Debbie Harwood is a triple threat; she’s a fantastic musician, highly intelligent and as kind and honest as they come. Debbie spent her early years performing constantly, making a name for herself in the local music scene. She held her own in a male dominated industry and stood strong against the patronising and dismissive, who sniffed at the ‘cute female covers band’ When The Cats Away, which would become one of the most successful NZ touring shows in the 1980s. Debbie toured the world singing for Jimmy Barnes, has helped mentor and develop numerous artists and she’s watched the music industry completely change beneath her feet. On this episode Debbie opens up about her current health problems and she reflects on her career and the challenge of achieving longevity in such an inconsistent and difficult industry. This episode is thought provoking, touching and hilarious. We’re thrilled to have Debbie Harwood on our 100th episode!

Hinerongonui Kingi is a multi-talented musician, writer, dancer, journalist and even a body builder! There seems to be nothing she can’t do, and her positivity and optimism is inspiring. Hailing from Rotorua, Hine started performing at a very young age and has already performed around the world. We talk about her time in Dubai, her strategies in setting and realising her goals and her can-do approach. Included in this episode is a little bit of information about our special upcoming 100th episode! Dig in!

Rikki Morris is a highly respected, multitalented singer, songwriter, musician, producer & live sound engineer. He joined Th’ Dudes as a roadie back in 1979 and went on to have a huge hit as a solo artist with the song Nobody Else. He appeared on TV shows like 3.45 Live, Alive and Kicking, Get Your Act Together and Super City and he ran his recording studio The Bus (Depot) for many years. His brother was the legendary musician and producer Ian Morris and later this year Rikki will honour his brother by stepping into his shoes, performing a finale tour with Th’ Dudes. Rikki’s been sober for many years now and has remained open and candid about his recovery. He’s one of the best live engineers out there and in addition to all of this, he’s also a really nice guy to hang out with. Much of Rikki’s extensive career has already been covered, so we took a different approach and just had a conversation. It’s what we do best. Pull up a seat, order a Virgin Mary and get into it!  

Dug Pinnick is the bassist and vocalist for legendary US band Kings X. Kings X have been together for forty years and quickly became known and respected for their unique sound, their sophisticated musicianship and their powerful performances. Their fans include Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament, The Police’s Andy Summers, Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil and many more.  Dug's journey has been one of constant struggle. He had a traumatic childhood and then had to find his way as a black man in America, a gay man in a religious environment all while trying to pursue a career in music. We talk about his lyrics, his childhood, impostor syndrome and being an honest outspoken person. We talk about the complications with the bands performance in front of 300,000 people at Woodstock 94 and we chat about the state of the world. On the episode Dug says "It hasn't gotten worse than the 70s until the police come out with tear gas and rubber bullets." Two weeks later George Floyd was murdered by a police officer, igniting riots across the US. Welcome to the groove machine!

Born and raised in Mumbai, India, Aditya Kalyanpur began playing the Tabla as a toddler and his life since has been deeply immersed in his music. He was trained by highly respected Tabla Maestro, the late Alla Rakha Khanand and by the time he was a teenager he was performing regularly and working as a session musician on albums and radio jingles. In his early twenties Aditya was invited to record with The Rolling Stones and spent several days getting to know the band. He soon moved to the US with no contacts and effectively started again. In 2008 Aditya founded the New England School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts and he would go on to record and perform with Katy Perry, Anoushka Shankar and Herbie Hancock. This episode is a celebration of Aditya Kalyanpur's incredible journey and a love letter to music.  

Huia is a multi-talented music professional with many strings to her bow. She's a singer / songwriter who performs in Te Reo Māori, she works at Kog Studio as publicist, she founded Integrity Promotions to look after the PR and management of performers, her Grandfather was artist & poet Rei Hamon and she's married to musician and mastering engineer Chris Chetland. She's a hard working, strong minded and opinionated and she maintains those qualities while being kind, empathetic and absolutely hilarious. We covered lots of big subjects and had many laughs in the process. Buckle up!

