Feature

Meet: We chat to the living legend Robert Forster (The Go-Betweens and solo) about his renewed lease of creativity, the bands and the good old days, ahead of the release of his new album ‘Strawberries’.
Ahead of his new album ‘Strawberries’ due for release on 23 May 2025, I had a thoroughly entertaining chat via Zoom with living legend Robert Forster about the past, the present, creativity, the legacy of The Go-Betweens and his new Swedish band. But let’s get a couple of big questions out of the way. The …

Feature: hairpin detail the influences behind punchy debut EP Modern Day Living
Last month, South Coast quartet hairpin dropped ‘Curtain Call’, an ideal introduction to their scuzzy post-hardcore sound – it’s taken from their debut EP Modern Day Living which (a) is out now, and (b) absolutely rules. The four-piece is made up of current and former members of Lost in the Riots, Nervus and Weatherstate—namely, Adam …

Live Review and Gallery: Hoodoo Gurus, Princess Wharf, Hobart, 31/12/2024
The Hoodoo Gurus set off their own blistering fireworks show at their end of year gig in Hobart, as part of the Tasmania’s Taste of Summer Festival. Of course, the Gurus have carved out a very special niche in Australian indie scene – they were part of an innovative underground movement in Perth, along with …

Feature: Backseat Downunder’s favourite Australian gigs and photographs from 2024
2024 represented a return to full service – and more – in the live music scene in Australia where the Backseat Mafia’s Backseat Downunder Team are located. With an ever expanding range of shows attended, we covered everything from international superstars like Taylor Swift to local bands plying their trade in small corner pubs. It …

Meet: Music is the vice – we chat to the legendary Kid Congo Powers about danger and excitement and being an alien.
Kid Congo & the Pink Monkey Birds are in the middle of a tour of Australia and I caught up with the irrepressible Kid Congo Powers on the the day before he ventured to the deep south to play in Hobart. Born Brian Tristan, Kid likes to be called Kid – even my sister calls …

Meet: We chat to Zia McCabe from The Dandy Warhols about sweeping things under the carpet, how the Dandies always get away scot-free and the new album and tour.
The Dandy Warhols have been together with much the same line up for a stunning 30 years and they are about to release their twelfth album ‘Rockmaker’, coinciding with a tour of the US and Australia. I caught up with keyboard/bass player Zia McCabe to have a chat about the longevity of the band, the …

Feature: Ed Kuepper’s Ten Favourite Things – The Saints/Laughing Clowns legend gives us an exclusive look at some of his favourite things.
Having just released reissues of his classic solo albums ‘Electrical Storm’ and ‘Honey Steel’s Gold’ (see details here) through Remote Control Records, the legendary Ed Kuepper is about to embark on an extensive Australian tour – entitled ‘The Exploding World of Ed Kuepper’ playing the albums and more. I interviewed Kuepper back in 2021 and …

Feature: Perth’s Sky Cave releases a visceral and emotive single and video for the anthemic track ‘Fall’, and take us through the blooming Perth music scene.
The video for Perth rockers Sky Cave‘s single ‘Fall’ is, to make no bones about it, confronting. Dealing with the sensitive issue of mental health challenges, it has, however, an important message about resilience and strength that is empowering and euphoric as the track itself: promoting positivity and compassion in an era that seems often …

Meet: We chat with Holy Holy’s Tim Carroll about the new album, writing and recording songs and setting the studio on fire.
Australia’s sparkling pop duo Holy Holy’s forthcoming album ‘Hello My Beautiful World’ is due out on Friday, 20 August 2021 through Wonderlick Recording Company. Recorded in Victoria and Tasmania, Tim Carroll, part of the duo with Oscar Dawson, says of the album: We were given all the freedom in the world to do whatever we wanted, …

Meet: We chat with the legendary Ed Kuepper (The Saints, Laughing Clowns, The Aints) about his long and distinguished career, setting parameters as an artist and continually learning.
To celebrate a stunning 45 years in the industry, the legendary songwriter and guitarist Ed Kuepper has announced the release of three LPs that celebrate his post The Saints years as a solo artist and with the Laughing Clowns and The Aints, as well as news of an Australia wide tour in June and July. …