Are Drummers Musicians?

Scout was a big fan of this week’s guest, Mick Meagher, immediately climbing onto his lap once the podcast started. We dive into chats about Mick’s eclectic music taste over the years and his journey into bass from a high school battle of the bands competition to jazz school to playing with some of Australia’s biggest names. Mick shares some stories about playing with the Black Arm Band, his studious research for creating the vibes and sounds on the latest Emma Donovan album which he co-wrote and co-produced, and much more. Mick shared a bunch of interesting stories and thoughts, including: Starting on the bass - last minute call up for battle of the bands; and winning best bass player of the night! The underground, niche and DIY Australian soul/funk music scene Balancing various projects as a working musician Plans and taking opportunities Touring remote Australia with the Black Arm Band, and Working with Emma Donnovan on her latest Record.  It was a massive learning session for me, hearing of all the metal, grunge and jazz references of music that I didn’t know but had influenced Mick’s playing and interests as a young musician. He also shared some recent albums from drummers Jim White and Maria Moles, as well as a bunch of other great musicians and producers that I needed to go check out.  Mick Meagher has established a long career on bass duties for a roll call of Australia's best bands and artists. He can boast several critically acclaimed albums with Emma Donovan and the Putbacks, as well as Andrea Keller, Wave Riders, Eugene Ball 4tet, and Wolfa (a collaboration with vocalist Jenny Barnes). Mick has a long and impressive career; after graduating from the VCA he went on to work with Kate Cebrano, and joined the Black Arm Band, where he performed with Australian icons Archie Roach, Paul Dempsey, Emma Donovan and Gurrumul Yunupingu and international stars Mavis Staples and Ricki Lee Jones. He was a founding and committed member of The Putbacks until the end of 2022, where he has gone on to the next chapter in his career. Mick has recently co-written and produced the latest album with Emma Donovan, ‘Til My Song Is Done’, which was released in April this year. Join us as we delve into Mick's musical journey, his wide range of genre crossover and experiences, and discuss where this new chapter of his music life is headed. For more info and links, including video's of a bunch of Mick's different work, head to www.aredrummersmusicians.com

Today on the podcast, I'm here with Josh Manu, a genuinely lovely human being, awesome session bassisist, and member of Honey. Join us as we dive into Josh's musical journey, exploring his diverse experiences, his insights on teaching and performing, and his passion for music.  In this conversation Josh shares how he started with the bass, growing up in a family of musicians and being thrust into playing in the church scene at a young age. We discuss modes and his recent honours thesis, his exploration of the synth bass, his love of music, playing with family, and much more! Josh's musical journey has seen him collaborate with a wide range of artists and events, including Ben Abraham, Michaela Jayde, Tony Gould, Lanni Zimmer, RnBabe, Uncomfortable Science, Kenny Werner, Vince Jones, and Enrico Rava.  After years of performing as a sideman for a wide range of artists, bassist/composer Josh Manu recently made his debut as bandleader on the 10th of November with a gig at Jazzlab. Alongside him were musicians Julien Wilson (Tenor Saxophone), Daniel Waddingham (Guitar), James Bowers (Piano), and Luke Andresen (Drums). His collection of songs are an exploration of the opportunities afforded to musicians through modal jazz, both in improvisation and composition.  Check out his self-titled debut EP, Manu. Through the Monash Sessions, Josh has recorded with renowned jazz artists such as Kenny Werner, Vince Jones, Enrico Rava, Paul Grabowsky, and Mike Nock. In 2023, he completed his Honours at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), where he recorded his original composition and wrote his thesis, ‘Where the Tensions Lie: Searching for Emotional Expression through the Colours in the Modes.’ Josh regularly performs with well-known Melbourne establishments RnBabe and Uncomfortable Science, showcasing his ability to blend into various musical settings seamlessly. Josh has also been teaching bass to all ages and abilities for eight years, drawing on his breadth of practical experience and completion of a Bachelor of Music at Monash University in the jazz and improvisation stream. For more info and some clips of Josh performing, visit our website: aredrummersmusicians.com

