Afleveringen
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In the world of post-hardcore bands, itâs often easy to find groups which feel as though they follow the paths and trends crafted by the trailblazers before them. Then, of course, thereâs groups like La Dispute.
Formed in 2004 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the US group have been hard at it for two decades now, garnering critical acclaim with almost every move they make.
Following a series of EPs and singles, La Dispute released their debut album back in 2008, with their first Australian show following the next year.
Since then, well, it's been pretty hard to keep them away from local audiences. Likewise, new music would follow rather regularly, with what is arguably their most successful album, 'Rooms Of The House', arriving in 2014.
In 2019, they released their fourth album, 'Panorama', and after a local tour soon after, La Dispute returned to Australia only last year for another run of shows. Now, they're coming back for a special one-off show in November.
Already in the process of writing their upcoming fifth album, La Dispute kicked off a special series of shows back in June. As part of their 'Five Nights Only Tour', the group embarked on a global series of one-off shows around the world which sees them playing 'Rooms Of The House' in full for its tenth anniversary, along with a handful of other classics.
Already, theyâve played London, Amsterdam, and Berlin, and after a hometown show in Grand Rapids next week, theyâll be heading to Sydney on November 28th to wrap up these exclusive dates before they hole up in the studio for a while.
To celebrate this tour and their visit to Australia, I was lucky enough to chat with La Dispute vocalist Jordan Dreyer for this weekâs podcast. I had actually planned to record this as a bonus episode due to our limited time, so I donât get to go deep into the history of his musical journey, but weâll save that for next time.
Anyway, check out La Disputeâs âRooms Of The Houseâ as a reminder of their efforts ten years ago, grab a ticket to their Sydney show, and once youâre done, have a listen to our chat, and Iâll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
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When it comes to prolific, diverse, and unafraid musicians, itâs a little hard to look past the unstoppable Darren Cross.
If that name doesnât sound familiar right off the bat, then you might remember him as one third of the enigmatic Sydney outfit Gerling. Formed back in the early â90s, Gerling were hard to pin down. Beginning with a blending of alternative rock and noise, they soon incorporated more electronic elements into their work and â as Darren puts it â started doing full-on house music.
Iâll tell anyone that âChildren Of Telepathic Experiencesâ is a must-listen record, and tracks like 'Death To The Apple Gerls' or 'Enter, Space Capsule' are great examples of why. Chuck in later tracks like 'Dust Me Selecta', 'Turning The Screws', or even the Kylie Minogue-featuring 'G-House Project', and youâve got a group unafraid of trying new things.
Sadly, Gerling broke up after their aptly-titled â4â album, but Darren wasnât keen to stop there. In fact, itâs clear that nothing will stop him. Soon, he launched his project The E.L.F., which gave rise to the likes of Betty Airs, and eventually saw the launch of the more heartfelt Jep And Dep with his partner Jessica.
Just over a decade ago, he started releasing music under his own name, with a few EPs giving way to his albums â_Xantasticâ and âPeacerâ in 2016 and 2018, respectively. In 2019, however, he launched his D.C Cross project, which is effectively a separate entity from the records under his birth name in that theyâre explorations into acoustic instrumental guitar.
Taking influence from the likes of John Fahey and his innovative work with American primitive guitar, itâs a unique project which blends ambient soundscapes with Darrenâs Australian take on solo acoustic guitar.
D.C Cross has released quite a few albums over the past five years, including the most recent, âGlookies Guitâ, back in May. As per usual, heâs also getting ready to take his transcendent blend of music on the road.
Currently, thereâs a bunch of shows planned for the likes of Wodonga, Kyneton, St Kilda, Melbourne, Brisbane, Lismore, Eltham, and Sydney across the next few months. Thereâs also more set to be announced, so Iâll pop the current ones in the online blog, and you can check out Darrenâs socials for full details.
In case you havenât guessed yet, Darren Cross is my guest on this weekâs podcast. Weâve met and chatted numerous times before, and heâs always a wealth of knowledge when it comes to music, and itâs always a pleasure to chat to someone who is so passionate about the music they make.
