Take 5

Over the years of I've chatted with many incredible people from the LGBTQIA+ community.  Artists, comedians, musicians, singers; and a common thread through all these conversations is how much music has meant to them. How it’s been a place of joy and solace, love and healing. As we celebrate the annual Mardi Gras parade, I dug into the archives to pull out some of my favourite moments on Take 5. A...

For more than 15 years, Sharon Van Etten has worn her heart on her sleeve.  Over 7 albums she's processed the raw emotions of life through some incredible songs, and continued to evolve her sound with every album. From early days playing indie folk and Americana, to big anthems, incorporating synths, and now collaborating with her band for the first time on the writing of an album. With The Attach...

New Zealand band Shihad are calling it a day.  Over almost 4 decades they’ve torn up stages around the world, proving themselves one of the best live bands around. As they hang up the guitar leads, what better time to ask them to Take 5 and share some of their best memories? This is a blueprint for how Shihad came to be. It's also the story of a friendship that began in a schoolyard in Wellington...

One of the most influential bands of our time are coming back to Australia.  To celebrate New Order’s return, I’m dusting off a cracking Take 5 from 2020 with the one and only Bernard Sumner.  The frontman joined me to share the songs that made him, which was a real treat given his blueprint has changed the course of modern music. Dive into the Haçienda, and hear some incredible stories with this...

What do you say about Wayne Coyne?  The legendary frontman of Flaming Lips has been bringing us joy for more than four decades. Their live shows are the stuff of legend; wild visuals, confetti, balloons, furry animal costumes and giant plastic balls rolling across the crowd. And then there's their music, strange and uplifting pop songs that have become the soundtrack to our own lives. As they visi...

This is one of the best bits from Take 5. Aussie hip-hop royalty Hilltop Hoods had me in stitches when they came in to Take 5 in 2022. Like many of you, I’ve grown up with the Hoods, and had plenty of fun at festivals and shows with them too. It was such a buzz to finally Take 5 with them and travel through some of the highlights of an extraordinary career. Def Wish Cast - 'Rappin In My Sleep' Lis...

This is one of the best bits from Take 5. Angel Olsen did a stunning Take 5 in early 2023. It came after a period of massive upheaval for Angel—the death of her parents, coming out as queer, and all the joy and grief that circled around it. She came to the conversation with a new perspective, and a beautiful collection of songs that captured the full spectrum. Chris Bell - 'I Am The Cosmos' Listen...

This is one of the best bits from Take 5. Fatboy Slim was in Australia in January 2020, right before the world locked down. He came in to Take 5, and took us all on a thrilling journey through his crate digging collection and remarkable history. Donna Summer – ‘I Feel Love (Patrick Cowley remix)’ Listen to the full episode here : https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/take-5/fatboy-slim-dancefloor...

This is one of the best bits from Take 5. Caroline Polachek had a huge 2023, and at the end of it she joined Zan Rowe to Take 5.  The energy of her most recent album Desire, I Want to Turn Into You had been replicated with a volcano at her live shows, so her theme was centred around explosive songs of release (i.e. 'volcano' songs).  It wasn’t the first time she’d done Take 5, but more than a deca...

This is one of the best bits from Take 5. Comedian and much loved TV host Adam Hills got a huge reaction when he joined Zan Rowe to Take 5 with his Hall of Fame songs. There were laughs, tears, and plenty of wild stories.  Elbow - 'One Day Like This' Listen to the full episode here : https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/take-5/adam-hills-take-5-hall-of-fame-songs/103979338

This is one of the best bits from Take 5. Emily Wurramara had a remarkable year in 2024. She won an ARIA, was nominated for Double J Artist of the Year, and she toured all over the country.  Emily joined Zan Rowe to Take 5 on the same day her second album NARA was released and the energy in the studio was pumping. It’s very much a record of renewal, and one of Double J's 50 Best Albums of 2024 . B...

Fontaines D.C. are in a real purple patch. Over the last few years, they’ve become one of the most compelling bands around, and their latest album Romance topped our list at Double J of the 50 Best Albums of 2024 . Back in 2023, lead singer Grian joined Zan to Take 5. He doesn’t do a whole lot of interviews, but he really embraced this one. Maybe because it was all about poetry, which is the very...

