Ezcapades Podcast

Ez interviews Melbourne-based muso, Maja. Originally hailing from balmy Bris-vegas, she trained classically at the University of Queensland, majoring in piano and composition. This sweet and sonorous songstress is looking forward to the launch of her sophomore EP “Still Bleeding”, where you can catch her touring around to Brisbane, Nimbin Roots Festival, Adelaide, and Bendigo. This all kicks off in September, but I’m very grateful she was able to make a pit-stop and join me in the studio. On today's show:

1. Ez's work war stories
2. Maja's TED Talk: The Necessity of Self-Expression / Immigrating to Australia
3. Song: "Still Bleeding" - Maja
4. Game: The Fake News Game
5. Song: "Wake Up and Find" - Maja
6. Maja's new music video (Wake Up and Find)
7. The KEY to becoming a great artist (Hint: Michael Jordan, Eminem and Donald Glover all have this in common!)

Maja has kindly allowed me to include her tracks, "Still Bleeding" and "Wake Up and Find", from her EP, Still Bleeding in the pod! If you liked the sound of them show her some love on her FB or stream it/grab yourself a copy!

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Ez interviews Caitlin Spears, Melbourne theatre actor and opera singer, as she prepares for her Fringe show, Cactus and the Mime. After finishing her studies at VCA (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Music Theatre), she landed her first lead role in a new contemporary opera called Women in War, which saw her travelling to Greece for 2 months and performing in a 2000 year old amphitheatre. Since then, she's toured around Australia singing in Rolling Thunder Vietnam, a rock-show with Wes Carr (Australian Idol) and Ben Mingay (Packed to the Rafters), and trekked around China, performing Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing. It's a wonder I got her to sit down with me in the studio! On today's show...

1. Food intolerances // ever refused someone's food before?
2. What to NEVER ask a director
3. Atomic Blonde mini review // real life fight during my screening (life imitates art)
4. Twitter is a scary place, 0/10 do not recommend.
5. Caitlin's TED Talk - How to Make a Really, Really Good Chocolate Pudding in 7mins in the Microwave
6. Ez's school story woes - Food Tech and out of control microwaves
7. Caitlin's career thus far and advice for young actors
8. ~GAME~: Fake News
9. Fringe Festival Show - Cactus and the Mime

Give me a shout on FB if you're liking what you're hearing. Cheers m8s and enjoy!

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Ez interviews Melbourne comedian, Ben Volchok. Ben is the founder of sketch comedy group, Mudcrabs, and resident comedy presenter here at SYN Media. We caught up and had a laugh over recent events and talked about his upcoming show in the Fringe. Ben has kindly allowed me to use a snippet of his show The Illustrious Fact Show Presents... Cyber Cops, so go check it out if it tickles your fancy! On todays show...

1. Preamble about squeaky chairs/getting ready for the show
2. Ez's war stories
3. Ben's new website and what Ez's website would be
4. Ez attempts to create an app (unsuccessfully)
5. Forbidden bickies
6. -FAKE NEWS GAME-
7. The Illustrious Fact Show Presents... Cyber Cops
8. Voice overs and advice to starting your OWN podcast!
9. How to never, ever, ever lose yourself

Don't forget to drop me a line or like my FB and instagram! I'd love to hear from you, so don't be shy. I will also appreciate your feedback in the form of a picture of the royal family, with all different types of Sheen faces' (Charlie, Michael, Martin... etc) superimposed onto them with the banner "God Save the Sheens" proudly flapping in the wind above. Or you could just like my FB. Choice is yours.

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Ez interviews Jake Colman and Tom Attard, members of the Melbourne a cappella group Drums of War. Since winning the 2015 Vocal Australia AUSACA Championships, they've competed internationally, in both Singapore and Hong Kong, and have now released their debut EP, Shadowboxing. On today's show...

