Interviews

Masterfully expressing the unspeakable beauty of decay and space in a vast and stunning body of work, The Necks are one of Australia's greatest cult bands. The Sydney jazz trio are back with a single, 42-minute composition that they'll be taking on the road this summer. Tune in to Deeep Space as Lloyd Briggs catches up with double bassist Lloyd Swanton ahead of their show at Melbourne Recital Centre on January 31st.

Renowned for his contributions to contemporary Bhangra music, veteran DJ and producer Panjabi MC pioneered the modern sound of South Asian club music. Born in the UK, his unique fusion of hip hop, electronic music, and traditional Punjabi folk styles is well known worldwide. Coming into Tiger Beats Elephant Grooves for a special guest mix, tune in as Pradip catches up with the legend.

In 2023, acclaimed electronic-soul duo, Electric Fields, delivered an unforgettable, high-energy performance that lit up Hamer Hall. Recorded with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, 'Live in Concert' marks a significant milestone in Electric Fields’ career, blending modern beats with the timeless grandeur of a full symphony orchestra. One half of Electric Fields, Michael, chats with MzRizk about the new album, tune in to Boogie Beat Suite to hear more.

'Rain of Animals' and 'Good Guy Hank' are the titles of Pepita and Theodore's latest bluegrass and country albums. The duo are also music instructors for the 'Sessions and Sail - Australia' cruise, which sets sail from Sydney on February 25th and runs until March 3rd. Tune in to Southern Style as Jan is joined by the two for a festive Christmas Eve special.

With the frenetic energy of a punk preacher and the songwriting style of a folk artist, Aotearoa-born but Melbourne-based artist D.C. Maxwell physically embodies each of his songs with intense passion. Bringing his magnetic, storytelling energy to Underground Love, tune in for a live performance from D.C. Maxwell, along with a chat with David.

Making their name by seamlessly crossing between hip hop, jazz, and other contemporary genres, Canadian group BADBADNOTGOOD continues to push musical boundaries in their latest release, 'Mid Spiral'. The alt-jazz ensemble received their fifth GRAMMY nomination this year and has been on the road since the release. Mike Gurrieri catches up with the band during their time in Melbourne; tune in to hear this PBS exclusive interview.

The country-folk trio from 1927 Virginia, The Carter Family, has an interesting tale to tell. This December, Jan from Southern Style will play four episodes from 'Anchored in Love: The Carter Family Story', starting with Episode 1 – Pioneers of Country Music on Dec 10th, Episode 2 – Music that Endures on Dec 17th, Episode 3 – The Radio Years on Dec 24th, and Episode 4 – The Carter Family Fold on Dec 31st. Tune in to hear this special radio documentary.

Based in Berlin but with roots in Ukraine, singer and composer Ganna Gryniva combines Ukrainian folklore with jazz, improvised, and experimental music. Committed to spreading Ukraine's cultural heritage internationally, she will be performing in Melbourne at the Jazzlab on January 15th. In advance of her concert, Ganna joins the Global Village to chat with Roger about her journey.

A key figure in Australia’s alternative rock’n’roll scene of the 70s and 80s, John Dowler’s Vanity Project is the culmination of Dowler’s previous works. Formed in 2014, JDVP have steadily built a profile in Melbourne’s inner-city scene over the past decade, and their third album, 'Existential Friend', has just dropped. John Dowler stops by Radio City to catch up with Crispi—tune in as they discuss the album and its release show happening on January 25th.

From their early days playing in a pub together in the 90s, 4-piece band The Chilli Pickers are coming into Southern Style for a full-on performance of folk, Appalachian, and bluegrass. Featuring Jane McCracken on vocals and guitar, Kate Connor on fiddle and harmonies, Gus Macmillan on banjo, and Keith Urquhart on double bass, tune in to join the shindig.