Anyway, Iâm beginning to ramble as I always do. So in the meantime, I strongly urge you to check out D.C Crossâ new album, âGlookies Guitâ. and once youâre done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and Iâll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Thereâs no denying that the Adelaide music scene is one which is equally small and large. Small in the sense of its physical size, but large in just how far and wide its influence reaches thanks to the talented, welcoming people who comprise it.
One of those people is Jason Katsaras, a musician whose influence over the last decade is still felt despite his current absence from his hometown.
If youâve been a regular of the classic SA venues, then you very well might have seen him as a member of bands like Burnside Mums, Dead Roo, or Big Town. Needless to say, heâs been around the place, and heâs a familiar face throughout the City of Churches.
For the last couple of years, heâs been working on a new project, one called Hard Rubbish. Iâd be lying if I said it was anything less than the stellar quality weâre used to receiving from Jason, and itâs yet another project in a long list of Adelaide artists I wholly recommend.
This week, Jason is releasing a new single called â16 Walls, and itâs the sort of thing you need to be adding to your current playlist wherever you are. Fittingly, Jason is also my guest on this weekâs podcast, which serves as a perfect opportunity for me to ask all the typical Adelaide questions. (No, not exactly âWhich school did you go to?â but pretty close!)
Anyway, I strongly urge you to check out Hard Rubbishâs new single, â16 Wallsâ, and once youâre done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and Iâll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
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If youâve spent a bit of time in Melbourne venues over the years, then thereâs a good chance you might have come across the wonderful Felicity Cripps.
For most people, Felicity would have landed on your radar as a member of Houlette back in the day, which soon evolved into the three-piece band Hoy. As time went on though, Felicity kept evolving, with music under her own name arriving before too long.
In fact, it was in 2016 we were introduced to the Felicity Cripps Band, a nascent vehicle for its namesakes own musical ideas. Once again, the music didnât take too long to arrive, with the fittingly-titled âIntroducing The FCBâ album landing in 2017.
But thatâs where the story stopped for a while. If you were a fan of Felicity, you wouldnât have been hearing much music at all. In fact, while she wasnât too focused on writing and releasing music, she was still championing the cause, having found herself the co-owner of Castlemaineâs Theatre Royal.
But you canât keep a good musician down, and this year, the Felicity Cripps Band re-emerged with new music in a big way. That re-emergence culminated in the release of the new album, âChasing Volcanoesâ, just over a week ago. Iâd be remiss not to tell you how good it is, by the way. For me, itâs a âlisten once, and press repeatâ sort of album.
This week, Felicity Cripps joins me as a guest on the podcast, and truly, I couldnât be more thrilled.
So, I strongly urge you to check out the Felicity Cripps Bandâs âChasing Volcanoesâ, and once youâre done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and Iâll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
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Iâm going to be completely transparent right from the start and tell you that I am entirely biassed when it comes to todayâs artist. This week, I am talking about Echo Social Club, a Melbourne rock duo who I have been completely enraptured by since I first saw them live in early 2023.
Featuring former Pseudo Mind Hive and The Hum Drums member Jake Bicchieri on guitar and vocals, and former Heavy Amber member Neve Tullberg on drums and occasional vocals, the pair are a ferocious mix of blistering rock that have left me speechless on numerous occasions.
I first met Jake when he was in Pseudo, and full transparency, he contacted me when Echo Social Club first came together, telling me about his new band. I wasnât sure what to expect, but when I saw them play their second show last year, their live show blew me to the back of the wall. Since then, I have made it my mission to catch them live as often as I can, while telling everyone in earshot about how good they are.
On paper, theyâre an unassuming duo, but when they hit the live stage, theyâve got more energy than a service station amphetamine, and theyâre thrice as potent. Honestly, I canât even begin to tell you how immense their live show is. Put it this way, The White Stripesâ Jack White is playing Melbourne this December, and if Echo Social Club were the opener, Jack himself would complain about the order of bands.