Musician Joel Haines grew up immersed in music and his journey establishing a career happened organically. His father Kevin Haines and brother Nathan Haines are both highly respected musicians in their own right and all three of them have carved out impressive careers and gained high praise and respect from their peers. (We had Nathan on the show a few years ago on Episode #14) Joel has worked with artists like Hinewehi Mohi, Whirimako Black, Annie Crummer, Fiona McDonald, Maisey Rika, Cairo Knife Fight, The Straw People, Che Fu, Rikki Morris, and The Human Instinct and these days he spends most of his time composing music for film and television. This is a fun and fascinating episode with an undeniable and ever humble talent. Dive in!

Today (May 12th, 2020) we've posted a special edition of the podcast with Dr Siouxsie Wiles. Dr Wiles is a British microbiologist and science communicator who specialises in infectious diseases and bioluminescence. She's been a regular expert voice in the New Zealand media throughout this pandemic, while juggling her professional and personal commitments. We recorded this episode a few days ago and my goal was to talk to her more specifically about the entertainment industry, when we might expect to be up and running again and how we can work strategically and safely going forward. Dr Wiles was great to chat to and I hope this special short episode will be helpful to our creative communities.  

Brad Stent is an entrepreneur, a filmmaker, a voice artist and presenter who began his professional life early, with youthful confidence and reckless abandon. He was presenting his first radio show at fifteen years old and he had established a company making advertisements before he turned twenty. A few years in, his professional and personal life unravelled and Brad spiralled to rock bottom where he remained paralysed for some time. Soon however, he picked himself up and slowly rebuilt his life. He’s now a new man and is committed to working on projects that affect positive change. This is a story about hope. Brad is living proof that it’s never too late to turn your life around. Tune up, tune in.

Te Radar is a highly respected and well-known comedian, documentarian and social and political commentator who has worked in war-zones, dived with sharks, played with scorpions and even plunged into the Ross Sea in Antarctica wearing only a skimpy pair of togs. You know Te Radar from his various shows including Off The Radar, Eating the Dog, Nine to Noon and War Tourist – Christmas in Bethlehem. We have an action packed conversation about how recent events have impacted the entertainment world, his innovative approach to touring, the art of comedy, working in war-zones, the time he couldn't find the war, the one question he asked Yasser Arafat and his thoughts and ideas towards an uncertain future. Do it!

Bonnie Hurunui came from humble beginnings in a family that didn’t have much money but had a lot of love and positivity. After her studies, she worked in retail and then the corporate world, living a very normal non-show business life. When she decided to pursue music seriously in her thirties, she hadn’t been warped by the music industry and all the experience she gained in her career gave her a completely different perspective and approach. She soon cofounded the unique covers band White Chapel Jak who quickly turned heads with their unconventional set up, their surprising reworking of famous songs and their energetic performances. Over the last few years they have grown from an unknown band playing pubs and markets, to a major touring act, playing festivals and selling out venues all over New Zealand. Bonnie and her growing team are living proof of what can be achieved. This is an inspiring listen. Dig in!

Karin Horen is a TV Presenter, MC, Motivational Speaker, Founder of Paddle for Hope and an Author, but above all Karin is a survivor. She grew up in Israel, survived two rounds of breast cancer, a failed marriage and the resulting emotional rollercoaster that continues to this day and yet somehow amongst the chaos, Karin found the strength to fight back, beat her cancer (twice) launch the charity ‘Paddle For Hope’ and publish a book called ‘I Am More Than Just My Tits - Surviving Breast Cancer’.  Karin was very encouraging and inspiring to talk to. She has a grounded and pragmatic view on happiness, love and living life to the fullest. We recorded this episode a little while ago and had no idea we would be releasing it under the current circumstances and now that we’re here, it seems more relevant than ever.

Musician Jim Hall started his career in Christchurch in the 1960s and so began an epic musical journey and personal adventure. Over the years he’s worked with a long list of great artists including Cilla Black, Ray Columbus, Ian Morris, Eddie Rayner and many more. In the 1980s Jim established a very successful business recording and producing music for TV commercials and these days he is dedicated to his latest ambition of doing as little as possible. Recently Jim was asked to write a brief overview of his career. He sat down, began writing and had soon completed thirty-three pages. These pages are not currently available to the public, but we got to read them before this interview. We’re hoping he willl finish and release a full autobiography, but in the meantime we sat down in Jim’s studio, talked about an array of subjects and had lots of laughs. Great guy, great chat!

