Interviews

From electric jazz to ambient, experimental, house, and funk, Cory Champion is a versatile musician who has just made Melbourne his new home. His Aotearoa-based group Clear Path Ensemble channels the expansive and astral elements of electric jazz with an introspective dynamic, and he also features on The Circling Sun’s new cosmic jazz record, 'Orbits'. Tune in to Mystic Brew to hear Cory play some tracks with Mike Gurrieri.

Fiery five-piece all-girl rockers Hot Machine join Chris on Pojama People ahead of Arockalypse Now, returning for its fourth year on August 2 at the Westernport Hotel, San Remo. Formed in 2023, the Naarm-based band burst onto the scene with their debut single ‘She’s on the Money’, and haven’t slowed down since—bringing their blazing rock and roll to stages across the country. Listen in as Hot Machine talk riffs, rebellion, and getting loud at one of Victoria’s wildest regional festivals.

Credited as being one of the first death metal groups to write songs about Viking/Scandinavian history and heritage, instead of more typical subjects like death and gore, Swedish band Unleashed are back with a new album 'Fire Upon Your Lands'. Kene and Leah catch up with founder of the band Johnny Hedlund, tune in to hear them chat about all things death metal.

An intuitive art project born from raw passion; musical ecstasy fueled by impulsive composition and enactment, Swiss band BØLZER describe their own stage experience as a form of spiritual rapture. With a name that closely translates to something like 'smasher' or 'bulldozer', the duo will be in Melbourne on August 16, playing at Max Watts. Tune in as Leah and Kene catch up with the band ahead of their Australian tour.

Ryan Kirby, vocalist for Texan metalcore titans Fit For A King speaks to Ryan about their upcoming eighth album, Europe and North America touring schedule, and their impending plans for Australian shows next January with The Plot In You. What’s a king to a god? That’s a question the band are chewing on through their heavy-as-hell new album, 'Lonely God' out August 1 via Solid State Records.

Nathan Duke, vocalist for Naarm heavy metalcore outfit Bitter Kind heads to the PBS studios to discuss the band's new two-track release 'INTROSPECTION', sharing the stage with mutual bands like Body Prison, LUNE & Vilify, and plans for the rest of 2025 and beyond.

Acid Chess Club Presents: 'Chesstivus' - Melbourne’s most unorthodox winter chess tournament at CY Venue. Taking place as part of Leaps and Bounds Festival, the tournament will be held with 64 players, each going head-to-head for a night full of feats of strength (over-the-board chaos), with live music from Wrong Way Up, DJ Possum, Adam Halliwell, and the Acid Chess Club DJs. Tune in as Benji from Chesstivus stops by The Breakfast Spread to chat about the event, taking place on July 24.

CONVERGE presents a night of experimental live electronic music, DJs, and performance art to celebrate the launch of electronic artist Three Mothers’ self-titled album. Showcasing some of Naarm’s most innovative, visceral, and cutting-edge musicians and performers, CONVERGE invites audiences to transform, expand, and transcend. Tune in to Club It To Death as Pete catches up with Three Mothers ahead of the show at Miscellania on July 25.

Hailing from Naarm, Body Maintenance sounds like a band you would hear in a club in 1980s Manchester. While taking inspiration from the likes of Sisters of Mercy, The Sound and Echo and the Bunnymen, their sound is unique and unlike any other bands in the realm. Recently, the otherworldly outfit released 'Far From Here', their new project which launches at the John Curtin on August 1. Tune in to hear more from Mike, Riley Stafford (vocalist, guitarist) and James Kane (guitarist).

Coming through to Homebrew is Gareth Liddiard (guitarist, vocalist) of genre-bending four-piece Tropical Fuck Storm. In conversation with Brooke, he speaks about the band's highly anticipated recent release 'Fairyland Codex' filled with well-schooled social anarchy, snarling guitars and pulsing rhythms. The national album tour begins in November, covering Torquay, Archies Creek, Castlemaine, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Newcastle.

Naarm's folk-tronic act Amaru Tribe are embarking on an exciting journey to Colombia to complete production of their next EP, featuring collaborations with local and international artists. Before they depart, they're inviting the community to celebrate at an intimate farewell music gathering. Joining the line-up at The Night Cat on August 1 is multi-instrumentalist producer MOONTIDE, DJs Otorongo (Chile) and Musicaya (Columbia), plus Chinese-Australian artist QiQi. Tune in for all the details.

Naarm punk-rock heavyweights Press Club join Claire on Firewater to talk all things ‘To All the Ones That I Love’ – their brave, energetic and emotionally charged fourth album, released May 2. Known for their electrifying live presence and DIY ethos, Press Club have spent the better part of a decade pushing boundaries in Australia’s punk scene. On their latest record, they fuse the raw intensity of their early work with a more mature, textured sound, showcasing Natalie Foster’s soaring vocals.

