Interviews

After a couple of years of cancellations, uncertainty and lockdowns Echuca Winter Blues Festival returns with a lineup of some of Australia's finest blues artists. Artistic director Jon Howell rings in to Roots of Rhythm to talk about the festival.

Compiled by artist/author Pauline Bailey, Blues Portrait – A profile of the Australian Blues Scene Vol 1-3 is a collection of stories and anecdotes from some of Australia’s best-known and loved blues and roots musicians. Featuring forty-six musicians, who share their thoughts and insights on the history of Australian blues. Author Pauline Bailey calls in to Roots of Rhythm to talk about the book.

Premiering at the Merlyn Theatre in July, director Stephen Nicolazzo (Loaded, Merciless Gods) brings Melina Marchetta’s best-selling novel 'Looking For Alibrandi' to the stage for the first time. Tune in to State of the Art to hear Annika chat with director Stephen Nicolazzo about the retelling of the classic novel that gave an honest and empowered portrait of 1990s Mediterranean culture which spoke about systemic racism in Australia from a migrant perspective.

After running an organic tea & coffee company called Satanic Tea Co. for 5 years, what do you do? release a brutal death metal track, that's what. Kene talks to Crucifix about the forth coming EP and the track 'Blood Drenched Torture Chamber' and selling tea.

Taking their name from an alleged ancient Persian method of execution called Scaphis, where the victim is trapped between two boats in, fed and slathered with honey and milk and left to feaster in their filth to be devoured by insects. Tune in to Burning Bitumen to hear the death metal band talk about their second album 'Dissected & Fermented.'

Featuring authentic choral arrangements, extensive analogue synth labs, percussion labs and a full hoard of Melbourne’s very best classical performers, it is no wonder why Acolyte have taken three and a half years to craft their latest album 'Entropy.' Vocalist Morgan-Leigh talks to Chris about 'Entropy' and upcoming shows.

Canberra's merchants of doom Witchskull return to the Bendigo Hotel on July 9 with a line-up of Melbourne’s finest purveyors of rock, metal and 70’s psych. Guitarist and vocalist Marcus De Pasquale calls in ahead of their gig to talk to Chris.

Meanjin based artist DancingWater brings a new wave of neo soul and punk fused with ancestral song lines. She joins Mike Gurrieri to co-host a very special NAIDOC Week episode of Mystic Brew. Tune in on Tuesday from 9am.

Musician, educator, 3RRR announcer and Gunai Kurnai & Yorta Yorta man Paul Gorrie performs as a music producer and DJ under the name dj pgz. He drops in on Headhunters to play a special NAIDOC Week mix and to chat about some upcoming events. Tune in on Monday from 5pm.

For almost thirty years, Songlines Music Aboriginal Corporation has been advocating for greater recognition of contemporary Aboriginal Music as an important cultural art form. Holding some of Victoria’s largest Indigenous music events, Songlines is putting on a NAIDOC show at the Arts Centre called Get Up, Stand Up, Show up and Shake a Leg. Yidaki player and Dharug man Kiernan Ironfield drops in on Homebrew to tells us more about the event and to play a couple of live pieces. Tune in from 3pm

Naarm-based proud Noongar woman and artist Bumpy is readying herself to release an enthralling new single during NAIDOC Week. Ahead of the release, Bumpy drops in to PBS to tell us about the dreamlike song and how a post-lockdown camping trip on GunaiKurnai country inspired it. Tune in to Homebrew from 3pm to hear more.

Yorta Yorta woman Allara is a double bass playing, looping queen who drops hard hitting spoken-word poetry and addresses displacement and sovereignty, alienation and connection to country through music. We are fortunate to have her come in to PBS to play a couple of live pieces on The Breakfast Spread as part of NAIDOC Week. Tune in on Monday morning.

In celebration of NAIDOC Week, Roger is joined by vocalist and song-keeper of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music Jessie Lloyd to talk about her latest album 'Ailan Songs Project,' which explores popular historical songs from the Torres Straits through a contemporary lens.

Melbourne-based Malian musician Aboubacar Djelike Kouyaté has recorded his new single 'Babe Chocolat' at Pughouse Studios along side Lucky Pereira on drums, Jaya Pawarta on bass guitar, Moses Carr on keys and Amadou Suso on kora. Tune in to hear Stani's talk with Aboubacar.

Award-winning electronic music duo and self-described ‘feminine brothers,’ Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, aka Electric Fields, are giving their sounds a special orchestral treatment in their debut concert with the MSO at Hamer Hall on July 7 for NAIDOC Week celebrations. Tune in to Subway Sounds to hear them chat with Suzi Hutchings about their collaboration with MSO under the baton of Noongar man Aaron Wyatt.

Beloved Melbourne electronic duo Sleep D have been working tirelessly on some exciting forthcoming releases. They also have some fun events coming up; a Butter Sessions showcase at SubClub on July 8 followed by some grand party vibes with Darcy Justice at 24 Moons on July 16. And they are finally delivering their previously postponed Melbourne Music Week showcase at The Forum on July 30. Ahead of these big things, they drop in on The Breakfast Show to play a big mix on the Wheels of Steel!

Sonic aGender and City of Yarra are excited to present Rah! Rah! #2.2: a feminist punk retrospective of Melbourne music. This sequel event brings together generations of female and gender diverse artists from Melbourne’s punk rock scenes as part of this year’s Leaps and Bounds Festival. Tune in to Fang It! to hear from Anna Lienhop who'll share more about the panels and intimate performances that will take place in the regal surrounds of the Rosina Auditorium at the Abbotsford Convent on July 2.

Expressing themes of transformation through pain and loss, universal and cosmic themes of love and transcendence and deep human stories that tracks her own internal journey. Jodi Phillis (The Clouds) returns with her sixth solo album ‘We Need to Be Free' releasing July 1 on Cheersquad Records. Jodi talks to Crispi about ‘We Need to Be Free' and show at the Brunswick Ballroom on August 18.

In these times of floods, the pandemic and gruelling election speak, there can be only one remedy: rock ’n roll! and who better to deliver that than Sunnyboys. The fab four of Jeremy, Richard, Pete and Bill will emerge from the gloom to deliver a handful of low fuss, no-frills, hi-energy rock ’n roll across three states this winter, reminding us of better days and sunnier times to come. Lead guitarist Richard Burgman calls in to chat about the group's tour.

Recorded in an effort to fight racism and raise funds for charity NSW hardcore band The Owen Guns release their new single 'Pulling on the boots (Racist Dickhead).' Front man Sean “The Bastard” St. Leone calls in to Shock Treatment to tell listeners about the single and how all sales via Bandcamp will go to Sunset Soup Kitchen in Darwin.