The Soundsphere Magazine Podcast

Early in the six-episode comedy-drama series Bait, a once-rising star must now auction off the award he’d won at a film festival so he can get by, a metaphor for the parts of himself he’s had to relinquish over the years in order to fit in. Ever conscious of his public image, Pakistani Muslim actor Shah Latif (Riz Ahmed) now considers scrubbing his old “political” music off the internet and refuses to be pictured with decolonization protestors once he unexpectedly becomes a serious contender for the coveted role of British Secret Service agent James Bond. As the chasm between performer and the person grows — Shah’s spike in public visibility brings with it the existential questions of what he wants to use his platform for — his life begins to resemble the spy thriller he’s auditioning for, replete with a sequence in which he’s pursued through the subway.  For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

American disability rights activist Judy Heumann was a force to be reckoned with. Known as the “Mother of the Disability Rights Movement,” she was a lifelong civil rights advocate for people with disabilities. It’s no wonder then her memoir, Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist, attracted the attention of director Siân Heder, (known for her Oscar-winning film, Coda). For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/spotlight/actor-ruth-madeley-and-director-sian-heder-discuss-disability-and-inclusion-in-being-heumann/

On La Grande Mort Or Silence Of God, the life behind King 810’s interconnected world, and why success has never depended on anyone else’s approval. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/news/king-810s-david-gunn-talks-la-grande-mort-or-silence-of-god-the-bands-history/

Known for his chilling contributions to the horror genre, such as 2008's Eden Lake, 2012's The Woman in Black and the 2024 English-language remake of Speak No Evil, director James Watkins has now released possibly his most ambitious piece: Clayface, starring Tom Rhys Harries in the titular role. This is the latest horror flick based on the DC character of the same name, appearing front and centre in DC's first horror film and in an intriguing shake-up between the horror and comic book genres as it charts the story of an actor pushed to the edge after a mob attack leaves him facially disfigured and out of work. After he undergoes an experimental scientific procedure promising to repair skin and tissue, Harries' Matt Hagen finds his identity slipping when his skin becomes transformable clay. The third film in Warner Bros.'s new DCU (led by James Gunn and Peter Safran), Clayface also offers a spectacle and a feast of visual and messaging influence from numerous other films and cinema movements, which Watkins shared exclusively with Soundsphere's Ros Tibbs, a lover of horror and DC herself. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

The WWE star has spent years playing the games. Now, with his own character arriving via the Ringside Pass, he can share the experience with his kids—and bring The 946’s ambitions to players everywhere. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/news/wwes-royce-keys-comments-on-the-future-of-the-946-playing-2k26-with-his-kids-and-his-legacy/

For more than four decades, Jerry Bryant has made space for music that might otherwise have gone unheard. In conversation with Soundsphere’s Dom Smith, he reflects on JBTV’s Chicago roots, the value of backing emerging artists, and why the work has always mattered more than the numbers. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/news/broadcasting-legend-jerry-bryant-on-the-history-and-legacy-of-chicagos-jbtv-in-2026/

For Leon Slater, the moment the referee’s hand hit the mat for three was almost too big to take in. “I remember hitting the Swanton 450, hearing 1, 2, 3, and just sitting back like kneeling and just going, ‘Oh my God! Like I can’t believe like what’s just happened,’” he recalled in conversation with Soundsphere’s Dom Smith. “It was relief, it was joy, it was euphoria, it was all of these feelings you could possibly imagine wrapped into one.” At 22, Slater had become TNA’s youngest World Champion. The achievement still felt unreal. He hadn’t even watched the match back: he wants to hold on to the memory as it felt in the moment, rather than let the footage become the version he remembers. “When you watch the footage back, the memory almost becomes like a third-person memory,” he explained. “So I want to keep this as a first-person memory for as long as possible.” That instinct says something about Slater’s approach. He knows the importance of the milestone, but he doesn’t want the story of winning the title to replace the feeling of having lived it. The win is a new chapter, not a finish line, and the person who once had to believe in his own potential now has to defend his place at the top.

You might know Richard Summers-Calvert best as Biddy Blas or Charles Crowley. Whether you're into wrestling, gaming, Star Wars, James Bond or Marvel, chances are you've seen or heard this man's work, as the 34-year-old actor is starting to take over the world. For years now, he's been honing his reputation in wrestling as the Spectacular Twat Charles Crowley, who is taking over the squared circle with matches across the world, including recent matches for Tony Khan's Ring of Honor in the US. Over the last couple of weeks, everything has exploded with the release of Star Wars: Galactic Racer, with alien Biddy Blas going viral and launching its voiceover artist into a whole new galaxy. Speaking exclusively to Alistair McGeorge for Soundsphere, Richard delved into all things Biddy, Charles, his acting career, and what comes next. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/spotlight/charles-crowley-to-biddy-blas-wrestling-with-memes-bodyslams-and-star-wars/

Brad Kane talks Linda Cardellini’s visceral take on Pamela Voorhees, the appeal of slashers and the series’ show-stopping practical effects. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/features/interviews/crystal-lake-brad-kane-interview/

With MLW expanding its TV exposure, Riddle is enjoying a new character, a packed schedule and the chance to chase another prize. https://www.soundspheremag.com/news/matt-riddle-on-mlws-new-reach-creative-freedom-and-why-the-indies-are-thriving/