When raw talent and diverse rock influences collided in 2016, High Vis was born. Fresh off the back of an Australian tour with Sydney hardcore band SPEED, the London-based five-piece has just dropped their newest album, 'Guided Tour'. Ryan catches up with vocalist Graham Sayle to discuss the release. Tune in to Tyrannocoreus for a glimpse of what High Vis has in store for 2025.

'Five Arrows' is the name of the highly anticipated new album from UK hardcore/metal band Polar. Since forming in 2009, the band has gone through multiple lineup changes, yet this hasn’t stopped them from touring consistently around the world. Vocalist Adam 'Woody' Woodford joins Ryan on Tyrannocoreus—tune in to hear when the band will next be playing in Australia.

Two-piece outfit Boogie Rockafella is a rock and roll fusion of big-riffin’, hard-hitting, and foot-stomping boogie. They will kick-start 2025 by releasing their new EP 'Makin' Money' and playing the launch show at the Town Hall Hotel in North Melbourne on January 18th. Tune in to Radio City as one half of the band, Liam Hopkins, chats with Crispi about their new music.

Canadian deathcore band AngelMaker is about to embark on an Australian tour, supporting British heavy metal band Sylosis. Ahead of the tour, Ryan catches up with AngelMaker’s dual vocalists, Casey Tyson-Pearce and Ian Bearer. Tune in to Tyrannocoreus as Ian shares what it’s like to be the newest member of a 7-piece band that formed in 2011.

Florida band Hot Water Music are well-established figures in the punk rock and post-hardcore scenes. Since their formation in 1994, they've released nearly 10 studio albums, with their most recent record, 'Vows'. Bassist Jason Black chats with Ryan about the band's 30th anniversary this year. Tune in to Tyrannocoreus to hear when the band will next be playing in Australia.

At the age of 17, Luther Russell formed his first band with Bob Dylan's son, Jakob Dylan. He then went on to form The Freewheelers, followed by the start of his solo career in 1997, and later formed other musical projects such as Those Pretty Wrongs with Jody Stephens. Luther joins Crispi on Radio City; tune in as they chat about his 7th studio album, 'Happiness For Beginners', coming out on January 17th.

Crafted in Melbourne's outer suburbs, 'Pepperpot Magic' is the debut album from dreamy-folk singer-songwriter Bec Sykes. Inspired during a time of intense personal development, the album reflects her religious upbringing and leaving an unhealthy relationship. Tune in to The Breakfast Spread as Bec shares her raw talent and soulful wisdom with Claire in a special Monday morning performance.

High-energy, good old-fashioned bluegrass band Oh Gibson will be bringing the good times to Southern Style this January 28th. With Jim Taylor on double bass, Thomas Kendall on guitar, and Elwood Tze on banjo, tune in as Jan chats with the band about their latest musical ventures.

Brisbane nu-metal band Headwreck have developed a different style to writing with their new producer, Chris Lalic. Guitarist and bassist of the band, Jamo and Dayne, come into Tyrannocoreus to share this new approach with Ryan, along with their upcoming EP and Australian tour with Windwaker, Thousand Below and Diamond Construct.

'Is This How I Die?’ is the debut album from Sydney's sad-party-punk band Clay J Gladstone. The band took the new album on tour with Sienna Skies earlier this year, and has plans for an upcoming headline tour sometime soon. Tune in to Tyrannocoreus to hear about the band's latest release.

Playing innovative yet old-time tunes is local 4-piece band Double Dole Stringband. With a sound that's both sweet and rowdy, the band has become a familiar face at venues around Naarm, along with folk festivals across the country. Tune in to Southern Style as Jan brings them in for some live, old-time music.

Created by award-winning artist Mindy Meng Wang, and sound technologist and composer Monica Lim, 'Opera for the Dead (祭歌)' is inspired by Chinese mourning rituals but speaks to our common experiences of death, mourning, and ancestry. This breathtaking contemporary Chinese cyber-opera will be running as part of Asia TOPA from the 20th of February - 10th of March at Space 28, University of Melbourne. Tune in to Deeep Space as Mindy and Monica chat with Lloyd about their epic new work.