Hello, welcome to Surprise Cast. I’m Dubya, host of this special channel. Join me for engaging conversations with artists from around the world. Together, we explore creativity, inspiration, personal challenges, rising above, and surprising moments that encourage us to think, "I had no idea!".
This show is all about Deep Conversations and Unique Discoveries.
Thank you for your support by subscribing to this program. I appreciate it.
Surprise Cast #284 Pete Fij - What does failure, reinvention and a new album mean to him?
Dear Pete,"I liked being different". What a great way to start our conversation because that's something I've always felt in my life!Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me about so many wide ranging topics. I appreciate the insight you brought about art, failure, memory, and reinventing yourself. It was so interesting to hear how setbacks shaped your musical identity. Hearing you recount your Adorable days, highlights and low points was utterly fascinating. You even mentioned how time has allowed you to retrace your steps more objectively.
The way you described your collaboration with Terry Bickers and that "cinematic" atmosphere you both created brought up some a-ha moments in the conversation. You seem to admire Terry's guitar work a lot, like the rest of us.
Congratulations on the new album, 'Up's the New Down ". Thank you for taking a deep dive into the songwriting and studio process. It was exciting to hear about the evolution of particular songs, experimentation, and the pure joy of making a 10 song record. A wonderful "reawakening".
This episode is all about candor, confidence, and craft, something I've always admired in your musicianship over the years. Quite glorious, really!Follow Pete Fij: https://petefij.bandcamp.com/
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5 Oct 2026
Surprise Cast #283 Rachel Wood - Survival, Guitar Fire and the Making of an Indie Rock Album
What insights can listeners gain from your life as a musician? They'll learn so much about you being on the road with one of the most important indie bands of all time, The Wedding Present, as well as your approach to stagecraft and the creative process behind your sonic rock album, It’s Not the End of the World?
Thank you for sharing your experiences performing landmark Wedding Present albums such as Bizarro and Sea Monsters. Your reflections offered valuable insight into how an artist preserves the intensity and emotional force of iconic recordings while bringing them to life for a new audience. It was especially interesting to hear how your experiences with Cirque du Soleil shaped your performance instincts, stagecraft, and understanding of physical expression. What an enriching experience!
I also appreciated your openness about your cancer diagnosis and recovery. Hearing how music supported you during such a difficult period added a deeper emotional dimension to the conversation and underscored the resilience that can emerge through creative work.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the making of your energetic new album, It’s Not the End of the World. Your decision to give certain songs more space was particularly interesting; that restraint created room for the lyrics and melodies to develop with greater clarity and emotional depth.
Anyone listening to this conversation will gain a better understanding of your resilience, guitar prowess, and ability to collaborate well with others while carving out your own identity. Like me, they'll come to appreciate your honesty, real energy, and inspirational approach to life. Keep being a "kid" in such a mature fashion. Follow Rachael Wood: https://www.rachaelwoodguitar.com/
Follow The Wedding Present: https://www.scopitones.co.uk/Follow Surprise Cast:Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, or X
2 Oct 2026
Surprise Cast #282: Shopfires — Meet the Outsider Behind the Music
Dear Neil, I'm so glad I didn't sleep well that night. I may not have had this wonderful conversation with you. Thank you for sitting down with me to explore your creative journey, influences, and the making of your lovely album, 'The Old Works'. I enjoyed listening to you talk about growing up in the West Midlands and what that environment looked like. I especially liked hearing about the themes behind the album.
I connected to your comment about being an "outsider"; that's something many people listening to this podcast can relate to and for good reason. There's power in that word. Also, thanks for talking about memory and landscape in a simple and unique manner. This was quite a relatable conversation!
Please give Shopfires a good following: https://shopfires.bandcamp.com/
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Who has been a guest on H.I. Art on the Edge
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Chris Newkirk
Alex Yost
Bert Cannaerts
Mina Tindle
Kirsty Almeida
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
90,206
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.1 / 5
13 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
25 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 78 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
95
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
75
Contact H.I. Art on the Edge
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
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