2024 was a massive year for Take 5. We reached all over the world to chat with extraordinary people about the music that's shaped their lives. Some of the best moments from Take 5 in 2024 include (but are not limited to!):  Beth Ditto's triumphant return with a new Gossip album, Bill Bailey's take on the future of humanity and Artificial Intelligence, Angie McMahon's stand-out year, DOBBY's brilli...

We’re winding out 2024 with a beautiful Take 5.  Jamie xx is one of my favourite producers, so it’s really special to cap off what’s been a big year, with the man himself. Looking back the last couple of years, the final Take 5 has been really reflective. Caroline Polachek was poetic at the end of a huge 2023, and he year before Jon Hopkins gifted us a transcendent set of songs. All three artists...

Katie Crutchfield has been making music as Waxahatchee for almost 15 years. In the early days she self-released on cassette, lo-fi indie music that would blossom into Americana around a decade later. That foray, with her acclaimed album Saint Cloud, brought her a whole new audience. But she has always been a brilliant songwriter.  Katie doesn’t waste a word, which is why I love chatting with her a...

10 years ago, a fellow called Nick Murphy put out his debut album. The Melbournian traded on the name Chet Faker, buzz was building, but when Built on Glass was released, no one knew how big it would become.

There aren’t many Australian bands who have sold 23 million copies of their albums.  Cast your mind back to the late 90’s, and a duo from Brisbane called Savage Garden.  Darren Hayes was the angel-voiced frontman, and after putting out two hugely successful albums he went solo. Now many years later he’s published a memoir titled Unlovable, and the story of his life as a little kid growing up in th...

It’s hard to believe that 20 years ago Casey Donovan won Australian Idol. Just 16 years old, she was thrust into the spotlight and every high and low was captured for all to see. She took away the main prize, but in the years following would be working as a medical receptionist and a rideshare driver to pay the bills. Casey threw her hat back in the reality show ring with I’m a Celebrity...Get Me...

Bernard Fanning is no stranger to the limelight. With Powderfinger he sold millions of albums and rocked out to stadiums of adoring fans. Then he stripped it back as a solo artist and went Number 1 again. Bernard holds the record for the most amount of Hottest 100 number 1’s, he is adored by generations of Australians, and is one of the most enjoyable people to chat music with. Bernard’s new proje...

Neil Finn is one of our greatest living songwriters. In Split Enz and Crowded House, solo and in his collaborations, his tunes have become the soundtrack to our lives.  I’ve been chasing Neil to Take 5 for the TV series since the beginning, and finally he said yes. Even better, he invited us to film at his own studios. Roundhead, a pale green building on an Auckland street that has seen some incre...

Many of us have grown up with Claudia Karvan. She's been on our screens since she was 10 years old, starring in films like The Big Steal and The Heartbreak Kid. And we’ve fallen in love with her on the small screen, in her long running roles on The Secret Life of Us and Love My Way. These days, Claudia is not only an actor but a hugely successful producer behind TV shows like Doctor Doctor and Bum...

Bill Bailey is one of the most loved comedians in the world. From his breakout role as Manny in the cult TV show Black Books, to his exceptional talent for playing multiple instruments, he always leaves his audiences feeling brighter. Bill is fascinated with natural history and humanity, his curiosity knows no bounds and music has been a constant companion.  I asked him to Take 5 with songs that r...

We’re diving into a new season of Take 5 on ABC TV and ABC iview, with all of season three now up to stream! And while Take 5 comes back to your screens, you’re gonna hear special extended cuts right here on the podcast.  Season 3 is a ripper. Comedian Bill Bailey, beloved actor Claudia Karvan, rock legends Neil Finn and Bernard Fanning, performer extraordinaire Casey Donovan… and to kick it all o...

Irish singer CMAT has been taking the world by storm. Shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize and counting Elton John as a fan, her country-twinged songs capture heartbreak with a healthy dose of humour. A couple of albums in, and an Australian visit on the way, I thought it was high time we got to know the woman from Ireland, born Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson. After listening to this, you'll want to...

Michelle Brasier is a comedian, actor, writer and singer. You might have seen her on Aunty Donna, Mad As Hell and Thank God You're Here, or caught one of her award winning stand-up shows. Michelle has also just published her first book; it’s a memoir titled My Brother's Ashes are in a Sandwich Bag, and it’s beautiful, it’s funny, and it's filled with hope. It reminds us of the little moments in li...