Interviews

Giving a visceral musical experience and living for their art, the pubs, the endless highways and the blues, Child are coming onto Pojama People tonight to catch up with Chris Pearson, along with their mates Treebeard. Creating often lengthy, dynamic and epic songs with a sonic spectrum ranging the peaceful and emotive, Treebeard are taking their destructive and furious songs to Shotkickers on April 24. Tune in to hear what else the bands have lined up on their musical horizons.

Founded in Toronto by Syrian vocalist Leen Hamo and Lebanese multi-instrumentalist John Abou Chacra, Kazdoura craft a sound that bridges modern and traditional Arabic music with psychedelia, funk, and soul. Their music radiates a vintage-tinged, psych-soul atmosphere, with Leen’s ethereal, ornamented vocals soaring over lush, hypnotic arrangements. MzRizk catches up with the duo on Boogie Beat Suite, tune in to hear about their music and new releases. 

Growing up in the 1970s, Miller soaked up the musical environment surrounding him in the Motor City. Playing a fundamental role in house music for over two decades, Alton Miller's early roots in soul and funk music led to an affinity for clubbing and the perfect storm of music, dance, and skill that is required to create it. Citing Chicago DJs such as Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles as prime influences, Alton joins MzRizk on Boogie Beat Suite to chat about his incredible career.

Local musicians Patrick Ryan (Cantrips) and Lachlan Stuckey (Surprise Chef) have teamed up to form the new project Blademasters. Their debut release 'King’s Knight' and 'Live By The Blade' features delicate acoustic guitar arrangements in unison, set against a dramatic rhythm section, which is inspired by David Axelrod's bold cinematic jazz works of the 1960s and 1970s. Tune in to Mystic Brew as Mike Gurrieri catches up with the duo ahead of their launch at High Note on April 23.

Tune in to Headhunters today as Elle Young is joined by Sarah Guppy, the director of Record Store Day. A time for people to come together to celebrate the unique culture of a record store and the special role these independently owned stores play in their communities, tune in from 5pm to hear what will be going on in record stores across the city on April 18. 

Joining Brooke on Homebrew this Monday is Brigette from Monet's Pond - a locally based indie alt-R&B artist blending neo-soul, hip hop, and psychedelic pop into immersive sonic worlds. She'll be chatting about performing at 'Break The Tower: Love Thy Neighbour', which is a massive dayfest fundraiser generating proceeds to the U.S. based non-profit organisation: The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC). Tune in to hear more about the event happening at Bergy Bandroom on April 26.

'Crystal Columns' is the long awaited, debut single from heavy psychedelic rock trio Heavy Amber. Featuring the lead of a haunting, baroque flute unified against hypnotic vocals, bass and driving drums; 'Crystal Columns' lulls the listener into Heavy Amber’s ethereal world with mind altering, spirit wrenching ability. Tune in to Homebrew as Brooke catches up with Heavy Amber about the new record, along with their single launch at Cactus Room on April 24.

Richard Barrett's music is widely regarded around the world for its complexity of both musical and conceptual ideas, often informed by his own background and interests in genetics, microbiology, physics, astronomy, and philosophy. Now based in The Netherlands, Welsh-born Barrett has a long association with Australia having worked with Elision Ensemble and Speak Percussion. Richard Barrett joins Ian to talk about his newly recorded work, 'close-up' for electroacoustic ensemble.

Joining Greg Sher on Stars In The Static this Sunday are Dylan van der Schyff and Peggy Lee from Open Thread. Having formed in 2023 during a series of improvised performances at Bar 303, the band are celebrating the release of their second album, 'Waiting Music’. Melodically rich, sonically diverse and rhythmically compelling, the new record reveals an even deeper sense of collaboration and cohesion. Tune in to hear about their upcoming show at Jazzlab on April 26.

Womaloya is an international musical collaboration between five female artists from the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific. Five artists from Réunion Island and Australia create new music together for the first time, blending the traditional Maloya of Réunion Island with contemporary Australian sounds. Tune in to Flight 1067 to Africa for an intimate live performance and interview with this remarkable collective of musicians.

