Interviews

Inspired by Karen Davitt's personal experience of her mother’s ageing journey, and the profound role music played in her wellbeing and happiness, 'Bring It Home' is an evening of surprises, music, and sing-alongs. Taking place in the 'Coolroom' at Castlemaine’s Northern Arts Hotel, Helen catches up with Karen Davitt, Boris Conley, Steve Grant, and Patrick Cronin. Tune in to hear about their upcoming show on October 24.

Tune in to Southern Style as Jan airs the final episode of 'Legacy', an interview series featuring iconic USA folk musicians Doc Watson and David Holt. In this final episode, hear a live concert recording of Doc Watson and David Holt at the Diana Wortham Theatre in Asheville, North Carolina, in 2001.

Mountaingrass, a festival celebrating bluegrass and old-time music is taking place in Bright, on November 14 - 16. Organised entirely by volunteers, Suzanne and Dave Diprose come in to Southern Style to chat with Jan about this festival. Tune in to hear about the bluegrass songwriter competition, workshops and concerts.

Joining Tom on Jumpin' The Blues this week is Steve Purcell from Belmar Records. Specialising in original roots, blues, jazz, and soul recordings, Belmar Records aims to introduce music lovers around the world to some of the incredible musical talent Melbourne has to offer, one track at a time. Tune in to hear about the launch of Belmar Records Top 10 Vol. 7, happening at the Railway Hotel in North Fitzroy on Saturday, October 25.

The debut album from local 10-piece boogie/funk outfit Mondo Freaks is ready for the world, following the warmly received 'Bells Are Ringing' EP released in April. Formed by the rhythm section of session bassist Luke Hodgson and drummer Graeme Pogson (GL, The Bamboos), Mondo Freaks are ready to break out internationally from the world-renowned Melbourne soul scene. Tune in as Lyndelle catches up with Graeme to talk about their upcoming album release show, happening at Howler on December 12.

Shining a light on the acts in Australia’s music scene who add a healthy dose of distortion to their twang is the daytime, family-friendly festival Fuzzy Sunday. The lineup features Fancy Weapon, Cam Butler, Sean Simmons, Alarms, Andy Kentler, and Flickering Stars, all performing at Coburg's RSL community space. Tune in to The Afterglow Radio Show as Marky and Sam drop by to chat about the event, happening on October 26 from 1pm.

The dynamic band from Lisbon, MAQUINA have made a significant impact on the Portuguese music scene since the release of their debut album 'DIRTY TRACKS FOR CLUBBING' in 2023. Known for their high-energy performances that fuse dance culture with heavy-hook songcraft, the band quickly earned a strong reputation and have been touring non-stop ever since. While traveling through Portugal, Vasco caught up with the band at their sold-out show in Lisbon. Tune in to hear from the trio.

Anchored in Indigenous futurism, 'It’s All Here' is the new EP from Kaytetye producer and DJ RONA. A sonic and visual experience, it confronts contemporary conversations about the race to space with generations of knowledge embedded in culture and Country. The EP is a call to journey inward, to evolve with the wisdom and deep connection to Country that has guided the world’s oldest living civilisation. RONA joins Milo for a round of Musical Chairs, tune in to hear her selection of tunes.

The third studio album 'The Significance of Time' by Margaret River’s Tanya Ransom is deeply evocative, blending her signature alt-country and folk sound with quiet emotional intensity. Weaving a delicate yet powerful narrative through all 10 tracks, Tanya will be performing at The Wesley Anne on October 23, alongside Adele Oliver and Misty Harlowe. Bringing her sweet yet powerful vocals to Down By The River, tune in for a live acoustic performance from Tanya.

Tune in to Eternal Rhythm this week as Shio catches up with local saxophonist and songwriter Will Larsen. Fresh off the release of new music, Will is set to take the stage at Bar Oussou on October 31 for a special Halloween performance. Tune in to hear about this spooky show.

Dropping in to Radio City to catch up with David Pisker is Rob Snarski from the SnarskiCircusLindyBand (SCLB). Bringing together a formidable lineup of Australian musical talent, the band focuses on the songwriting collaboration between Rob Snarski (The Blackeyed Susans) and Lindy Morrison (The Go-Betweens). Tune in as Rob chats to David about their new album 'What’s Said and What’s Left Unsaid'.

