Interviews

Rinehearts' Benny J Ward has formed a power pop super group called The Psych Ward featuring an all-star cast of Melbourne musicians, Davey Lane (You Am I), Link Meanie (The Meanies) and Matt Cotter (Even). Benny calls in to Radio City ahead of the first ever shows with The Psych Ward at The Gem on September 20 and Trash Cult in Bendigo on September 21.

First performing at small venues in Melbourne's inner north in 2006, Kid Sam's self-titled debut turned into a cult classic of the late-00s. After a fourteen-year hiatus, Kid Sam makes their return for a rare gig at the Northcote Social Club. Drummer Kishore Ryan joins Crispi on Radio City to talk about reforming Kid Sam and their reunion show on September 20.

Local country and honky-tonk band James Ellis and the Jealous Guys have just released the first taste from the band's forthcoming album, 'The Party Might Be Over.' The band’s new single 'Don't Drink All By Yourself (If You Can't Be Drunk Alone)' was recorded in Nashville and features an array of Nashville’s finest musicians. Tune in to Swinging Doors as James drops by to chat with Ernie about the new album.

Following on from their 2017 release 'John Lee Hooker's World Today,' Hugo Race and Michelangelo Russo have released '100 Years.' Recorded in a two-day live studio session, '100 Years' focuses on the duo's sonic alchemy with electric harmonica, echoing guitars, smoky vocals and primal beats in a hypnotic wall of sound suspended in time and space celebrating endurance and redemption, hand-made from ancient roots. Hugo and Michelangelo join Michael at Junkyard to talk about the album.

Velvet Parade are Melbourne's newest supergroup, featuring Ripley Hood (Lime Spiders), Vincent J Kramer (Cold Harbour), Don Drum (Fraudband), Pete Azzopardi (Claire Birchall's Phatom Hitchhikers) and Ashley Jones (Matt Malone & The Holy Spirits). Tune in to Sunglasses After Dark to hear Phil talk to the band about their debut album 'Ghost' and its launch at the Last Chance Rock n' Roll Bar on September 26.

Chicago born and bred Mothafunk is a DJ, Black music historian, and self proclaimed dance floor queen. With Chicago's legacy of dance music at the centre of her curation, Mothafunk drops in to PBS for a spin behind the Wheels of Steel and to tell Milo about her upcoming appearance at Strawberry Fields.

Local quartet Captain Darling weave together traditional Irish and Scottish tunes with lesser-known gems from the Breton and Cornish traditions. They visit​ the Global Village to play some music from their new album 'Live and Kicking' in the lead-up to its launch at the Evelyn Hotel on September 29. Composer Ben Deane-Johns chats about the group's history and repertoire.

The artistic collective known as WORKER & PARASITE have released a new single 'Sound Advice.' Members of WORKER & PARASITE join comrade Brooke on Homebrew to inform listeners of the release of new educational material to benefit the Global Proletariat.

After a brief pause following the release of 2020s ‘Sunday Mourning,' Hannah Kate and her band are back. With a new direction and a slightly darker tone, ‘Test Run’ is easily the band's most dramatic release yet, with lyrics drenched in existentialism, the track exudes the same energy as earlier releases but with slightly burnt edges. Hannah joins Brooke to talk about the single and its launch at the Cactus Room on October 5.

Recorded at Asheville’s Drop of Sun over multiple four-day stints during downtime from touring, MJ Lenderman's fourth full-length 'Manning Fireworks' shows a development as an incredibly incisive singer-songwriter, whose propensity for humor always points to some uneasy, disorienting darkness. MJ spoke with Jordan about 'Manning Fireworks.' Tune in to Underground Love to hear their conversation.

This week Kene speaks to Simon Dower from local death metal stalwarts Abramelin about their new album, keeping up with the youngsters, and changes in the line-up creating a more active approach to their art.

Vocalist for Connecticut metalcore band Boundaries, Matt McDougal speaks to Ryan about their third album 'Death Is Little More,' upcoming first Australian tour opening for UK metalcore giants While She Sleeps and plans for the rest of 2024.

After four years, Melbourne songstress El Tee has released a new single 'Baby.' Tune in to Radio City to hear El Tee talk to Crispi about it.

Meanjin-based MZAZA brings their multimedia show based on their 2020 album 'The Birth and Death of Stars' to Victoria. Drawing inspiration from history’s philosophers and astronomers, MZAZA goes on a surreal voyage through the ether to explore what links us to each other. Prior to their Naarm appearance at the Moonee Ponds Clocktower Theater on October 5, members of MZAZA visit the Global Village to play some live music and talk about the musical extravaganza.

Punjabi-Australian artist Parvyn blends her South Asian ancestry with electronica and jazz, creating something fresh yet retro. Her latest single ‘Free to be Myself’ has a big band sound, with hints of 70s and 80s disco, and the full album ‘Maujuda’ comes out this November. Tune in to The Breakfast Spread as Parvyn plays some stripped back, acoustic songs alongside her guitarist Josh.

Northern European experimental folk group Heilung use everything from human bones, reconstructed swords and shields up to ancient frame drums painted with the blood of the band's members. Invoking texts from rune stones, spear shafts and amulets, Heilung celebrate iron age ancestry with new age sounds. Ahead of their upcoming Australian tour, Kene chats with the band about what it's like to bring antlers, bones, and 30 musicians down under for what promises to be a string of captivating shows.

Josh Rombout, founder of and writer for Melbourne cyberpunk industrial electro band SIRUS, joins the Bleeding Black Hearts Revue to talk about the band, their upcoming show at Rebel Tech and to show off his superb mixing skills by spinning some dark electro live in the studio.

In 1977, two Voyager probes set off to explore the solar system and beyond, each carrying a coded message for extraterrestrial life on a unique Golden Record. Following on from the critically acclaimed ‘Hubble’ project, Basement Spaceman returns with this new highly original ‘off planet’ show 'Voyager And The Golden Record.’ Basement Spaceman joins Crispi to talk about the album and its album launch at the Wesley Anne on October 12.

Acclaimed Australian guitarist, 3-time ARIA winner, singer-songwriter and producer, Jeff Lang will be hitting the road to perform from his forthcoming album 'More Life,' a culmination of a few years of work, beginning with the concept of an album of songs co-written by Lang and some of his favourite artists. Tune in to Radio City to hear Jeff speak to Crispi about the album and its Melbourne launch at The Brunswick Ballroom on October 13.

Taking their name from Get Smart and the Groovy Guru, the Sacred Cowboys began in 1982 as a Supergroup with founders Garry Gray from seminal new wave outfit Negatives and Mark Ferrie from the Models. After many break-ups/reformations and line-up changes, November 2024 will see Garry and Mark reform the Sacred Cowboys with Timothy Deane, Anthony Paine and Damien Fitzgerald for the release of the anthology 'Cowboy Logic.' Garry and Mark join Michael on Junkyard. Tune in to hear their conversation.

Ziggy Zeitgeist joins Jonny Alexander on Audio Vitamins to celebrate its five-year anniversary on PBS. Tune in on October 5 for a special guest mix from Ziggy Zeitgeist and hear about his recent collaborative work with Dumama from South Africa and their 'eKhaya' release, plus Energy Exchange Records 2nd Birthday. Life prior to 30/70 collective, his Berlin migration & their upcoming Aus tour.

Drummer for Philadelphian alternative metal band CKY, Jess Margera talks to Ryan about the band's beginnings alongside his brother Bam of CKY (video series) and Jackass fame, their upcoming new album 'New Reason To Dream' and co-headlined the tour of Australia in February 2025 with Alien Ant Farm.