But along the way, they found time from their busy live schedule to hit the studio with Michael Badger and record an amazing EP. Titled âWhite Heat â White Noiseâ, itâs a five-track collection of songs that have been refined over the past couple of years through their live sets.
To celebrate, the pair are marking its release with not only a hometown launch show, but a run of shows throughout Adelaide, Sydney, Geelong, and an additional hometown show to cap it off. I know Iâm supposed to remain somewhat impartial, but I truly think you should go ensure you see them at these shows.
To celebrate, the pair are marking its release with not only a hometown launch show, but a run of shows throughout Adelaide, Sydney, Geelong, and an additional hometown show to cap it off. I know Iâm supposed to remain somewhat impartial, but I truly think you should go ensure you see them at these shows.
I strongly urge you to check out Echo Social Clubâs, âWhite Heat â White Noiseâ and once youâre done giving that a spin, buy some tickets to their tour, have a listen to our chat, and Iâll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
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Some of my favourite artists are those who do so much amazing work yet often find themselves flying under the radar. While Iâm a huge proponent of the fact that they should all be household names due to their exceptional output, they continue to operate as well-kept secrets, beloved by their diehard fans.
A great example of this is the wonderful Caiti Baker. For years now, Caiti has been crafting some truly amazing music. For example, she was one half of Sietta with partner James Mangohig (otherwise known as Kuya James), and after a number of years in this format, she launched a solo career over a decade ago.
Since then, sheâs been sharing amazing records like clockwork. Iâm talking records like âThe Seventh Passengerâ, âZINCâ, and 2022âs âUnder Our Galaxyâ. But Caiti doesnât stop there, however.
She's produced an ARIA-nominated multi-artist lullaby album, won at the NT Music Song of the Year Awards, opened for American music legend George Benson, worked with Emily Wurramara on her new album, and even mentored young artists and established a girl group called CLINK.
This year, however, she released 'Stay Down' in anticipation of her next album, âSo You Knowâ. Itâs on the way, but weâve had to wait a little bit since Caiti is also in the process of expanding her family with the upcoming addition of a little one.
Somehow though, amidst all of this, she found the time to have a chat with me about her musical journey, her past records, and her myriad influences.
One thing you should know before listening is that this was actually recorded a few months ago, in the earliest, formative days of this podcast. As a result, thereâs a few audio issues from my end (and a couple from Caitiâs end), but issues largely dealing with my laptop struggling with processing audio. So a few times, youâll hear a bit more background noise than Iâd like. Caiti sounds amazing though, and she was a trooper for dealing with it.
I strongly urge you to check out Caiti Bakerâs âStay Downâ ahead of the eventual release of âSo You Knowâ, and once youâre done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and Iâll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
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If youâve been paying attention to artists coming out of the Gold Coast over the last six years, then you might have come across Chavez Cartel.
A five-piece alternative rock band, Chavez Cartel wasted almost no time in making a name for themselves on a local scale. Releasing a handful of singles in their debut year, the band shared both the âLucky, Luckyâ and âConfidence Is All Iâm Taking Homeâ EPs in 2019.
Alongside a long list of live shows and festival slots, their profile continued to rise, with a COVID-inspired silence being ended by the âManâs Best Friendâ EP in 2023, and their âRed Flag Bluesâ EP this year.
But along the way, they kept on kicking goals, with a UK record label signing them in 2022, massive support from big names on the local touring circuit, and even support from the BBC since 2018. Put simply, while theyâve been flying under the radar on a mainstream level, Chavez Cartel have been putting in the hard yards behind the scenes.
Fresh off the back of some shows in the US and the UK, and the release of their âUnfamiliar Boyâ single, the wonderful Ben Simpson was kind enough to join the podcast this week. If youâve never listened to Chavez Cartel before, I reckon the magnetic Ben Simpson will be enough to convince you.
Anyway, I implore you to check out Chavez Cartelâs âRed Flag Bluesâ EP and their âUnfamiliar Boyâ single, and once youâre done giving that a spin, have a listen to my chat with Ben, and Iâll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
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I feel itâs rather customary for me to say that if youâre a fan of bands who blend genres like garage rock, punk rock, and hardcore punk, then I know exactly a band you should be listening to. That band, my friends, is Californiaâs Destroy Boys.
