Interviews

For over a decade, Krystel Diola, a.k.a. DIOLA, has been a dynamic force in the local music community. From organising events for emerging electronic soul musicians to her roles in publicity, artist liaison, radio broadcasting, co-founding a record label, community engagement, and teaching music workshops, DIOLA’s contribution has significantly shaped the scene. She joins MzRizk today for a chat and to play some tunes on Boogie Beat Suite.

Ezra Collective's bandleader and drummer Femi Koleoso returns to The Breakfast Spread to tell Milo how his five-piece UK jazz outfit has blossomed into one of Britain’s most eclectic and acclaimed music acts, and how their new album, Dance, No One's Watching, was conceived as an ode to the sacred, yet joyous act of dancing. Tune in early on Tuesday morning to hear more.

Country music artist Gretta Ziller has been in the music scene from 2011. Since playing the violin at age 3, she has a Bachelor of Music from Melbourne University up her sleeve and released her third album ‘All These Walls’ last year, which explores themes of love, self-belief, and self-worth. Tune into Transfigurations as Lucas chats with Gretta.

Bristol-based electronic producer Om Unit has been making cutting-edge bass music since the 1990s. A lover of drum n bass, jungle and dubstep, Om Unit has put out releases on such seminal labels as Metalheadz, and performs live both behind the decks and with live electronics. On October 10th, presented by Modern Hypnosis & Proxemics, Om Unit will perform his critically acclaimed album ‘Acid Dub Studies’ at Howler in Brunswick. Ahead of this show, he drops in to play a guest mix on The Blend.

Music industry consultant Sarah Hamilton has over 15 years experience in the digital side of the music world. She aims to help artists and others navigate the digital space and the rise of streaming. Tune into Homebrew as she stops by to share her knowledge with Brooke.

Folk singer Ailsa Mitchell has a way of transporting you to the picturesque mountains and clear blue waters as seen on her single artwork, through her soft vocals and layered harmonies. You can catch her live at this year’s Strawberry Fields presented by PBS, and she’ll be dropping by The Breakfast Spread to share some of her latest tunes for a live, acoustic performance.

Ash Wednesday has a long history as an adventurous, genre-bending musician both in Australia and internationally. He's been a member of diverse bands such as JAB, Models, and Einstürzende Neubauten as well as being a solo artist, spanning styles including punk, new wave, industrial, and the avant-garde. Ash has released a new album AfterMATH, performing on the Grand Organ of the Melbourne Town Hall. Ash joins Ian to chat about the album and the challenge of living with multiple sclerosis.

Matt Stonehouse is a musician, composer and instrument maker based in St Andrews. He specialises in Arabic and Turkish styles of drumming and is featured on more than forty albums of both local and international artists. Matt pops in to Global Village to illustrate various styles of frame-drumming and to chat about a workshop he's doing at the Ballarat-based Centre for Rare Trades and Forgotten Arts on the weekend of October 18 – 20.

The Bamboos' keyboardist and co-leader of 11-piece Afro-Cuban band La Influencia Daniel Mougerman visits PBS for an intimate chat with Juan Colombo ahead of La Influencia's Fed Square performance on October 18th as part of the very first day of Melbourne International Jazz Festival. Tune in to Fiesta Jazz to hear more.

Acclaimed Nigerian musician Seun Kuti's upcoming album with his Egypt 80 band is titled ‘Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)’ and will hit the streets on October 4th via Milan-based label Record Kicks. Ahead of the release of this much-anticipated album, and the band's performance at Strawberry Fields in November, Seun speaks with DJ Manchild about the new album and how it extends his father Fela Kuti's political and musical legacy. Tune in to The Breakdown on Friday from 3pm.

House music pioneer Maurice Fulton and beloved local legend DJ JNETT have had a decades-long creative friendship, collaborating in the studio and the club. Ahead of their upcoming party on October 4th, presented by Crown Ruler at 24 Moons, the pair drop in to PBS for a chat with Edd Fisher and to play a special guest mix on Tomorrowland.

Ziggy Zeitgeist joins Jonny Alexander on Audio Vitamins to celebrate its five-year anniversary on PBS. Tune in on October 4 for a special guest mix from Ziggy Zeitgeist and hear about his recent collaborative work with Dumama from South Africa and their 'eKhaya' release, plus Energy Exchange Records 2nd Birthday. Life prior to 30/70 collective, his Berlin migration & their upcoming Aus tour.

Taking their name from Get Smart and the Groovy Guru, the Sacred Cowboys began in 1982 as a Supergroup with founders Garry Gray from seminal new wave outfit Negatives and Mark Ferrie from the Models. After many break-ups/reformations and line-up changes, November 2024 will see Garry and Mark reform the Sacred Cowboys with Timothy Deane, Anthony Paine and Damien Fitzgerald for the release of the anthology 'Cowboy Logic.' Garry and Mark join Michael on Junkyard. Tune in to hear their conversation.

Acclaimed Australian guitarist, 3-time ARIA winner, singer-songwriter and producer, Jeff Lang will be hitting the road to perform from his forthcoming album 'More Life,' a culmination of a few years of work, beginning with the concept of an album of songs co-written by Lang and some of his favourite artists. Tune in to Radio City to hear Jeff speak to Crispi about the album and its Melbourne launch at The Brunswick Ballroom on October 13.

In 1977, two Voyager probes set off to explore the solar system and beyond, each carrying a coded message for extraterrestrial life on a unique Golden Record. Following on from the critically acclaimed ‘Hubble’ project, Basement Spaceman returns with this new highly original ‘off planet’ show 'Voyager And The Golden Record.’ Basement Spaceman joins Crispi to talk about the album and its album launch at the Wesley Anne on October 12.

One year on from their release 'Noise For No Reason', Dja Dja Wurrung/Wurundjeri based band Pyrex return with their EP ‘Gemini’, a smaller but more in-depth helping of their unique dream pop. Jordan and Arian stop by The Breakfast Spread to chat about their new EP which comes out Sept 27, and to play Musical Chairs.

Josh Rombout, founder of and writer for Melbourne cyberpunk industrial electro band SIRUS, joins the Bleeding Black Hearts Revue to talk about the band, their upcoming show at Rebel Tech and to show off his superb mixing skills by spinning some dark electro live in the studio.

American cellist and performance artist Karen Hall brings her award-winning show, Delusions and Grandeur, to the Melbourne Fringe Festival this October. She chats with Cas about how she walks the line between artistry and insanity, and classic recital and clowning no less. Tune in to The Modernist Wednesday morning from 2am to hear more.

Vocalist for Ocean Grove, Dale Tanner catches up with Ryan about their upcoming fourth album 'ODDWORLD' which releases November 22, and how it is the sibling album to their debut album 'The Rhapsody Tapes' as well as their headline shows with Paledusk and Inertia.

Bassist for Brisbane-based metalcore band UNI/VS (pronounced universes), Shaq Schmidt chats to Ryan about their latest single 'A Chosen Death,' headlining tour across Australia this month and plans for the future.