Spoon are one of those bands that are quiet achievers. Over 25 years they’ve put out 10 albums and toured all over the world… they’ve weirdly never become super famous, but have a very dedicated bunch of fans. And I say weirdly, cos frontman Britt Daniel knows how to write a hit. He’s one of my favourite songwriters, and you can hear in Spoon’s songs and their curiosity that there’s a deep love for music and melody. From Sinatra to Prince to Gambino, this is a fall down the rabbit hole of a grea...
Dec 07, 2023•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you’re like me and came of age in the 90’s, then Supergrass loom large. The UK band exploded into the Brit Pop scene like a firecracker, with a song that captured the cheeky charm they’d come to be known for. Six albums followed, before they called it a day. And a few years later, lead singer Gaz Coombes went out on his own. In the last decade or so, Gaz has released a handful of critically acclaimed solo albums, and despite the madness of the era he came up in, remains one of the more ground...
Nov 30, 2023•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rhys Nicholson grew up making people want to laugh. As a kid in Newcastle, they were supported every step of the way, with a family of wild creatives and even an uncle in a famous Australian band. Over the past few years, Rhys’s star has shone brighter and brighter. Winning major comedy awards, becoming a judge on Ru Paul’s Drag Race Down Under, and now writing their first memoir Dish. But did that broke teenager moving to Sydney to give comedy a crack, have any inkling about how life would unfo...
Nov 23, 2023•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast For more than a decade now, Flight Facilities have been bringing the party. Starting life as DJ’s in Sydney’s club scene, they began making their own original music with “Crave You”, and from the get go were onto a winner. But that love of DJ-ing and deep cuts was always central to their foundations, and when not performing on big stages they were stitching together Decades Mixes, capturing ten years in a musical time capsule. These mixes became the stuff of legend, and as they clock fifty odd y...
Oct 05, 2023•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Liz Stringer is one of Australia’s finest songwriters. And she’s been doing it for years, honing her craft across six albums and countless stories. Her latest is a beauty, the critically acclaimed First Time Really Feeling. It’s one of those albums that floored me when I first heard it, and continues to, two years on. Liz is about to play it live one last time, stripped back and in solo mode, before she enters a new chapter in making a new album. So I thought this would be a perfect time to sit ...
Sep 29, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast For more than 20 years, Pendulum have been at the top of the D&B game. Hailing from Perth but breaking through to the London scene, their massive sound has seen them play big stages, drop huge hits, and blend their love of heavy guitar and electronic music in all they do. But their musical palette is broad, which you’ll discover when founding member Rob Swire Takes 5 with the whole shebang. From Spiderbait to Empire of the Sun to Karnivool, this is a capture of the many sides of one of Austr...
Sep 08, 2023•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Over the last few months, a steady murmur has been building about a film called Past Lives. It’s the story of childhood friends, sweethearts even, who part ways when they’re 12 in South Korea and reunite many years later. And it’s the directorial debut of playwright Celine Song. It just opened in Australia, and lucky for us, the writer and director came out recently to share its story. While in town, I asked her to Take 5 with her past and present. And from Grizzly Bear to Leonard Cohen to Modes...
Sep 01, 2023•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you’ve watched any Australian telly over the past 20 years, then you’re well acquainted with Julia Zemiro. She’s charmed us as the host of RocKwiz, visited famous people’s childhood’s in Home Delivery, and been a theatresports champion. She’s Roz in the TV series Fisk, and she brought a local connection to Eurovision when hosted the Australian telecast. Above all she loves music, and it was high time I invited Julia to Take 5. I always love chatting with her, but I didn’t expect some of the r...
Aug 18, 2023•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast August 11, 2023 marks 50 years to the day since hip-hop was born. It’s a genre, a scene, a philosophy that has changed the world; not just in music, but in culture, communication, and how we see ourselves. Over the years I’ve had the great pleasure of chatting with a ton of hip-hop legends, so I’m dusting off the crate and digging into Take 5’s past to share some of my favourites on this big anniversary. You’ll travel to Queens with Mike D, hear Neneh Cherry shout out a pioneer in the game, and ...
Aug 11, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast August 11, 2023 marks 50 years to the day since hip-hop was born. It’s a genre, a scene, a philosophy that has changed the world; not just in music, but in culture, communication, and how we see ourselves. Over the years I’ve had the great pleasure of chatting with a ton of hip-hop legends, so I’m dusting off the crate and digging into Take 5’s past to share some of my favourites on this big anniversary. You’ll travel to Queens with Mike D, hear Neneh Cherry shout out a pioneer in the game, and ...
