Interviews

Armed with a new album under their belts, The Beasts are set to celebrate their latest release, 'Ultimo'. After a national sold-out tour last year, the rock band will be playing at the Corner Hotel this Friday, February 21 along with Fancy Weapon. Gearing up for the epic performance, Phil MacDougall catches up with lead singer Tex Perkins the night before the show.

The explosive, sonic sounds of the improvisational duo Party Dozen, made up of saxophonist Kirsty Tickle and percussionist Jonathan Boulet, has earned praise worldwide. Known for their gritty yet dancy music that has lit up New York dancefloors and dominated the stage at Meredith, the duo is set to headline a massive show at the Croxton on February 22. Two days before the event, tune in to Fang It! to hear an epic Studio 5 Live session from the band, followed by a chat with Ruari.

When Tommy Prine’s father, the late great John Prine, taught him to play guitar as a child, something clicked, and a destiny began to take shape. Now, decades later, Tommy makes his Australian debut, performing in Melbourne on February 20 at the Northcote Social Club, sharing stories about his father and the colorful patchwork of Americana-influenced folk and country music. On the day of his show, Ernie catches up with Tommy—tune in to hear how he's enjoying Melbourne so far.

Playing at the Port Fairy Folk Festival on March 7 and 8, followed by the Brunswick Music Festival on March 10, is local legend Kutcha Edwards. A respected elder, activist, and survivor of the Stolen Generations, Kutcha Edwards uses his mesmeric music to create connections across cultures, generations, and spaces. Tune in to Swinging Doors to hear Ernie catch up with Kutcha ahead of these performances.

Bringing her otherworldly voice and country/ indie-rock music to Australia for the first time is Kentucky native S.G. Goodman. Her latest album, 'Teeth Marks', puts love on a pedestal and invites listeners to dive deep into its psychological and physical imprint — its light and darkness, and its soothing feeling of nostalgia. Tune into Swinging Doors to hear Ernie catch up with S.G. Goodman ahead of her show at Northcote Social Club on February 18.

Singer-songwriter from Omaha, Nebraska, Simon Joyner has been flying under the folk/country music radar since 1991. His latest album, 'Coyote Butterfly', draws on grief following the overdose death of his son Owen in 2022, exploring his loss through a series of imagined dialogues and raw confessions. He'll be playing at the Port Fairy Folk Festival this March, but first, Crispi catches up with Simon ahead of his performance.

Launching 'LUMINOUS AS IT IS' at Howler on February 23, Coda Chroma’s fourth album takes its name from a line in Mary Oliver’s poem 'Summer Morning' and touches on themes of consumerism, environmentalism, friendship, and death, all expressed through Coda Chroma’s signature poetic, abstract lens. Coda Chroma mastermind Kate Lucas joins Crispi on Radio City ahead of the epic show, tune in to hear how the album launch tour is going.

'I Love What We Do', the debut album from local indie pop artist Geoffrey O’Connor, is dominated by themes of rain, showcased through Geoffrey’s Spy-In-A-Thunderstorm look. One of his most collaborative works, the album features violin and flute by Genevieve Fry (King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard) and harp by Jessica Venables (Jessica Says). Bringing in a degustation of musical influences, tune into The Breakfast Spread as Geoffrey plays a round of Musical Chairs with Milo.

The debut album 'Bravo Brava' from post-punk outfit Promaja is both propulsive and engulfing, showcasing a sound that’s angular and urgent. Marked by acerbic vocals and guitars that oscillate between cascading turns and sharp, abrasive stabs, the lyrics of 'Bravo Brava' navigate the struggles of modern existence. Coming into PBS ahead of their show at Last Chance on February 21, tune in to hear the band perform their new album live on Bleeding Black Hearts Revue in Studio 3.

Coming into Roots of Rhythm for the monthly segment 'Wordy Gurdy' is author and editor Jackey Coyle, where she'll focus on exceptional music and writing. Tune in from 9:30am to hear Helen and Jackey scour the past 100 years for rare and excellent blues, jazz, country, and more.

