What Do We Know?

Mike's off chasing moose and drinking maple syrup in Canada, eh? So this week, drummer Rooney brings in some of his favourite guitarists, while guitarist Danny returns the favour with some of his favourite drummers. Together they dig into what actually makes a great drummer, and a great guitarist, while spinning some of their favourite tracks along the way. whatdoweknow.co.nz https://buymeaco...

It's crude, it's offensive, and it's far more carefully crafted than it has any right to be. Our two hosts revisit South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and talk about its incredible soundtrack. Could it be that beneath the juvenile exterior of this crass movie lies true craft, talent and sophistication? And did this ridiculous movie predict the world we're living in now?   wh...

Buzzsprout If a tree falls in the forest and no one's there to hear it, does it make a sound? Not if it doesn't have pickups! But how do those little magnets turn string vibrations into ear-piercing rock 'n' roll riffs? Pickup builder Mr Glyn is here to explain everything.    whatdoweknow.co.nz mrglynspickups.com https://buymeacoffee.com/whatdoweknowshow FaceBook Page: https://...

Andrew Rooney and Danny McCrum are weird. Breaking a variety of stereotypes, these two are both musicians with a mind for business. In today's episode, cohost Mike puts on the interviewing hat to find out how they've both sustained careers in music for over two decades, without living on the bones of their asses. Send us Fan Mail Support the show

I warned him. I told him there would be repercussions, no matter how much Botox he used in preparation. Watching Tommy Emmanuel on YouTube is one thing, but seeing him live is another. Mike was excited but didn't take the warning seriously, and now he is permanently disfigured. On today's episode we relive Mike's first time seeing Tommy Emmanuel live, the moment he met the man himse...

What exactly is Yacht Rock and why is it called that? Mike, Danny and Rooney each bring their chosen Yacht Rock tracks to enjoy, analyse and debate. Are these songs gloriously cheesy, pure genius, or secretly both? And should we even be calling it Yacht Rock at all? Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Is Rush a legendary rock band or just a Canadian addiction? In this week's episode Mike (our resident Canadian and Rush evangelist) attempts to convert his sceptical co-host from Rush ignoramus into a genuine appreciator, if not a fully signed-up cult member. Join us as Mike takes us through the Rush story and plays some of their 'iconic' tunes. Allegedly. Send us Fan Mail Support t...

Was Steven Adler the greatest drummer in 1980s rock 'n' roll? Maybe not the flashiest. But listen to Appetite for Destruction and you'll hear something no technically perfect player could replicate: a groove that breathes, swaggers, and feels like it's one beat away from flying off the rails. When Adler left, something walked out that never came back. Drummer Andrew Rooney join...

Danny has a theory. Was 1991 actually the greatest year in music history? Mike's not convinced. So the two pseudo-scientists did what any reasonable person would do: built a scoring system, applied it to the evidence, and let the results speak for themselves. Nirvana, Pearl Jam, U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers. 1991 had everything. But does having everything actually make it the best? It's clo...

He helped build one of the greatest rock bands of all time, so why does everyone seem to hate him?  This week, drummer extraordinaire Andrew Rooney joins us to dig into the Lars Ulrich debate. Great drummer or overrated? Visionary leader or certified jerk? And does he actually deserve the hate he gets?  Send us Fan Mail Support the show

This week Danny and Mike dig into one of the most powerful and often overlooked tools in music: dynamics. Not just in how you play, but in your songs, your band, how a record is made and how a live show breathes. They pick up the guitar and work through some examples together before Danny plays Mike a number of iconic tracks that show dynamics done right. The kind of conversation that will genuine...

