Interviews

As a regular fill-in announcer for shows on the grid, PBS staff member and talented, award winning folk musician, Kerryn Fields knows the community of PBS like the back of her guitar strumming hand. Coming into Roots of Rhythm to share the mic with Helen Jennings OAM for a unique show, tune in to hear these two PBS icons share their love for this station.

Mastanah Nazarian, an Iranian-background composer, writer, guitarist, and oud player, visits Global Village to perform traditional Persian oud pieces and discuss her diverse projects, including photography and poetry. Beyond music, she’s a certified Pilates teacher, holds a black belt in aikido, and is passionate about teaching movement education to both musicians and the public.

Touching down on Tomorrowland is DJ D.DEE, the force behind Pacific Rhythm, the label and party series that helped shape the breezy, buoyant sound of Canada’s West Coast. D.DEE's work with Pacific Rhythm has helped bring music from such artists as Space Ghost, Khotin, D. Tiffany, and Ex-Terrestrial, to name a few. A regular fixture in the booth at Tresor, Public Records, and his own Vancouver club Paradise, D.DEE brings his life-affirming and off-kilter selections to Angel Music Bar this Friday night.

Returning to Australia to unleash his boldest album yet, is USA riverboat-chic rock’n’roller Pokey LaFarge. His new record 'Rhumba Country' serves up flavours of mambo, Tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock and roll, and was written during his time working 12-hour shifts on a farm. Ahead of his performance at The Croxton that night, Ernie chats with Pokey LaFarge about the new album. Tune in for a Studio 5 Live session, along with an exclusive PBS interview.

On May 31 at Merri Creek Tavern, singer-songwriter Amaya Laucirica will launch her latest single 'Now Or Never', with Nathan Hollywood opening the show. With the swirling contours of Cocteau Twins and the wistful melodies of The Go-Betweens, Amaya’s prosperous career has seen her perform at Primavera Sound (Spain), release four critically acclaimed albums, and is currently working on her fifth. Tune in to Radio City to hear from the local, dream-pop artist.

Ghost Medium, the project of Simon Bailey and his band, made their debut performance as the house band on ABC TV's Spicks and Specks. With an all-star lineup featuring ARIA Award-winning producer Pip Norman and Naarm legends Lilith Lane and Huddy Whitlock, Ghost Medium will premiere their debut single on the show. They'll also chat about their upcoming single launches at Archies Creek Hotel on May 16 and The Retreat Hotel in Brunswick on May 17.

Since releasing their Grammy-winning single 'Call My Name' (Best American Roots Song, 2020) USA based trio I’m With Her has regularly stepped away from their individual careers to create music together. Their sophomore album, 'Wild and Clear and Blue' showcases their luminous harmonies in a soul-searching collection that explores reaching into the past, navigating a chaotic present, and bravely stepping into the unknown. Tune in to hear from one of the trio’s singer/songwriters, Aoife O’Donovan.

Loud, visceral, and staged in the round, 'Ecstasy' by Marcus Whale invites the audience to stretch into a seductive void, shaking free and becoming enraptured within the unknowable. Running from June 11 - 13 as part of RISING, the show offers a choreographic investigation into the reckless abandonment of the rave: a reach toward the place where dancefloor heat transcends the physical. Tune in to Synthesize Me as Bridget and Henry catch up with the Sydney based artist.

Sliding into Jumpin’ the Blues is Rick Dempster—singer, harmonica and steel guitar player with The Railway Gang. He’ll chat about the band’s rich acoustic blend and his role in the upcoming Steel Guitar Convention at Brunswick Ballroom on May 18. The Railway Gang’s lineup is a string-lover’s dream, weaving Tin Pan Alley tunes, hillbilly swing, Calypsos, tangos and rags. With four vocalists and a love for old-timey sounds, this long-running Fitzroy crew brings harmony and history to the stage.

Tune in to Roots of Rhythm this Wednesday morning as Helen chats with Russell Morris. He'll be taking the stage on August 27 and 28 at Hamer Hall, joined by a line-up of Australia’s finest musicians, featuring lush strings and a smokin’ hot band, as part of 'Russell Morris, The Farewell Tour'. From classics like 'The Real Thing' and 'Sweet, Sweet Love' to highlights from his acclaimed blues trilogy, his final performance promises to cover it all.