This week’s conversation is with multi-instrumentalist, David Quested, a.k.a. Local the Neighbour. With Scout sitting in his lap, David shares about how he started on the drums, shares about the shock of moving to Melbourne, moving to the US to study at UCLA, and the freedom and creativity of his indie-rock solo project. David has played drums with many notable artists, including 3-time ARIA winner Andrea Keller, Jimalxndr, Fletcher Gull, Garage Sale, Floozy, Angus Legg, and is part of Theo Carbo’s band Dragonfruit.  We have a great chat, sharing about learning to like the music of our parents, lots of drummer talk, jazz school, teachers, - and have quite a few laughs along the way.  David Quested, known artistically as Local the Neighbour is a Melbourne-based musician of both Taiwanese and Australian heritage. Originally from Darwin, NT,  David relocated to Melbourne to study jazz drumming, where he became infatuated with the limitless creativity and self-expression found in the art form.   David completed a music degree at the Victorian College of the Arts, supplemented by further study in New York and LA, which led to both local and international performances.  His extensive experience as an artist and sideman have shaped his persona, Local the Neighbour, allowing him to express his outlooks through his ultimate musical passion—indie rock; written in bedrooms, lounges, or backyards, often inspired by the emotional confusion familiar to us all.   Join us as we delve into his journey through music, from studying jazz to embracing the indie rock scene, and discuss how he achieved, what in my opinion, is the best snare drum sound I’ve ever heard at the Northcote Social Club. For more visit aredrummersmusicians.com

This week’s special guest is composer, improviser and saxophonist Holly Moore. We discuss her journey with music, from her early exposure to music education, their path from high-school to tertiary music student and now professional musician. We discuss lots of music, labels, jazz and improvised music, and what she thinks of the future of the Australian Jazz scene. Holly Moore, a Melbourne-based saxophonist, composer and educator, is making waves in the Australian jazz scene. Holly's recent debut release, ‘REUNION,’ was launched in November 2023 through the ABC Jazz Composer Commission and showcases her talent and vision in contemporary jazz. Holly performed with the Australian Art Orchestra at the 2023 Melbourne International Jazz Festival, where she premiered new work for ‘Raw Denshi’. Her career has been marked by significant achievements, including being the recipient of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival’s Take Note program in 2020. This honour led her to compose a new suite of music and perform it with a jazz sextet during the festival's digital event, ‘These Digital Times’.Her performance credits include appearances at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, the Melbourne Women's International Jazz Festival, NGV’s Summer Series at M-Pavilion, and Melbourne Music Week, along with regular gigs around town.  Committed to music education, Holly developed a series of online jazz workshops for Victorian high schools during Melbourne’s second lockdown in 2020. And an honourable special mention to the unknown saxophone busker that inspired Holly to pick up the saxophone in the first place (legend says it was the great Julian Wilson)! The conversation is now available on all streaming platforms, YouTube and our website. https://www.aredrummersmusicians.com/hollymoore

On the Zombeaches World Tour of Melbourne’s front bars, Dominique Garrard drops by Brunswick to share some stories. Dominique is a super talented singer and songwriter, and after achieving major success with her duo N.Y.C.K., has continued to make great music with that project, as well as joining punk-rock band Zombeaches as a synth player and backing vocalist, and recently starting her own indie-rock band, Mutual Colour. She has received critical acclaim with her bands and supported various prominent artists including Meg Mac, Amy Shark and Dope Lemon. Dom is also Head of Voice at the Box Hill Institute. Dominique Garrard is a captivating vocalist whose recent venture, Mutual Colour, has swiftly captured the attention of the indie music scene. Their singles released in 2023 and earlier this year have already garnered a keen interest from fans awaiting the next release and upcoming live shows. Dominique has been a vital component of two other critically acclaimed projects, Zombeaches and N.Y.C.K.  Zombeaches have recently returned from an epic Euro tour, performing 15 shows in 15 days across France, Switzerland and Germany. N.Y.C.K. has garnered attention for its intimate and narrative-driven music, achieving over a million streams on Spotify and receiving coverage from major outlets like Rolling Stone Australia. Beyond performing, she holds a Bachelor of Music from Monash University and brings her expertise to various educational and community settings, directing choirs and teaching voice. For links and videos of Dom's various bandshttps://www.aredrummersmusicians.com/conversations/