Formed in late 2015 by Violet Mayugba and Alexia Roditis, Destroy Boys took influence from all manner of classic punk and rock bands to craft something that is entirely unique. Itâs a little hard to categorise too. While theyâve been compared to countless other bands out there â including the likes of riot grrrl names such as Bikini Kill â itâs far easier to listen to them for yourself and see just how refreshingly singular their sound really is.
In 2016, Destroy Boys released their debut album, âSorry, Momâ, before following it up with âMake Roomâ in 2018, and âOpen Mouth, Open Heartâ in 2021. Alongside a number of EPs and award wins over the years, theyâve managed to amass a huge following thanks to their intense live shows and relentless attitude toward making music and connecting with fans.
In fact, that relentless attitude has again resulted in another record, with âFuneral Soundtrack #4â arriving this week on August 9th. Itâs a brilliant record, and one which takes the bandâs already-existing sonic sensibilities and continues to expand upon them.
Itâs everything weâve loved about whatâs come before, but sees them infuse it with various genres you might not expect, including the likes of salsa and bossa nova. Throw in some features from names like Mannequin Pussy and Scowl, and youâve got an album you need to hear.
This week, I was lucky enough to be joined by Violet and Alexia for another bonus episode of Trusty Chords, and it resulted in some of my favourite musical picks to date.
Anyway, check out Destroy Boysâ âFuneral Soundtrack #4â when it releases this week, and once youâre done, have a listen to our chat, and Iâll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
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If youâre someone who enjoys a bit of rock music and you havenât found yourself listening to Kingswood at some point over the last decade or so, then you need to change that immediately.
Formed in Melbourne around the late 2000s, Kingswood wasted no time in letting their music get heard by the world. Following a self-titled EP in 2010, and their âChange Of Heartâ EP in 2012, a competition run by triple j Unearthed to play the iconic Splendour In The Grass festival shot the band to wider fame that very same year.
In 2014, they released their first album, âMicroscopic Warsâ. An ambitious undertaking for a debut, the record was made in Nashville with six-time Grammy Award winning record producer, engineer, and mixer Vance Powell. The record was a huge hit, hitting #6 on the Australian charts, boasting a handful of singles and even being nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2014 ARIA Awards.
Since then, Kingswood have been unleashing amazing tunes at every turn, with records like 2017âs âAfter Hours, Close To Dawnâ, 2020âs âJuvenilesâ, and 2023âs âHomeâ showing the depth of their musical talents.
Now, a decade on from their debut, Kingswood are taking a look back at that first record and hitting the road in celebration of its tenth anniversary. The tour kicks off on August 2nd with a hometown show in Melbourne before they head off around the rest of the country.
The tour sees them playing the album in full along with a handful of their other heavier classics. Put simply, if you like Kingswoodâs earliest material, youâd do well to catch them on this tour.
Ahead of their shows, I was lucky enough to join Kingswood in their Melbourne studio for a chat. Due to the casual nature of the conversation, youâll hear a little bit of rustling and moving around on couches from time to time, but thatâs just the name of the game.
Anyway, revisit Kingswoodâs debut album, âMicroscopic Warsâ, and once youâre done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, grab a ticket to their tour, and Iâll see you again at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
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When it comes to Melbourne indie/alternative/punk bands, I would say that Iâm in a pretty good position to talk about Dental Plan.
First formed in 2018 by guitarist and vocalist Niam Hegarty, bassist and occasional vocalist Jo Gardiner, and drummer Stu Young, the band kicked off writing, recording, and gigging pretty quickly, establishing a respectable fanbase around the city as they did so.
Following their self-titled 2018 EP, they group released a single in 2019, before emerging from the depths of COVID in 2021 with âHole In Meâ, a track which saw Rolling Stone Australia label them as a band to watch.