Over the past 12 years, Los Angeles artist Jessica Pratt has carved out a reputation as a singular voice in modern folk. Drawing inspiration from bossa nova, psychedelic chamber pop, and the ballads of Scott Walker, she writes songs that feel like rolling the window down on an ocean-kissed drive. Ahead of her performance at RISING this June, Milo catches up with Jessica to talk about her latest record, 'Here in the Pitch' - a record that stretches out into an even more panoramic sound.

Joining forces with powerhouse label ROAR, GhostSeeker are currently gearing up for the release of their hotly anticipated debut studio album, 'Divergence'. Having taken the heavy music scene by storm with their infectious debut EP, 'Initium Novum', the band has a full tour schedule planned for 2025. Tune in to Tyrannocoreus to hear when their next show in Melbourne will be.

Cam Brown and Adam Humphreys from Naarm post-hardcore outfit Some Heard Trouble join Tyrannocoreus live in studio. They'll talk touring life, plans for 2025, and their latest single 'ihopeyouletgo'. Blending the grit of Underoath with Hellions' inventive edge, the five-piece has carved a space in the scene since 2016. With recent singles 'Blind (Eye For An Eye)' and 'Ghost Club' turning heads, and a third track due in July, Some Heard Trouble continue to build momentum with high-energy shows.

Depressive black metallers GHOST BATH have emerged from beyond the veil with their new album, 'Rose Thorn Necklace'. Sole proprietor Nameless (aka Dennis Mikula) delves into the most intense and introspective work in GHOST BATH’s oeuvre yet, blending blackened blasts with melancholic movements as he pushes his only child further into the unknown. Ahead of the album release on May 9, Kene and Leah chat with Nameless about the record.

Blending elements of gothic rock, doom metal, and folk, Chelsea Wolfe is a dark songstress hailing from the USA. The queen of darkness is returning to Melbourne this May with her visceral, vivid live performance, taking the stage at Forum Melbourne on the 23rd. Tune in to Burning Bitumen as Leah Noir and Kene Lightfoot catch up with Chelsea ahead of her show.

Off the back of releasing their debut single, local rock band Public Figures chat with Jordan on Underground Love about their journey so far. Tune in to hear about their upcoming shows at The Old Bar on May 9 with The Unknowns and Wombat, and on May 16 with Cong Joise and The Hell Racers.

Sarah Hardiman from Moon Rituals drops by the studio to chat about 'Aura', their long-awaited synth-pop LP out May 9 via Poison City. The project is a dreamy, analog-tinged collaboration with Mikey Young (Total Control, The Green Child), recorded over four years and featuring members of The Green Child. With shimmering textures, upbeat turns, and a touch of sax, 'Aura' marks a lush evolution for the Naarm-based artist, known for their work in LOU, Brick Head, and Deaf Wish.

Soul revivalists Durand Jones & The Indications join Mystic Brew following their debut tour of Australia and New Zealand in March. Known for their smooth dual vocals—Durand’s raw croon and Aaron Frazer’s falsetto—the group blends classic soul with modern disco, funk, and strings. Rising from an Indiana basement to global stages, their third album 'Private Space' pushes vintage grooves into lush, danceable territory. This interview is bound to one for the heart and soul.

Since releasing his first LP "Various Fads & Technological Achievements" in 2018, Jake Robertson has released an impressive 7 LPs under his solo bedroom project Alien Nosejob. He now gears up to drop 'Forced Communal Existence,' a 23-track LP that includes many previously unreleased tracks recorded in various bedrooms and garages between 2017 and 2022. Ahead of his Europe and UK tour in June, Alien Nosejob drops in to PBS for a chat with Claire Dickson on The Breakfast Spread.

Enigmatic multi-instrumentalist Delaney Davidson both defines and commands his own unique realm within the shadowy musical world some call ‘Country-Noir’ or ‘Gothic Americana’. With multiple albums to his name, Delaney's compelling live performances deliver often jarring yet beautiful songs, like those of some strange, spectral outlaw. Myles catches up with Delaney ahead of his upcoming Melbourne shows - tune in to find out where you can next see the Aotearoa musician live.