13th Floor MusicTalk

New Model Army are still fighting the good fight and they have been for over 40 years. Their new album, First Summer After, finds them as outspoken as ever. Marty Duda spoke to bandleader Justin Sullivan about all manner of social issues from the UK Post Office Scandal to the current political climate in the States and the UK. Find out what keeps New Model Army marching on.

Chatham County Line has just released Hiyo, featuring a new lineup and a new sound for the 28 year old band from Raleigh, North Carolina. Marty Duda spoke to Dave Wilson and John Teer about how the departure of banjo player and founding member Chandler Holt has inspired the remaining trio to think outside the musical box.

Sarah Jarosz has just released her seventh album, titled Polaroid Lovers , and we are loving it. Here is Sarah to shed some light on how Polaroid Lovers developed. Marty Duda found Sarah at home in Nashville just as Polaroid Lovers was about to be released. Sarah reveals why she is so excited for fans old and new to hear this bold, new sound of hers.

Grandson  is just days away from his first New Zealand concert. Here he is to tell us how he prepares for such an auspicious occasion and what 2024 has in store for him and his fans. Marty Duda  spoke to  Grandson  just as he was about to head off to New Zealand for the very first time.

Detroit rockers The Incurables have just released a new album titled Inside Out & Backwards . Here are bandmembers Ray Lawson and Pat Kelly to tell us how and why. Marty Duda spoke to Ray and Pat just as Inside Out & Backwards was about to "drop". The band has been around for over 30 years and they are still making vital, exciting rock & roll music. For fans of The Kinks, The Ramones,...

Chris O’Leary  is blowin’ hard on his new album,  The Hard Line.  This is Chris’ 6th album and his first for Alligator Records’ a label that means a lot to this former Marine and vocalist for  Levon Helm’s Barn Burners. Marty Duda  found Chris in Virginia Beach just as  The Hard Line  was about to hit the shops. Watch and listen as Chris explains how  T...

Dutch indie-rockers Pip Blom have just released their new album titled Bobbie. Here is Pip to tell just who Bobbie is. Marty Duda spoke to Pip just after the band's third album, Bobbie was released. Pip explains why the band has a new, synth-heavy sound, how they got Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos to collaborate and who Bobbie is.

Bonnie Montgomery has just released River, an album recorded on a sod farm outside Houston during the pandemic. Here is Bonnie to explain. Marty Duda spoke to Bonnie just after Thanksgiving. Bonnie was in Fayetteville, Arkansas, not far from the river that inspired the album's title track. Watch and listen as the classically trained opera singer talks about her love of Country music. 

Heather Anne Lomax has (finally) released The Doman Tracks , a personal collection of original songs recorded with the late Michael Doman , formerly the singer-songwriter-producer of the noted ‘80s L.A. rock band Broken Homes . Marty Duda spoke to Heather, who was in LA, to learn more about Michael and the reasons why this songs have taken so long to surface. 

Calexico is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their album, Feast Of Wire with a tour that brings them to New Zealand in February. Marty Duda spoke to Joey Burns about what to expect for these 20th anniversary shows. Joey also pays tribute to his recently-fallen idol Shane MacGowan and reminisces about the time he toured and recorded in New Zealand with Barbara Manning. 

Acclaimed Australian guitarist  Tommy Emmanuel  is due to return to New Zealand after a 6-year absence with a 5-date tour in April. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda caught up with Tommy in England to talk about the upcoming solo show and to dig deep into his latest album, Accomplice Two , featuring collaborations with the likes of Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle and Michael McDonald. 

Dirty Honey are back with a new, hard rockin' album, titled Can't Find The Brakes. Here are Justin Smolian and Jaydon Bean to tell you how it came to be and why Jaydon just joined the band.

Foo Fighters’  guitarist  Chris Shiflett  will make the most of his trip to New Zealand in January with a solo gig at Auckland’s premiere dive bar, Whammy. Marty Duda  spoke to Chris just before Thanksgiving about his new solo album,  Lost At Sea,  his very popular podcast  Shred With Shifty . So check out the interview and find out who Shifty’s favourite guitari...

Barbara Manning  is about to release her first solo album in 20 years and it is titled  Charm Of Yesterday…Convenience Of Tomorrow.  Marty Duda  spoke to Barbara on Thanksgiving Day where she was relaxing in her back yard with her pet tortoise,  Ptolemy.  Marty and Barbara discuss her strong connection with New Zealand, where she recorded her 1997 album collaborating...

At age 83, Canadian folk legend Sylvia Tyson has just released what could be her last studio album, titled At The End Of The Day on Stony Plain Records. Marty Duda has been a fan of Sylvia and her late ex-husband Ian Tyson for years, counting songs like Four Strong Winds and You Were On My Mind among his favourites. Marty found Sylvia in Toronto and talked to her about making At The End Of The Day...

Minnesota singer/songwriter Luke LeBlanc is back to tell us about his new album, a conceptual, thematic collection of songs called Places. Marty Duda spoke to Luke about the themes behind Places and how after five albums he keeps his creative edge.

The Blips  are a band of seasoned professionals making their own brand of power pop in Birmingham, Alabama. Here is  Eric Wallace  to tell us their story. Marty Duda  spoke to guitarist/singer/songwriter  Eric Wallace  about the making of the band’s second album,  The Blips Again  and how they mix power pop with punk to achieve their classic sound.

Former  Grand Funk Railroad  man  Mark Farner  releases  Rock & Roll Soul: Live 1989. Here he is today to tell you why. The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda  spoke with Mark about the day he recorded this set of classic rock, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Woodstock. Mark also reveals details of working with producers like  Frank Zappa, Jimmy Iovine  an...

You may know her from leading The Textones , or singing with former Byrd Gene Clark . Carla Olson has been making music for over 40 years and Have Harmony Will Travel 3 is her latest. Marty Duda spoke to Carla about collaborating with ex-Hollie Allan Clarke, guitarist Eric Johnson and B.J. Thomas on his final session. Carla gives us a great overview of her career beginning in the late 70's when sh...

Australian singer-songwriter  Matt Corby  returns to New Zealand in December with shows in Wellington and Auckland. Matt will be part of the 3-Day “ On A Good Day”  Festival in Wellington on December 2nd and will also perform at Auckland’s Powerstation on December 1st.

Blues Traveler  follow their 2021  Traveler’s Blues  album with this year’s  Traveler’s Soul  where they cover  Curtis Mayfield, Al Green  and… Doris Day . Bass player  Tad Kinchla  explains.

Like A Doll is the musical nom de plume of NYC artist Emma Stacher. Her self-titled debut album has just been released and we tracked Emma down to find out what makes her tick.

Crime & The City Solution  formed in Sydney in 1977 and  Simon Bonney  has been with them ever since, writing and singing the songs that make up the new album,  the Killer. Marty Duda  spoke to Simon, who is now based in Berlin along with the band’s other core member  Bronwyn Adams . Together they have created the seven songs that make up  the Killer , songs...

Blondshell  is coming to Laneway!  Sabrina Teitelbaum  is  Blondshell  and here she is to tell us what to expect when she hits the Laneway stage in February. Marty Duda  spoke to Sabrina who was in LA between tour dates. Tune in as she gives us the lowdown on what to expect when she makes her NZ live debut.

Former Bad Seed Mick Harvey and Mexican artist Amanda Acevedo have teamed up to bring you Phantasmagoria In Blue and collection of covers and originals they describe as "slow and depressing". Marty Duda spoke to Mick and Amanda about making this first joint project that finds them singing the songs of Tim Buckley, Jackson C. Frank and Leonard Cohen along with lesser known Cuban folk classics and t...