This week’s special guest is drummer Joseph Batrouney. We discuss his latest original album, ‘At Hand’, teaching, various styles of music, his hybrid cajon-drumkit, travel, practice, Melbourne, New York, Spain, and so much more! Joseph shares some of his ponderings about music education, the romanticism of being a professional musician and pursuing excellence on your instrument - and even touches on the good v bad of ‘the whiplash thing’. This was a really interesting conversation with a very talented musician who has lived, worked and studied with musicians across the world. Australian-born Lebanese drummer Joseph Batrouney’s music reflects his rich and diverse journey across Middle Eastern, jazz, and flamenco genres. His formal education includes a Bachelor of Jazz and Contemporary Music from Monash University, with additional studies at New York University. He has been taught by notaries such as Tony Moreno, Nate Smith, Israel ‘Piraña’ Suarez, Bandolero, and Simon Barker. Joseph's performance history includes collaborations with the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, a feature performance with Zourouna for Multicultural Arts Victoria, performances at Cafe Berlin in Madrid, and international tours with Arte Kanela Flamenco. He has also performed with Riley Lee, a Shakuhachi Grand Master, and Diego Guerrero, (Latin Grammy-nominated). His work draws heavily on early childhood listening experiences with Middle Eastern music, the theoretical foundation gained through formal study of the drumset, and the rawness of flamenco, as showcased in his recordings as an accompanist, freelance performances, and original EPs,'Salt' and 'At Hand.' Special shoutout to the excellent drum tutorship of Paul Matcott, the high school drum teacher at BHS for both Joseph Batrouney and podcast host Luke. The conversation is now available on all streaming platforms, YouTube and our website. For more info and links to music, visit: aredrummersmusicians.com/conversations/josephbatrouney

Today on the podcast, we’re diving into the dynamic musical world of Alex Kwong (A2K).  We start the podcast with Alex raising the recent (at the time of recording in May this year) Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef, before diving in his thoughts on hip-hop, pop music and EDM. Alex walks us through his journey from young classical music student playing piano and cello to his current musical output as a highly successful producer. We discuss so much, from his DJ, production, music and creative processes, collaborations, music for running, musical influences, his journey with various musical instruments, practice, hard work, and so much more. There’s a lot of discussion of music from the EMD, House and Drum & Bass worlds that I got to learn a lot about from what Alex was listening to and working on which expanded my musical knowledge a lot too. Alex shared some really interesting things about his multiple DAW process, separate creative and production tasks, making his sessions in ProTools look perfect, and balancing his music success with his other career. Alex is such a kind hearted and humble human being, and having not seen him for 10 years since we were music friends at high school, it was so lovely to catch up with him and have my mind blown by all his production success on top of his medical career. Known in the music industry as A2K, Alex is an independent producer from Melbourne whose tracks have amassed over 45 million streams. Alex's music has been shazamed more than 117,000 times and has garnered over 13 million views across TikTok and YouTube shorts. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Alex's skills extend beyond the studio to live performances, where he captivates audiences as both a DJ and a musician alongside various artists. His notable collaborations include work with artists such as Zuhair, Will Singe, Rini, and Jereena Montemayor. In addition to his prolific production career, Alex co-founded Amplified Entertainment; the culmination of three friends’ mutual passion for music, bringing professional DJ services and a platform for emerging musicians and performers to grow. Alex's unique blend of skills and excellence spans beyond the arts as well. Not only a talented musician proficient on cello and piano, Alex excelled academically, achieving dux of his high school. Remarkably, alongside his music success, Alex is also a practising medical doctor. The conversation is now available on all streaming platforms, YouTube and our website. For more info and links to music, visit: aredrummersmusicians.com/conversations/a2k

