Interviews – Page 8 – Spinning Platters

Spinning Platters Interview: Jason Bateman, “Bad Words”

Jason Bateman makes his feature film directorial debut with the hysterically foul-mouthed Bad Words, in which he also stars as Guy Trilby, a forty-something disgruntled middle-school drop out who exploits a loophole in the rules guiding a national spelling bee in order to participate in the contest — but why? There’s more than meets the eye in this black comedy, and I sat down with Mr. Bateman to discuss how Bad Words came to be…along with some other fun stuff while witnessing firsthand his trademark dry humor:

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Bad Words comes out in theaters March 14, 2014.

Spinning Platters Interview: Steve Sparrow of Morning Parade

Morning Parade won't be an opening band for long. — Morning Parade won’t be an opening band for long.

Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing Morning Parade open up for Biffy Clyro at Great American Music Hall. I had heard their debut album and the British hit, “Headlights,” so I thought I knew what to expect. But I was super impressed with the new, unfamiliar material they played from their EP, Alienation, so I knew I had to get in touch with Steve Sparrow, lead vocalist, and ask him about touring America, the current popularity of British rock, and what’s to be expected from their upcoming album. He mentions my favorite band three times, so I was overjoyed with his responses, and am happy to share them with you.

Spinning Platters: You’ve just played in San Francisco. Any impressions of our city you’d like to share? Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: Steve Sparrow of Morning Parade”

Spinning Platters Interview: Comedian David Gborie

David Gborie is one of the funniest men in San Francisco today. Spinning Platters had a chance to chat with him ahead of his sets at Sketchfest, performing tonight at The California Academy of Sciences, and Friday, January 31st bringing his popular stand up showcase Get Yucked Up to Cinecave in the Mission. He’s also going to be live commentating on the Super Bowl this Sunday at The Roxie, as part of SF Indiefest’s 4th Annual Super Bowl: Men In Tights. He’s a pretty fascinating guy with a lot to say. In fact, too much to say, so I’ve uploaded audio of the entire interview, but after the jump, I’ll pass you a few highlights.

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Spinning Platters Interview: OJ Patterson on OJ Patterson

SF Sketchfest will soon breach our atmosphere: bending sky, burning oxygen and causing birds to scramble for safety. In one week it will land in the San Francisco Bay. A torrential wave will surge through the Financial District, down Mission St, and swallow Twin Peaks in salt water. At least, that’s how it’s going to feel when the biggest celebration of comedy’s many forms comes to town.

There’s always commensal collateral to the lights and glitz, big crowds and big parties. The air feels different, the gravity heavier, especially for a few locals rocking the coveted “Artist” lanyard. Some are turning their hard work, talent, or streetwise into a high profile credit. Some are the new flavor, showcased as the emergent outliers. Some are “over it”, half distracted by growth, having fun before moving on. Some are returning with the Bay in their heart and another city on their mailing address. Some are debuting, honored and humbled, finally on the inside looking… around. Like me. After years of reporting, volunteering, (pining), I’m performing for my first SF Sketchfest @ Lost Weekend Video on 1/31. Spinning Platters’ top brass (a/k/a Dakin) requested an interview… from me, about me. Double the work, way less validation but I shall oblige on weirdness alone. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: OJ Patterson on OJ Patterson”

Spinning Platters Interview: Kevin Allison of Risk! True Tales Boldy Told

Kevin Allison.credit Dave Dietz.sm — Photo by Dave Dietz

Kevin Allison is probably best known for being the tall, redheaded member of 90’s cult sketch comedy group The State. Since the dissolving of The State, Allison has been doing a podcast called “Risk! True Tales Boldy Told” where people tell stories from outside of socially accepted norms. He will be doing a Storytelling Workshop with Sketchfest at Brava Studio on Friday, January 31st at 3 PM (tickets). He will also be doing a live recording of Risk! at the Brava Theater at 7:30 on the 31st with Dana Gould, Nato Green, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Brendon Walsh telling stories, as well as an opening set by fellow The State alums Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black (tickets). We had a chance to sit and talk with Allison ahead of these performances. Since he is a storyteller, I was only to squeeze in three questions. It’s ok, because I didn’t want him to stop talking! Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: Kevin Allison of Risk! True Tales Boldy Told”

