Interviews

2026 marks the 50th year as a recording artist for Australian musician Ed Kuepper. To celebrate, he is taking to the road with The Exploding Universe (of Ed Kuepper), a full band performance featuring the added talents of drummer Mark Dawson, bassist Peter Oxley, keyboard player Alister Spence and brass arranger Eamon Dilworth, tackling material from right across Ed’s illustrious 50-year career. Ed Kuepper joins Michael Mulholland on the show to chat about the tour.

Queenscliff Music Festival is about to announce it's second line-up of musicians at the annual, three day festival taking place on November 27 - 29. With the first announce including musicians such as Peter Garrett & The Alter Egos, Baker Boy and Steph Strings, Festival Director Claire Stickland will be sharing the second line-up live on Swinging Doors. Tune in to hear what other incredible artists will be playing at this years Queenscliff Music Festival, down on the Bellarine Peninsula.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

'Last of the Natural Light' is the debut album and collaboration project from Billy Gardner & Friends. Recorded sporadically over the past five years, the project began as an attempt to finish a collection of half-written songs, before evolving into a standalone body of work with its own distinct style, sound and creative process. Tune in to Underground Love as Jordan catches up with Billy Gardner about the new record.

Bringing in her guitar for some live music on Homebrew today is local artist Tamara & the Dreams. Her new single ‘Beautiful Woman on the Coast in Portugal’ is out on July 9, which follows from her viral 2025 single ‘Successful Bisexual’ and its effusive follow-up, ‘Fleetwood Mac’. Tune in to hear about Tamara & the Dreams plans for the rest of 2026.

Tonight on The Sound Barrier, Ian Parsons is joined by Björn Schmelzer, the director of the Belgian Early Music ensemble 'Graindelavoix'. A profoundly intelligent and unconventional-thinking music director, anthropologist, and musicologist, Björn draws from contemporary philosophers Adorno, Deleuze, Derrida, and Lacan - shaping the very idiosyncratic and controversial musical style of Graindelavoix (translating to 'grain of the voice').

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.

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.

'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.

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.

Alternative rock band The Owls blend rhythm and blues, alt-country and folk influences with raw electric guitar textures and poetic songwriting. Their new single ‘Unfinished Business’, speaks to the question, what drives creativity? Resolving in the conclusion that, “in a past life, I must’ve had unfinished business.” Myles catches up with singer-songwriter and guitarist Sean McMahon about the new track.

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.

Proud Kaurna man and Aboriginal DJ residing in Melbourne, Fosters fell in love with the house music scene in the early 2000s.  Since then, he’s found his own brand of self-proclaimed 'chug' to his unique take on all things house and tech house. This NAIDOC week on July 10, Fosters will be playing a set for 'Gunuwarra: Deep Winter Rooftop Gathering’, a free-entry evening of First Nations music, culture, community and connection in the heart of Melbourne. Fosters joins Edd Fisher for a guest mix.

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.

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.

Blending modern jazz, cinematic composition and electronic texture, Freyja Garbett is an Australian pianist, composer and producer. Drawing on influences from film, contemporary classical and improvisation, her work explores atmosphere, narrative and groove. Matt catches up with Freyja, chatting about her new album 'Sowden House', where her worlds of jazz, cinema, and video-game storytelling collide.