Musicians

This episode introduces Billy Abbott, a Scottish-born musician who arrived in Australia alone at just sixteen. Over fifty years, he’s built a vibrant musical life around Melbourne, often performing Cajun-inspired rhythms and folk tunes. Through relaxed storytelling, Billy reflects on his musical journey — from Edinburgh beginnings to the Australian stages — highlighting the sounds, songs, and experiences that have shaped his identity as a performer and person. The episode celebrates resilience, migration, and the lifelong joy of making and sharing music. https://www.facebook.com/Harmaniax/

In this episode we go through Mandy Connell’s journey through folk and how she is bringing to life traditional folk ballads from the UK and poetry from Australia in the Stray Hens. Listen in to hear a fantastic insight into the folk scene of Australia including Mandy’s earliest musical memories and attempts at learning a few instruments. In Part 2 we continue the journey through Mandy Connell's musical influences, songs she can’t get enough of and the album everyone should own. Listen in to hear Mandy explain how to join a music session and how she became the amazing folk musician she is.

Jordan Bakker is a passionate young acoustic performer from Melbourne Australia. ;sJordan original work covers many genres from Bluegrass to a Bossa Nova, yet all have a raw Blues backbone. Listen in to hear how he started, what advice he has received from Tash Sultana and much more.

Episode 7 features the talented Helen Ryder, a Melbourne based singer who has sung across many genres throughout her career: pop, country, soul, blues, gospel and jazz throughout her career. Listen in to hear how she came to a musical career, why she chose the songs for her debut album 'Someday Love', what her influences are and the music has played a part in her journey so far. Note: Please excuse the background noise at times towards the end of the interview - The crowd in St Kilda can get rowdy. I have tried everything nearly to get rid of it….

This episode is dedicated to Kev Carmody. Please note this podcast has the names and voices of people who have died. Inspired to start again by Jayson Gillham and Connor D'Netto and their work on the piece of music Witness. Coming up in Episode 1 of Season 2 are activists musicians that inspire me. Like Pete Seegar, Sinead O'Connor, Woody Guthrie, Midnight Oil, Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter, John Lennon and Kev Carmody. Not sure they set out to sing more than they were bearing witness too. All Music is used under fair use of The Australian Copyright Act (1968) https://www.jaysongillham.com/ https://www.connordnetto.com/ https://para.org.au/ https://www.chuffed.org/project/justice-for-jayson https://www.connordnetto.com/music/witness Free Palestine.

From Depeche Mode to the Dawes, listen in to hear how Tracy McNeil became drawn in by the Melbourne music scene to call Australia home after leaving Canada nearly 10 years ago for 10 months. We talk about the beautiful influences around her, the latest Tracy McNeil and the Goodlife album ‘Thieves’ and the craft of song writing.

In this Episode we meet singer/songwriter Ben Smith, who was born in the UK but spent ten years of his childhood in sunny Queensland playing regular gigs in pubs as a 10 to 13-year-old. Listen in to how Ben returned from the UK after being signed by a record company at 16 to start his real musical journey in Melbourne years later.

Episode 6 features the fabulously gifted Serina Pech. This interview was recorded on the eve of the launch of Serina's self-titled EP on the 23rd of March 2017. Serina Pech is a singer-songwriter who grew up in the isolation of Katherine in the Northern Territory – an influence she carries through her music. Listen in to how she found her way to music and the vast influences who have helped develop the amazing storyteller Serina has become through the use of song with her raw, honest and penetrating lyrics that colour her songs and allow listeners into her private world and imagination. Make sure you check out bandcamp https://serinapech.bandcamp.com/ or iTunes and buy Serina’s EP now - best 7 dollars you will ever spend. This episode is dedicated to Peter Webb who I knew to be a loving husband and father, optimist and fighter.

Episode 8 features Cris Sirc of Angler, Phat Puff and Sirc. Listen in to how Kiss grabbed his attention and the club Clockwork Orange’s Indie Pop lead to the discovery of electronic music. We discuss what equipment to use, including how you can use an Atari to create music, favourite synth sounds and who has been Cris’ biggest influences. This episode is dedicated to our good friend Stevie B, Steven Bertschik.

Coming Up in November 2025