An in-depth chat with singer/songwriter Nadia Reid. We talk about her battling away doing gigs and low-key recordings and then getting launched onto the international stage and touring behind a record already two years old. We talk about next year's follow-up record which is in the can, waiting. We talk about the pressures of the industry and some of the bullshit around "red carpet" events and awards. And we talk about influences and what's next...

An in-depth conversation with Auckland-based musician Sean James Donnelly (SJD). We talk through all of his albums and his recent work composing soundtracks. We talk about some of the frustrations around being critically acclaimed but not seeing commercial success. We talk about his collaborations with Don McGlashan and Neil Finn, his time spent crafting his various sounds as a determined "non-musician" in the Brian Eno mold.

An in-depth chat with actor/writer/director/musician Aidee Walker. She's just finished the Wellington season of the play "Lungs" so we talk about that, and trace her career back through Step-Dave and Outrageous Fortune, the films The Locals and How To Meet Girls From A Distance and we talk also about her charity work, numerous short films and music videos and the days when she played drums in the bands Duchess and Handsome Geoffrey. She's working on scripts for short and feature films and developing TV shows also.

An in-depth chat with Wellington filmmaker, critic and teacher Costa Botes. We talk through his association with Peter Jackson, his time as a film critic for Wellington's newspaper, his extensive work in documentary and as a tutor and we talk about film piracy and the frustrations around working as a creative; that hideous term "content provider" which neither makes us content nor provides...We talk about life in general and his life through the lens.

A windy wee conversation with Robert Forster, caught on tape in the garden bar out the back at The Southern Cross. It's not the best sound-quality, there's a bit of wind but we had a nice chat and talked about the band and his solo recordings and the book ("Grant And I") just ahead of his two great Wellington performances (a book launch and separate concert). It would have been nice to have a bit longer, we were just getting going - but I wanted to present this to you still, consider it a "bonus episode" rather than a full podcast.

An in-depth chat with Wellington singer/songwriter and artistic director Charlotte Yates. Through her earliest experiences with music we get to a started solo career, the breakaway success of the band When The Cat's Been Spayed, a return to solo albums, teaching, writing and then the creation of theatre shows and albums celebrating the works of some of New Zealand's greatest poets. We talk too about her time working with the great Mahinarangi Tocker and to the future with another album to plan and the 10th Anniversary Tuwhare show in Wellington this December.

An in-depth chat with Kiwi-born, Australian-based pianist and composer Mike Nock. We talk about his years in America, opening for Miles Davis, playing in Dionne Warwick's band and working with Yusef Lateef. We talk about growing up in New Zealand in the 40s and 50s - and finding jazz. We talk also of his life now in Australia (for the last 30 or so years) where he is in a teaching role but continues to tour and record and his regular visits back to New Zealand.

An in-depth chat with Delaney Davidson - singer/songwriter, producer and touring musician. We talk about growing up with a great record collection, we talk too about his new band Manos del Chango and his solo work too. His collaborations with Marlon Williams and Tami Neilson, his time away from New Zealand with Reverend Beat-Man, The Dead Brothers and The Voodoo Rhythm Records crew. We talk about a life on the road and dividing time between New Zealand and America. And we talk about the special skills of a record producer as well as previewing the upcoming NZ Tour of The Band's Last Waltz featuring Garth Hudson with a cast of Kiwi musicians including The Bads and Delaney.

And in-depth chat with Wellington writer, artist and musician Jon McLeary. We talk about the 35 year history of his band, the Spines. We talk about songwriting and his other writing pursuits including the novel "Manslaughter" and his weekly guest-post series at Off The Tracks, "The Ghost of Electricity. We talk influences and inspiration, playing music live and rehearsing. We talk about the artist's life and the need to create.

An in-depth chat with musician Jan Hellriegel. We talk about her bands - Working With Walt and Cassandra's Ears - and her solo career. We talk about the long gap between records, the need to get "real jobs" and the growing up that was done before he re-entry to the world of releasing albums (a record called "All Grown Up"). We talk about Jan's role in music publishing and there's some advice for entry-level musicians and songwriters, a few tips for getting the business side of the house in order. We talk too about her plans to record another new record and how she is a songwriter first and foremost - above and beyond being a recording artist or performing artist.