Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Jason Midro — one of the true pioneers of Melbourne’s electronic music scene. From his early days writing for Inpress Magazine, to running Bass Station — the infamous underground club that defined the 2000s rave era — Jason lived through the absolute rise, fall and rebirth of the Melbourne dance movement. We go deep on: ⚡️ The golden age of raving in Melbourne ⚡️ The explosion of ecstasy culture and its long-term impact — from the 90...
Send us a text In this episode of The Danny Rants Podcast, I sit down with KAOS — two Melbourne club dancers turned DJs who unlocked a world most people never get to see. From late-night club floors to national reality TV shows, this is the REAL story behind the grind, the pressure, the politics, the stigma, and the hustle behind their rise. No influencer shortcuts despite popular belief. No BS. Just work. We dive into: 🔥 What actually goes on behind the scenes in clubs 🔥 The expectations p...
Send us a text Inside Australia’s Secret Sex Clubs | DJ Slave Barbie Tells All Ever wondered what really happens inside Melbourne’s underground sex clubs? This week, DJ Slave Barbie opens up about her wild journey — from discovering the city’s hidden kink, fetish, and sauna scene, to finding the courage to spin decks in the most intimate clubs in Australia. We dive deep into the real subculture behind the headlines — the secret rooms, the coded invites, the blurred line between freedom ...
Send us a text From Melbourne’s OG club scene to the heart of the bush doof movement, Sammy La Marca has lived every side of Australia’s underground. He started as one of the city’s biggest club kids — velvet ropes, strobes, and packed dancefloors — but over time, the music and meaning shifted. Now, he’s a full-blown doofer, playing wild sets across Australia and the world, chasing that raw connection only found under open skies and speaker stacks. In this episode, we dive into the rise of Me...
Send us a text Sex, Drugs & Techno – The Hellfire Club Story. I sit down with Richard “Masters” (Wolstencroft) to unpack the rise of HELLFIRE—Australia’s most controversial underground nightclub. We get real about church backlash, media moral panics, the Hellfire Murders the door policy secrets, celebrity visitors, and how a BDSM-techno night launched careers across DJs, designers, and performers. Myth vs reality—told by the guy who started it. Content note: Adult themes, references to dr...
Send us a text Melbourne club icon Kalus sits down with me for his most honest interview ever. We go deep into the dark side of the Melbourne Sound — from wild nights in the clubs, the chaos, politics, and the heavy price of addiction… to his story of recovery, redemption, and building a legacy that inspired the next generation of DJs. This isn’t just music talk — this is about survival, culture, and the truth behind Melbourne nightlife that most people never hear. 👉 Watch as Kalus opens up o...
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...