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Our 2020 Christmas Special is out now with special guest Molly Devine.  Molly is a singer, songwriter and music professional from Dunedin who impressed us with her interesting and very musical style of pop music and her pragmatic approach to her career.  We had a great chat about her background and her relationship with music.  Be sure to look her up!  We also play some notable moments from some of this year’s guests including Wayne Bell, Alan Brown, Jim hall, Bonnie Hurunui, Dr Siouxsie Wiles, Dug Pinnick, Rikki Morris, Debbie Harwood, Jimi Kara (Kara Gordon) and Hammond Gamble.  Have a great Christmas and New years and we’ll be back with you in 2021!

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Guitarist Kara Gordon who now goes by the stage name Jimi Kara, regularly performs around the country and never seems to slow down.  He's opened for Slash, Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne, George Clinton, toured New Zealand, Australia and the UK with Alabama 3, performed many times with Fly My Pretties and has recently been a part of the tribute shows for the late Aaron Tokona.  He's a big character, an unforgettable presence and has even claimed to be Jimi Hendrix re-incarnate.  This one's a wild ride and reveals a thoughtful and quieter side of this larger than life character.  Enjoy!

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Alex is the guitarist / singer for alternative rock band Skinny Hobos.  Alex Ferrier (aka Alex Elvis) and drummer Sam Holdom first met at high school and didn’t immediately click.  Alex put’s it simply “He kind of thought I was a dick and I probably was.”  Some years later they ended up working at the same instrument store and during a jam one night after the store closed, the two discovered their musical kinship.  Skinny Hobos went on to become a popular band on the local touring scene and built a loyal audience with singles like The Merchant of Tirau.  On this episode we talk about bands, gear, touring immediately after lockdown and Alex makes a surprise announcement about the future of Skinny Hobos.

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Iconic New Zealand guitarist, singer and songwriter Hammond Gamble joined us for a fantastic conversation about all things music.  We talked guitars, we dove into Hammonds background and the psychology behind playing and performing.  Hammond came to prominence during the 1970s with Street Talk and went on to tour extensively with the Hammond Gamble Band and The Disappointments.  Joe Cocker even covered one of his songs.  To top off a fun and engaging episode, Hammond gave us a special solo performance which can also be viewed on YouTube.  Come and join us for a chat and a laugh.   

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Wellington musician, songwriter and bandleader Darren Watson isn't afraid to speak his mind and why should he be?  Darren has worked relentlessly over the years; touring, recording, connecting with audiences and making a living.  He's put his money where his mouth is and has well and truely earnt his stripes.  On a recent trip to Auckland to promote his new album 'Getting Sober For The End Of The World' Darren swung by and we got right to it.  What followed was an action-packed conversation that was both thoughtprovoking and a whole lot of fun.  Enjoy!  

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Marshall Smith is a composer, a songwriter, a producer, Musical Director of The Sound Room and Chairperson of the Screen Composers Guild of New Zealand.  He started out in bands, pursuing a career as a recording artist and soon moved into producing and soundtrack work, establishing a studio and creating music and advertisements for a long list of New Zealand and international clients.  We dive right into to an energetic conversation about his journey in music, building his company, social media and we even chat about mindfulness and meditation.  This is an uplifting and fascinating chat.  Enjoy!

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Harry Lyon is the guitarist and founding member of iconic New Zealand band Hello Sailor.  The band formed in 1975 and lasted five years before going separate ways.  Each member remained busy forming other bands and releasing solo albums and soon Hello Sailor reunited and continued to record and tour up until the untimely passing of Dave McArtney in 2013 and Graham Brazier in 2015.  For many years Harry was the Director of MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand) and in 2018 Harry released his first solo album To The Sea.  This week Hello Sailor are re-releasing their 1994 record 'The Album' on vinyl and as a digital release with bonus tracks.  To celebrate, Harry and I talk about the new release as well as some of the highs and lows of Hello Sailors adventures in L.A. and Australia.  Harry Lyon!  Great guy, great chat!

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Andrew Thorne is a great guitar player who’s worked with a long list of fine artists including Jan Hellriegel, Greg Johnson, Dave Dobbyn, Tim Finn and he was the guitarist on Bic Runga’s first hit album Drive.  His own bands have included Splitter and the Calico Brothers, he’s played support for international acts like Radiohead, Bryan Adams and Jeff Buckley and he’s currently performing with the touring show 80s X.  We had a great time discussing all things guitar, moments from his career and the balance of life and art.  Get jiggy wit it. 

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Part 2 with Debbie Harwood is here!  Debbie came back to share some of the wilder stories from her career.  Some are heartbreaking, most are hilarious.  She talks about touring with When The Cats Away right after having throat surgery, her eventful night trying to get home from Waiheke Island after being stranded, dancing evocatively on stage with Jimmy Barnes as Jimmy's wife stood in the wings, making dinner for Paul Hewson on the night he quit Dragon and the time a ghost tried to reclaim her car.  Feel like a funny distraction from the world?  Come a long for the ride.

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Debbie Harwood is a triple threat; she’s a fantastic musician, highly intelligent and as kind and honest as they come.  Debbie spent her early years performing constantly, making a name for herself in the local music scene.  She held her own in a male dominated industry and stood strong against the patronising and dismissive, who sniffed at the ‘cute female covers band’ When The Cats Away, which would become one of the most successful NZ touring shows in the 1980s.  Debbie toured the world singing for Jimmy Barnes, has helped mentor and develop numerous artists and she’s watched the music industry completely change beneath her feet.  On this episode Debbie opens up about her current health problems and she reflects on her career and the challenge of achieving longevity in such an inconsistent and difficult industry.  This episode is thought provoking, touching and hilarious.  We’re thrilled to have Debbie Harwood on our 100th episode!

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