1. Ez's awkward encounter with Sunshine Coast's Casanova

2. Competing in Singapore and Hong Kong

3. Music: Wild Wild Wish (Cover), Drums of War

4. Game: Fake News. Play of the day goes to this article.

5. Producing the EP, in particular their first original song "Shadowboxing".

6. Music: Shadowboxing

7. What's on the horizon for Drums of War?

Once again, Drums of War has kindly allowed me to include their tracks in my podcast. If you like them go and send them some love to their FB, Youtube or Insta!

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Ez interviews Sydney comedian and YouTuber, Neel Kolhatkar. Entering the scene at the age of 15, he competed for the title of "Class Clown" at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival back in 2009. After winning the competition, and being crowned funniest high school student, Neel pressed on with his YouTube channel. When his video "Australia in 2 Minutes" went viral, Neel left behind/got fired from his job as an after-school drama teacher (which we speaks about in the show) and went on to pursue a career in comedy. Since then he has become a big name as an Australian YouTuber and comedian, with his subscriptions and socials boasting a cult following. He is currently in Melbourne, bringing his show "#ObjectifyNeel" to the MICF. He popped by the studio for banter, stayed in the studio for real talk. Check out what you missed below!

1. Ez's Sydney adventures: Difference between buskers in Melbourne and Sydney
2. Neel's TED Talk: "Artificial Intelligence Should Take Over the Human Race/We Should Embrace Our New Leaders"
3. Neel going viral and getting fired from his drama teacher job
4. Game: Two Truths and a Lie - Fake News Edition
5. Advice for budding comedians and his new show #ObjectifyNeel

If you listened to the end of the pod you'll know that Neel currently doesn't have a wiki page about him, and I'd love to get one up. If any listeners are keen to do it/end up doing it, please send a message to my page so I can see the results and pass them on! You'll definitely get a feature in an upcoming show. 

Song List: 1. Jerk It Out - Caesars Palace, 2. Hello, Bitches - CL, 3. Mr. Skeng - Stormzy, 5. Talking to You - Izzy Bizu

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Ez interviews Josh Novak, Somesh Das, Lachlan Watson and Sam Templeton from the Melbourne funky-pop band, Caravan Kids. Making a name for themselves on the Bourke Street Mall strip, they've combined their backgrounds in jazz and country to trade fours and give modern pop more bite. With Somesh being accepted into Boston's Berlee College of Music, the question of everyone's lips is what will become of Caravan Kids? On today's show:

1. Caravan Kids' TED Talk
2. Forming of Caravan Kids and different musical backgrounds
3. Two Truths and a Lie: News Headline Edition
4. The future for Caravan Kids

Caravan Kids have kindly allowed me to include Josh Novak's song Never Gonna Know Me from his EP Rat Race. You can check them out on Soundcloud or purchase a CD from them - just catch them outside General Pants/David Jones in the arvo!

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Ez interviews Sydney rapper, Smizzy (AKA "Smiles Again"). He's been in the scene since the mid 2000s, starting out in the hiphop outfit called Mind Over Matter. After releasing their debut LP Keepin' It Breezy (2008), Free the Wolves (2009), Just Like Fireworks (2011) and This Way to Elsewhere (2014), Smizzy moved on to form another group with rapper, Forbes. He is now releasing his own album early 2017, but has dropped his single We Swear as a taster of what's to come. He's worked with some of the best in the Australian scene, the likes of Bliss n Eso, Drapht, Chance Waters and PEZ. This man has been blessed with the ability to deconstruct other raps, teaching his fans about technique and craft, while maintaining his own style. It was a pleasure to talk to him about the Australian rap scene, how his journey began and dropping his new album! On today's show:

1. Starting out
2. Smizzy's TED Talk - "How Not to be a S*** C***"
3. Rap - Australian rap cops flak, Iggy Azalea // Azalea Banks beef, race politics of rap, Smizzy's youtube videos
4. Game: Two Truths and a Lie - Headline Edition
5. Controversy surrounding Smizzy's We Swear video
6. Smizzy's new album The Cover

Song List: 1. Fxxk it - Big Bang, 2. What They Say feat. Bliss n Eso - Mind Over Matter, 3. All The Same feat. Emma Beau - Smizzy and Forbes, 4. We Swear - Smizzy, 5. California - Childish Gambino

