Babble with Ben

Ross Larkin is an experienced actor, producer, scriptwriter and published author. Over the last three decades he has appeared on stage and screen in Australia, the UK and the USA.

In this episode we talk about his experiences producing and starring in The Last Sunday In June, a play about friends watching a gay pride parade through their window in New York. 

This interview was recorded on October 11th, 2025, at The Igloo, Box Hill Institute.

I hope you enjoy my podcast with Ross.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/rosselarkin

https://www.instagram.com/firerock.productions

https://chapeloffchapel.com.au/show/the-last-sunday-in-june

Background art by Steve Johnson

 https://rubidiumbeach.com

Teyo Turner is a Kenyan-born, Melbourne-based singer, rapper, and songwriter.

Johnno Smallman is an entrepreneur, entertainer and the host of eXposure, a music industry showcase on October 11th at the Northcote Social Club. 
 
In this episode, we discuss their influences, releases, the importance of building community as well as their upcoming appearance at eXposure.

This interview was recorded on September 6th, 2025, at The Igloo, Box Hill Institute.

Background art by 대정 김
https://www.pexels.com/@daejeung/

Links:
https://linktr.ee/TeyoTurner
https://www.instagram.com/thebizzwithjohnno

Vanessa Lezama is a singer/songwriter who blends pop and R&B with a Latin flair, emphasising her Venezuelan heritage. 

Luca Li Petri is also a singer/songwriter who creates rock music with a contemporary edge.
 
In this episode, we discuss their recent releases and influences as well as their upcoming appearance at eXposure, a music industry showcase on October 11th at the Northcote Social Club. 

This interview was recorded on September 6th, 2025, at The Igloo, Box Hill Institute.

Links:
https://linktr.ee/vanessalezama
https://linktr.ee/luca.li.petri

Background art by Roman Odintsov
https://www.instagram.com/romaodintsow

Mister Co are a Melbourne based duo consisting of husbands Connor and Oscar Absolum.  
 
In this episode we discuss the release of their debut album called “On This Journey”, as well as the tour that followed. We also talk about their upcoming EP as well as their upcoming festival. 

This interview was recorded on June 3rd, 2025 at Studio C, Box Hill Institute.

I hope you enjoy my podcast with Mister Co. 

Background art by Anni Roenkae
https://www.pexels.com/@anniroenkae/

Links:
https://linktr.ee/misterco.melbourne

Anth Agostino is a co-founder of Cartel Australia, a leading provider of artist and label services in Melbourne. 
 
In this episode we discuss how to bridge hobby and career as a musician. We also talk about the pros and cons of touring, developing repeat listenership as well as balancing creative and communication skills.

This interview was recorded on July 13th, 2024 at Studio C, Box Hill Institute.

I hope you enjoy my interview with Anth Agostino.  

Background art by Edward Jenner 
https://www.pexels.com/@edward-jenner/ 

Links:
https://www.cartelaustralia.com.au/
https://www.cartelaustralia.com.au/e-books

Marc Eiden aka The Artificial Limb is an electronic music producer and film maker from Melbourne, Australia. 

https://www.theartificiallimb.com/

In this episode we discuss Marc’s latest album “Run God Run”, his musical influences, and his use of hardware synthesisers. We also discuss the parallels between making music and making films, as well upcoming gigs.

This interview was recorded on July 13th, 2024 at Studio C, Box Hill Institute.

Background art by Dom J - https://www.instagram.com/domas_life

Wykd Folk are a four piece band based in Naarm/Melbourne. As the name suggests, they write folk and rock songs. I was joined by songwriter Brian Morley as well as bassist Alex Stojilovic and drummer Even Friedin. 

We discuss their musical influences and the gigs they have played around Melbourne. We also talk about Brian’s experiences as a member of the Stolen Generation and the musical mentors that have helped his career. 

This interview was recorded on January 18th, 2024 at Studio C, Box Hill Institute. My apologies for such a long delay in getting it out. 

Background art by Marina Zvada - https://www.instagram.com/zvada.photo

Pop singer/songwriter Eamonn Conor shares with me his experiences in writing and performing his music around Melbourne. We discuss his deep love of RNB and soul from 70’s and 80’s, as well as Michael Jackson. We also share our experiences dealing with difficult or even absent audiences, and how to get into the right mindset for a performance.

https://www.eamonnconor.com/

Recorded January 16th, 2024 at Studio C, Box Hill Institute (Nelson Campus), Wurundjeri Country / Melbourne Victoria. 

Background art by Kool Shooters - https://www.instagram.com/koolshooters

As the driving force behind The Real Songwriters of Melbourne and The Release Academy, Jena Marino is a treasured member of the Melbourne music community.

We talk about the importance of working with like-minded artists, the jump from employee to self-employed as well as techniques to reach an audience.

https://rsom.au/

Recorded December 18th, 2023 at Studio C, Box Hill Institute (Nelson Campus), Wurundjeri Country / Melbourne Victoria. 

Background art  by Anni Roenkae: https://www.pexels.com/photo/purple-and-blue-abstract-painting-4175070/

Germán Brito is the lead singer of alt-rock band  @firerootsmusic   He talks about the emotional themes of his latest release "Leave You Behind",  the creative process of lyric writing as well as his experiences in the Melbourne music scene. 

https://linktr.ee/fireroots

Recorded December 12th, 2023 at Studio C, Box Hill Institute (Nelson Campus), Wurundjeri Country / Melbourne Victoria. 

Background art by moein moradi https://www.pexels.com/@moein-moradi-209759/

00:00 Intro
00:43 “Leave you Behind”
01:37 How would you describe the sound of Fire Roots?
03:16 Dual vocalists
03:42 Taking Back Sunday
04:25 90's music references
05:22 Other band members
07:45 Who was next?
08:28 Tinder for musicians
10:00 Whole Lotta Love
11:12 "Speed Of Light"
11:31 Finding gigs
13:11 Gigging as a new band
14:17 Mr Boogie Man Bar
15:36 How long have I been in bands?
16:59 Knowing Less
17:18 Projects that go nowhere
18:01 Venezuela
19:15 Music is like a drug
21:01 Writing lyrics as you get older
22:46 German's lyrics
24:17 Writing in your second language
25:40 Writing lyrics while aging pt2
27:26 Washing dishes
29:17 Singing to yourself
30:00 Lyrics as questions
30:19 Can't sing about heartbreak anymore
31:17 Family members in jail
32:42 Words
34:45 Controversial collaborators
37:06 Not an activist
38:28 Melbourne
39:21 Feeling a part of the scene
40:11 Worth Your While
41:22 Outro, social media