Interviews

Tune in to Roots of Rhythm as Helen catches up with blues musician Michael Charles, the first Australian to be inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame. Having launched his career in 1984, Michael has performed with some of the greats, including Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, and Jimmy Dawkins. Some 40 years later, Michael’s roots are now in the USA, and his career boasts a catalogue of forty-one releases. Listen in to hear about his upcoming show at Bird’s Basement 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.

Flawless playing with an undeniable musical connection - Laura Boosinger and Mike Compton, also known as The Knackered Ramblers (USA), are joining Jan Dale on Southern Style this Wednesday. A banjo player and vocalist, Laura is a leading figure in preserving the tradition of shape-note singing, and Mike Compton is a Grammy and IBMA Award winning mandolinist and composer. Tune in from the second half of the show for a live performance from the duo, and to hear about their upcoming shows.

Captured live to tape at Soul Messin’ Studios using vintage instruments and analogue gear, the new album 'Cookin’ The Books' from Cookin’ On 3 Burners is rich in texture and vibe - full of grit, groove, and the warmth of true performance. Their first studio album in six years, the powerful trio will be coming into PBS for a raw and soulful Studio 5 Live performance. Tune in to The Afterglow Radio Show to hear Lyndelle catch up with the band after the session.

Tune in to TNT to hear from local band King’s Vengeance. They’ll be joining Tomarch and Takla to chat about their debut album 'Overthrown' - an 11-track record of hard-hitting, diverse songs packed with pure rock ’n’ roll. The album captures the high-voltage hard rock, explosive riffs, and raw, unapologetic energy that have become synonymous with King’s Vengeance. Listen in to hear about their show at The Espy Basement on December 6.

Tune in to The Breakfast Spread this morning as Sydney-based producer and songwriter Jerome Blazé joins Milo for a round of Musical Chairs. Crafting immersive, genre-blending soundscapes that weave electronic, soul and classical textures into wonderful songs, Jerome released his sophomore album ‘Living Room’ last year. Tune in to hear his show at Town Folk Festival this Saturday, along with Punters Club on Sunday.

Folk artist Rupert Bullard blends folk sensibilities with shades of country and blues, drawing deeply from the rugged landscapes of his island home of Lutruwita/Tasmania. Currently crafting his debut album with acclaimed producer John Castle (Vance Joy, Paul Kelly), Rupert Bullard’s releases have led to sold-out shows, along with festival appearances across the country. Tune in this Thursday morning on Down By The River for an acoustic performance from Rupert.

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 4pm for an intimate, live performance from the duo.

To kick off Swinging Doors this November 13, Ernie will be joined by WA group The Human Highway - a six-piece band coming together to celebrate the 80th birthday of one of the most influential and idiosyncratic artists of our time, Neil Young. Fronted by longtime Neil Young fans David Hyams and Rose Parker, the group will perform at The Night Cat later that evening. Tune in to hear three members of the band perform their versions of 'Comes a Time' and 'Ohio'.

On November 27, The Breakfast Spread hosts Milo Eastwood and Claire Dickson will take the show down to Fed Square for a very special outside broadcast. Joining them for the morning will be soul artist WILSN and best friend collective SHOUSE. Known for their 2017 hit single ‘Love Tonight’, SHOUSE embodies collective effervescence, communal ecstasy, singing, dancing, and being together as one. Tune in this Friday morning as they take over the Wheels of Steel.

Regarded as the 'Hendrix of the kora', Seckou Keita is revered as one of the world's great instrumentalists. Ahead of a special show at Memo Music Hall, Keita swung by PBS to play an exclusive in-studio set, and to have a chat to Stani about his career and his exploration of the music of southern Senegal.

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.

IKSRE, which stands for “I Keep Seeing Rainbows Everywhere” is the project of vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, producer and sound healer, Phoebe Dubar. Written, recorded and produced in a solar powered caravan during an epic, 20,000km road trip to some of the wildest, most remote places in Australia, IKSRE’s new album ‘expansion a (south)’ is set for release this November. Tune in to Deeep Space for an ambient, soul-healing live performance from IKSRE.

'Milk Thistle Salmon Blush', a psychedelically minimal spectacle and the eighth release from Melbourne/Berlin artist Gregor, came out last month. The new record interweaves disparate elements and double meanings that coalesce into a cohesive whole, exploring themes of preoccupation, communication, fear, temptation, and yearning. Gregor joins Claire Dickson on The Breakfast Spread to chat about the new album - tune in to hear a selection of tracks that he's brought in to share with Claire.

Local band Flitcraft have returned with their new album 'Transmission Echo’, and it's filled with heavy melodic rock like 70’s Priest or Scorpions, but also quirky and modern, giving it a progressive flair that somehow the term 'progressive metal’ doesn’t quite fit. Tune in to Burning Bitumen as Kene and Leah catch up with the band about their new record, along with their upcoming show at Bergy Bandroom on November 29.

For the first time, Nordic folk-rock act Kalandra will be coming to Australia for their debut tour across the country. Spearheaded by four Norwegian and Swedish musicians, Kalandra have captivated the world with their unique blend of melancholic Nordic folk, gritty guitars and ethereal melodies. Tune in to Burning Bitumen to hear about Kalandra’s second album 'A Frame of Mind’, which showcases their evolution of songwriting, exploring belonging, memory and resilience.