In Melbourne whilst hosting an all-female hip hop event, multidisciplinary artist Grace Chia stops by Brunswick to share some of her stories on the podcast. Grace is very talented and successful in various artistic endeavours, so in our conversation we focus mostly on her journey with music making. We discuss her move to Tasmania where she established herself as a spoken word artist to where she has gained widespread attention for her performances as rapper and singer in the hip-hop scene. We cover a lot of ground, as Grace shares inspiring and vulnerable experiences as a young female performer in male dominated spaces, and her success in creating safe events and supporting female and other identifying artists in the current hip hop scene in Tasmania and across Australia. Grace is also one of the first touring guests I’ve had on the podcast which is special as it’s expanding the show but also maintaining the very special in-person conversations here in Melbourne with musicians. Grace is a self-made multidisciplinary artist who’s been making waves across the Tasmanian music scene, regularly releasing music and video content, including more than a single each month this year! With roots in spoken word poetry, Grace infuses her lyricism with deep thought, blending R&B melodies and old-school boom-bap beats to create raw, soulful performances. She uses the stage as a platform to address political and social issues often overlooked in mainstream hip-hop, empowering those who feel alone and voiceless. Regularly performing at local hip-hop, queer-allied, and female-led gigs around Hobart, including MONA, Grace recently headlined MONA FOMA and has shared the stage with artists like Drapht, Allday, and international poets such as Alok Vaid-Menon. In collaboration with the all-female and non-binary band, FFLORA, Grace has taken her performances to new heights, reimagining her tracks for live band settings. On top of her music career, Grace organises and promotes local hip-hop gigs, open mic nights, and facilitates tour stops for interstate artists in Tasmania. She’s just wrapped up an intense two-month run of 15 shows and is joining us today while in Melbourne for a special Australian hip-hop event she’s organised. The conversation is now available on all streaming platforms, YouTube and our website. For more info and links to music, visit: aredrummersmusicians.com/conversations/gracechia

This week’s special guest on the podcast is drummer Holly Thomas. Holly is an absolute legend and we chat about so much, from her time growing up and studying music in Adelaide, to moving to Melbourne, and all her various recording and touring gigs in between! There’s so much, but I hope you enjoy the conversation with this talented drummer as much as I did! Holly is currently touring in the US with her band, Quivers. The day after we recorded this episode earlier in the year, Quivers signed a record deal, planned an international tour and began releasing music from their latest album ‘Oyster Cuts’ - which has been rapidly gaining global attention ever since! Holly wore a hilariously loud jacket, both because of it’s bright red colour but mostly because of the very loud rustling - which turned out to be completely overshadowed by ‘Scout’ (our cohost and puppy) making so much noise in the background of this episode! After relocating from Adelaide in 2017, Holly Thomas has quickly become a sought-after freelance drummer in Melbourne, known for her collaborations with a diverse range of artists and bands, including Husky, Quivers, Henry Wagons, and Freya Josephine Hollick. Holly has earned both bachelor and master’s degrees in music performance from the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide and has received various awards. She has a rich background of musical experiences, including performances with Adelaide locals like Tkay Maidza, Leo Sayer, Courtney Act, and Peter Combe. Her talent extends to cabaret shows, having performed with Eddie Perfect, Hugh Sheridan, and Bob Downe. Additionally, she has showcased her skills in musical theatre, drumming for 'Ghost - The Musical' and 'Dusty - The Musical.’ Holly has toured nationally and internationally, performing at major festivals across Australia. Her extensive recording credits have earned her radio play worldwide.  Holly is also passionate about supporting young women and gender non-conforming teenagers in music, as demonstrated through her involvement in the recent ABC TV show ‘Turn Up The Volume.’ I was looking forward to discussing this but we ran out of time, so hopefully Holly will come back for another episode and we can discuss that and hear all about her recent tour experience! Join us as we discuss Holly’s journey with music, what she appreciates about the Melbourne music scene and her drumming on the latest Husky record. The conversation is now available on all streaming platforms, YouTube and our website. For more info and links to music, visit: aredrummersmusicians.com/conversations/hollythomas