This all naturally led into the recording of the debut album for the group, who had by that point undergone some changes in the lineup, though Niam and Jo remained consistent. After being joined by drummer Paul Dwyer, they also welcomed a new guitarist just last year by way of⊠well, me.
Yes, I am using my platform to shine a light upon my own bandmates this week. Of course, while accusations of nepotism and favouritism are probably being thrown about the world over, itâs worth pointing out that I was actually a big fan of Dental Plan before I even knew the folks in the band.
However, the main reason Iâm talking about Dental Plan is because just last week, they released their debut album, âRaw Nerveâ. Speaking as someone who joined the band around the time the majority of the recording was completed, Iâm therefore in a position to speak objectively and tell you itâs actually a really good album. If you like punk, indie, and alternative rock with influences of bands like Nirvana, The Wipers, and Pavement, well youâre in for a good time.
As you might have guessed, Jo and Niam are my guests for the podcast this week. We actually recorded this episode at Joâs house just after we had all come together to listen to the test pressing of our new record. Iâd be remiss not to say you should grab a copy, of course, but this isnât the Dental Plan sponsorship show.
I will point out thereâs a few spotty moments in the audio, namely owing to the rather relaxed nature of our recording. But if you can deal with the sounds of some cars going past the window, and a few bumps of the mic, I think you might learn something.
Anyway, check out Dental Planâs debut album, âRaw Nerveâ, and once youâre done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and Iâll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
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The world of alternative rock would likely not be anywhere close to what it is today without bands like The Jesus And Mary Chain. Forming in Glasgow back in 1983 by brothers Jim and William Reid, the Scottish outfit are these days considered to be pioneers of genres like alternative rock, shoegaze, and noise-pop. Combining these genres with their own unique take on post-punk and indie-rock, and youâve got a recipe for something that feels impossible to describe.
Having emerged from a world in which punk rock and pop music had reigned supreme, The Jesus And Mary Chain found themselves wanting to make music which sounded different, and thus employed copious amounts of noise and feedback. The result was something jarring, and a sound that made it difficult for the band to get their foot in the door.
Eventually, they began making a name for themselves, with the likes of NME calling them âthe best band in the worldâ for their intense live performances, and others labelling them âthe new Sex Pistolsâ due to those aforementioned intense live performances.
Despite shows earmarked by drink, drugs, and debauchery, The Jesus And Mary Chain also made some truly amazing music. Itâs impossible to look past records like âPsychocandyâ, âDarklandsâ, and âAutomaticâ without noticing the brilliance that lies under that noisy, shimmering surface. Likewise, songs like âHead Onâ, âApril Skiesâ, and âJust Like Honeyâ (which you might recognise from the closing scene of Sofia Coppolaâs âLost In Translationâ) deserve to be listed among some of the best of all time.
In 1998, The Jesus And Mary Chainâs existence came to a premature halt due to disagreements between Jim and William that resulted in the latter walking off stage and quitting the tour. In 1999, they formally split, and wouldnât perform again until 2007.
Since then, theyâve continued to tour and record new music, with âDamage And Joyâ â their first album in 19 years â arriving in 2017, and âGlasgow Eyesâ being released back in March. Now, theyâre returning to Australia for the first time in five years this August for their aptly-titled â40 Yearsâ tour.
This week, I was lucky enough to be joined by Jim Reid for a wonderful chat about the bandâs storied history and their current activities.
Check out The Jesus And Mary Chainâs latest album, âGlasgow Eyesâ, and once youâre done giving that a spin, grab a ticket to their upcoming tour, have a listen to our chat, and Iâll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.
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If youâre not across Iranian-born, New Zealand-raised artists, youâre not only doing yourself a disservice, but youâre missing out on the magnificent CHAII.
Ever since the Persian musician moved to Auckland at eight years old, sheâs been a firm fan of hip-hop, and as her creativity flourished, so too did she become involved within the world of music, crafting her own unique blend of beats, lyrics, and aesthetics.