Seedy Jeezus is a 60s psychedelic beast melded to the throbbing corpse of 70s rock – an apt description for an outfit once described as "the bearded shamen of riffology" and "the acid blotter on the tongue of Jimi Hendrix." The band found its feet in 2015 and now boasts numerous studio albums, records, and EPs. No two gigs are the same, with spontaneous jams and deviations guiding their approach to the stage. For more on their next project, 'Damned To The Depths', tune in to Pojama People.

Pizza Death are crashing into Arockalypse Now with a live set that’s as greasy as it is gnarly. Hailing from Naarm, this cult thrash-punk crew serves up blistering crossover anthems about three things: pizza, death, and—you're on the money—death by pizza. Riding high on the global buzz of their sophomore record 'Reign of the Anticrust', Pizza Death has topped Coretex Records’ charts and left sold-out crowds sauced and stunned. Catch the most brutal dinner-and-a-show experience on August 2.

Throughout its history, Seattle has put many loud rock bands on the map. One such band is The Accüsed, who fused punk with horror, gore, and extreme metal in a way that had never been heard before. This September, The Accüsed A.D. will finally make its way to Australia, revisiting their old catalog from Combat, Sub Pop, and Southern Lord, led by former members of The Accüsed. Tune in to hear Kene and Leah catch up with the band about their upcoming show at Stay Gold on September 6.

Naarm-based composer and guitarist Cam Butler sits down with Lyndelle on The Afterglow for a live in-studio performance and interview. Known for his genre-blending work with electric guitar and string instruments, Cam has played in bands like Silver Ray, Cam Butler & The Shadows Of Love, and The Coralinas. He visits the show fresh off the release of his most personal album yet, ‘Spirits Flying Home’ - tune in to hear about his upcoming performance at the Merri Creek Tavern on August 3.

Naarm-based Bernadette Novembre settles into Radio City to premiere her new single 'Sliding', officially out on August 1 with a music video to accompany. The Avant-indie alt rock singer-songwriter will discuss her latest release, the launch event at the Northcote Social Club on September 13, and what's on the forecast for the rest of the year. Listen in to hear it all first on PBS airwaves.

Rick Sands from Sand Brothers, the musical project formed alongside Greg Walker, Pete Cook, Din Robers and Glen Scarlett, enter the studio to chat about their latest EP, 'Shadows In The Square' and their upcoming show supporting Bleak Squad at Meeniyan Town Hall on August 2. Expect disheveled coastal rock interconnected by thematic lyricism and elevated by the haunting violin of Dayna Roberts – more on all that on Radio City with Crispi.

Alcides Neto is a Brazilian multi-instrumentalist and composer based in Naarm. Inspired by folk music from his home country, Alcides aims to present his perspective of Brazilian music, mixing traditional styles with Brazilian contemporary jazz. He comes onto Homebrew to play a few songs and chat to Brooke about the Music In Exile show at The Night Cat on August 8 with Ausecuma Beats and NŪ.

Formed in 2022, Identity Error blends a mix of hardcore and metalcore influences fuelled by blistering riffs, pummelling rhythms, and cathartic vocals. Inspired by their local scene and international heavyweights such as Boundaries and END, Identity Error channels their passion and energy into every performance. Lachlan Ferruccio joins Ryan to discuss their debut EP 'You Still Have Tomorrow' and release show, plus working with Thirty Two Records to bring this project to classic black vinyl.

Milly Strange heads to The Breakfast Spread to perform a few stripped back acoustic songs ahead of her debut self-titled album, out August 8 via Community Music. The 8-track project reveals its tensions in full, weaving sharp emotional honesty with vivid imagery and tender moments of introspection. Milly's music thrives on contrasts – light and dark, past and present, beauty and unease. With a headline show at Northcote Social Club on September 18, don't miss this special set and interview.

It's Claire meets Claire on this edition of Firewater. Ahead of her show at the Northcote Social Club on August 28, Claire Birchall drops into the studio to chat about her upcoming set. From stunningly raw confessions to big-time rock to pop songs lavished with fuzzed out guitar, Casio and loops, Claire continues to find new ways to present her material to audiences. Come raise a glass to celebrate 20 years of great gigs and good yarns at NSC with all your PBS favourites.

Northcote Social Club is turning 20! Join us for a night of dark synths on August 28 with The Night Terrors and many other special acts. Featuring Miles Brown on haunting theremin melodies, and Sarah Lim blasting danceable darkness on vintage synthesisers, they’ve built a reputation as one of the country’s most original acts. See the band roar through material from all their albums with special guest Mitch McGregor on live drums. Miles visits Pojama People to chat about what to expect.

Australian blues and soul guitar icon Geoff Achison swings by Roots of Rhythm ahead of his 60th Birthday Gig at Memo Music Hall on August 29. Backed by his powerhouse band The Souldiggers, Geoff will celebrate his milestone with a night of blues, rock and soul, sharing the stage with genre-defying shredder Kathleen Halloran and blues master Shannon Bourne. Tune in for a chat about Geoff’s storied career, what fans can expect from this special gig, and why turning 60 is no reason to slow down.