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Join Danny Grant as he pulls back the curtain on night life, night club and the music industry. With crazy stories and special guests.
87 Episodes
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Send us a text Mark “The Hammer” Castagnini has lived one of the wildest journeys in Australian nightlife and combat sports. From battling self-esteem as a kid, to finding confidence through martial arts, his story takes us deep into the world of nightclub culture, bouncer life, and the underground fight scene. In this episode, we talk about: The illegal fightclubs known as Battle of the Bouncers Going from nightclub punter to bouncer — and the crazy stories that came with it The...
Send us a text Simon Coyle has lived multiple lifetimes in dance music. From cutting his teeth with Mad Agency in the 90s, to co-founding Wet Musik and touring the world as a DJ, he’s been at the centre of Australia’s electronic story from the very start. After years on the decks, Simon pivoted into the business side — becoming an international touring agent and eventually co-founding Stereosonic, one of Australia’s most iconic festivals. He was there for its meteoric rise, its multi-million...
Send us a text Australia’s Hip Hop Underdog – The Mistah Cee Story. From losing both his parents at a young age, to growing up black in Maroubra, to fighting his way through the chaos of Sydney’s early club scene — Mistah Cee has lived through it all. In this episode we talk about: The heartbreak and resilience that shaped his life.Wild fights and raw stories from Sydney nightlife in the 2000s.His battles with identity and belonging growing up in Maroubra.How he refused to give up on his dre...
Send us a text Sydney’s rave culture in the 90s and 2000s was absolute chaos 👀 From all-night parties to police pressure, media attacks and recovery clubs that ran for 24 hours straight — this is the untold story. In this episode, legendary DJ Nik Fish breaks down what really happened inside Sydney’s rave scene. We cover the beginnings of the scene, the clubs, the recoveries, the wildest festival moments, and why the culture still matters today. Drop your memories and stories in the comment...
Send us a text Mark James is the man who built Future Music Festival and Summadayze — the events that defined a generation of Aussie ravers. From throwing wild underground warehouse parties to running some of the biggest festivals Australia has ever seen, Mark has lived it all. In this episode, we dive into the rise of Future, the chaos behind Summadayze, the insane stories from life as a promoter, selling it all for millions, losing his sense of identity after walking away, and rediscovering...
Send us a text He Was the NRL’s Next Big Thing… Then He Quit for Music 🎤🏉 From Mt Druitt to the national spotlight, Jakiel Mariner’s story is anything but ordinary. He blew up on X Factor as part of the band Fortunate, got offered a shot at a career in the NRL, and was tipped as one of rugby league’s brightest young stars. Then — when most people would have taken the fame, money, and contracts — he walked away… to chase music. In this exclusive interview, we dive into: 🎯 Growing up Samoan in...
Send us a text Inside the Birth of Aussie Rave – The Untold Story with Honeysmack Before house or techno there was acid house! Behind it was a raw, underground movement that changed music forever — and Honeysmack was at the heart of it. In this episode, I sit down with one of the pioneers of Australia’s rave and acid house scene to hear how it all began. From the warehouses to the dancefloors, from the chaos to the culture, Honeysmack shares the untold story of how Aussie rave was born and ...
Send us a text This one’s f*cked — in the best way. Andrew Hamilton went from selling drugs, to doing serious jail time, to telling jokes on stage like it’s therapy. We dive into the full journey: the crime, the lock-up, the mental toll, and how he turned it all into a stand-up career. It’s raw, it’s cooked, and somehow it’s funny as hell. 🧠 We talk about: Life as a drug dealerWhat really goes down inside prisonWhy comedy saved himAnd how hitting rock bottom gave him a second shotIf you’re in...
Send us a text From cheeky YouTube stunts to commanding festival stages, Ben Gerrans’ story reads like something out of a movie. He launched his channel back in 2015 with prank‑heavy videos like “MAN VS WATERMELON,” quickly amassing hundreds of thousands of views and a devoted audience .But a trip to Europe opened his eyes to the world of rave culture, and soon he was back home running small DJ parties for friends — nights that went viral and set the stage for his explosive pivot into dance ...
Send us a text Mike Toner from Thick as Thieves shares his wild journey from moving across the world to open a record shop, becoming a resident at Revolver, to running festivals and managing international touring DJs. Hear the highs, the disasters, and how he’s raised millions for charity by rallying the nightlife community. #ThickAsThieves #MikeToner #RevolverMelbourne #FestivalStories #DJLife #NightlifeStories #MusicIndustry #TouringDJs #FestivalFails #CharityThroughMusic #FredHollows...
