13th Floor MusicTalk

DESTIN is a six-member collective based on an eco-village in Arizona where they make music about activism and hope. They have just released their debut album, Place Of My Dreams . The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to two of the bandmembers... Mycenay (drums) and Ala'Di (bass & vocals). Ala'Di is one of two songwriters within the group, the other being guitarist and singer Keea ...and she is a...

Air Supply is scheduled to celebrate their 50th year of hitmaking with a show at Auckland's Civic Theatre on December 15th. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke with lead singer Russell Hitchcock ...the voice behind hits like All Out Of Love, Here I Am and Lost Without Your Love ...to talk about the Kiwi producer who helped get the ball rolling. Turns out it was never as easy as Making Love Out Of No...

Austin-based band Shearwater has just released their new album, The New World and we have founding member Jonathan Meiburg on the line as he prepares to take his band on a long-overdue tour. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke with Jonathan about the reasons for the long break from the road, why he has chosen to crowdfund both the album and the tour and how he got Laurie Anderson to make an appearan...

Berlin-based, Danish-born singer, songwriter, producer and classically trained pianist Agnes Obel is on her way to New Zealand and she has a new album ready showcase! The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Agnes, who was in Berlin, about what fans can expect when she returns to Auckland and what this new album, The Meaning Of Flowers , is all about.

Wellington artist Hannah Virk has recorded 12 new songs she collectively calls Half Of My Cup ...its her third album, and one we think you should know about. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Hannah just days earlier and asked her if she was a glass half full or half empty type of person.

Gerry Buckley, a founding member of 70's hitmakers America , is out on his own with a new album called Merciful. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Gerry who was at home in Sydney, where he splits his time with Venice, California. Merciful features 11 new songs, a couple of choice covers and a guest appearance by Graham Nash . Here is Gerry to tell us how it all came together.

Improvement Movement is a 4-piece “acoustic grunge” band based in Atlanta, Georgia that has just released its third studio album, Your Perfect Real Life . The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda found all four bandmembers stuffed in a van in the middle of Vermont, making their way to Woodstock for a release-day show. Watch and listen as Tony, Clark, Marshall and Zach recount tales of touring with Unknown Mort...

LA-based singer/songwriter Chris Pierce has just released his 9th studio album, Songs For The Heavy Hearted , a collection of songs he says are, "about our shared humanity". The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Chris on the eve of release day to find out more about these songs and about working with Steve Earle, Allison Russell and Neil Young producer Niko Bo

Former Black Flag bassist Kira Roessler has just released her second solo album titled Enigma. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to the solo artist and award-winning sound editor....Kira was on the team that won an Oscar for 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road . We found her at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California where she paused from her work on a K-Pop film to talk about making Enigma with her...

Squeeze is coming to New Zealand! The iconic British band bring their Tried, Tested and Trixies Tour to Auckland and Wellington next April. The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to founding member/singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Glenn Tilbrook about what we can expect when the band lands in New Zealand….how Trixie came to be and and how he saw David Bowie at Glastonbury in 1971!

Wellington-based "crooked alt-rockers" Menzies hit the road after the release of their debut album, Holding My Cold Hand, Even Though Yours Is Warm ! The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to main Menzie Chris Brown about one of this year's quirkiest records and how it will translate to the stage.

Gin Wigmore has just released Beautiful Mess . Its the first new album from the Kiwi singer-songwriter in eight years and we think you'll find it was worth waiting for. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Gin on release day about her time living in the USA and why she's back in New Zealand making music once again.

Midge Ure is due to tour New Zealand…finally, after having to postpone his Catalogue: The Hits Tour , originally scheduled for 2025. The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda found Midge at his “little studio in Portugal” and spoke to the former Ultravox and Visage front man about his first performance in New Zealand in front of a 1982 Sweetwaters Festival crowd and how he creates a setlist that keeps fans from...

The Sixteenth is the musical project of Wellington-based composer and producer Richard Walley and the new album is titled Winters In The World. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Richard just ahead of release day to find out how and why this album takes as its subject the Anglo-Saxon year — a calendar in which the pre-Christian seasonal cycle and the Christian liturgical year coexisted, while ma...

Auckland singer/songwriter Macey has just released his second album titled Once . The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Macey about how his time in London inspired the songs that became Once.

We celebrate US Independence Day (#250 if you’re counting) with this conversation with Low Cut Connie about his new album, Livin In The USA . The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Connie (aka Adam Weiner ) just as release day and Independence Day was upon him. For Connie, Livin In The USA has changed him from being the frontman of a “fun, weird, goofy rock & roll band” into a spokesman for dive...

Keren Mara is a Christchurch-based singer/songwriter who has just released her debut mini-album, Falling . The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Keren about the 7 songs that make up Falling , a project that was three years in the making!

With over 5 million followers, Rick Beato is one of the hottest music commentators on YouTube, and for the first time, he’s bringing his live show to New Zealand. The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda had a quick word with the very busy Mr. Beato, but covered a lot of ground, including his views on technology vs creativity, breaking down a song without losing its magic, old people making new music and the r...

Delaney Davidson has just released his new solo album, Baby Heavyweight, and is about to tour New Zealand in support of this mesmerizing collection of songs. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Delaney on the eve of release day and found out that Baby Heavyweight is something of a concept album and that concept involves the fall of Lucifer. Watch and listen as Delaney explains.

Christchurch-based, South African-born singer/songwriter Lee Martin is about to release her 4th album, titled Marlene . The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Lee about making Marlene ....who Marlene is...and what to expect at her upcoming album release show.

The Veils are on the verge of releasing their 8th album, Fragile World , recorded live to tape at Roundhead Studios in Auckland. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Finn Andrews , just days after he became a dad for the second time, about the advantages of recording "live to tape", his relationship with his own father and labouring under the weight of this Fragile World.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Damned drummer Rat Scabies who was breakfasting at home. Rat sheds some light on how and why they decided to shake things up 50 years ago…what it was like working with producers Nick Lowe and Shel Talmy …and the significance of their recent headlining show at the OVO Arena at Wembley.

Joan As Police Woman is about to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her debut album with Real Life Evolution ...new versions of old songs, re-imagined and re-recorded. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Joan, who was home in New York City, about how and why she decided to re-make Real Life , including recording one track in New Zealand with Iggy Pop . Joan talks about joining Iggy's band, her upc...

The founding member and front man for Silversun Pickups is anticipating his first show in New Zealand as the Tenterhooks Tour travels Down Under in July. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Brian Aubert about the band's 25 year career arc...about working with ace producer Butch Vig ...and performing at Ringo Starr's birthday party.

Red Rockers came to us from New Orleans by way of San Fransisco becoming part of the West Coast punk scene that included The Dead Kennedys, Wire Train, Romeo Void and Translator. Marty Duda spoke to bass player and songwriter Darren Hill about their 2023 reunion that resulted in this new album and concert video titled It's In Our Blood . Darren reveals how he felt about being called the "American...