Playlist for my show Alex in the morning where I interviewed Annika Aka Hachiku about her new album I’ll probably be asleep. We talked about COVID. How the year’s been for her and the possibility of live shows. How she creates art and her work ethic. Plus if she is a City, Beach or Country person.
Was Great to chat with her and will upload her interview and a few I’ve done recently a post soon. Until then Enjoy my playlist.
Alex in the Morning Playlist 28/10/2020
Playlist for the 28/10/2020 show. Heaps of new releases and with a few beach related releases in there.
Interview with musician Liam McGorry
The other day I had a chat with Liam about his latest album. His love for Soul and disco and what his been up to during the pandemic.
Check out the chat ere’:
Then Check out his new album ere’!
Pulse Playlist for 21/10/2020
I do a show on the Pulse in Geelong Wednesdays currently from 9 – 11 am for anyone out there who’s interested. Thought I’d upload the playlist from the latest show. I Will also upload the interviews where I chatted to both Ex-Olympian and The Sea The Sea.
So do check out the playlist I feel this was a great playlist and a great one for if you just want to kick back and chill! Especially since it’s full of great music.
Be well and enjoy new music.
Chat with Dan Whitford from Cut Copy and finding out if he is a Beach, City or Country person.
I had a chat with Dan of Cut Copy last week about their latest album. What Dan has been doing during the pandemic and also if he is a beach, city or country person. Also the themes that went into their new and sixth release Freeze Melt.
It was a pleasure to be able to chat with a vocalist of a Aria award winning band and Grammy nominated at that too!
To this day Cut copy are making great electronic music which started with their roots in Melbourne and have now become a world wide name and festival staple.
An act I’ve seen live 5 times before while thinking back but I’m sure I’ve probably caught a set or two as well at festivals along the way. They’ve always been great to see live and put on a insanely good show. So once this pandemic starts to calm down I’d be keen to see them live playing new material.
They’d even be a group I’d see from my car honestly if that was the first type of live music that would be happening here in Victoria.
For a world gripped by a panddemic cut copy have done pretty well to support New order and release a new album.
Check out my Interview Below
Also, put their latest album into your playlist rotation as it really is a great addition to the Cut Copy discography.
Interview with with Roya Naldi from Chicago about her album release. Music that inspires her and where she plays around Chicago.
I had the pleasure of talking with Roya Naldi from Chicago about her album release. Music that inspires her and where she plays around Chicago.
She has a unique style that is reminiscent of the sounds of the ’20s and ’30s and does so with an amazing voice at that too.
If you like what you heard you can check out more of her music from the album A Night in June.
I hope we can all go back to seeing live music and performing soon.
I haven’t done a international interview for quite some time now. So thought it was about time I contacted a band I’ve been really enjoying for the last year or so and wanted to know more about what they’ve been up to.
I contacted the band Shitkid who are currently Åsa Söderqvist and Lina Ericsson two people who work well together to create and play some amazing music. I was worried about this interview and sat on it for a day or so because I thought it was a horrible interview. (Turns out I was totally overthinking it and the interview sounds fine) But in my head I was a bit worried. Åsa and Lina were great to interview they are very nice and kinda. I managed to find out a few things which I never knew.
Things I found out:
Their SXSW show which is on YouTube that they played last year was one of the worst shows they’ve ever done. Which is crazy because if you look them up on YouTube that’s pretty much one of the first things that pops up.
They have toured excessively with the Melvins and are now good friends with them and the guitarist of the Butthole Surfers. (Even if they are like 50 years old) Still both great and iconic bands to be touring with and being friends with it’s totally amazing!
Shitkid plan on releasing two albums this year. The first one Detention then a second one later this year. They then plan on releasing EPs doing different genres and experimenting with their sound all while touring.
Also, that they were great people to talk to!
Check out their latest songs and grab the LP when it comes out via bandcamp here.
Give the album fish a listen. I first heard this album a year or so ago and been into the band ever since.
Well, I was thoroughly excited to see the fact that Kanye Airport West. Who mind you I’d never heard about (which made sense as they don’t exist) turned out to actually be the band fronted by Tism frontman Damian Cowell. While also being joined by Australian Comedian Tony Martain. My mind was blown.
I was just at first expecting Damian Cowell to be playing on stage which I mean was a treat in its self but then to also be joined by Tony. This was something on a night when I’d been to work and also lacking sleep after doing the graveyard shift on Triple R the night before. I thought I was either completely delirious or this was literally happening.
To my delight, I wasn’t hallucinating or completely losing it (A Relief). The band themselves put on a great set. Including everything from choreographed moves from the backup singers, Damian and Tony. To Damian Cowell just sometimes posing during backing vocal sections. It was a treat for the ears as much as the eyes.
I laughed and also enjoyed the TISM disco medley as someone who’s never seen tism live it was cool to see Whatareya done live. As I mean if you were to see Tism live it wouldn’t really matter who else was in the band. They all had masks on anyway. As there was speculation as to who was in the band when they were touring in the 90s. Which has changed now and it’s known who the members were but I really feel that they can still play these songs as long as the frontman remains the same.
There was life, there was entertainment, there were laughs, I was thoroughly delighted to see them play through their songs so sharply and sound so tight. It all worked.
If you were to catch them I’d say go for it! As the main reason for the slot was to mention that they are playing ANZAC day eve at the Northcote social club. I’d be happy to catch them live again.
