JOY Weekend Breakfast

Paul's friend Alyce joins Paul and Johnno to share her story of the steps she has been taking to get herself out of her lockdown fogginess.

Very excited to introduce you to SOUNDCHECK with a remix of one of the most played radio songs in history -Natalie Imbruglia’s 1997 worldwide hit ‘TORN’.

The remix includes Ryan Riback (2.8M monthly Spotify listeners) and Ed Colman as primary artists.

SOUNDCHECK (Chris Doria) a touring Artist, DJ, Producer & Songwriter is Australia’s #1 EDM DJ and has officially ranked #13 at the ITM DJ awards. Ryan Riback is most known for his remix of Australian pop artist, Starley's debut single ‘Call on Me’ which exceeded triple Platinum status in Australia, and Platinum in the US and Ed Colman is one of the widest reaching DJ’s in Australia and host of ‘The Hype’, Australia’s biggest dance music radio programme. ‘The Hype’ now reaches over 4 million listeners a week globally. SOUNDCHECK, Ryan and Ed have produced an entirely new version of this classic worldwide hit. With a super summery ‘hands in the air’ feel.

‘Torn’ by Natalie Imbruglia currently has 795M total WW streams and is 4 x Platinum in Australia, 3 x Platinum in UK, Platinum in Sweden and Belgium and Gold in 8 countries. In 2013, ‘Torn’ was declared the "Best Pop Song" on a top 10 list, part of a larger collection of songs by Q magazine in their special edition 1001 Best Songs Ever issue. Billboard ranked ‘Torn’ the number 26 Biggest Pop Song based only on pop radio charts compiled between 1992 and 2012. In 2005, ‘Torn’ was listed at number 383 on Blender magazine's list of "500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born".

Paul McDermott, Australia’s original subversive Punk comedian, has just released an electrifying collection of politically-charged songs. The 5 track EP titled “I’VE SEEN THE FUTURE, AND YOU’RE NOT IN IT”, was recorded during Sydney’s latest lockdown.

“I’VE SEEN THE FUTURE… ‘ was recorded with collaborator/musician/producer and wunderkind Glenn Moorhouse, at his Covid Safe office in Sydney. While live performance is restricted in Australia, and around the world, Paul and Glenn set about creating a sonic gift for the masses.

McDermott says the songs have been “a cathartic labour of love.” (All 5 tracks were written by McDermott/Moorhouse, and produced by Moorhouse).

“I’VE SEEN THE FUTURE, AND YOU’RE NOT IN IT” is available now on Spotify, iTunes and

all other streaming platforms.

Melbourne band The Engagement are back with a timely single ‘Heaven So Close’, an uplifting anthem about enduring and overcoming obstacles during hard times. Triple J called it "a poppy sugar hit to meet your cravings."

In collaboration with NYC based producer Brent Kolatalo – who has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry – the band have managed to capture all the qualities of the catchy and meaningful electro-pop that has allowed their previous singles to garner close to a million streams on Spotify.

‘Heaven So Close’ is now available worldwide on all streaming platforms followed by a debut EP in 2022.

Triple J say “They can clearly put together the hooks and glitz.” Fox FM labelled them “a cool 80s/retro sound” and Triple M called them “fantastic.” The Engagement deliver independent music with a stadium sound drawing influence from the likes of Imagine Dragons, Coldplay and Bastille.

Their songs combine earnest storytelling and big hooky melodies to create their own brand of electro-pop that has gained them close to a million streams on Spotify. They've performed to audiences in Melbourne and across Australia, including shows at St Kilda's Oktoberfest, and residencies at Luna Park.

With a number of independent singles under their belts (In The End, Another Year and Heaven So Close), they continue to evolve their sound and engage with a growing fanbase both online and at shows.

The band are excited to showcase new material to Melbourne and regional Victoria in 2021.

You can watch below some of the recent performances:

Heaven So Close (Music Video)

Heaven So Close (live)

Bad Guy (live)

Two years ago, before our lives changed forever, The Production Company staged its last production. Ragtime, an Australian premiere, was the company’s final show after twenty-one years of presenting musicals in the State Theatre at Arts Centre Melbourne.

