Interviews

Joining Claire Dickson this morning for a special, Tuesday guest mix is PBS announcer Bridget Small. With a selection of tunes that reflect a deeply thoughtful ear and an intuitive approach to programming, her sets favour leftfield chuggy downtempo, homespun DIY guitar music and long-lost gems uncovered through close listening and curiosity. Find out about her upcoming DJ set at 'HIGH GROUND: IN MOTION' on July 18 at The Evelyn Hotel, as part of Leaps and Bounds.

This morning on Mystic Brew, Iwuda, the solo project of First Nations bassist Davin Ojala, will join Mike Gurrieri on the program. Named after the Anaiwan word for echidna, Iwuda draws on jazz, groove, and a wide range of musical traditions to arrive somewhere distinctly its own: bass-forward modern jazz with a searching, restless quality at its core. Tune in to hear about 'Music for Iwuda', the upcoming debut album from Davin Ojala.

The music of Wybie has an odd magic, blurring the borders between folk storytelling, art-rock and experimental production meet. Starting out in 2019 as the brainchild of guitarist, producer and songwriter Kyle Muir, Wybie are putting on a show at Northcote Social Club on July 11 to say farewell to their saxophonist Flora Carbo as she departs for Denmark. Tune in to the show as Kyle joins Jordan for some live music and some chats.

'Under The Under' is the new sophomore album from local band Growth. Starting as a reflective space to explore the sorrows and sharp angles that come attendant with a lifelong diagnosis, Growth has found meaningful ways to channel the ugliest and most jarring fragments of the self. Opening for Rivers of Nihil at Max Watt's on August 15, tune in to Tyrannocoreus as Ryan catches up with the band ahead of their show with the US death metal group.

This week on Tyrannocoreus, Ryan catches up with George Clarke, vocalist for US black-metal trailblazers Deafheaven. Coming over to Australia for a bunch of shows, their 2025 album 'Lonely People With Power' is their sixth album, and embraces the band’s full identity after years of evolution. The record captures Deafheaven’s innate ability to mix and merge melody with brutality, and pain with poetry. Tune in to hear about their show at The Forum on July 9.

This morning on The Breakfast Spread, presented by Stone Love’s one and only Richie 1250, proud Yorta Yorta man Jason Tamiru will be joining the show. Passionate about supporting his people’s creativity, Jason has worked with many of Naarm’s most iconic performing arts companies, and is the Creative Director of Yalinguth. Tune in for sounds and stories woven together by Jason with the yidaki and clapsticks, and to hear about the Yalinguth Archives event on July 22 at the Builders Arms Hotel.

Coming in to Roots of Rhythm this morning to join Helen Jennings in the studio, is multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Daryl Roberts. His band Hey Gringo have eight funky blues albums of original music, which have charted up to No. 2 on 'The Oz Blues & Roots Airplay Charts', and they are about to drop their ninth album 'Adios Amigos'. Tune in to hear about the bands upcoming shows, along with tracks from the new record.

The Echuca Moama Winter Blues festival is running from July 23 - 26, and on the line up is award-winning artist, powerhouse bassist, and soulful vocalist Sweet Felicia and the Honeytones. Since forming the band in 1999, Sweet Felicia has shared stages with legends including BB King and Ron Wood, and in 2010 represented Melbourne as a semi-finalist in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. Listen in to Roots of Rhythm to hear more about Sweet Felicia's extensive musical career.

From singer-songwriter at the 1980 Daylesford Folk Festival supporting Ralph McTell, to solo techno at The Big Day Out; from a marathon 12-hour synth improv for Melbourne Fringe Festival to an episode on ABC Compass about his music therapy work with Dementia sufferers, Michael’s musical career has taken as many turns as the instruments he has picked up on the way. Tune in to Southern Style as Michael brings his guitar and mountain dulcimer into the studio for an exclusive live performance. 

With two album releases under his belt, Pirritu’s work honours a cultural journey connecting to land, language, and family with a continual thirst for deeper understanding. His music features folk instrumentation weaving amongst his unique vocals like the gentle wind and waters that the Ngiyampaa man sings of, with stories of sadness, love and hope. To kick off the show this week, Lauren Plant is joined by Pirritu for a captivating, live in studio acoustic performance.

Link McLennan from Bagful of Beez and Ross McLennan from Heir to the Squandered Millions will be stopping by Radio City this week to chat with Crispi about their new singles. Link Meanie - aka Link McLennan - has always been known for his love of pop, even when screaming his guts out in the Meanies, while Ross McLennan is known for his power-pop outfit Snout. Tune in to hear about their release show at The Tote on July 16.

After his Studio 5 Live performance, Aboriginal and Fijian producer and rapper Miles Nautu will catch up with Milo Eastwood on Stone Love. Fresh off releasing his new EP, 'the front', the record's focus track, 'lost', is an upbeat, vibrant jazz-rap cut built on Latin-infused drums and a mystical flute melody, featuring a dream collaboration with UK rap veteran Coops. Known for his commanding and dynamic live sets, tune in to find out when Miles Nautu will next be performing in Melbourne.

PBS announcer Crispi from Radio City will be coming on to 5ft High and Rising this morning, chatting with Myles about the epic line up for this year’s Swinging City. Presented by PBS and Leaps and Bounds, Swinging City is an annual tradition of a live broadcast from one of Yarra’s many great establishments. Taking place at The Stingo on July 23 from 1pm - 5pm, Crispi and Ernie from Swinging Doors will present four hours of live music, including Georgia Fields, Charles Jenkins and Leah Senior.