Alan Brown is a top pianist, Hammond organist, teacher and all round music professional. His projects have included Blue Train, Grand Central Band, Alan Brown Trio, Alargo and his two stunning solo albums ‘Silent Observer’ and ‘Composure’. In addition he’s worked with a long list of fantastic musicians including both Nathan and Joel Haines. Alan is a true musician, journeyman, a family man, a highly respected artist and a profound mind. He’s deeply dedicated to his craft and to helping others discover and progress in music. We hit the ground running on this episode and we covered a wide range of subjects. Buckle up!

You know Kurt from Stellar*, Delete Delete, Splitter and his solo album called Blood Line Heart (2012). As well as having a busy career as a musician, Kurt become a concert promoter working with people like Greg Johnson, Midge Ure, Lloyd Cole and many more. On this episode we discuss Kurt’s approach to managing shows and tours, he talks about joining up with Boh Runga, Andrew Maclaren and eventually Chris Van de Geer to form Stellar*, we discuss the making of his solo album and the happy accident that became Delete Delete. Good guy, good chat!

Drummer and producer Wayne Bell’s career changed gear when he started playing drums for When The Cats Away and from there he went on to work with Dave Dobbyn, Jan Hellriegel, Andrew Fagan, Bic Runga, Greg Johnson, Ian Morris, Gin Wigmore, Greg Fleming and Tim Finn. Not only has Wayne established himself as a world class drummer, he’s had great success as a producer, he’s world in television music production and now works for music publishing company Aeroplane. Wayne is a fine example of a genuinely nice guy and a consummate professional. We talk about his beginnings with music, how his career unfolded and some of his recent struggles. This is a special episode with one of New Zealand’s best. Do it!

Keeping with the tradition of the show, Danny and Bobby open the new year by chatting to each other about anything and everything. In their fifth instalment our hosts discuss movies, politics, art, deep fake, the music industry, how to find hope in this crazy world and plenty more. This is the show where honesty is welcomed, transparency is encouraged and fools aren’t suffered. We bring in the new year and the new decade with lots of laughter and a real attempt to offer something genuine in a synthesised world. Buckle up!  

Jasper and his family sold everything, flew to Croatia to pick up their new boat and spent a couple of years sailing around the world. In part 1 Jasper talked about his motivation for the trip, their time in Croatia, venturing out into the Mediterranean, stopping in Tunisia and eventually crossing the Atlantic Ocean and the Panama Canal. In part 2 his journey continues as he recounts their experiences crossing the Pacific Ocean and heading home via amazing and sometimes weird islands. Our conversation is also riddled with plenty of distractions and tangents about music and life. Be warned, you might get inspired… again!

The Great Adventure Part 1 with Nick Granville and Jasper de Roos. Do you ever get tired of the grind? Do you ever feel like packing it all in and setting off on a life changing adventure? Today we talk to two people who did just that. Nick Granville and Jasper de Roos have both been on the show before and in the time since, have both thrown caution to the wind and set off into the great unknown. Nick and his family flew to the UK, bought a little camper van and drove around Europe and Jasper and his family sold everything, flew to Croatia and spent two years sailing around the world. Two amazing stories by two families who simply decided to go for it. Be warned, you might get inspired!  

Jackie Clarke is a well known and much loved singer and personality in New Zealand, having graced the stage and televisions screens over a long, diverse and impressive career. In this candid and action packed conversation we discuss her approach to performance and technique, how she has forged a career in a male dominated industry, her reservations about the relevance of music qualifications, how being a judge on New Zealand Idol left a dark stain on her soul, how she WASN’T a member of When The Cats Away and plenty more. Jackie is an intelligent, thoughtful professional who we can all learn from and even though she refuses to call herself a comedian, she’s as funny as they come. Get it in you!

