Interviews – Spinning Platters

Interview with Bay Area Theatre Legend Andrea Gordon

Interview by Sahar Yousefi

Written by Edward Mulryne and Sahar Yousefi

Andrea Gordon takes the helm as Director of Play Reading and Production at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco. Photo by Jessamyn Picton, 2024.

Acclaimed theatre writer, director and producer Andrea Gordon is presenting a six-part series of monthly play readings with her company Rainbow Zebra Productions at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco. Titled the ‘Reading Series Extravaganza’, every performance will feature a piece of new writing and local actors, with casting by Liam Vincent.

Curious to know more about this ambitious and community-minded project, Spinning Platters recently sat down with Andrea Gordon for an interview.

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Spinning Platters Interview: Eddie Muller, founder of the upcoming Noir City Film Festival

Eddie Muller is the founder and president of the Film Noir Foundation and the man known internationally as the “Czar of Noir.” SFFILM this month named Muller to its pantheon of “Essential SF” cinema figures. Earlier this year, Muller debuted as the host of the new Turner Classic Movies franchise Noir Alley, providing him with a national platform to introduce a fresh audience to film noir and to the work of the Film Noir Foundation.

NOIR CITY 16 takes audiences back in time with a program of 12 genuine “A” and “B” double bills, spanning the breadth of the original film noir era, 1941 to 1953.

The most popular film noir festival in the world returns to San Francisco’s majestic Castro Theatre for its 16th edition, January 26-February 4, 2018. “Film Noir from A to B” presents 24 classic noirs as they were experienced on their original release, pairing a top-tier studio “A” with a shorter, low-budget second feature, or “B” film. All but one of the films will be presented in glorious 35mm.

You can view the program here.

I’ve been going to Noir City for most of the past 15 years, and was delighted to have the chance to interview Eddie about this year’s festival, how film noir continues to be relevant, and why these old movies still resonate today. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: Eddie Muller, founder of the upcoming Noir City Film Festival”

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: 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: 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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Part One of the Spinning Platters Interview: Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost of The World’s End

Maybe we can get a fourth movie in this trilogy if we ask nicely.

Tomorrow sees the U.S. release of The World’s End, the third film in a so-called trilogy of films from Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sitting around a table with a group of San Francisco film writers to talk with them for a few minutes. Those few minutes became a lot more minutes, as once they started talking, they had a lot to say. Part one of this two-part interview will touch on subjects such as traveling to England, Raising Arizona, and putting peanuts in a log. Come back tomorrow for part two of this interview, and a review of the movie as well.

You mentioned during a post-film Q&A that you wanted to show parts of England that weren’t London, but then these parts of England that aren’t London have zombies, they have murderers, they have what we see in this movie …

Edgar Wright: Which is basically saying “Don’t go to England.” Continue reading “Part One of the Spinning Platters Interview: Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost of The World’s End”

Spinning Platters Interview: Robin Finck of Nine Inch Nails

Robin Finck, bathed in green at Outside Lands Music Festival

As San Francisco’s Outside Lands Festival made a seemingly bold move by including Trent Reznor’s freshly reunited band of heavy hitters in Nine Inch Nails to its weekend roster, some wondered if this was the right decision considering a historically safe trend of artists who provide the soundtrack for having a good time in the park. It ended up working out brilliantly – Nine Inch Nails’ Saturday night closing performance will go down as one of the greatest since the festival started in 2008. Not bad for having to follow Sir Paul McCartney’s nearly three-hour rock ‘n’ roll extravaganza the previous evening. We were lucky enough to catch up with touring guitarist and longest standing live member, Robin Finck, for a few questions just before the musical onslaught. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: Robin Finck of Nine Inch Nails”

Spinning Platters Interview: Pat Spurgeon of Rogue Wave

Pat Spurgeon of Rogue Wave, not at my apartment.

Tonight at Bottom of the Hill, Rogue Wave is playing a sold out show for the 2013 Noise Pop Festival. This isn’t particularly newsworthy; they’ve done it before. What’s a big deal about this is that it’s Rogue Wave’s first hometown show in a couple of years, and it comes soon after the completion of their newest album, due sometime later this year. I sat down with Pat Spurgeon, Rogue Wave’s long time drummer to talk about the upcoming album, how musicians talk about their influences, and Gangnam Style, of course. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: Pat Spurgeon of Rogue Wave”

Spinning Platters Interview: Ang Lee on “Life of Pi”

Netter_PI_1418R - Director Ang Lee on the set of LIFE OF PI — Ang Lee on the set of LIFE OF PI

They said it couldn’t be done: a movie version of Yann Martel’s bestselling novel Life of Pi, an intensely visual parable that consists almost entirely of a teenaged Indian boy named Pi lost at sea on a tiny rowboat with a wild tiger as his only companion? Bah, said some. Blergh, exclaimed others. Bloop, said NeNe Leakes. But clearly the naysayers hadn’t considered the possibility that Ang Lee, the Oscar-winning 58-year-old director of such contemporary classics as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Brokeback Mountain, would consider taking the helm. But take it he did, choosing the spiritual allegory as his follow-up to the modestly received Taking Woodstock.

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