First discovered at age 15 by rock musician Spencer P. Jones, Melbourne based country rock n' roller Jules Sheldon returns with his new album ‘Electric Transport’. Joined by the backing band The Boundary Riders, the album is an esoteric and careworn jangly country punk journey spanning everything from grief, to love, and even Jules’s beloved trams. Tune in to Swinging Doors as Jules stops by to play a few live songs for Ernie.

Tune in to Swinging Doors as Ernie is joined by Duncan Philips, who'll be chatting about the 'Outlaw Legends', an event that honours those who dared to go their own way: Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, Billy Joe Shaver, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, and more. Listen in from 3pm to hear about the show, taking place at the Brunswick Ballroom on November 16.

Pioneer of the bass scene in India - the solo project of KRUNK LIVE founder, Sohail Arora aka EZ Riser, is in Melbourne for a show at Miscellania on October 24. Over the past decade, EZ Riser has shared stages with some of the world's finest bass music pioneers, drawing inspiration from jungle, drum and bass, to garage and techno, engineering his unique sound. Tune in to Tomorrowland as Edd Fisher catches up with EZ Riser while he's in town.

'Eternal Sunset' is the new six-track EP from Munich-based DJ and producer Nic Jalusi. Making waves with his refined house style rooted in the 90s, Nic is also one of the creative minds behind the fantastic label 'Super Sound Global'. Jonny catches up with Nic to chat about the influences behind the record, tune in to Audio Vitamins for a special guest mix from Nic, bringing together all the sounds and styles that have shaped his music over the years.

Rapper, singer, producer, and activist M.I.A. will be performing her Grammy-nominated music at the Forum Melbourne on October 26. Celebrated for her fearless creativity and distinctive blend of hip-hop, electronic, and punk, the British-Sri Lankan artist continues to inspire new generations of artists and audiences with her unapologetic voice and genre-defying sound. Ahead of her headlining show, Pradip catches up with M.I.A. Tune in to Tiger Beats Elephant Grooves for this exclusive interview.

California metalcore titans The Ghost Inside are returning to Australia this month for their first headline tour in over a decade. Armed with passion and determination that has captivated a global audience for decades, The Ghost Inside forge the new wave of American metalcore dexterity with the urgency of punk and dauntless melodies, all of which have permeated and fortified across six studio albums. Tune in to Tyrannocoreus as Ryan catches up with bassist and clean vocalist Jim Riley. 

Listen in to the second half of Tyrannocoreus this Wednesday morning as Ryan chats with vocalist Nazareth Tharratt and guitarist David Wilder from local band HEAVENSGATE. They’ll be talking about their recent touring experiences in Europe and America, as well as their new metalcore EP, 'A Heart Is a Heavy Burden'. Tune in to hear what they’ve got planned for the next 12 months.

London-born but Tassie-based, Celtic/Sri Lankan singer-songwriter Sheyana and her band have just released their new album 'All The Best'. Influenced by the classics and drawing inspiration from their deep Tassie roots, The Sheyana Band fuse the stylistic flavours of Australian rhythm and soul, southern country and rock. Tune in to Roots of Rhythm as Helen catches up with Sheyana.

In 1978, local duo Essendon Airport was formed by David Chesworth on Wurlitzer electric piano and Robert Goodge on guitar, accompanied by a home-made drum machine. Embracing minimalism, repetition, irony, and experimentation, Essendon Airport are now releasing a new album 'MOR', revisiting their early minimalist work with songs from and around the 'Sonic Investigations' era, reimagined in expanded full-band arrangements. Tune in to hear about their show at Northcote Social Club on October 24.

Having emerged from Melbourne’s bayside onto the live scene just a year ago with their fresh and spirited indie rock, The Gnomes are now set to release their self-titled debut album. Starting as a bedroom solo project for teenage singer-songwriter Jay Millar a few years back, the band have now shared the stage with the likes of Skegss, Split System and The 5.6.7.8's. Tune in to Radio City as Crispi catches up with the band about their album launch show at Brunswick Ballroom on November 14.

Psych-boogie heavyweight Dom Mariani (The Stems, DATURA4, Baggage Handler) brings the fuzz, swagger, and serious sonic firepower with his new album 'Apple Of Life', dropping on the last day of October. Crispi catches up with Dom the day before its release, tune in to hear about his recent show with Jon Spencer, and what we can expect from his second solo album. 