Alongside the classic tenets of hip-hop, you can find CHAII dropping in flavours of her own cultural identity, whether it be by way of the Persian time signature, samples, and other elements not usually heard within western music. Together, they combine to create an artist who is as unique as she is arresting, and as energetic as she is brilliant.
Since she dropped her first single under the CHAII name back in 2019, sheâs been rising through the ranks ever-so quickly. Sheâs released her Lightswitch and Pineapple Pizza EPs, and exceptional singles like âWOW (Look At Me)â, âOh Nah Yeahâ, and âFunâ, including a collaboration with Tones And I and Young Franco that came out last week called â(Canât Get You) Off My Mindâ.
What Iâm trying to say here, is that if youâre not listening to CHAII just yet, well, thatâs something you need to be changing very soon. Thankfully, youâve got a perfect opportunity, with CHAII getting ready to release her debut album next month.
This week, I was lucky enough to be joined by CHAII for a lovely chat where we discussed her musical history, her sound, and her rising global fame.
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If youâve not yet heard of English trio Tors, thereâs a very good chance thatâll be changing soon. Formed by brothers Matt and Theo Weedon in 2016, the âthree-piece harmonic indie bandâ were joined by drummer Jack Bowden after picking him up on Gumtree.
However, the bandâs history can actually be traced back quite some years, with Mattâs career as a songwriter beginning with a casual appearance of one of his tracks on the beloved TV show âSkinsâ. Fast-forward a few years and a few bands, and now Tors have been continuing on their world-beating journey, slowly building upon their fanbase at each and every turn.
Itâs probably even worth pointing out that Matt and Theoâs grandfather, Bert Weedon, had a little bit of a music career as well, going on to influence names like Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton with his guitar playing back in the day. I mean, you donât become the first British guitarist to have a hit single without making a few fans in the process.
For Tors, however, theyâve been riding high on their continuing success, and earlier this year, they released their newest EP, âMiracleâ. Itâs a gorgeous collection of tracks, and it shows a band who are comfortable with letting vulnerability in, and ensuring that only the best music is shared with the world.
Since then, theyâve been pretty bloody busy. After all, the last month alone has seen them play California's BottleRock Napa festival, Tennessee's Bonnaroo, the Netherlands' Pinkpop festival, and a plucky young upstart festival called Glastonbury. Y'know, no big deal.
Theyâve also struck a friendship with Aussie band The Rions, too, going so far as to trade covers after Torsâ cover of âScary Moviesâ caught the attention of The Rions, who whipped up a version of âHappy Enoughâ in turn.
This week, Matt Weedon was kind enough to join me on the podcast for a lovely chat about the bandâs history, their rise to fame, and if theyâll be fitting Australia into their busy schedules.
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For the majority of the last 20 years, one of the most explosive performers on the music scene has been Frank Carter. Unassuming with his short stature and red hair, Frank burst onto the scene as a member of Gallows back in 2005, blowing away everyone with his intense stage presence and mesmerisingly powerful voice.
After six years with Gallows, Frank left to form Pure Love, an alternative rock band that slightly eased off the pedal of intensity that weâd previously seen. After a few years there, Frank partnered with Heights guitarist Dean Richardson to form yet another new band, this time called Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes.
From the release of their first album, Blossom, in 2015, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes have been dishing out some truly amazing music. Whether it's pushing into those hardcore roots, easing into different areas, or just trying new things, there's no denying that the creative flame burns bright for both Frank and Dean on and off the stage.
This year, they released the album Dark Rainbow, and itâs certainly one you should spend some time with. In fact, thatâs what a lot of fans did when Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes visited Australia back in April for a long-awaited local tour.
Itâs now that I lift the veil on the world of podcasting and tell you that this weekâs episode was recorded back in April, the day before the band kicked off their first Aussie tour in four years.
Iâd actually chatted to Frank back in 2019, but this was the first time Iâd spoken to him in person, and the first time Iâd spoken to Dean, so it was a lovely chance to get up close and personal with them both for an hour.