Back in 2017, Danny and former cohost Bobby Kennedy sat down with the legendary Tommy Emmanuel. With Tommy returning to New Zealand next month, we're re-releasing the episode. Since Mike is hearing it for the first time, we discuss his reactions and thoughts, knowing he's about to see Tommy live for the very first time too. Send us Fan Mail Support the show

In a world of ever advancing tech, who gets to call themselves a musician? We dig into the technology quietly reshaping music, why new tech always gets a rough reception, DJs, AI, and the big question: can a machine ever really make art? Spoiler: we don't think it can. Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Danny & new co-host Mike kick off their revamped podcast by talking about reinvention and why sometimes you just have to burn it all down and start again. New name, new show, new attitude. Send us Fan Mail Support the show

On this special bonus episode, Stephen Gallagher returns to the show to discuss his work on Peter Jacksons Beatles documentary Get Back, and his recent gig scoring the soundtrack for the new animated Lord Of The Rings entry, The War of the Rohirrim.  Original cohost Bobby Kennedy also returns to illuminate the conversation.  This episode was recorded just because Christmas 2024.  Since we last had...

Next year, Danny and Ben will have known each other for forty years.  Their friendship as has been quite the adventure, that’s included the Masters Of The Universe, G.I. Joe, skateboarding, fist fights, forming their first band together at the age of twelve, both dropping out of school, scratching out a living as professional musicians, supporting the likes of Bryan Ferry, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapt...

Twenty-six years ago, Danny bought Chris Bourke’s book Something So Strong, which tells the highly entertaining and informative story of Crowded House.  So much about the book stayed with Danny and gave him some very important tips about how to navigate the music industry.  All these years later, Danny got to talk to Chris Bourke about Crowded House, his books Something So Strong (1998), Blue Smok...

Danny met Chris Melville twenty five years ago when they were both regularly performing at The Temple Bar in Auckland’s CBD.  Chris didn’t realise he was playing an important role in Danny’s career, giving Danny lots of great advice about how to build a career in the arts.  They went on to collaborate on several projects together and now, after having not seen each other for a few years, they have...

Saxophonist Thabani Gapara grew up Zimbabwe and eventually moved to South Africa to further his studies.  While he was studying, his parents had been living and working in the UK, but despite much effort, Thabani was unable to secure a visa to join them.  So, the whole family moved to New Zealand so they could be together and our local music scene is now fortunate to have this dedicated, professio...

Danny first met Jenni Smith when he was tutoring guitar at Auckland University.  Jenni was a first-year student on the Popular Music course and years later, Jenni is now celebrating a recent chart placement and is working hard promoting her new, upbeat single ‘T-Shirt’.  A proud ‘Swifty’, Jenni developed a fascination with pop and country music when she was young and has spent the years since lear...

Mike Baker is a songwriter who was involved with the Flying Nun scene in the late 80s (primarily with the band Not Really Anything) before relocating to Sydney to manage bands and create a career as a chef, including cooking for White Stripes, Dandy Warhols, Henry Rollins, Boss Hogg, Lloyd Cole and many others, before returning to NZ. He’s now got a debut EP out under the name BAkeR. Send us Fan M...

Originally from Canada, Joanne currently holds the position of Director, Artistic Planning & Participation, at New Zealand Opera in Auckland, New Zealand where she has been a department head since 2014.  On this episode the two musicians talk about craft, technique, the business of music and they discuss the differences and the similarities between their careers.  Find out more about Joanne an...

Graham Reid has been an important part of the fabric of the New Zealand music scene for several decades.  He’s a journalist, an author, a writer and a music reviewer who has consistently delivered intelligent and well-considered perspectives, with class and integrity.  He’s written for Metro Magazine, The Listener and the New Zealand Herald (back when it was good) as well as his legendary website...

Danny sits down with bandmates Jasper de Roos and Dan Antunovich to discuss how The Beatles and Covid initiated the creation of their band Noise Play and how they produced their new album Junk.  They discuss the success and failure of their 2021 theatre show, recording the drums for one song with only three mics, the guest performances by Mark Steven, Stephen Small and Eddie Rayner and they also t...

In a past life Jody Garrett managed record stores.  Now he’s the General Manager of DRM (Digital Rights Managers), New Zealand’s go to aggregator for digital music releases.  We have an in-depth conversation about the streaming platforms and navigating a music career in the digital age.   Send us Fan Mail Support the show