How Long's A Yarn

A chat with Hodgy about the art of sign writing, the importance of historical integrity, the language of physical advertising and the disappearing skill sets and knowledge of century old trades.

This episode I speak to Ernie Van Amstel about her book Bird Dog and she talks to me about my book Fishing For Jack.

For this episode I spoke to O_T, renowned Sydney writer, beat maker and rapper. We chat graff, music, Australian wildlife and growing up in SW Sydney. After a stint in the clink, O_T is out making new music and performing his distinctive sound of hard hitting beats and harder hitting bars around Sydney. It's reckon that O_T is currently making some of the most authentic music this country has produced. 

Another instalment of me rambling. This time I chat about the concept of cultural cringe, it's link to tall poppy syndrome and how it may subconsciously oppress the lower and middle classes in our ability to be proud of our creative output.

This episode I speak to one of Australia's best contemporary comedians Luke Heggie about growing up in the suburbs of Brisbane, worksite banter, Aussie's colourful use of language, the left censoring the left and more.

I ruminate on the feeling of alienation and fear felt by early colonisers and settlers in Australia and how the hangover from this effects our ability to feel at peace with this country which I feel can cause unconscious hatred, purposeful ignorance and false pride.

This episode I speak to artist and community icon, the lovely and always smiling Verity Nunan.  We chat Broken Hill, public space, rough sleepers and her artist practice.

This week I speak to a bloke you can trust. An icon of The Australian music scene, a great bulldozer driver and an author, one of the most genuine people you could meet, the main man of the Cosmic Psychos, Ross Knight. I first met Ross very briefly when Mini Skirt were first cutting our teeth at the Lansdowne in some kind of beer sponsored battle of the bands, but recently got to spend a bit more time with the Pyschos lads on a small tour up north. They are exactly what it says on the box. Down to earth, bloody hilarious, and bloody good drinkers. Though they’d probably be too humble to admit it, they’ve had an enormous impact throughout the years on Australian heavy music and they still blow dust off your boots on stage. I spoke to Ross a couple months after the tour while he was back at his home in rural Victoria.

This week I am incredibly lucky to speak with someone I have been very fascinated with for a long time. Austen Tayshus is one of the most divisive personalities in Australian comedy. He performed the number one selling Australian single of all time, the spoken word hit "Australiana", he has made movies, created music videos and performs stand up regularly. He is intensely clever, outspoken and often misunderstood.