The Void 333 With Christina

Christina Rowatt and Michele Madden pay tribute to two icons of heavy metal and the driving force behind legendary groove metal band Pantera - Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. This week, Vinnie tragically passed away and joins brother Dime in rock and roll heaven. We talk about Michele's teenage words of support from Dime, the sibling-like relationship that can develop when you're fellow musicians and what made Vinnie so exceptional and unique as a drummer. No one hits harder than Vinnie Paul, and no one riffs harder than metal's Jimi Hendrix, the one and only Dimebag Darrell.

Check out Chistina's Vinnie Paul YouTube tribute here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA-XML_GmF4

In this week's episode, we celebrate the incredible life of Anthony Bourdain, who's bold and gentle spirit shone brightly on the screen and on the page. We also explore suicide, anxiety, how to stoke the burning fire of self love within that is necessary before romantic love and platonic love is possible, the profound impact of gratitude according to leading neuroscientists, what the ninja chefs Bourdain was surrounded by shared with rock stars, and lots more rambling from your regular neighbourhood rock and roll nuns.

Follow Christina on Instagram: www.instagram.com/xtina_rowatt/

Follow Michele on Instagram: www.instagram.com/homicidegirl7/

Watch Christina's video interviews on YouTube: www.youtube.com/thevoidwithchristina

Zeal and Ardor is the brainchild of Manuel Gagneaux, a Swiss/American musician who on his latest record "Stranger Fruit" has created a powerful alchemy of blues, gospel, black metal, brutal guitars and straight up soul. During a spirited conversation, we discuss his life as an outsider, what he learned from his jazz musician mother and the story of the record.

Christina and Michele reflect on Jeff Buckley 21 years after his death, Liz Taylor's incredible charity work, Stevie Nicks always having a fire burning, the connection between Van Halen and Blood Duster, being an underage waif in a bar, transformative teachers, Renaissance men, praying to Elvis, the elusive Muse, and the usual innuendo on romance, sex and ridiculousness you've come to expect.

In this week's episode, Christina and Michele explore the wonderful world of no bullshit veganism with Emma Roche of Plant Plate, the legend behind the incredible Plant-Based Eating on $5 a Day cookbook. We discuss what the movement shares with the DIY ethic of independent music, the hard science that backs it, the danger of ridiculous animal fad diets and how plant-based eating has improved the hell out of our mental and physical health.

Sara Taylor and Ryan George of Los Angeles industrial band Youth Code share the story of how the band began on a flyer for the Vacation Vinyl employee showcase, the electric first night they met, their brutal next record, Sara's new punk rock side project, why they'd spend every single touring night with Chelsea Wolfe and that time Darryl Hall of Hall and Oates terrifyingly resembled Rob Lowe in "Behind The Candelabra" at a show.

In a special literary episode, your hosts Christina and Michele explore a selection of the books and writers and poets that have left deep ink stains on our souls. Includes a robust discussion around Hunter S. Thompson, 1970's punk rock, 1990's Southern Gothic, the original Depression era crime writers, 12th century poets, Bret Easton Ellis, and that one time Michele ended up in deep conversation with the ultimate romantic lyricist Peter Steele of Type O Negative in a hotel lobby on tour.

Chris Cornell of Soundgarden possessed one of rock's most raw, powerful and soulful voices, capable of cutting deeply into the heart with the rusty blade of every note. In a special tribute episode, Christina Rowatt and Michele Madden explore Cornell's creative and emotional impact one year after his death. We also explore what it was like experiencing Soundgarden and Seattle music as young Australians on the other side of the world, great books and documentarians, and why suicide is never the answer.

Christina Rowatt and Michele Madden talk about what intimacy means in the 21st century, the intensity of touring life, size queens, their vastly different approaches to love and romance, hermit heaven and cutting sick on the interwebs. And just generally riff on life and what it is to know your animal and exist in the human world.

Christina Rowatt and Michele Madden enjoy another rollicking conversation about the soulful nature of making music, attitude, effort, love, the art of war, the war of art and Michele's moment at seven years old when she no longer needed validation from the outside world, ever again. Nothing beats persistence. And Clint Eastwood brevity. It is omnipotent.