They also played a bunch of new songs to which were unfamiliar to the audience and to me. But with every word being thrown on the screen behind it was great to follow along and have a great laugh while doing so. For someone in a delirious state an absolute treat to be given especially when I was so unsure about going out that night due to my lack of brain activity and rest.
It Should be mentioned the sound at The Curtain is sensational and such an iconic Melbourne venue which I’ve maybe been to once or twice in my life I will frequent more I’m sure.
Great night with an unexpected sight of a band who I did not expect to see live I never thought I’d hear a TISM song live being sung by their lead singer. An unexpected surprise act which made my night.
You can catch DAMIAN COWELL’S DISCO MACHINE at the Northcote Social club on the 24th of April.
The other day I hooked up a interview with rapper Scoobie. Who I had come across through friends who sent me some links to his music. As a avid fan of rap and especially rap with a gangsta vibe I was interested and had to find out more.
So. I organized the interview and went to meet him at his pad where I got to find out more about him and his latest EP. Which I listened to in full on the way up on the train and it’s a decent release at that. Which I might add is now downloaded onto my phone and added to the ever-growing collection of great new, local and Australian releases.
I got a real Schoolboy Q vibe from the EP you can judge for yourself as you give it a listen.
He’s in the wings waiting for a chance to be something big and on his way to a solid fan base.
With hard work and dedication, this rapper will go a mile and a half.
Scoobie has an amazing view of the city from his pad where he can sit and dream of being so close to the success while looking over the CBD of Melbourne.
Check out his latest EP Drunk Broke and Almost Famous.
So it’s summer… The time to get hit by heat and melt! It’s also so a time when I have the opportunity to do 6 weeks of shows on PBS here in Melbourne. The show Burning Bitumen was the one I was filling in for. One I have many times before over the years. But a big stint was great as I was able to compile a ton of interviews over this time.
Late night radio has been a staple of my life for 10 years now. I get that Metal shows can’t always happen during the day (maybe one day they can and will) I also think they should. But until then late night radio is where it all lies. But I don’t mind being up at this time as long as I’ve got a decent radio show put together ready to present.
This includes collecting interviews. One of my favourite things to do on radio. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy putting together a playlist to… But truly love to meet new and upcoming artists. Also established ones and just have a chat. It’s the best part of radio meeting artists who you listen to over and over again and get to know a bit more about them and hang out for a bit.
The first band member which I interviewed over the Summer was Ezekiel Ox of Mammal and currently Superheist. It was great to meet an artist who is so political and also can have a bit of fun. I thought I’d be late to this interview. Which in my mind means if I’m not half an hour early there’s something wrong! But managed to make it right on time and get a couple cheeky photos of us holding Christmas presents at the PBS studio. As it was just before Christmas and just before Mammals Christmas shows.
Interview one down now a few more to go! I was in the process of booking other artists to interview and brainstorming with ideas when I remembered Joe played in the heavy band All of the dirt all at Once. So I got in contact with the chap.
We organized to meet at a questionable location. While there we realised the majority of the place is under construction. Which to joes amusement thought would add an “industrial feel to his industrial band” I was more worried about sound issues. But we found somewhere quiet to have a chat and I got the interview sorted for my summer fill on Burning bitumen.
Now I had a decent week of booking artist’s for the next few shows I was in the process of trying to track down a Thy art is murder interview while also contacting a few artists who were playing at UNIFY the gathering in a few weeks time. I managed to get a hold of both Dregg and Polaris.
First up as they are locals to the city of Melbourne were Dregg. Since it was easy to meet them in the CBD I did just that. To my surprise, they had also been interviewed for Triple J Unearthed. So it was cool to be catching up with a band so fresh and with a bit of a traction. They were Chris and Jordan. Two cool dudes who had a lot to say about their music and the current heavy music scene.
It is great to meet a band who knows what they were doing and where they want to go. Also very sure about what they wanted people to know about them. They are sure of themselves. Also, have a great message that they want to get out. Which was that we all need to meet and talk about all the issues at the moment instead of sitting divided. In such a political climate of being polarised which seems to be sitting not just in Australia but a world issue. A truly inspiring interview with a fresh band at the beginning of their journey.
Polaris was next up for an interview. Who mind you were gearing up for shows with the all mighty Parkway Drive. So getting them in the studio was great. We meet in the morning at the PBS studios.
This time being relaxed and on time gave me time to get prepared for this interview. Members Jamie and Ryan were great to talk to. We also got to talk about their upcoming shows at UNIFY the gathering and their recent and first European tour.
Then last but not least. I finally was able to get an interview with Andy from Thy art is murder a band who I’ve always been into and are getting ready to play shows in Australia at the biggest venues they’ve ever played in the country.
The only issue was the time difference as Andy has been all around the world and wasn’t sure of the time of the interview as he was in Brisbane at the time. Still, this wasn’t much of an issue and I was able to grab a hold of him to chat for a bit about being in a now global metal band.
We also talked about playing shows and going around the world, their prefered lifestyle. So it was cool to see how a band can change from being just a band from Australia to being recognised around the world. A feat that all bands want to achieve. Which they are in fact achieving.
So all in all. That was the summer of interviews for the show Burning Bitumen on PBS. I had a blast doing these interviews. So I hope more to come in the future.
Summer heats up Melbourne and brings the city to life. Also brings all these bands to the city to play shows. This is one of my favourite things about Melbourne. It’s insanely diverse music scene. Metal is a genre that will never quit and I can’t wait to see what I do or who I chat to next.
Looking forward to it all.
Check out the shows in full below.
Life That 