The Spark Parade
What’s the one album or film that changed everything for you?
On The Spark Parade, host Adam Unze sits down with actors, musicians and other cultural icons to explore the music and movies that ignited their creative journeys. Each episode is a deep dive into a single transformative work of art — from cult classics to chart-topping albums — and how it continues to shape their lives and careers.
You’ll hear from artists like Margaret Cho, Maya Hawke, Chris Gethard, Beth Ditto, Bob The Drag Queen, Ella Purnell, Phoenix's Thomas Mars and many more.
If you’re a fan of music, movies, and the people they inspire, this podcast is your backstage pass to the artistic spark that started it all.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 34 minutes
- Episodes
- 177
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
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…
Broken Lizard's Jay Chandrasekhar And Kevin Heffernan's Sparks Are 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…
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…
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 the…
Kid Koala's Spark Is 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 t…
Marcus Strickland's Spark Is John Coltrane's 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 t…
Amtrac's Spark Is Escape From New York
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 w…
HAUSER's Spark Is Baz Luhrman's Elvis
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 t…
CHRISTEENE's Spark Is Pink Narcissus
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…
Captain Kirk Douglas' Spark Is Pixar's Soul
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 partic…
Phoenix's Thomas Mars' Spark Is The Beatles: It Was Twenty Years Ago Today
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 beginning…
Cavetown's Spark Is Adventure Time
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 s…
Lissie's Spark Is Katherine May's Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times
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 …
MARO's Spark Is Simone’s Face A Face
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 Fa…
Rexx Life Raj's Spark Is Kid Cudi's Man On The Moon: The End Of Day
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 abou…
Goon's Kenny Becker's Spark Is Vincent Van Gogh's Wheatfield With A Reaper
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 Va…
Cocoa Brown's Spark Is Leroy Campbell’s Standing Tall
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 representa…
Helen Hong's Spark Is Star Trek: The Next Generation
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 betwee…
UPSAHL's Spark Is Interstellar
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.
Ho…
Bonus Ep: Best Of The Tribeca Film Festival
It's a bonus ep featuring an overview of my favorite films from the Tribeca Film Festival!
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