This week’s guest on the podcast is Kim Beales, a talented singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Kim started his day recording at Pughouse Studios in Melbourne, tracking drums, acoustic guitar, and vocals for his latest album. It was a fun morning recording drums for his latest project, and a relaxing afternoon having a chat over a cup of tea with Kim on the podcast. We cover a lot of ground, from discussing his 2023 album Nine Portraits, to concepts of life, purpose, fulfilment, and a love of music and connection.  Kim was also just back from a tour to China and Japan with artist Tamas Wells, both as a solo act performing his songs on a telecaster, and then with the band, playing guitar, vocals and his new Hofner bass. Kim shares his experience performing music with his friends across the globe, signing autographs, journaling, inhabiting the song, and his love for family, songwriting and the shared experience of music. This is a lovely conversation with a lovely human. It’s interesting to hear Kim’s adventures with music across the years, from the tough music teacher swearing and hitting his hands as a young piano student, to moving at 15 and starting to play gigs at venues across Melbourne, and most recently the international tours. Kim Beales is an Australian singer-songwriter, currently living in Tasmania, and is also a co-founder of Melbourne music label, North Fitzroy Records.  In 2023, Kim released ‘Nine Portraits’, which features narrative songs inspired by characters from life, literature, and film. This release is accompanied by a series of line drawings, each a unique portrait representing a song. Through their stories and conversations Kim explores universal themes of friendship, desire, life, death and rock and roll.  Kim’s earlier works include “Tambourine Sky”, a vibrant and uplifting record Inspired by artists of the sixties and integrating indie pop sounds. And more recently, Kim has been working on a follow up to “Nine Portraits” developing material both at home and abroad, during a time of long service leave.   Special shoutouts in this episode include Tamas Wells, Niko Shauble (yes, another recent podcast guest - checkout episode 25!) from Pughouse Studios,  Jefry Yikwa, and Pete Carolane (episode 7), who mixed “Nine Portraits”. The conversation is now available on all streaming platforms, YouTube and our website. You can find “Nine Portraits” on all major streaming platforms. Stream on Spotify here. Checkout North Fitzroy Records here. Listen to the song “Emmanuel” on youtube here. For more info and links to music, visit: aredrummersmusicians.com/conversations/kimbeales P.S. At the end, I asked Kim where he’d like to perform. He said later, “By that point in the interview my brain was going to fuzz! I’d just got to play a set at the Melbourne Recital Centre the night before (hard to beat that venue). Here in Tassie I’d like to do a gig someday at the Hedberg (a beautiful little theatre with a great sound). 

This week’s guest on the podcast is Caitlin Thomas, a talented songwriter, drummer, bandleader, and educator Having arrived on an awesome motorbike, we start our conversation with Caitlin’s first love of music: Green Day. The conversation then expands ever onward and traverses her thoughts on writing, bandleading, playing drums, studying jazz, composing, session drumming and lots more. It is serious and fun, contemplative and humorous. She completed her music degree at Monash University at the same time as me and so it was really nice to hear all of Cailtin’s thoughts and experiences since we had last caught up. The conversation was also raw at times, as Cailtin was still processing the recent loss of her father who was a major inspiring and encouraging figure in her life (and that of many others). Caitlin Thomas has toured nationally with production companies Skinnyfish Productions and Pop-Up Globe, and internationally  with Australian International Productions. She has gigged around Melbourne, performing her original music with bands, as well as playing drums for other local artists. She also completed a Bachelor of Music majoring in Jazz Performance at Monash University, graduating in 2018.  Caitlin is a passionate teacher with over 10 years experience teaching drum students of all ages and experience.  Join us as we explore Caitlin's musical journey, delve into her experiences on stage and in the classroom, and discuss her starting a maths degree to assist with lyrical accuracy for a musical she was composing. You can also see Caitlin perform with her band Alpaka Maraka on the 2nd of November 2024 at The Penny Black in Brunswick. The conversation is now available on all streaming platforms, YouTube and our website. For more info and links to music, visit: aredrummersmusicians.com