'The Builders Arms', once known by some as the 'Black Pub of Melbourne' was a hub for the Aboriginal community from the 1930s-1980s. In that time, many people came off the missions and found family and community in Fitzroy. On July 22, as part of Leaps and Bounds, there will be audio stories from well-known Elders, and Uncle Robbie Thorpe will be stopping in for a yarn, followed by a music/spoken word set from MpathSoul. Tune in to Subway Sounds from 7pm as MpathSoul joins Suzi on the show.

The soulful traditions of West African blues will meet the evocative sounds of Greek rebetiko at the Melbourne Recital Centre on July 23, when the Mande Blues Ensemble and Estudiantina of Melbourne come together. Joining Roger Holdsworth on the show to discuss their remarkable cross-cultural collaboration, tune in for live music and a conversation with Amadou Suso, Aboubacar Djelike Kouyate and Con Kalamaras about this unique musical dialogue before experiencing it live on stage.

Coming on to Stars In The Static this week is New Zealand-born pianist Mike Nock. A work of astonishing emotional depth, his seminal album 'Ondas' was recorded in Oslo in 1981, featuring himself on piano, bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Jon Christensen. More than four decades on, it remains one of German independent jazz record label ECM’s towering achievements. Greg catches up with Mike Nock about performing his album in full at Fed Square on July 23, with support from Krakatau.

On Tyrannocoreus this week, vocalist Julian Cashwan Pratt for US art/punk/hardcore group Show Me The Body will be coming on to the show. 'Alone Together' is their new album, and it's about praxis and putting belief into action. The opening line, “radical love compels me to fight”, reflects lived experience, standing up for one another and for what you believe in, regardless of outcome. Tune in to hear what Show Me The Body has planned for the rest of 2026.

Local alternative four-piece metal group Verona Lights are about to go on tour with Australian nu metal band Sunk Loto, playing a sold out show at The Corner Hotel on August 14. Joining Ryan on the program to chat about the upcoming tour is Brendan Davine, Michael Tesoriero and Nath Busst. Tune in to hear about Verona Lights' band history, along with their unique writing style. 

Using her artistry as a passage for connection and catharsis, Daisy Kilbourne combines elements of folk, rock, and soul to create a sound that pays homage to her musical heroes, while remaining distinctly her own. A wannabe ‘70’s child that comes from a small town with a big spirit, Daisy draws inspiration from the musical legacy of her late father, a fellow songwriter. Tune in for a special live performance from Daisy, and to hear about playing at Town Folk Festival later on in the year.

At the Fitzroy Bowls Club on July 23, Tracey Miller and friends will be playing a special show, as part of Leaps and Bounds.  With a career spanning four decades, Tracey’s voice has lit up stages all around the world, forging deep connections through gospel, soul, and rhythm and blues. On the day, Tracey will be joined by Le Tran singing in Vietnamese, Mietta Zaetta-Thomas performing in Italian and Byron Triandafyllidis playing the Greek bouzouki. Tune in to hear more about this free event.

On Radio City this week, Crispi will be joined by Scott Thurling, the founder of local record label Popboomerang. Releasing music since 2002 with over 80 recordings to date, Scott will be chatting about releasing a compilation called 'Shake Yer Popboomerang 4', featuring rare and unreleased tracks from Australian bands on July 3. Tune in to hear about the compilation launch shows at Shotkickers on August 9, followed by The Tote on August 15.

Local singer-songwriter Barb Waters returns with new music under her own name for the first time in over 15 years. A duet with her daughter Jeanie Pilkington of Folk Bitch Trio, 'Farmer's Wife' was produced by Barb's partner and Jeanie's dad Craig Pilkington (who also played bass on the recording), making for a real family affair. Barb and Craig join Crispi on Radio City, chatting about their new music and upcoming show at Brunswick Ballroom on August 16.

One of metal's most uncategorizable acts The Amenta have been synthesising the ugliest aspects of death, black, and noise into a unique maelstrom for over 25 years. Well known across the world for their intense live shows, The Amenta combine speed, anger, and weird sound with smoke and strobes to create a brutal, overwhelming experience. Ahead of their 'Black Plant' show at The Bendigo Hotel and Nighthawks on July 25, Kene catches up with keyboardist Tim Pope on Burning Bitumen.

Coming into Roots of Rhythm this morning is vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Kaliopi Stavropoulo, from local group Kaliopi & The Blues Messenger. Following their award-winning 2024 album 'The Devil’s Voodoo Curse' - which charted in the ABARAC Top 25 for twelve months and earned VIC/TAS Blues Award recognition, the band entered a defining chapter with the release of 'How The Caged Bird Sings' (2025). Tune in to hear about the band's new album.

The darkwave project of Brisbane artist Jed A. Walters, Chiffon Magnifique has evolved into a full live band drawing from post-punk, goth rock, and minimal wave to create a dynamic live show. Ahead of their debut Naarm/Melbourne show at 'Black Planet', Jed joins Bleeding Black Hearts Revue to talk about his influences and surviving the dark subculture in sunny Queensland.

Formed in 2023, Sydney darkwave band INAUGURAL channel the perspective of two biblically accurate angels navigating late-stage capitalism. Tune in to Bleeding Black Hearts Revue as they discuss their musical roots, songwriting process and their EP 'Stone Tapes' ahead of their live performance at Nighthawks on July 25.