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Ez interviews Molly Daniels and Laura Buskes, creatives behind web series Double Date Night. Molly is a 21-year-old actor, writer, director and producer who studied Film & TV at Swinburne back in 2014. She scored her first big break acting on the ABC sketch show You’re Skitting Me, and she's featured on The Librarians, Upper Middle Bogan and played lead role, Ellie, on the Tomorrow, When the War Began tv series. Laura Buskes is a 27-year-old actor, singer and improviser, who studied acting at APO Academy, as well as short courses at NIDA. She joined The Improv Conspiracy Theatre in 2013, performing in their weekly shows and in 2015 decided to write a scripted performance for the first time, writing a one-woman musical. The girls met when Molly joined Improv Conspiracy, and she asked Laura to come on board as an actor. The show, which features Molly as Riley and Laura as Vic, is about two house mates negotiating the dating world on a budget. Today's show...

1. Worst birthday present you've ever received
2. TED Talks (Molly + Why Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan Movies Will Always Be The Best Rom-Coms, Laura + 101 Ways to Thoroughly Disappoint Your Parents)
3. Becoming actors/writers and getting that break
4. Game: Two Truths and a Lie - News Headline Edition
5. Yung Productions and creating the Double Date Night web series

Song List: 1. White Tiger - Izzy Bizu, 2. Tilted - Christine and the Queens, 3. Don't Go Home - GD & TOP, 4. 56-46 Was My Number - Toots and the Maytals, 5. California - Childish Gambino

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Ez interviews Melbourne poet, comedian, musician, writer, model, actor, teacher and Josh-of-all-trades, Josh Cake. His poetry was first published at the age of 10. Since then, his poems, short stories, and essays have been included in a range of anthologies. He writes the blog Penguin on Porpoise, a repeat finalist at the International Weblog Awards. At 21, his Youtube channel has reached hundreds of thousands of people in over 100 countries, and his stand-up comedy has won critical acclaim, packed audiences, and a number of awards, in both Australia and Europe. A member of the Dante Alighieri Society of Melbourne, he is fluent in French and Italian, and has lived and worked in both countries. He has written and performed several musical theatre productions, and recently finished a stint of 112 gigs in six months in Paris. On today's show:

1. Hero of trams/Ez h8s ticket inspectors
2. Song: The Most Beautiful Song in the World - Josh Cake
3. Because the Internet, two comedians sit down and be serious for 20 minutes
4. Song: Flappy Bird Sings the Truth - Josh Cake
5. Josh Cake's poetry 
6. Game: Two Truths and a Lie - News Headlines, French Edition! Ez in the hotseat...

Song List: 1. Move on Up - Curtis Mayfield, 2. The Most Beautiful Song in the World - Josh Cake, 3. Flappy Bird Sings the Truth - Josh Cake, 4. Redbone - Childish Gambino, 5. Tearing me up - Bob Moses

Josh Cake - FB, YouTube, Twitter
Photographer - Cameron Maynard Photography

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Ez interviews Sydney comedian and YouTuber, Jordan Shanks (AKA friendlyjordies). From humble beginnings, as a bake stall hustler, Jordan became an international model, only to realise his true calling as a comedian. Under the alias "friendlyjordies" he makes comedy videos about social and political issues in Australia. He brought his first stand-up tour, Chin Up, Stooge, to Melbourne and popped by the studio after the show. Check out what you missed out on!

1. Presidential elections
2. Jordan's TED Talk - "Stop Focusing on Stupid Shit"
3. Links between Pepe meme and white supremacists ?
4. Secret story about Jordan's past as a baker/hustler
5. Jordan's time as an international model/swift transition to comedy
6. Game: Two Truths and a Lie - News Headline Edition
7. Jordan's first stand-up show - Chin Up, Stooge

Song List: 1. All Star - Smash Mouth, 2. Keep it Simple feat Stormzy - Raleigh Richie, 3. Ye of Thrones - DJ Nada One, 4. Me and Your Mama - Childish Gambino, 5. Leave it all Behind - Saskwatch

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