Take 5

Nancy Bates is a proud Barkindji song woman, a mentor, and a curator. She recognises the power of song in sharing stories; particularly the songlines that tell the stories of First Nations peoples in Australia.

During the Adelaide Fringe in 2022, Nancy is also behind the soundtrack for a huge and beautiful performance piece called Sky Song. It’s all about light, so I thought I’d marry the two ideas in her theme, and ask her to share songs that bring stories to light. What she shared, will stay with me forever. It’s a reminder of the power of sharing, but also of hearing, of really listening.

From Archie Roach to Electric Fields, and many discoveries in between, let Nancy Bates bring stories to light.

Archie Roach - There’s A Little Child

Allara - Rekindled Systems

Corey Theatre - Ngathuk Ngalina

Aimee Volkofsky - Buried

Electric Fields - Nina

Claudia Karvan has been a fixture on our screens for the last three decades. We watched her light up the screen on The Big Steal and The Heartbreak Kid, share-housed with her on The Secret Life of Us, and came of age as she did, on Love My Way.

When Claudia wasn’t acting in some of film and television’s biggest moments, she was working behind the scenes as a writer and director, and increasingly has been producing big shows like Bump on Stan.

Through all of this, I had a sneaking suspicion Claudia was a big music fan. And that was confirmed when I asked her to Take 5. From Sinead O’Connor to Pj Harvey to Warpaint, this is a brilliant capture of an artist and the songs that drive her.

Sinead O'Connor - Mandinka

PJ Harvey- 50ft Queenie

Liz Phair- Mesmerizing

Yeah Yeah Yeah’s- Down Boy

Warpaint- Undertow

When you think of electronic music, do you think of the wild? Even as a synthetic creation, is it music that anchors itself in nature, in the sounds of icicles breaking or the feel of flow? Kelly Lee Owens is a producer who take you to all of those places. The Welsh artist may have begun her career as a nurse, and working in a record store, but these days she makes music that transports you; that is as at home in the club as a transcendental meditation.

Her second album Inner Song was big favourite of mine, and her collaborations with Jon Hopkins and remixes of Bjork reminded me of music’s power to get us into a flow state. So when she joined me to Take 5, I wanted to know the songs that did that for her. From Four Tet to Radiohead, Bjork to Nils Frahm, this is a very beautiful exploration of sound, of meaning, and how music can lift us into another realm.

Four Tet – Morning Side

The Knife – Heartbeats (live version)

Radiohead – Nude

Bjork – Sun in My Mouth

Nils Frahm – Says

Bodyjar are a band many of us grew up with; seeing them at all ages shows and festivals, hearing their music on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and voting them into many a Hottest 100. Eight years on from their last album, they’re back with New Rituals, and on the day of it’s release lead singer Cam Baines joined me to share his rituals across five songs. From their heroes Descendents, to the inspiration of Adalita, this is a coming of age story – not just of Cam, but all of us.

Descendents – 'Coolidge'

Ramones – 'Too Tough To Die'

Face to Face – 'Disconnected' 

Magic Dirt – 'Ice' 

Brand New – 'Not The sun'

We’re wrapping up the Take 5 for another year and even though 2021 still kept a lot of us apart, these conversations helped me find a community again. Maybe they did for you, too. We connected a lot over Zoom, we bonded over the music that made us who we are today, and we learned a whole lot more; not just about the guests who joined us to Take 5, but also about the songs and artists they picked.

Every year around this time I like to share my favourites. It’s always hard to whittle it down, but in this episode you’ll hear from the conversations that floored me when I had them, and still resonate with me now. From across the world, and many different personal stories, here are some of my favourite moments of the Take 5 this year.

Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit (chosen by Shirley Manson)

The Beatles - I Am the Walrus (chosen by Danny Elfman)

The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby (chosen by Ruby Wax)

Hot Chip - I Feel Better (chosen by Tony Armstrong)

Björk - Hyperballad (chosen by Julia Stone)

Go-Betweens- Your Turn My Turn (chosen by Lindy Morrison)

The Supremes - Stoned Love (chosen by Billy Bragg)

Beverly Glen-Copeland - Ever New (chosen by Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine)

When Fran Kelly announced she was leaving RN Breakfast after 17 years, everyone I know had a little cry. Maybe it was the same for you too, because this legendary journalist has been waking up with us for a long time. Fran has held those in power to account and told stories we may never have heard otherwise.

But it’s not often you hear Fran’s stories. That’s why I was so stoked and honoured to have her Take 5 with me, the day after she wrapped her final show on RN Breakfast. The theme was simple; life, so far. And from singing around the kitchen table, to hitting the road to get to her great love, this is a beautiful capture of an extraordinary human.

The Tokens – The Lion Sleeps Tonight

The Easybeats – Friday On My Mind

Lucinda Williams – I Just Want To See You So Bad

Yothu Yindi – Treaty

Gurrumul - Wiyathul

The first time I heard Stella Donnelly, I knew she was a star. Then I saw her live, and the heavy weight and brutal honesty of her songs made way for comedy interludes, even cabaret. There’s more to Stella Donnelly, than meets the eye.

For all of these reasons, I’ve long wanted her to Take 5. Her music has given many a sense of community, a home, so I wanted Stella Donnelly to tell me about the songs that belong, for her. From Billy Bragg to Jenny Hval to male choirs from Wales, this is a beautiful and charming insight into her musical heart.

Valentine's Day Is Over - Billy Bragg

Hiraeth - Morriston Orpheus Choir

Lance Jr - Courtney Barnett

Spells - Jenny Hval

Seabird - Alessi Brothers

Damon Albarn is one of the busiest men in music. We first met him as frontman for Blur, he kicked off Gorillaz a decade or so after that, and in between collaborated with Malian musicians, wrote operas based on Monkey, and formed supergroups with members of The Clash and Tony Allen. You get the sense that he doesn’t like to sit still, so it was a coup to ask him to do that, for a spell, to Take 5.

On the day he released his new solo album, Damon invited you into his universe across songs. There are not many people that can mention legends like Lou Reed and Bobby Womack as friends, but it’s the reverence he holds these makers in, that makes this truly special.

Ghost Town – The Specials

Trench Town - Bob Marley

Lou Reed – Dirty Blvd.

Bobby Womack – Across 110th Street

The Clash – Rock the Casbah

As soon as I heard Amyl and the Sniffers, I was hooked. The name for one: genius. And this band out of Melbourne, with a phenomenal frontwoman and wild live show, held a lot of promise. They delivered on their debut, and kept that fire alive on the follow up too. Amy Taylor is the lead singer of Amyl and the Sniffers, and every time I’ve spoken to her I’ve been left feeling giddy afterwards. As we kick off Ausmusic Month for another year, who better to ask to Take 5? From Slim Dusty to Barkaa to AC/DC and beyond, this is Amy Taylor’s Australia.

AC/DC – If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)

Maureen Elkner  - Rak off, Normie!

Barkaa & Mackridge - 22Clan  

Slim Dusty - Looking Forward Looking Back

Yothu Yindi - Treaty (Radio Mix)

When people ask me who’s on my bucket list to Take 5, Billy Bragg is up there. The poet and activist has been part of my life since I was born. He’s a regular visitor to Australia, and his activism, songs and stories have captivated me for decades.  So having him join me on the day he released his new album, was a dream come true.

The Million Things That Never Happened is a pandemic album, and we all leaned on songs to get us through the last two years. So I asked Billy to share his songs for the soul. From The Supremes to Laura Nyro to Curtis Mayfield, this is a grounding and beautiful convo about the power of music to keep us afloat

Willin' - Little Feat

Stoned Love - The Supremes

Move On Up - Curtis Mayfield

Save the Country - Laura Nyro

Musical Communion - The Skatalites