Interviews

Fuse Festival Spring 2022 kicks off this week and is celebrating local artists and performers in its exciting multi-arts program of music, dance, performance and more. Festival director Jodee Mundy OAM speaks with Annika on State of the Art about the festival program.

What do you talk about with someone who's sung for Judas Priest, Iced Earth, Beyond fear, KK's Priest, The Three tremors, Leviathan Project, Charred Walls of the Damned, Tred, Yngwie Malmsteen, Hollentor, Brainicide, Winter's Bane, Spirits of Fire and many more? Well, you start with his forth coming tour playing the songs of Dio & Judas Priest and you go from there.

Packed with jammed out tracks of psychedelic blues and full-tilt heavy rock, West Australian boogie masters Datura4 return with their highly anticipated fifth album Neanderthal Jam. Guitarist Dom Mariani calls in to Pojama People to talk about the album.

Taking their influences from 70's metal, rock and psychedelia, Los Angeles-based Sasquatch return to Australia to celebrate their recently released album 'Fever Fantasy.' Bassist Jason Casanova called in to Pojama People for a chat ahead of their tour in September.

Naarm's delightful disseminators of wholesome rock and spinners of striking yarns, The Fillmores announce the release of their double single 'Heart Shaped Orange' and 'A Bit Too Much,' out on local label Critter Records. Tune in to Firewater to hear brothers Seamus and Jack Fillmore talk with Claire about their double single launch at the Old Bar September 3.

Green Music Australia have launched Sound Country: A Green Music Guide . It’s an official guide that unpacks all the ways both artists and the music industry can reduce their footprint and advocate for change. GMA CEO Berish Bilander joins Kurt on Homebrew to chat about the initiative.

Due to high demand, award winning multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier has added second shows for Melbourne and Sydney in December. These Australian shows join the massive run of more than 67-dates on Collier's global tour, which sees him performing music from Djesse; a four-volume, 50-song collection of classical-jazz-funk numbers that blend musical genres and defy all expectations. Collier graciously made time for a chat with Adam Rudegeair, which you can hear in full on Black Wax.

Beloved local songwriter Danika returns with expressive new single, titled 'Coolshit Bullshit,' alongside Paul Bender and Maria Moles in the rhythm section. She drops in for a chat and to play a couple of stripped back songs live in-studio with Milo. Tune in on Monday morning to hear more.

Co-presented by FUSE Festival and Wurundjeri Land Council, Ganbu Gulin (meaning ‘One Mob’ in Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung) celebrates and recognises First Nations peoples. This free event invites all residents, old and new to be officially welcomed onto Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country. DRMNGNOW calls in to Subway Sounds to talk about performing at the opening party and what punters can expect.

When he's not presenting fills on PBS or shows on Radio Alhara, you'll find DJ Matab bringing tasty global feel-good dance grooves to various music venues around Melbourne. He drops in on The Breakfast Spread to play a fun Friday mix on The Wheels of Steel.

If you haven't heard of The Gas Babies, it's because they haven't played live in 35 years. But back in the day, they played the legendary Seaview Ballroom in St. Kilda and released just one 7'', which had a cover of the Flamin' Groovies song 'Headin' For The Texas Border'. And you know their bass player, Russell Baricevic, from garage rock outfit Bored! Well, he's coming in to chat with Phil MacDougall about the band's first gig in decades, at The Corner on August 27.

The ’90s was a magical time for Australian music, record labels had money to spend and the Big Day Out was in full force. Co-authored by Jane Gazzo and Andrew P Street, 'Sound as Ever' is a celebration and a documentation of this fertile period with archival photos and never told before stories from the artists and industry folk who were there. Tune in to Junkyard to hear Jane talk to Michael about the book and it's launch.

Truckload of Sky celebrates the the lost songs of Triffids founder, frontman and songwriter David McComb. Formed by brother and fellow Triffids member Robert McComb, Truckload of Sky focuses on songs that were mostly not yet written during the Triffids’ life-span, rather they were written by David in Melbourne and London in the 90s and never properly recorded for various reasons. Robert drops by to chat with David Pisker about the Truckload of Sky show at The Brunswick Ballroom on October 8.

Saxophonist Flora Carbo has been selected as one of three national finalists for The Freedman award, arguably the most prestigious jazz music fellowship in Australia this year. Each finalist will head to Sydney for a play off at the Sydney Opera House on September 3. Flora calls in to Eternal Rhythm to talk about the award and performance.

Last Thursday afternoon Pete got to spend half an hour with Ron Hitler-Barassi and Humphrey B. Flaubert of TISM. In typical TISM fashion the interview did not go to plan. Tune in to hear how.

The same crew who bring us Strawberry Fields are bringing a slice of that beautiful festival to Beechworth this September with a stellar line-up of wonderful local artists. But Wonder Mountain is its own thing. There you can expect some good ol' fashioned high country hospitality taking place in the 150-year-old grand pub where Ned Kelly once drank Australian liquid gold. Tune in to The Afterglow to hear festival Arts Coordinator Limor Benahron tell Lyndelle all about this special event.

Featuring 14 artists, Interspecies and Other Others is the world premiere of a new after dark exhibition curated by Kelli Alred, that will transform the gardens and architecture of Melbourne’s beloved and heritage-listed Abbotsford Convent. Giving audiences a unique night-time exploration of the Convent’s outdoor spaces, and unexplored nooks and crannies. Tune in to State of the Art to hear Annika's chat with exhibition curator Kelli Alred.

Naarm's best blackened hardcore/grindcore band, Diploid come in to the studio to talk about their gig at Monash Mausoleum (The Counts) along side some awesome death metal bands, playing Dark Mofo and much, much more!

Forming in Tokyo, Japan in 1989 as an experimental metal band before gradually changing to traditional metal, Sigh were a huge part of the formation of the second wave of black metal. Their music brings together nearly every metal genre and takes influences from jazz and prog. Kene spoke to vocalist Mirai Kawashima about their new Album Shiki, recording such complex music, touring, firing band members and much more

Charm of Finches have just returned from a European tour, and are on the cusp of a massive homecoming tour which kicks off at George Lane on Friday August 26 and Archies Creek the following night. Mabel and Ivy will join Kurt in the studio for a chat and to perform a couple of songs live to air.