Mark Rankin is a Grammy award winning mix engineer and music producer who's credits include critically acclaimed albums by CeeLo Green, Iggy Pop, Florence And The Machine, Foster The People, Queens Of The Stone Age and Adele. Mark was in New Zealand for the NZ Music Producer Series and after a busy week in the studio, he sat down with Danny McCrum to reflect on his life and career. They discussed Mark’s early years, how he found his ambition and worked hard to get his career off the ground. They talked about how Mark balances his work and family life and the psychology and techniques he uses to approach both the music and the varying personalities of the artists. Mark also talks about the recording sessions for Rolling In The Deep and how they developed the song. The story about how Adele recorded the vocals is crazy! This episode was recorded and filmed at Roundhead Studios so you can listen via the usual links or watch the video here.

Chris is a songwriter, performer and entrepreneur who has recently had huge success with his children’s books and songs. Having grown up in England, Chris moved to New Zealand with his family when he was a teenager and soon immersed himself in kiwi life. He found his way into music almost by accident and before long he was performing regularly at numerous functions, weddings and bars. In 2007 he released an album of original songs and as he prepared his follow up album, he wrote a song for his daughter called Angel Star. This sparked an idea and Chris decided to release the song as a children’s book and CD. The success that followed caught him by surprise and he has now released four books: ‘Angel Star’, ‘Call For The Ambulance’, ‘These Memories Make You And Me’ and ‘The Lonely Book’. We had a great time hanging out and chatting. Get it in your ears!

Guitarist Chet O’Connell started performing at very young age with his fathers band and eventually moved to Auckland to become one of the busiest professional guitarists in New Zealand. He’s performed with and supported many music greats including Tommy Emmanuel, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Midge Marsden, Hammond Gamble, The Ladykillers, Dr John, Kenny Rogers, Joe Cocker and Cher. Chet’s passion first and foremost is finger-style acoustic guitar playing and his father even named him after the great Chet Atkins. But Chet knew being a diverse musician is crucial for a career in music and he worked hard to be able to comfortably move between styles and genres, remaining flexible and always professional. On this episode the seemingly confident and unflappable musician opens up about his journey, his struggles and his tireless work running his business while navigating the ever-changing music industry.  

Anyone that hears Brett Adams perform knows they’re listening to a world-class guitar player. Considering his dedication and experience this should come as no surprise. Brett has played for a long list of great artists including The Mockers, When The Cats Away, The Bads and for the last twelve years Tim Finn. In the mid-nineties he toured with his band as support for Radiohead and unwittingly influenced their sound (In my opinion) and more recently he’d been part of several theatre shows including a David Bowie tribute, The Last Waltz and most recently Live Rust, a tribute to Neil Young. In this episode we go right back to his early days and recount Brett’s beginnings in music, how he got his career going, being managed by Russell Crowe and lots more. Get it into you! 

Jamie Vokes is the singer, guitarist and manager of covers band Hands Off. Hands Off have included many top musicians and have been playing bars, weddings and functions for twenty years. They're a full time band performing several times a week and they truly operate as a business. As well as rehearsing regularly the band juggle all aspects of the business; the promotion, admin, customer liaising and all the necessary preparation. On a recent episode we spoke about some of the frustrations bands face dealing with booking agents. Jaime wrote to us to say he knew exactly what we meant and in turn, we invited him to come on the show and talk about his experiences running a longterm professional band. Lovely guy, fun chat and lots of great tips for the music community. Enjoy!

Ken Zemke grew up in Buffalo, New York before finding his way to Hollywood where he joined the emerging Television industry as an editor. He worked on many iconic shows including Hogan’s Heroes, The Waltons and Fantasy Island and he was supervising editor on the documentary film Elvis On Tour, which won a Golden Globe for best feature documentary. One of his assistants on the film was a then unknown Martin Scorsese! He was twice nominated for an Emmy, winning one for Outstanding Editing on a CBS tele-feature called The Quality of Mercy. In the early 1980s Ken and his family relocated to New Zealand and Ken started working on films in both New Zealand and Australia, including one of our favourites; Came A Hot Friday starring Billy T James. Lots of stories, great guy, great chats. Get in to it. 