At the time, I was also entirely unaware that Frank was not too far off announcing a special set of gigs effectively fronting the Sex Pistols when he performs âNever Mind The Bollocks, Hereâs The Sex Pistolsâ with Paul Cook, Glen Matlock, and Steve Jones this August. Had I known that, I might have thrown in a few more questions about English punk of the â70s. And by âmoreâ, I mean âsomeâ.
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If youâve only heard of one punk band, itâs likely the Ramones. After all, they pretty much wrote the book on the leather-jacketed aesthetic, and the musical delivery of short, sharp, and punchy songs that influenced the genreâs earliest years, and is still heard to this day.
Though all of the bandâs founding members have long since passed, their lineup wasnât static for their existence, and in 1989, they were joined by a young bass player named Christopher Joseph Ward. Of course, he was better known as CJ Ramone, which is exactly how I introduced him to listeners on todayâs podcast.
CJ Ramone was a member of the iconic group for their final seven years, and both during and after the bandâs run, he performed in a handful of other groups, including Los Gusanos, Bad Chopper, The Ramainz â a Ramones tribute band which also included both Dee Dee Ramone, Marky Ramone, and Dee Deeâs wife Barbara. As the real Ramones once said; "we're a happy family".
In recent years, CJ Ramone has been a member of the greatest punk cover band out there, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes. Working with Spike Slawson of Swingin' Utters on vocals, Lagwagonâs Joey Cape on guitar, The Damnedâs Andrew "Pinch" Pinching on drums, and Rocket From The Crypt guitarist John âThe Swamiâ Reis, itâs a veritable whoâs-who of the punk world.
Last week, they released their latest album, âÂĄBlow ItâŠAt Madisonâs Quinceañera!â. A live album in the same vein as 2004âs âRuin Jonny's Bar Mitzvahâ where they performed at an actual bar mitzvah, this time, you can hear them awkwardly celebrating Madisonâs 15th birthday.
For this episode, the lovely CJ was kind enough to spend some time out of his day with me. Needless to say, heâs something of a punk icon, and Iâd be lying if I said it wasnât an honour to chat to a member of one of the genreâs most iconic names.
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If you’ve been listening to this podcast for the last 12 weeks, you’re probably aware I tend to focus on artists who aren’t exactly household names.
That much is certainly true for this week’s artist, Lancaster duo The Lovely Eggs. Comprising married couple Holly Ross and David Blackwell, The Lovely Eggs have been going for 18 years now, having played their first gig in New York back in 2006.
Since then, phrases like ‘little known’, ‘underrated’, and ‘underground heroes’ have all been bandied about when describing the pair. This shouldn’t particularly come as any surprise though, especially given the way they conduct themselves.
After all, they not only describe their music as “too punk to be hippie, too hippie to be punk”, while their early work is like “a child making a kaleidoscope while listening to Red Krayola”, and their recent gear is like “listening to Black Sabbath while reading Richard Brautigan”.
In addition to that, they’ve never tried to be commercial successes, eschewing traditional release campaigns, label support, and industry insight, instead remaining steadfastly DIY and independent, and reaping the benefits.
Those benefits have been made apparent, too, with numerous singles, EPs, and albums arriving over the years, collaborations with producers like Dave Fridmann (who has worked with The Flaming Lips and Tame Impala, to name a few), and a song with one of their biggest admirers, Iggy Pop.
While some might say they’re doing themselves a disservice by taking a different route, folks like Holly and David are proving that success is still possible with that DIY spirit.
Now, they’ve released their latest album, the fantastic ‘Eggsistentialism’, and it’s a record you truly need to hear.
This week, Holly and David of The Lovely Eggs were true to their name, and were lovely enough to join me as they chatted about their own musical histories, their voracious independent spirit, and all the music that they love. -
If youâre listening to this podcast in Australia, thereâs a chance you know The Tea Party. In fact, theyâve probably played more live shows in this country than youâve had hot dinners. That might sound impressive, but itâs all the more admirable given theyâre a Canadian outfit who have been on the scene since 1990.
Formed by Jeff Martin, Jeff Burrows, and Stuart Chatwood (who apparently didnât get the memo regarding his name), The Tea Party made a name for themselves thanks to their unique musician style theyâve dubbed âMoroccan-rollâ.