On October 31 at Sub Club Melbourne, 1800 Play and Charades join forces to welcome Reptant, a leading figure in the new wave of electro producers, with releases on labels like 'Trust' and 'Kalahari Oyster Cult'. Reptant will play an exclusive 4 hour set in the basement, with support from Séarlait, the founder of 1800 Play and the forthcoming label: 'esensual', known for her wiggy dub, tech house, and minimal-driven sets. Tune in to Tomorrowland as Edd catches up with both DJs.

‘Guewel’ is a landmark multi-artform work by Senegalese-born, Melbourne-based artist Lamine Sonko, created in collaboration with the National Theatre of Senegal. Premiering at Arts House this November 12 – 16, 'Guewel' fuses live music, animated projection, filmed landscapes and sacred dance to convey gestural languages rich with history, cosmology and collective memory. Tune in to hear about this project that’s been 7 years in the making.

Lithuanian kanklės (zither) artist Regina Marozienė is bringing her music to Naarm/Melbourne on October 29, performing in collaboration with Chinese-Australian sheng player Dr Wang Zheng-Ting at the Lithuanian Club. Then, on November 5, Regina will perform at the Church of All Nations alongside local kanklės players. Between these shows, Regina visits the Global Village to play her kanklės and chat with Roger about this traditional music.

Blossom Rot Records is turning 5, and to celebrate, they’re hosting a month-long residency at The Tramway Hotel this November, along with a special compilation release on vinyl. The label’s name was inspired by Soph’s veggie patch, where an abundant zucchini crop was struck by a serious case of blossom rot. Today, Blossom Rot Records is home to a stellar roster of musicians, including Dianas, Cool Sounds, and Bad Bangs, to name a few. Tune in as Brooke catches up with Nat and Jet from the label.

Delivering intricate folk-pop that is simultaneously graceful and darkly bewitching, Charm of Finches is the project of sisters, Mabel and Ivy Windred-Wornes. Having toured their fourth studio album ‘Marlinchen In The Snow’ in 2024, they return with their new single ‘Meteor’, inspired by the powerful forces of nature that reflect a tumultuous inner world. Tune in to hear about their upcoming show at Town Folk Festival on November 15 and at Brunswick Ballroom on November 20.

Tune in to Southern Style this week to hear from Toronto’s preeminent bluegrass band, the Tone Rangers. The lineup includes Andrew Collins (mandolin, guitar, vocals), James McEleney (bass, mandolin, guitar), Chris Quinn (banjo, guitar), and Ben Plotnik (fiddle, guitar). They’ll be sharing a live bluegrass performance with Jan Dale ahead of their appearance at Bright’s Mountaingrass Festival, taking place November 14 - 16. Listen in to hear what else the band have planned while in the country.

Al Matcott's debut album 'Summer’s Coming', was a full-throated howl against global warming and the forces behind it. And now his follow-up album, 'Fake The Days Away', explores how the electronic hallucinations of the internet have pushed reality and nature aside and are, foot-to-the-floor, driving us into a death spiral of lies, paranoia, hate, and stupidity. Al Marcott chats to Crispi about the new album, tune in to hear some of Marcott’s most personal songwriting yet.

Tune in to Swinging Doors for a lush live performance from ARIA-nominated group Minor Gold. Comprised of songwriters Tracy McNeil and Dan Parsons, their sophomore album 'Way to the Sun' is a harmony-drenched blend of cosmic country and folk. Recorded over seven sun-soaked days in California, the album slowly emerged like a hazy mirage from a cosmic suburban dream. Listen in from 3pm to hear Ernie catch up with the duo.

In this edition of Stars In The Static, Greg Sher catches up with Tamara Murphy to talk about her project, Spirograph Studies. After a 4 year wait between albums, Spirograph Studies are set to release 'Melody Driver', a record that pushes their hypnotic, textural approach to improvisation into new directions, textures, and dreamscapes. Tune in to hear about their album launch on November 18 at the Jazzlab.

Written largely on autoharp, local singer/songwriter Georgia Knight has announced the release of her much anticipated debut album, 'Beanpole'. The album weaves moody dark-pop with trip-hop pulses and synth-washed layers, unfolding into an avant-garde landscape that coaxes listeners into a world of musically dark terrain and cinematic breadth. Listen in to Radio City as Georgia Knight brings in her autoharp for a special, intimate performance.