Guitarist, pianist and vocalist Mal McCallum has been performing and recording throughout New Zealand and Australia since the early 1970s. On this episode we talk about his experiences trying to make it in the early days including many a lesson learnt. He describes the gigging scene back in the day, we discuss The Beatles, the ‘concept album’ and the influence Tommy Emmanuel has had on each of us. He talks about the time his single was added to the playlist of a major Australian radio station, only to get bumped a few days later and he laughs about many of the funny and absurd experiences that happened along the way. After a bit of a hiatus, he has just released a new album called Hearts & Crafts. Mal is a much loved and respected professional in our local scene and this conversation was well overdue. Enjoy!

Gavin Downie returns for his second full episode. These days Gavin manages the Music In The Parks series and was recently faced with an unprecedented dilemma. The horrific shooting in Christchurch on March 15th, 2019 shocked the country and amongst the subsequent grief and anger, very practical questions and disruptions were raised. Gavin had Rock The Park ready to go at Grey Lynn Park in Auckland, which featured The Feelers, Elemeno P, Racing and Deadbeat. The show was installed, the bands were onsite and soundcheck was underway when the decision was made to cancel the event. On episode #69 we discussed the decision to cancel and Gavin kindly wrote to us to offer further clarification. We felt this was an important conversation to make public, so we asked Gavin to return to the show to outline the work that goes into putting a show like this on and the series of events that lead up to the cancellation.

Lisa Crawley is one of the most proactive and skilled musicians out there. She’s released several albums and EPs including her new single ‘Girl With No Name’. She’s supported many international artists including John Mayer and Jools Holland and she’s played as a session musician for artists like Greg Johnson and Tim Finn. On this episode we discussed her journey through life and the music industry, her ongoing struggle with depression and anxiety, her starring role in the upcoming theatre production Once and the time she sang the national anthem wearing two right shoes! Plus Bobby makes his debut performance on vocals and guitar! And he didn’t even pay for the rights to do so! Lisa’s part of the episode is brilliant. Dig it!

Melbourne songwriter Michael Burrows has landed on his feet, but not in the way he ever imagined. Like most young musicians he wanted to be a well known and respected songwriter and performer, but the realities of life and bills forced him to problem solve. As a response Michael set up a business writing and selling jingles, some of which have become part of the soundtrack of Australian life. After some years away from pursuing his original music, Michaels' ambition was reignited when he got the chance to write and record with Neil Finn. He then went to Nashville to record his latest EP and is now touring and promoting his new music. Great guy, great chats and there’s even an off the cuff performance of his new song Designed To Love You. Lean in.

Bryan Bell has been a firm fixture of the New Zealand music scene for many years. Throughout the 1990s he fronted his band the Dead Flowers, releasing three albums, touring constantly and supporting bands like Guns n Roses and Pearl Jam. When The Dead Flowers wrapped, he was invited to join the Jordan Luck Band and later Ekko Park. Bryan’s views and his approach to his career are refreshingly pragmatic. He’s not interested in hype or posturing, he’s simply a hard working musician who loves making music and loves working with his friends. On our 70th episode Danny and Bryan launch right into an action packed conversation about Bryan’s career and surviving the music industry long term. This one’s a goodie. Put it in ya!

Mark Lettieri is one of the guitarists for legendary fusion band Snarky Puppy. He's played for a long list of great artists including Erykah Badu, American Idol: Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips, Nelly, David Crosby, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Adam Levine and even comedians Dave Chappelle and Harry Shearer. Mark has released several solo albums including his latest 'Deep: The Baritone Sessions' which is crazy good! So much groove! Not only is Mark a top guitarist, he's also a composer, producer, instructor and most importantly a husband and father. On this episode we talk about Mark's background, his approach to playing and the on going challenge of balancing is career and personal life. Lovely guy, great chat!