Across their discography, theyâve shown elements of progressive rock, industrial music, and acoustic compositions, too. Check out albums like âTransmissionâ and âTriptychâ, and classic songs like âTemptationâ, âFire In The Headâ, âA Certain Slant Of Lightâ, and âHeaven Coming Downâ for an example of what Iâm talking about.
In 2005, the group announced their split, and Jeff Martin went out on his own, kicking off a solo career, and performing as part of The Armada, and Jeff Martin 777. In 2011 however, The Tea Party got back together, and theyâve been going strong ever since. With a bunch of releases being shared since then, and a return to relentless touring, itâs just like the good old days.
Now, ahead of their latest Australian tour, Jeff Martin and Jeff Burrows were lovely enough to donate a small portion of their time to chat about their own Trusty Chords.
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The Australian music industry has long had a habit of churning out some great artists who manage to curate an intense and fanatical fanbase around the world thanks to the wonderful music that they create.
If anyone understands what itâs like to have a massive fanbase, itâs likely Dave Powys, who has been the guitarist and a multi-instrumentalist with Melbourne indie-folk group The Paper Kites since 2010.
If you know The Paper Kites for any reason, itâs possibly due to their 2010 single âBloomâ, which managed to do what Aussie bands only dream of, and went Platinum in the US and Canada. For a bit of a reference, at the time of writing, it has more than 584 million plays on Spotify, and 35 million views on YouTube alone.
No matter how you slice it, thatâs pretty impressive.
But they didnât stop there. Since then, theyâve released six full-length albums, the most recent of which was 2023âs âAt The Roadhouseâ, which once again captures the singular sound of the group, and shows their worth as a celebrated group of Aussie exports.
Ahead of a tour of the UK & Europe, where theyâve got a pretty voracious fanbase, Dave Powys was kind enough to join me for a chat. Now that this podcast is out, theyâre just about to head out on an Australian tour, so once youâre done giving this podcast a listen, go out and catch them live!
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By his own admission, you probably havenât heard of Kevin Devine, but for almost 30 years now, heâs been a prolific musician who treats making music in much the same way the rest of us treat the need to breathe. That is to say, he deems it to be pretty bloody important.
In fact, in addition to a solo career, Kevinâs been a member of bands like Infind, Delusion (who later renamed themselves Miracle Of 86), and Bad Books (which features members of Manchester Orchestra), plus heâs also got a pretty fruitful solo career, both under his own name and with his backing band, The Goddamn Band
Needless to say, if youâve not yet heard of Kevin Devine, well, nowâs the time to get on board â you certainly wonât be left wanting when it comes to content.
However, he is going to have to take a bit of time off making music when he heads to Australia this week for his first tour in ten years.
Ahead of his trip down south, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Kevin for the podcast, where youâll hear him chatting about his underdog status, his love of Elliott Smith, and more.
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If youâre someone who has your finger on the pulse of the world of jazz, then Audrey Powne is a name that you might be aware of. If hers isnât a name you know, well, then you definitely need to listen to todayâs podcast.
Based in the UK, but originally from Melbourne, Audrey is an artist, producer and multi-instrumentalist who has been aptly described as a creative force carving out a distinctive path in the worlds of future jazz and soul.
Having been drawn to jazz at a young age, Audrey honed her craft in the vibrant Melbourne music scene amongst the likes of Hiatus Kaiyote and 30/70, and can now be found performing in some of the most visionary musical circles globally.
A prolific artist, and a stalwart of the Melbourne jazz and soul scenes (which has seen her leading various pop projects including synth pop duo Au DrĂ©, and sweet soul band Leisure Centre as both a vocalist and trumpeter), Audrey released debut solo album, âFrom The Fireâ, on April 26th.
Ahead of the albumâs release, Audrey took some time out of her day to have a chat for the latest episode of the Trusty Chords podcast, where she discussed her love of jazz, her journey into the world of music, and the exciting process of her debut album.
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