This week’s guest on the podcast is Niko Schauble, an award-winning drummer, composer, producer and audio engineer. Full of incredible experiences, Niko sits down with us and reminisces on an incredible 40+ year career as a musician, composer and recording engineer/producer. Niko recalls memories from growing up in Germany, the joy and challenges of recording reel-to-reel on tape, playing with incredible musicians, moving to Australia, exploring sounds on the drums, writing music and building his recording studio in Thornbury - Pughouse Studios. We also chat about being a contemporary jazz drummer in the Melbourne scene, touch on the business and experience of building his recording studio and have a laugh too! With a practice spanning the full range of contemporary notated and improvised music, Niko Schauble has many long lists of awards, recording and composition credits. He has performed with many of the world's leading artists including Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Sam Rivers, Lee Konitz, Dewey Redman, Enrico Rava, Greg Osby, Arthur Blythe, Palle Mikkelborg, Paul Grabowsky, Trilok Gurtu, Karaikudi R. Mani, Deborah Conway and Archie Roach. His work as a musician and composer is documented on over 60 albums. Niko’s compositions span film and television scores, ballet, interdisciplinary works, chamber and symphonic music, with major commissions from the Australian Art Orchestra, West Australian Ballet, Radiosinfonieorchester Frankfurt, Queensland Festival, the Berlin Jazz Composers Orchestra and the University Orchestra Ulm.  Niko was commissioned by the University of Ulm in Germany to create his work, ‘Clear Waters’, for Jazz Trio and large Symphony Orchestra. This work premiered in 2023. Niko has held teaching positions in jazz and film music at Melbourne and Monash Universities,  University of Melbourne, Monash University, Melbourne Polytechnic and has been a guest lecturer at ANU, UTAS, WAAPA, Universities of Adelaide and Queensland, JIB (Jazz Institut Berlin) and the Sommerakademie der Landesmusikschule Berlin. In 2012 Niko opened Pughouse Studios, a professional recording studio in Melbourne, Australia, producing more than 160 albums to date. Join us as we discuss his journey with music, being born into a family of musicians, travelling the world, and establishing a special space for artists at Pughouse Studios in Thornbury. The conversation is now available on all streaming platforms, YouTube and our website. For more info and links to music, visit our website: aredrummersmusicians.com/conversations/nikoschauble

This week’s special guest is Ryan Griffith, a renowned guitarist, composer and sound artist.  We really cover a lot of ground on this conversation with Ryan, from his beginnings, the ‘creation hall’, bands, jazz, writing, music, education, mentorship - I wish we could have kept speaking for hours. Ryan has an infectious smile and a huge heart, and it really comes across I think through all his different work, most recently highlighted by his creation of the Hurstbridge Jazz Club and album with his music and life partner Kimba - ‘Turn Up The Quiet.’ Ryan even makes me sing along - so it’s lots of fun, really deep, contemplative and exciting all in a quick hour! Ryan is really cultivating some amazing spaces and encouraging young musicians too. Join us for a great chat and insights about music and life from this authentic human and amazing guitarist. Since graduating from The Victorian College of the Arts in 2001, Ryan has captivated audiences across Melbourne with his diverse musical styles, ranging from bebop and big band swing to funk and blues. He has graced stages large and small—from jazz clubs and  the Spiegeltent at the Melbourne International Festival to opening for iconic acts like Silverchair and You Am I.   Ryan’s talents extend beyond performance; he's composed works for theatre, film, and major events such as the 2000 Olympic Games. His compositions have reached international audiences, released through labels in the UK, Australia, and America. He's also a respected music educator, imparting his knowledge to the next generation of musicians.  Recently, Ryan has been making waves with the Hurstbridge Jazz Club, a community initiative born out of the pandemic's impact on live performances. This venue provides a platform for both seasoned jazz musicians and emerging talents, fostering a vibrant local music scene. The conversation is now available on all streaming platforms, YouTube and our website. For more info and links to music, visit our website: aredrummersmusicians.com/conversations/ryangriffith