Founded by Jeanne Pratt AC in 1998, the company produced sixty-five musicals in more than five hundred performances between 1999 and 2019, selling more than a million tickets, presenting no fewer than ten Australian premieres and creating thousands of jobs and major career development for artists and creatives.

How best to remember the unique contribution the company made to the vibrant artistic life we all enjoyed in Melbourne?

The Production Company has launched an online archive celebrating the sixty-five musical productions they presented and the people who both created and starred in them.

The company’s Artistic director Ken Mackenzie-Forbes AM joins us to announce that The Production Company’s

online archive is now live. This online archive will enable The Production Company's subscribers, sponsors, artists and creatives to relive the excitement of those years. This journey through the archives will bring back the joy and delight these memorable productions gave us all.

You can find the online archive at www.theproductioncompany.com.au

Tobias Madden joins us to talk about his new book, Anything But Fine.

A heartfelt and hilarious Australian YA debut from a rising star.

Luca is ready to audition for the Australian Ballet School. All it takes to crush his dreams is one missed step . . . and a broken foot. Jordan is the gorgeous rowing star and school captain of Luca’s new school. Everyone says he’s straight - but Luca’s not so sure . . .

As their unlikely bond grows stronger, Luca starts to wonder: who is he without ballet? And is he setting himself up for another heartbreak?

A queer coming-of-age story that looks at what happens when the career you’ve been planning for your whole life is lost to you in a moment.

‘Anything But Fine is everything wonderful I love in a book: characters so real they breathe, a rollercoaster of a story that made me laugh, cry, and swoon, and vivid, gorgeous writing. Brilliant’.– Jennifer Niven, #1 New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places

Originally from Ballarat, Tobias worked for ten years as a dancer, touring Australia and New Zealand with

musicals such as Mary Poppins, CATS, Singin’ in the Rain and Guys and Dolls. He now lives in Sydney

with his husband, Daniel, and their Cavoodle, Ollie.

In 2019, Tobias edited and published Underdog: #LoveOzYA Short Stories, which featured his first published

work, ‘Variation’. He also co-wrote the cabaret show Siblingship, which played to sold-out audiences

in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.

Tobias is a passionate member of the #LoveOzYA and LGBTQ+ communities, and he currently works

full time for a major independent publishing company.

Cassie McIvor joins us to talk about her magnificent performance on The Voice. She gives us the insider view on her journey to this point, and shares some hints for performers who are newer to the industry.

 

Who better to lift our lockdown blues than Lynne McGranger?! Lynne is the actor behind Home and Away's beloved Irene Roberts, and we think she is a national treasure.

Lynne joins us to talk about the challenge of shooting during lockdowns, why Irene is so beloved of the LGBTIQ+ community, and her favourite Aussie music.

Lynne also talks about her new memoir. Acting Up: Me, Myself & Irene is a warm, hilarious and intimate look inside the life of one of Australia's living TV legends.

Peter Cumins joins us to talk about the premiere of his original show, and to reminisce about growing up in Perth.

After wowing audiences around the world in international productions of ‘Mary Poppins’, ‘Legally Blonde’ and ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’, Perth-born and raised musical theatre star, Peter Cumins is back in

his home city of Perth, and ready to share his most personal project to date, 'Dear Divas – A Love Letter'.

In this part-cabaret, part-comedy and part-musical extravaganza, Peter reflects on growing up gay in

Perth in the 90’s and pays tribute to powerhouse vocalists, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey,

Judy Garland, Julie Andrews and national treasures Kylie Minogue and Tina Arena, who made his teen

years bearable and inspired him to follow his dreams.

Dear Divas is playing at Connections Night Club in Perth on Friday, August 20 and Saturday,

August 21. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at Eventbrite.

Our very first live performance from the soon-to-be-opened-to-the-public Victorian Pride Centre is the fantastic Katie Weston who sings two songs from her upcoming tour "Uninvited: The Songs of Alanis Morissette", opening on the 9th July at the Prince Bandroom in St Kilda.