Spinning Platters Interview with T-Bone Burnett and Oscar Isaac from ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’

The towering, imposing, and yet, gentle-voiced T-Bone Burnett strolled into the room occupied by a few eager journalists. Oscar Isaac, quiet and kind, followed close behind. The two artists, one a musician who has been inching closer and closer to becoming a household name for three award-winning decades, the other an actor who is sharply on the rise, not wholly but in part due to his incredible performance as the lead role in the Coen brother’s newest masterpiece, Inside Llewyn Davis, sit down at the table. Without pause, we jumped into conversation…and it wasn’t hard to get T-Bone going…

What are your five favorite film soundtracks?

T-Bone Burnett: God, I don’t know. I can’t even think of any.

Oscar Isaac: The Mission. Ennio Morricone.

T-Bone: Yeah, that was a good one. I like My Fair Lady. Even though I think that Dr. Strangelove is a much more strange and subversive film and should’ve won the Academy Award…I’m talking like a Hollywood insider, like a movie person <<laughter>>… but I loved that musical. You know the song, “I’ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face”? I can barely make it through that song, it’s just so beautiful. And “On the Street Where You Live,” It’s just beautiful songwriting and one beautiful melody after another. It beat Dr. Strangelove, which is one of the most important movies ever.

So, one of the reasons why I called the Coen brothers was because I had become a fan of theirs after their first movie, Blood Simple, because it just had so much of my home (Texas) about it and there was a style of storytelling that I thought was really great. And their next movie came out, Raising Arizona, that just had this insane soundtrack — “Ode to Joy” on the banjo with whistling and yodeling. And every joke of it landed for me. And one thing about the Coens is that there’s history in every shot. Isn’t that right?

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Spinning Platters Interview: Janet Varney, Cole Stratton, and David Owen, Organizers Of SF Sketchfest

This is the 13th year of the SF Sketchfest, and it seems to be getting bigger every year. The event’s founders, David Owen, Janet Varney, and Cole Stratton tooks a few minutes out of their day, busily putting together another epic line up, in order to chat with me. Tickets for all dates go on sale on December 15th, and you can find a full line up of festivities here:

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Spinning Platters Interview: Director Sini Anderson of “The Punk Singer”

The Punk Singer is a documentary about the life of Kathleen Hanna, the feminist icon best known for being the frontperson for two of the most innovative bands of the last twenty years: Bikini Kill and Le Tigre. Spinning Platters had the honor of getting to sit down and talk with the director of this film, Sini Anderson. The film covers nearly all of Hanna’s life, and is a fantastic document. The movie opens Friday, December 6th at The Roxie in SF!

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Spinning Platters Interview: Maxim of The Prodigy

Maxim DJ

Hailing from Essex, England, The Prodigy have attacked the electronic music universe for over twenty years, successfully blending punk, reggae, and dance music into sounds that have been constantly reinvented over time, all while driving their fans mad all over the world with their notoriously bone crushing live performances. This I can personally attest to, being witness to gigs at The Fillmore and The Warfield, the only moments in my concert going history where I felt concerned for my safety, losing 10 lb. of sweat in the process. At the forefront of this rebellion is longtime Prodigy MC, Maxim. He has recently branched out into the DJ scene and in anticipation of his first ever tour, which includes a local appearance at 1015 Folsom on Friday, 10/25, I caught up with him during a busy schedule for a few questions.

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Spinning Platters Interview: Andrew W.K. on Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg

Andrew W.K. with Marky Ramone, playing this Saturday at The Independent

This Saturday night, a ridiculously fun show is coming to The Independent in San Francisco. Marky Ramone, former drummer of New York punk legends The Ramones, has tapped Andrew W.K., professional partier, to sing Ramones classics with his band. Because this might be the most incredible concept in the history of fun, we decided we needed to talk to Andrew W.K. about it. Our conversation touches on the brilliance of simplicity, and I also ask him for some marriage advice.

Gordon: Are you just preparing for the tour right now? Are you in rehearsals?

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