This week’s conversation is with special guest Aaron Syrjanen, a versatile guitarist and esteemed session musician based in Melbourne. I would love a family-tree type visualisation of the many musicians that Aaron speaks about in this episode; a great web of the music theatre musicians world and the expanding and linked connections to other areas of session musicians and artists in the Melbourne scene. Aaron is a very talented guitarist and we have a great conversation catching up on his experiences from the last few years. We discuss the stress and excitement of being a ‘dep’ on professional music theatre shows, go back to how he got started on guitar and all the different influences he’s had over the years.  Aaron's recent collaborations include work with notable artists such as Elly Poletti, Erin Cornell, Mayfield, Katie Weston, Les Gyori, Drew Downing, The Chantoozies, Ryan Ritchie, showcasing his broad range and adaptability. Aaron has also worked on the following musicals full time in Melbourne: Bring it On (2019), The Wedding Singer (2022), Elvis: A Musical Revolution (2023), and depped on Girl from North Country (Melbourne and Canberra), The Wedding Singer (Sydney), Hairspray, 9-5, Blume, and Moulin Rouge. Beyond performing, Aaron is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of musicians, teaching guitar at various schools across Melbourne. The conversation is now available on all streaming platforms, YouTube and our website. For more info and links to music, visit our website: aredrummersmusicians.com/conversations/aaronsyrjanen

This week on the podcast, we have the talented special guest, Jess Singleton a.k.a. Sidney. Recorded 20 weeks ago, the continued growth of her recent social media success is evident, based on the numbers discussed only a few months ago when compared with the enormous amounts of followers and streamers she currently has across various platforms.Jess is an indie-pop singer-songwriter who performs and releases music under her stage name, Sidney. With two EPs and multiple singles under her belt, she has amassed hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify, had her songs played on Australian Radio, performed headline shows and, supported major artists like Angus and Julia Stone, The Reubens and Tiny Habits from the US.Beyond her original music, Jess has also carved out a successful niche as a wedding singer, providing acoustic music for ceremonies and receptions across Australia. Jess sings and plays both guitar and piano. She has gained additional recognition on social media, where her bridal entrance mashup videos on her instagram account have gone viral, amassing millions of views.Join us as we delve into Jessie’s journey as a musician, exploring her creative processes, and discussing the challenges and successes of balancing a career in original music with her thriving wedding singing business.It’s always interesting when siblings do things together, and so this episode is no exception - there’s some fun stories, a little poking fun, laughter, banter, awkwardness, and close moments. It’s very special seeing all that she has accomplished, having seen first hand how far Jess has come and how hard she has worked to get there. So I feel very lucky to now be in her shadow in the music scene, and to have had her on the podcast.The conversation is now available on all streaming platforms, YouTube and our website.For more info and links to music, visit our website:aredrummersmusicians.com/conversations/sidney

Hannie was all smiles and despite feelings of imposter syndrome, was a fun conversationalist who shared her stories about her music in a raw and genuine way. Hannie Day, is an emerging original artist in the indie/alternative/grunge scene and had just had her first ‘tour’ experience playing a support set with local girl band The Vovos. We discuss her personal and feelings-based lyrics, her journey with music as a listener and music-maker, living in Switzerland and the difficulties of relocating to Melbourne, and getting ready to record her first songs in the studio.  Today we're joined by Hannie Day, a bedroom folk-grunge artist from Melbourne finding her place in the local music scene. Hannie's music, characterised by a delicate voice and catchy melody, often hides dark lyrics over the top of some acoustic and distortion fun. Although born in Melbourne and raised in Switzerland, she documents life in Melbourne’s inner north with both the homesick love of a local and the wide-eyed wonder of a traveller. Influenced by the folk rock of Big Thief and the emotional grunge of Slow Pulp, Hannie is just beginning to find her footing, having played her first gigs last year both solo and with a band.  Join us as we chat about her recent experience as the support act on tour with The Vovos, moving back to Melbourne and her preparation to enter the studio and record her first single. The podcast is now available on all streaming platforms and YouTube. For more info and links to music, visit our website: aredrummersmusicians.com/conversations/hannieday