Chain, the originators of ‘Oz-Blues’, will perform at MEMO Music Hall on Saturday 8th of March to celebrate 57 years of blues and rock music in Australia. Founding member of the band, Phil Manning, has had an impressive career as a guitarist and catches up with Helen ahead of his shows. Tune in to Roots Of Rhythm to hear when you can next see Phil perform live.

PBS is excited to showcase the diverse soundscape of neo-soul, house, and broken beat duo Close Counters at this year's Drive Live. After playing sold-out shows across iconic Melbourne venues and recently wrapping up a UK and Europe tour, the duo will perform their signature energetic sound during Headhunters on February 24. Ahead of their Drive Live performance, they join Milo on The Breakfast Spread to chat about their upcoming album, 'Lovers Dance Academy'.

Exploring themes related to refugees, asylum seekers, migration in North and West Africa, e-waste in Ghana, and illegal logging in Papua New Guinea, David Fedele is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, musician, and explorer. Always striving to push boundaries with his art, David shares with Cas what inspires his music composition and collaborations. Tune in to The Modernist to hear about David's current projects.

Celebrating a decade of savage metalcore and soaring melodic refrains, USA metalcore band Miss May I are set to return to Australia for the first time since 2017. Catch them live at Knotfest in Melbourne on February 28 and at Stay Gold on March 4, where they'll unleash their trademark sonic fury. Kene and Leah Noir chat to the band before their Melbourne shows, tune in to hear about their plans for 2025 and the release of a re-recorded version of their debut album 'Apologies Are for the Weak'.

Olympia, Washington-based band Christian Mistress has been in the heavy metal scene since 2008. Now, in 2025, the band are getting back together to release their fourth album, 'Children of the Earth', which is set to come out on February 28. Tune in to Burning Bitumen as Kene and Leah Noir catch up with vocalist Christine ahead of the new album release.

With the voice of an angel and lyrics that could send her straight to hell, A.C. Saunders is a storyteller. Determined to become an unstoppable force in the music scene, seeing her play live is something to behold, with more jaws dropping than the aftermath of a 4-day bender. Tune in to Underground Love to hear David Pisker chat with A.C. Saunders about her sophomore EP 'Good Hearted'.

On March 8 at Palace Foreshore and then at Golden Plains Festival on the 9th, Irish punk band Fontaines D.C. will be playing their latest album 'ROMANCE' to the people of Victoria. With this record being their most ambitious yet, the Grammy-nominated band has gained super fans for their antagonistic punk sensibilities and grungy breaks. Ahead of the tour, Jordan catches up with Fontaines D.C. bassist Deego. Tune in to Underground Love to hear how the tour preparations are going.

Having just returned from an incredible blues journey through the streets of Memphis, Tennessee, Nick Charles has been awarded Best Guitarist Solo/Duo at the 2025 International Blues Challenge. Captivating the crowds hearts over with his songs ‘Three Lines Deep’ and ‘The Photo,’ the blues virtuoso shares his unforgettable experience in the USA with Jan on Southern Style. Tune in to hear Nick play his award-winning songs live.

Translating to 'hanging out,' Nongkrong is a festival curated by a network of Indonesian-Australians, dedicated to creating spaces for the diaspora to connect. Creatively exploring and celebrating identities through food, arts, and dialogue, festival organiser Darryl and Isobel from Hantu join Elle on Headhunters to talk about this incredible festival, taking place across Melbourne from February 9–23.

With roots in dark-wave, trip-hop, and post-punk, local six-piece Shock Corridor are making music that turns your favourite things inside out and back to front. Following a stacked 2024, from supporting Floodlights to playing at Rising Festival, the band will perform at Howler on February 21 to celebrate the release of their new single, 'MayDay!' George and Saskia catch up with Brooke on Homebrew, tune in to hear the latest single from Shock Corridor.