All My Friends Are in Bar Bands

From mop-topped piano-pop to quiff'd synth jams, Sydney's Andy Bull has come a long way from his humble beginnings. Now a Triple J favourite and a successful touring artist, Bull has grown up in public; persevering through empty gigs and an identity crisis which inspired his biggest hit. A quick chat in the empty cafeteria at the University of Wollongong gives us a brief insight into this exceptio...

Newcastle Month ends with an honest, detailed and entertaining chat with Jen Buxton. Since the tender age of sixteen, Buxton has been breaking hearts, kicking arse and not compromising herself for anyone or anything. We talk through her time in Like... Alaska, her transition into playing solo and what it means to have people look up to her. Support David on Patreon: http://patreon.com/davidjamesyo...

If you've been around any given venue in Newcastle - or, indeed, if you consider yourself even a passing fan of intricate, intelligent Australian hardcore - no doubt you have crossed paths with Safe Hands. Founding member, original bassist and now vocalist Benjamin "Diz" Louttit arrived in the Steel City from Tamworth a decade ago and has never looked back; slowly but surely cementing his place as...

Having known one another for a decade and change, Melbourne-via-Newcastle's Jamie Hay and Melbourne-via-Hobart's Liam White teamed up a couple of years ago to add some electricity to Jamie's acoustic sets; as well as to write some new tunes of their own. Over dinner in one of Jamie's old Newcastle haunts, Hamilton Chinese, we spoke of the pair's individual and collective history - including, but n...

It's Newcastle Month on All My Friends Are in Bar Bands! That means that the month of May is dedicated entirely to some of the legends that either have or currently do call Newcastle home. First up: Whether you've seen him bare-chested and belligerent as frontman of Caverns or as a humble lone troubadour, it's hard to deny Jack Lundie when he's letting his heart spill out on his sleeve as he perfo...

Singer, songwriter, guitarist, father of two, lecturer, composer... Youth Group's frontman Toby Martin has donned many a hat throughout his career. On a sunny morning in Annandale amid tiny children and buzzing bees, we took a trip through Toby's musical history - through Youth Group, performing solo and what's to come next. Youth Group's "Skeleton Jar" has been released on vinyl. The band will be...

With nearly twenty years at the axe for Frenzal Rhomb, Lindsay McDougall has played both the trashiest punk gigs and the biggest stages in Australia. He's traversed the globe playing smart, sardonic and silly songs that, for many Aussies, shaped their teenage and coming-of-age years. He also spent a decade working for Triple J, a station where his band were once temporarily blacklisted. If that do...

He's the tall man with the tan. The high-five giver. The king that said "Don't fuck with our dreams." He's also one of the nicest guys in Australian music. Intrepid adventurer with The Bennies, punk rock veteran and expert high-five giver "King" Jules Rozenbergs has been doing things his way since day one. With a slice of time to spare before a sold-out show in Sydney, we talked through the impact...

Nathan James Martin and Marnie Elizabeth Vaughan are H A N N A H B A N D, but they're also so much more. They're grindcore veterans, Central Coast survivors, DIY advocates and seven-year-old girls who really like craft (don't ask). Having served as both rivals and bandmates, Nathan and Marnie have been playing together for over ten years - and they have no intention of stopping anytime soon. Chill...

They may put up a united front as Melbourne indie-twee-pop-punk collective Kissing Booth, but Grace Lawry and Luke "Thommo" Thomas have incredibly different musical backgrounds; each pursuing their love of the art-form until their paths crossed. Prior to a show in Sydney, we spoke about the pop scene in Auckland and the punk scene in Tassie; as well as the ties that bind the creative force behind...

Despite still being in his early 20s, Spencer Scott has made the most out of his time playing music. He's played alongside some of his heroes, rocked shows with his best mates and helped to put Newcastle back on the map for many a troubadour. On a lazy afternoon, we talked our way through Scotty's story so far. Spencer Scott's split seven-inch with Georgia Maq is out now via Lost Boy Records. Phys...

From high-school Metallica covers to opening up Soundwave, Tom Kennedy has been living the rock & roll dream since he was a kid. Now the fearless frontman of Bare Bones, TK pulled up a chair at the Townie to talk us through industry bullshit, weird nights in Mount Gambier and a pinch of now-dated wrestling talk. "Cut Throat Living" is out now. Bare Bones play with the Hard-Ons, Hy-Test and more th...

The class clown of Australian grindcore, Chris Kearnes has gone from strength to strength; becoming a prominent figure of the central coast's heavy music scene and terrifying all and sundry as the vocalist of Fat Guy Wears Mystic Wolf Shirt. In-between bands at the Roxbury Hotel, we had a quick and fun chat about musicals, Jesus and having a bed in every state thanks to music. Fat Guy Wears Mystic...

If you've been to a heavier show in the last few years here in Oz, there's a good chance that Lochlan Watt has had something to do with it. He's fronted a half-dozen bands, started his own managerial/touring company and become the host of The Racket on Triple J. Before a show with his current band, Colossvs, I spoke with Lochlan about starting in Brisbane and ending up in the centre of the country...

Ben David has been playing since his teens, traversing through folk, rock, punk and country. Before a show at Black Wire Records, I spoke with Ben about his thrash-punk dad, trains from Perth and running wild at the Big Day Out. Support David on Patreon: http://patreon.com/davidjamesyoung See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.