JT arrived with a big smile and dressed in blacks; a true Melbournian. Having just finished an arena tour with Gretta Ray (at the time of recording), we chat about a whole range of things from the big gigs to his various behind-the-scenes roles. We discuss recording, touring, ‘tracks’, being a good ‘hang’ on tour, musicality and his journey as a musician. And he even sneaks in a couple questions about me. Join us for a great conversation and get to know more about this talented musician. JT is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, musical director, and playback technician who has just wrapped up an arena tour playing drums for Gretta Ray. A graduate of Monash University with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz and Contemporary Performance on the drums, JT is not only a skilled performer but also a sought-after session musician and producer. His career features diverse collaborations with artists like Gretta Ray, Lotte Gallagher, Shannen James, Holy Holy, Fergus James, Allday, Clews, Japanese Wallpaper, and George Alice, and Tones and I. JT has played venues across Australia, from intimate band rooms to massive stadiums, and boasts an ever-expanding discography of recording credits from his various roles. Proudly endorsed by leading drum brands, JT has quickly established himself as a go-to talent in the industry, not only on drums but also as a producer and recording engineer. He maintains a studio space where he also does remote drum tracking and production work. JT embodies the spirit of modern musicianship; he is talented, hardworking, and a great hang. And if you're a fan of Triple J, you may not know his name, but you've definitely heard many tracks that he's worked on. Join us as we delve into his journey through the music industry, discuss his experiences on the road, and explore his behind-the-scenes roles as well. The podcast is now available on all streaming platforms and YouTube. For more info and links to music, visit our website: aredrummersmusicians.com/conversations/jtmcrae

This week's special guest is ⁠Aaron Schembri⁠, a talented guitarist and songwriter who has carved out a solid reputation in the Australian music scene. Aaron had just stepped off the plane after being in Sydney and came directly to Luke’s place, where conversation launched into Aaron’s work as a guitarist with artists like The Wiggles, Ross Wilson and Renee Geyer. They discuss Aaron’s original music, including his 2 previous albums and a (at the time of recording) yet-to-be-released single, as well as his journey with music, influences, experiences, vinyl and more! Aaron has released two albums and 12 singles, featuring collaborations with Australian music legends such as Ross Wilson, Normie Rowe, and Paul Norton. Beyond his solo work, Aaron's career has been enriched by his relationships with iconic figures like the late Ross Hannaford of Daddy Cool, who mentored him from a young age. He has also toured as a guitarist with legends including Renee Geyer, Ross Wilson for the 50th Anniversary of 'Eagle Rock', and arena shows with The Wiggles. Join us as we delve into Aaron’s musical journey from his beginnings in Reservoir to major stages across Australia, and his latest single, ‘Breaking Chains’.

This week our special guest is Jake Amy, a Melbourne/Naarm based session pianist, producer, audio engineer and social justice journalist.  There are so many topics that we discuss in this episode; nu-jazz, social justice, discrimination and diversity in the music scene, early music listening, the long drives to uni, improvised music, producing, touring, synth systems, Gender diversity in music - and so much more! Jake Amy has quickly become one of Australia’s most in-demand keyboardists, performing alongside a diverse range of Australian and international artists, including ARIA Music Award winner Kaiit, gold-selling artist Wafia, and South Sudan’s “King of Music” Gordon Koang. Jake has experience as a bandleader, band member and session musician, touring locally, and internationally, recording and appearing on TV. Jake has supported internationally renowned artists such as Chaka Khan, Nile Rodgers, Thundercat, Cory Henry, Sampa The Great, Masego, Hiatus Kaiyote, Joy Crookes and Odette. Jake leads a nu-jazz trio that has received multiple grants, featured on local radio, and released their debut album 'Doom' last year. To find out more, visit aredrummersmusicians.com/conversations/jakeamy

This conversation was recorded at the home of the very special guest, Daniel Farrugia! We discussed his original music project, the albums he released, listening to music on long drives with family, the home recording experience, touring, previous work with Angus and  Julia Stone, his current gig with The Cat Empire, and so much more! Daniel Farrugia has established himself as one of Australia’s most sought-after musicians for both recording and touring. Contributing to a vast array of projects, he is perhaps best known for his collaborations with The Cat Empire, Luke Howard Trio, Angus and Julia Stone, Tina Arena, The Bamboos, Missy Higgins, Renee Geyer, and Tinpan Orange. In 2018, Farrugia released his first solo album, 'Drums & Omnichord, Amongst Other Things', followed by 'Replicants' in 2021 and 'Avalanche' last year (2023). I’ve been a big fan of Danny’s music for a long time, from his session work in the studio, live drumming and his original music too, so it was special to be able to record one of our chats about his various musical adventures, and a real honour to be able to have him as part of this project. To listen, for more info and for links to music, visit our website: aredrummersmusicians.com