerness. His mother has fully embraced his identity and Nelson saw parallels to the strength of their bond in Hulme's depiction of Jesus' compassion. In the second half of the episode, TEKE::TEKE bassist Mishka Stein shares his love for Ridley Scott's magnum opus Blade Runner. Since childhood, Stein has been drawn to the beauty in every frame of Blade Runner, its poetic dialogue, and the atmospheric soundscape provided by Vangelis' legendary score.
Two Comedy Legends On... Two Comedy Legends: Broken Lizard's Jay Chandrasekhar And Kevin Heffernan Are Sparked By 48 Hrs And A Wild And Crazy Guy
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 light-hearted buddy comedy. Kevin has been obsessed with Steve Martin's classic comedy album A Wild And Crazy Guy from the moment he first heard it as a kid. It's a snapshot of a rock star comedian at the peak of his powers and it's massive success provided a template for decades of stand-up comedy specials.
When Robots Taught The World To Dance: Michael Brun's Spark Is Daft Punk's Discovery
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 aesthetic, and the anime videos that created a narrative structure for Discovery. His mind was blown by the creative ingenuity on display and it set him on a path that would come to define his career as an artist.
When Pop Punk Bangers Met Skater Style: Palehound's El Kempner's Spark Is Avril Lavigne's Let Go
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.
Buckets Of Blood And Unlimited Laughter: Kid Koala's Spark Is Peter Jackson's Dead Alive
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. He’s drawn inspiration from the black humor, incredible practical special effects, and unique visual style that have been imitated by genre filmmakers for over 30 years.
“It definitely is one of those films you feel like your brain’s growing new synapses, because it doesn’t really have anything for it to link to that you witnessed before,” Kid Koala, aka Eric San, says. “It’s one of those films that really just changed forever what I thought was possible in a film — not just in that range, but just in art in general. I think that, raised on a steady diet of that, raised on a steady diet of The Muppet Show or Monty Python… It was just like, ‘Oh, okay, so this is an album?’ It’s not just 10 songs that are tailor-cut for radio plays; they could literally go all over the place and enjoy the universe that they’re in.”
The Emotional Heart Of Design And Architecture - Róisín Murphy On Conran's The House Book
So... this happened! I had the enormous pleasure of speaking with Róisín Murphy (one of my musical and artistic heroes) about Terence Conran's classic The House Book, a guide to home interior design and decoration. But that's only the tip of the iceberg. We spoke about Róisín's love of design and architecture, a formative road trip she took as a teenager and so, so much more. This one is an absolute delight! Talk about ending the year on a high note!!
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The Music That Connects Us All: Marcus Strickland Is Sparked By A Love Supreme
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.
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