What Do We Know?

Beatbox champion Steven Crooks only discovered beatboxing a few years ago and ever since his life has drastically changed. Finding purpose, identity and clarity through his craft, Steven quickly became the national champion and is now a co-organiser of the Beatbox Championships. On this episode we talk about Stevens life, the positive impact beatboxing had on him and his plans to continue growing...

Ekko Park drummer Nick Douch drops in for a fun conversation about all things music.  We talk bands, drummers, getting started in the business as well as Nicks journey from Te Awamutu to being a professional touring drummer and drum tutor.  Nick’s a great example of how it should be done.  Great guy, great chat. Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Actor, writer and director Tim Balme has had a full and varied career.  His work has included Braindead, Shortland Street, Outrageous Fortune, Mercy Peak, The Almighty Johnsons and his current project The Brokenwood Mysteries.   We chatted about how Tim got his start in acting, working with Peter Jackson, how he approaches his craft and his experience stripping!  Great chat! Send us Fan Mail Suppo...

Cassandra is a director, playwright and performer, and the artistic director of the Wellington-based Red Scare Theatre Company.  She recently directed Single Asian Female and her previous work includes Bloodlines (2014), Long Ago, Long Ago (2015), Ordinary Days (2016), Yellow Face (2017), M'Lady (2017), A New Brain (2017), The Bone Thief (2018), Gutenberg! The Musical! (2018), The Aliens (201...

Legendary New Zealand drummer Frank Gibson Jnr.  has had an astonishing career and has deservedly earned the upmost respect from his peers.  He’s worked with a long list of artists including Shona Lang, Diana Krall, Joe Henderson, Leo Sayer, John Scofield, Dusty Springfield, The Temptations and Glen Campbell.  He’s dedicated, grounded and an all-round good guy.  It was a thrill to talk to him.  Se...

Mike Chunn needs no introduction.  He played in Split Enz and Citizen Band, he was the director for APRA NZ, he founded and still runs Play It Strange, he's been a loud voice for many important subjects including mental health and the need for music to be given a higher priority in New Zealand culture.  This was an exhilarating chat. There was laughter, there were tears and we even wrote a so...

Drummer & Producer Greg Haver returns to the show to talk about his recent review of certain areas of the music industry and to discuss the new producers funding initiative called The New Music Development Scheme.  We have a good laugh while tackling some hotly debated subjects.  Dig in.  Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Joe & Danny get drunk.  Joe Walsh is constantly touring with Jordan Luck Band and his own band Ekko Park.  Almost two years ago Joe was sitting on a completed Ekko Park album (Horizon) that hadn't yet been released.  In the lead up Joe suggested we record an episode with a focus on the lyrics and back story to the album and in true Irish style, we met at the pub for a pre-recording drink....

Our guest is Alex Leighton, one of the creators and directors of New Zealand's premiere 2D animation studio Mukpuddy.  We spoke to Alex and his business partner Ryan Cooper a few years ago about their then new show Barefoot Bandits and now Alex returns to talk about their brand new show 'The Adventures Of Tumeke Space' which has just launched on TVNZ OnDemand.  We have a very real a...

Episode #112 is now available! Our guest is Barnaby Weir.  Barnaby leads two of New Zealand’s most popular bands (The Black Seeds and Fly My Pretties) and we had a great chat about life/work balance, his childhood, his creative process and the rise of The Black Seeds and the Wellington Reggae / Dub scene.  Barnaby is a kind and thoughtful guy and this turned out to be a really interesting conversa...

In the 1990s Christchurch based drummer Jason Peters and his band Pumpkinhead became a popular touring act with a loyal following and more than their fair share of Rock n Roll stories.  In more recent times Jason has been making music with Hunt The Witch and Kong Fooey and recently organised a series of tribute shows for the late, great Aaron Tokona.  This was a fun chat.  Enjoy!  Send us Fan Mail...

In keeping with tradition we're opening 2021 with a chat between myself and our shows cofounder Bobby Kennedy.  This episode also features a short interview by Emme Lentino, with myself and Dan Antunovich.  Good times! Send us Fan Mail Support the show

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 o...

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 cha...

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...

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 co...

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...

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 rig...

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...

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...

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 win...

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 w...

Hinerongonui Kingi is a multi-talented musician, writer, dancer, journalist and even a body builder!  There seems to be nothing she can’t do, and her positivity and optimism is inspiring.  Hailing from Rotorua, Hine started performing at a very young age and has already performed around the world.  We talk about her time in Dubai, her strategies in setting and realising her goals and her can-do ap...

Episode #98 is now available! Our guest is Rikki Morris.  Rikki is a highly respected, multitalented singer, songwriter, musician, producer & live sound engineer.  He joined Th’ Dudes as a roadie back in 1979 and went on to have a huge hit as a solo artist with the song Nobody Else.  He appeared on TV shows like 3.45 Live, Alive and Kicking, Get Your Act Together and Super City and he ran his...

Dug Pinnick is the bassist and vocalist for legendary US band Kings X.  Kings X have been together for forty years and quickly became known and respected for their unique sound, their sophisticated musicianship and their powerful performances.  Their fans include Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament, The Police’s Andy Summers, Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil and many more.  Dug's...