Send us a text Step inside the legendary Empire Nightclub in Narre Warren — the suburban hotspot that somehow hosted global names like Chingy, Bow Wow, and even Dom Dolla. In this episode, we dive into the untold stories behind the booths, the chaos in the back rooms, and how we built one of the wildest suburban venues from the ground up. From packed-out Fridays to unforgettable drama, this is a raw, hilarious, and nostalgic look at the rise (and madness) of Empire. Tickets To Reunion Here: ...
Send us a text For the 50th episode of Danny Rants, I talk the mic on myself and begin to tell my own story — the real one. In this EP: Growing up with nothingMaking and losing big money in festivals and clubs Accidentally getting caught up with gangs in NZWild parties, heavy mistakes, and lessons learnedWhat keeps me going after all of itIf you’ve been following the chaos — here’s the full picture.
Send us a text Jay Malkoun is a name whispered in Melbourne’s nightlife history — nightclub king, strip club owner, enforcer, and former Comanchero boss. From wild nights in the city’s hottest venues to high-level negotiations with dangerous players, Jay lived it all. In this explosive interview, he sits down with Danny Rants to share: His rise through the nightclub scene What it was really like owning and running nightclubs and strip clubs The darker side of clubland — violence, bikies, ...
Send us a text 🔥 Inside Victoria’s Roughest Pubs & Clubs – Jess Conti Unfiltered I sit down with Jess Conti to unpack the wild reality of working in some of Victoria’s toughest venues — from full-blown brawls to dealing with bikies, mafia figures, and out-of-control AFL players. We dive deep into what it’s really like running multiple hospitality businesses — the wins, the losses, and the moments that nearly broke him. And yes… he tells a jaw-dropping story about someone getting their e...
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Kiet Diep, the man behind TANG Group and some of the biggest Asian nightclub events in Australia. We go deep into the chaotic early days — when gang violence, stabbings, and even deaths were part of the underground scene in the late '90s and 2000s. Kiet shares what it was like to navigate real danger, run high-risk venues, and still build a legacy. But this isn't just a story about survival — it's about the rise. We explore how the Asian scen...
Send us a text In this unfiltered second interview, legendary Melbourne DJ Hellraiser returns to take us deeper into the madness of the 90s and 2000s rave scene. From being wheeled out of clubs in a coffin, to shredding bibles mid-set, to playing around the globe, Hellraiser shares the raw, outrageous, and iconic moments that defined an era. We dive into the untold stories behind Melbourne’s most infamous raves, the peak of hard trance culture, and what it was like to be at the centre of the ...
Send us a text From running his first illegal rave and getting caught, to blurring the lines between hardcore BDSM and hardstyle mayhem, Brad Drummond has lived through the wildest corners of Australia’s rave culture. In this episode, we dive deep into the 2000s underground — from the infamous Pharmacy events at Kryal Castle to the rise of mega raves legal and illegal to pushing every limit imaginable. Brad also reveals how the Pharmacy Board came after him over the event name, and how he wen...
Send us a text From Melbourne's Dance Floors to Hollywood's Rooftops: The Grant Smillie Story In this exclusive interview, we delve into the remarkable journey of Grant Smillie—from his beginnings as a teenage promoter at iconic Melbourne clubs like Redheads and Seven, to becoming a driving force behind Australia's dance music evolution. Grant's passion for music led him to become a resident DJ at the influential club brand, Onelove, which played a pivotal role in shaping the Australian ele...
Send us a text Model and former brothel madam Krystal Galtry joins Danny Rants to reveal what really goes on behind closed doors in the Australian sex industry. From wild client stories to how brothels actually operate, Krystal breaks down the secrets, the stigma, and the reality of running a legal brothel. This is the raw, unfiltered truth — no topic is off limits. 🎙️ In this episode: How Krystal became a brothel madam The business behind sex work Craziest client requests Dealing with ...
Send us a text Laura King: Queen of Australia’s Underground Techno Scene From dusty raves to main stages across the country — Laura King has built one of the most respected reputations in Aussie dance music. No hype. No industry handouts. Just raw talent and a cult following. In this episode of Danny Rants, we dive into how Laura carved her path, the challenges of staying authentic in a changing scene, and what it really takes to blow up without selling out. Comment Below For Your Chance To...
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