Aug 11, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast This year, 2023, marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. On August 11, 1973, a party went down in New York City. DJ Kool Herc was there, and he’d been playing around with a technique where he’d play the break from one record, then another, looping them and creating something new. On this night in the Bronx, b-boys and girls danced, then Herc and his friend Coke La Rock started speaking, rhyming over the music. Hip-hop was born. The foundations of a sound and scene that would change the world are ...
Aug 07, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast This year, 2023, marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. On August 11, 1973, a party went down in New York City. DJ Kool Herc was there, and he’d been playing around with a technique where he’d play the break from one record, then another, looping them and creating something new. On this night in the Bronx, b-boys and girls danced, then Herc and his friend Coke La Rock started speaking, rhyming over the music. Hip-hop was born. The foundations of a sound and scene that would change the world are ...
Aug 07, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sydney band Body Type draw us in with their pop hooks, before chewing us up and spitting us out with their visceral take downs. They’ve got a knack for that sweet and sour, writing songs that are trojan horses and pack a punch. With two albums under their belt, they’re proving themselves as one of Australia’s best new bands, and I love their work. So I asked them to Take 5. From Fiona Apple to Princess Nokia, this is an eclectic mix of subversive sounds. Fiona Apple - I Want You To Love Me Lucin...
Aug 04, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sydney band Body Type draw us in with their pop hooks, before chewing us up and spitting us out with their visceral take downs. They’ve got a knack for that sweet and sour, writing songs that are trojan horses and pack a punch. With two albums under their belt, they’re proving themselves as one of Australia’s best new bands, and I love their work. So I asked them to Take 5. From Fiona Apple to Princess Nokia, this is an eclectic mix of subversive sounds. Fiona Apple - I Want You To Love Me Lucin...
Aug 04, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Stella Mozgawa is one of those artists who orbits many worlds. She’s the drummer with Warpaint, but on stage she’ll often join Kurt Vile and Cate Le Bon on tour, and while in the studio she’s working with The xx and co-producing Courtney Barnett albums. Her skills and curiosity brought her here, but so did her passion for all forms of music. And after hearing this Take 5 you’ll understand why. Stella is one of those people you want to bail up at a house party, finding out what they’ve been liste...
Jul 28, 2023•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Stella Mozgawa is one of those artists who orbits many worlds. She’s the drummer with Warpaint, but on stage she’ll often join Kurt Vile and Cate Le Bon on tour, and while in the studio she’s working with The xx and co-producing Courtney Barnett albums. Her skills and curiosity brought her here, but so did her passion for all forms of music. And after hearing this Take 5 you’ll understand why. Stella is one of those people you want to bail up at a house party, finding out what they’ve been liste...
Jul 28, 2023•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast What do The Late Show, Utopia, The Castle, and Have You Been Paying Attention? all have in common? Tom Gleisner. As a part of Working Dog, he’s been behind some of the most successful and funny stories on Australian screens for 3 decades. Tom has always been a collaborator but for the first time ever he’s stepping out on his own. With a musical. You guessed it, I had to ask him to Take 5. From Tom Waits to Bette Midler, this is a beautiful glimpse into one of Australia’s funniest creator’s mind....
Jul 21, 2023•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast What do The Late Show, Utopia, The Castle, and Have You Been Paying Attention? all have in common? Tom Gleisner. As a part of Working Dog, he’s been behind some of the most successful and funny stories on Australian screens for 3 decades. Tom has always been a collaborator but for the first time ever he’s stepping out on his own. With a musical. You guessed it, I had to ask him to Take 5. From Tom Waits to Bette Midler, this is a beautiful glimpse into one of Australia’s funniest creator’s mind....
Jul 21, 2023•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Anyone who has ever seen Danielle Walker, becomes a fan. If you’re yet to witness this award winning comedian, you’re about to become one too… Danielle has a way of telling stories that are both hilarious and full of heart. Her stand up show Nostalgia won big awards, she was the winner of the first season of Taskmaster, and is starring in her first acting role in Gold Diggers, a new comedy on ABC. A big part of Danielle’s comedy is her family, and her childhood growing up in Far North Queensland...
Jul 14, 2023•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Anyone who has ever seen Danielle Walker, becomes a fan. If you’re yet to witness this award winning comedian, you’re about to become one too… Danielle has a way of telling stories that are both hilarious and full of heart. Her stand up show Nostalgia won big awards, she was the winner of the first season of Taskmaster, and is starring in her first acting role in Gold Diggers, a new comedy on ABC. A big part of Danielle’s comedy is her family, and her childhood growing up in Far North Queensland...