The ninth album 'Flowers', from metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada marks the beginning of an epic new chapter for the group. They’ve just spent the summer playing some of the biggest shows of their career, performing in amphitheaters across the globe, and their single 'For You' is the band’s first-ever track to chart on both the Mediabase and Billboard Active Rock charts in the US. Tune in to Tyrannocoreus to hear Ryan Evans chat with the band’s vocalist, Mike Hranica.

Drummer and tech visionary Barra for local band DEADSKIN drops in to Tyrannocoreus to hang out with Ryan Evans. With an eerie brand of metalcore that expels haunting lyrics with a soundtrack to match - tune in to hear about DEADSKIN's new singles 'Seeing Things' and 'Peeling Skin', along with their recent live shows and plans for the new year. 

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 a brand new Belmar Records release; a limited edition vinyl and CD - 'The Jumpin' the Blues Allstars Live on the Radio Vol.1’.

The Port Fairy Folk Festival has expanded its line-up, with more artists joining the seaside celebration taking place from March 6 - 9. From its humble beginnings in 1977, the festival celebrates its 49th year in 2026, featuring a huge multi-venue main arena with four stages, family-friendly entertainment, excellent food, and more. Director Justin Rudge joins Lauren Plant, tune in to hear him discuss some of the artists to watch in the global folk scene.

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.

Off the back of the London album launch for 'The Second High', Liz Stringer is back on home soil for the 'To Survive Tour', a campaign that brings awareness to the housing crisis and raise much-needed funds for Australia’s most vulnerable. Audiences will be given the opportunity to donate their chosen amount to a local community support organisation using QR codes at each show, to which Liz will also donate personally. Tune in to Radio City as Crispi catches up with Liz about this tour. 

Tune in to Fang It! to hear Ruari catch up with Toody Cole and Her Band, the co-founder and mainstay of iconic Oregon group Dead Moon and the godmother of raw DIY rock 'n' roll. Returning to Australia for the first time fronting her own band, after three decades of performances here with Dead Moon, Pierced Arrows, and as a duo with her late, great husband Fred Cole, tune in to hear an exclusive Studio 5 Live performance, the day before Toody Cole's show at The Tote on November 21.

Tune in to the Ports Of Paradise to hear a live performance from the electrifying ensemble, Johnny Fuego and The Heat. Featuring the powerhouse vocals of Loretta Miller, the 9-piece will share with Palmtree Paddy their unmistakable swagger of the 007 theme to Shirley Bassey’s 'Goldfinger', Tom Jones’ 'Thunderball', and deep-cut gems from Bond’s legendary back catalogue, ahead of their show at The Night Cat that night.

'Mango' is the new LP from local producer, Jacky Winter. A sideways breakbeat record, Winter works sample heavy MPC jams into classic song form, where melody is King. Joining Richie 1250 on Stone Love, tune in to hear about Jacky Winter’s LP launch party at The Railway Hotel Ballroom on November 29, with guests Stefan Blair (Good Morning) and vinyl DJ's Stuckey (Surprise Chef) and Lady Love Potion.

Local nu-metal band Bad Juju have just released their new EP, 'Simulacra'. Blending gritty alt-rock with raw emotional intensity, guitarist Abe Miller joins Ryan Evans on Tyrannocoreus to chat about the band’s latest release. Tune in to hear why Bad Juju shifted their sound from emo to nu-metal, and what it was like to work with Sam Bassal from nu-metal band Ocean Grove.

Jesse Barr, the vocalist for local heavy hitters Hate Complex will be joining Ryan on Tyrannocoreus. Having just released their new single ‘SILENCE’, tune in to hear Hate Complex's upcoming debut album ‘DISSONANCE’, and what we can expect to see from the band in the not too distant future.

Local singer-songwriter Charlotte Le Lievre returns with 'Tamworth Lights', a deeply personal and moving new single. Following on from the success of her debut album, 'Songs from the Barrier Line' - 'Tamworth Lights’ marks the first release from Charlotte’s forthcoming sophomore album, 'Grief Knows No Borders', due in Spring 2026. Tune in to 5ft High and Rising to hear about her upcoming show at Cactus Room on December 3.

On Roots of Rhythm this December 3, Helen Jenning will interview Nigel Bourn from Adelaide based band The Honey Badgers. Having placed sixth in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in 2023, their debut album, ‘Shakin’ peaked at #1 on the ABARAC charts. Tune in to hear about this blues, soul and funk band’s upcoming tour across Victoria.

Mornington Peninsula songwriter Emily Jane Pritchard is set to release her debut EP, 'Never Ending Holiday', launching the new record at the Wesley Anne on December 6. The four-track collection of guitar-driven indie-folk features songs straight from the heart, decorated with touches of soul and pop, delivered with a voice that drifts seamlessly between heart-achingly sweet and ruggedly raw. Bringing her guitar into Down By The River, tune in to hear Emily perform a few live songs.

Local power-pop group Icecream Hands have emerged from the depths of winter with a very special gift – a new album, 'Giant Fox Pineapple Tree'. This year’s traditional pre-Christmas Icecream Hands show will become a full-blown album launch celebrating the release of their eighth record. Charles Jenkins and Doug Lee Robertson join Crispi on Radio City to chat about their new album that’s brimming with pop-rock melodies, tune in to hear about their Northcote Social Club show on December 20.