An in-depth conversation with comedian and podcaster, Gavin Hewitson. Gavin does stand-up and he also hosts "Gavin Learns", which I've been a recent guest on - in fact we've set up reciprocating podcast episodes this week. Here we talked about his motivations behind podcasting and the development of it - also his interest in comedy and what it's like to bomb on stage. We also talk about interviews and techniques and have a really good conversation that touches on a few subjects.

An in-depth conversation with performance poet and songwriter Nadia Freeman (aka Miss Leading). She has her debut full-length solo show at this year's Fringe Festival - one show only on Thurs March 11 at the Pyramid Club in Wellington (730pm). So, there was that to plug. But we talked through her life and focus on writing, her time overseas and learning the craft of slam and performance poetry - to picking up music late in life and creating electronica backing tracks for her words.

An in-depth conversation with Dunedin-based poet and essayist Talia Marshall. We talk about social media (Twitter in particular) and books. Reading. Writers. Writing. We talk about her development as an essayist through work for The Spinoff and Pantograph Punch to North & South and now a regular column in the Sunday Star Times. A deep chat. Lots in here.

An in-depth conversation with Wellington-based composer and musician Jeremiah Ross aka Module. We talk through the highs of his music production in the early/mid-00s as an electronica artist in a boom time for Kiwi music; signed to LOOP, touring and making soundtrack for video games. We also talked through the lows of feeling lost from music and from the world, mental health overloads, psychotic episodes, homelessness and now the path back. This was a deep conversation and I feel privileged to be trusted by Jeremiah to facilitate in his telling of this story.

An in-depth conversation with author, psychologist, buisnessman and Pulitizer Prize-nominated poet, John Wareham. There was so much to talk about - and we gave it a good go! We talked about his books (novels, memoirs, a play, poetry) and his new podcast that he started over lockdown. We talked about his famous children (including writer Louise and musician Dean). We talked about his time in America and returning to New Zealand. We discussed prison reform, addiction. We gave it a good go at getting through so many of his life's obsessions.

An in-depth conversation with Maggie Tweedie, Breakfast host at Radio Active. We talk about her path to that job through other radio gigs and her passion for the format. We talk books, music, interviews, prep, freelance writing and working alone in the studio as producer and host. We also talk about her childhood in rural Hawke's Bay. And we chat about our previous encounter where she interviewed me for her show.

An in-depth conversation with music industry legend, Murray Cammick. We talk through his life dedicated to photography and music - from collecting soul records, through the founding of Rip It Up and Shake magazines, to DJing on radio and then to DJing more recently in bars and restaurants; to photography - including his current exhibition in Wellington at Photospace Gallery ("Flash Cars") and on through his days setting up record labels and championing bands. His is a life in service to music. We talked about it all.

An in-depth conversation with drinks professional, Jules Van Costello. We talk about his brand new book, "Beyond the Vines: The Changing Landscape of Wine in Aotearoa New Zealand" and his previous book about craft beer, Brewed. We talk about his rise through the hospitality industry and into winemaking, distributing and promoting; to writing and blogging and to shares in restaurants.

An in-depth conversation with poet and academic John Newton. We talk about his brand new novel-in-verse, Escape Path Lighting. We talk through his love of music - including his sideline in songwriting and the band we both used to play in. We talk poetry and his critical history of New Zealand writing (he's one volume in on a three-book deep-dive). We talk about a life spent dedicated to writing, to finding poetry in various places in New Zealand and Australia. He is also currently in Dunedin for the Robert Burns Fellowship - so we talk through his lockdown experience in that city in that role.

An in-depth conversation with Wellington-based comedian and sex-worker Lucy Roche. We talk about her background in comedy and her rise through the talent quests, open-mics to headlining shows. We talk about how she generates material, the writing process, her aims and ambitions. And we talk about her other job - a sex worker. She talks about this often as part of her act. We talk Covid-19 and the lockdown. And the life of a comedian - the quest to generate material and navigating the safe-spaces in joke-telling vs. the risk-areas.