Jul 14, 2023•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast When Electric Fields first burst onto the scene, they grabbed everyone’s attention. This South Australian duo of Zaachariaha and Michael brought beauty, beats, and a soaring sensibility to all they did. Since 2015 they’ve crafted bangers, heartfelt ballads, lullabies for little kids, and anthems for Eurovision and World Pride. I’ve been chasing Electric Fields to Take 5 for ages, so I’m so stoked they were finally able to do it. Hearing the DNA of their musical passions is a joy, and from Nina S...
Jul 07, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast When Electric Fields first burst onto the scene, they grabbed everyone’s attention. This South Australian duo of Zaachariaha and Michael brought beauty, beats, and a soaring sensibility to all they did. Since 2015 they’ve crafted bangers, heartfelt ballads, lullabies for little kids, and anthems for Eurovision and World Pride. I’ve been chasing Electric Fields to Take 5 for ages, so I’m so stoked they were finally able to do it. Hearing the DNA of their musical passions is a joy, and from Nina S...
Jul 07, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you’re like me and you were a child of the 80’s, then Jason Donovan was your world. He burst onto our screens as the star of Neighbours, Scott and Charlene, Jason and Kylie… at the peak of the soap opera’s powers. Jason became famous in Australia and around the world, particularly the UK where he’d launch his pop career and a wild adventurous life. That life was filled with ups and downs, drug addiction, controversy, but also new beginnings. For the past 20 years, Jason has been a star of mus...
Jun 30, 2023•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you’re like me and you were a child of the 80’s, then Jason Donovan was your world. He burst onto our screens as the star of Neighbours, Scott and Charlene, Jason and Kylie… at the peak of the soap opera’s powers. Jason became famous in Australia and around the world, particularly the UK where he’d launch his pop career and a wild adventurous life. That life was filled with ups and downs, drug addiction, controversy, but also new beginnings. For the past 20 years, Jason has been a star of mus...
Jun 30, 2023•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Waifs are one of those bands many of us have a connection with. It felt like they came up as we came of age, the soundtracks to our own first adventures and a band with a loyal live following. Three albums into their career this steadfastly independent band broke through with ‘Up All Night’. It was helped by the juggernaut single “London Still”, which managed to capture a quintessentially Australian experience perfectly. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of that moment, the band are back in ...
Jun 23, 2023•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Waifs are one of those bands many of us have a connection with. It felt like they came up as we came of age, the soundtracks to our own first adventures and a band with a loyal live following. Three albums into their career this steadfastly independent band broke through with ‘Up All Night’. It was helped by the juggernaut single “London Still”, which managed to capture a quintessentially Australian experience perfectly. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of that moment, the band are back in ...
Jun 23, 2023•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tim Ross is one of those fella’s you want to bail up in the kitchen at a house party. Better known to many as simply Rosso, he’s a triple j legend who we first met as co-host of Drive alongside Merrick Watts. He’d go on to launch a new commercial radio station, publish books, and fall deeper into his love of Australian architecture. What I love about Tim is that he makes me feel like design is for all of us. And the way he tells stories connects to the very stories these buildings tell. Of who w...
Jun 16, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week’s Take 5 is a dream come true. Ever since I first met Thundercat, I wanted him on this podcast. Stephen Bruner is one of those magical humans whose musical DNA you want to explore. Born into a family of legendary players, Thundercat grew up with a famous drummer dad, who played with Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, and the Temptations. His older brother Ronald was a jazz drummer too, and a member of hardcore band Suicidal Tendencies. And his mum played as well, so it’s no surprise that Steph...
Jun 09, 2023•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week’s Take 5 is a dream come true. Ever since I first met Thundercat, I wanted him on this podcast. Stephen Bruner is one of those magical humans whose musical DNA you want to explore. Born into a family of legendary players, Thundercat grew up with a famous drummer dad, who played with Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, and the Temptations. His older brother Ronald was a jazz drummer too, and a member of hardcore band Suicidal Tendencies. And his mum played as well, so it’s no surprise that Steph...
Jun 09, 2023•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Are you ready for some incredible stories? Take 5 always gifts us with some cracking yarns, but this week’s episode takes the cake. In fact, I’ve had more responses to Ed Le Brocq’s Take 5 than any other, in ages.
Jun 02, 2023•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