Tune in to Blue Juice this weekend as Mohair Slim is joined by Ezra Lee and Jumpin Jethro Whittaker, who will be playing at The Rainbow Hotel on April 19. Lead singer and barrelhouse piano player Ezra Lee and his band The Moon Rockers, are a 1940s and 50s inspired combo playing only the wildest songs with the big boogie woogie beat featuring singer guitarist Jumpin' Jethro Whittaker and the red hot rhythm section of Big Ray West on bass and Danny Catalfi on drums.

Formed in Santiniketan, West Bengal, in 2009, The Three Seas grew out of an all-night jam between Australian saxophonist Matt Keegan and local musicians Raju Das Baul and Deo Ashis Mothey, alongside Kolkata-based drummer Gaurab 'Gaboo' Chatterjee. Joining Pradip on Tiger Beats Elephant Grooves, tune in to hear about their new album 'Antahkarana', a luminous meeting of Baul mysticism, Himalayan folk, rock and dub, which they'll be performing at Jazz Lab on April 11. 

On April 14 at The Retreat Hotel, Robert Bundle (Songlines), Leila Gurruwiwi (Agency Projects, 3KND), Fred Gesha (Festival Producer at City of Port Phillip) and Paul Gorrie (DJ PGZ) will explore how First Nations artists are creating spaces where wellbeing, cultural safety, and artistic integrity coexist. Local DJ PGZ joins Edd Fisher for a guest mix and to talk about this event, tune in to learn more about Yarning Strong - a panel event presented in partnership with Blak Stage.

Simon TK and Elsie from Skylab Radio will be stopping by The Breakfast Spread this Friday morning for a chat and guest mix with Milo Eastwood. Turning eight years young, they're celebrating with a big open air family affair at the Fairfield Amphitheatre on April 11, bringing their beloved presenters and listeners together to break bread and keep their station alive. Tune in to hear more about the festivities going down this weekend.

After nearly 30 years of tearing the underground to shreds, PLF (Pulverizing Lethal Force) are making their first trip to Australia this April. A ferocious two-piece band, PLF are a devastating blend of ultra-tight viciously fast old school grindcore ala Terrorizer and Insect Warfare and high octane thrash metal ala Kreator, Sodom and Possessed pushed to warp speed. Tune in to Burning Bitumen as Kene catches up with the band ahead of their show at Shotkickers the next night.

Vomitory was formed in 1989 by guitarist Urban Gustafsson, shortly after joined by drummer Tobias Gustafsson, during the emergence of the globally recognised Swedish death metal scene. Building on their momentum, the band announces their 10th album, 'In Death Throes'. Recorded at Leon Music Studios and Goff Studios with producer Rikard Löfgren, the album cranks up the intensity while featuring the first new line-up in 21 years. Kene catches up with drummer Tobias Gustafsson about the new record.

Brutefest is returning to The Tote this April 25 for another day of heavy metal chaos across two stages. Headlined by US thrash band Warbringer and supported by many Australian band, including Ratlord, Circle of Blood, Monoliyth and Virulent Invocation, Kene brings in Virulent Invocation to Burning Bitumen to chat about their Brutefest spot. Tune in to find out what time they'll be playing on the day. 

Three respected and influential singer-songwriters - Sara Storer, Shane Howard and Shane Nicholson - will join forces in an extraordinary live collaboration, celebrating the craft, power and legacy of Australian songwriting at MEMO Music Hall on May 14. This event will bring together three distinct voices whose songs have shaped the nation’s cultural landscape across generations. The two Shane's join Ernie, tune in to hear an intimate live performance from them.

Neo garage femme rock band Girl Monstar are back with a bangin’ new collection of songs. Having shared stages with The Ramones, The Buzzcocks, Sonic Youth, Iggy Pop and more, the group split in 1993, but the OG members of Sherry Rich, Anne McCue, Susan Shaw and Janene Abbott have reunited. Crispi catches up with Sherry from the local band, tune in to hear about their new record ‘GRRRR!! The Album’.

Fresh off the release of their new album 'Straight Line Was A Lie', Aotearoa/ New Zealand’s quartet The Beths are returning to Melbourne on April 25 for a show at the Forum. Across ten tracks, songwriter Elizabeth Stokes explores roundabout progress, mental health battles, and fraught family ties with lyrics that are both deeply personal and universally relatable. Ahead of their Australian tour, Crispi catches up with the band about the new record.