He’s a radio presenter, a prolific author and an all round good-bastard. Justin is the kind of guy that thinks up crazy ideas and then goes and does them! His adventures have included travelling around the UK door to door busking. “I knocked on the door, played them a song and next minute I was plucking a turkey!” Justin’s world was turned upside down during the recession and after a short period of storming around the house, he responded with action and proactivity. This is a fun conversation and Justin offers lots of pearls of wisdom; like ‘goals are for losers'. You’ll understand when you get there. Make sure you’re wearing your shoes for this one.

Joel Shadbolt grew up in Tauranga and quickly gained a reputation as a stand out guitarist on the local scene, playing in both original and covers bands. He was briefly a member of Batucada Sound Machine before receiving an invite from Laughton Kora which lead to the formation of L.A.B. L.A.B. have been touring extensively over the last couple of years and have just released their second album. On this episode Joel talks in depth about his musical heroes, how his career got started, working with the Kora boys and how L.A.B. works behind the scenes. He's a great guy and this was a great chat. Get on it!

He was Props Boy on What Now, guitarist for Autozamm, he runs a post production film company and he now manages Alae. The insatiable Mikee Carpinter sits down with Danny to chat about the evolving guitar culture, why so many top NZ artists have come out of Christchurch, behind the scenes on the What Now set, the inner works of Autozamm and why he decided to put on the managers hat for Alae. There is also a special appearance by the lawnmower man. Mikee has a lot of great tips about putting together a plan for your band and seeing it through. This is another fun and informative episode. Dig out your Props Boy visor hat and pull up an ear!

For the first episode of each year Bobby Kennedy and Danny McCrum catch up about their lives and careers. On their fourth such episode they discuss Danny’s new upcoming album and the writing and production process behind it. They each share their experiences and struggles on past recording and creative projects. They discuss the ‘post-truth’ era, the manufactured aspect of modern pop music, whether you can truly validate and judge art and the PR culture that applies (sometimes completely fabricated) stories and selling points to artists that usually has no relevance to the music. Dig in.

Sylvia Massy is a world renowned producer who has worked with Tool, Prince, Tom Petty, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, Barbra Streisand, Smashing Pumpkins and many more. She’s one of the most innovative and courageous producers out there and her irreverent recording practices have become legendary. On this episode Danny and Sylvia talk about her approach to music, her experiences working with some of the biggest names in music and some of the challenges we all face in the modern industry. Sylvia is refreshingly positive, someone who embraces change and clearly loves what she does. Put it in your ears!

Piano player, vibraphone player, coffee connoisseur, Los Angeles socialite and Sylvester Stallone fan Alex Burke is a true artist who seemingly exists in his own world and who can’t touch an instrument without making sparks fly. He was the youngest musical director for the legendary comedy show Second City, he’s performed and recorded for many years around Chicago, New York and L.A. and has worked with a long list of people including Fiona Apple, Dave Grohl, Ben Lee and Billy Ray Cyrus. His band Magnolia Memoir have also just released a brilliant new album. Danny and Alex have been friends and colleagues for many years and the two recently sat down in a studio in Hollywood to record this episode in the early hours of the morning. Get on it!

English drummer Chris Bailey has played with the likes of Chaka khan, Boy George, Britney Spears, Nick Jonas, Desree and many more. Having established himself in the UK music scene, Chris relocated to L.A. and found himself starting again as an unknown in the sprawling, highly competitive concrete city. Danny sat down with Chris at a studio in Hollywood and the two musicians compared notes and discussed Chris’s journey, the highs and lows and the lessons learnt. Chris is a lovely guy and a fantastic musician. Put it in your ears!

One of the most highly regarded songwriters in New Zealand, Greg Johnson bounced around the local music scene playing jazz and listening to punk before gaining national attention with his breakthrough single Isabelle. Greg now lives and works in Santa Monica, CA and Danny McCrum recently caught up with him to record an honest and inspiring conversation about the highs and lows of Greg’s life in the business. This is Part 2. Part 1 can never be heard. Tune in to find out why!

Dr Kirsten Zemke is a Senior Lecturer in Ethnomusicology in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Auckland. She specialises in teaching popular music history and has a particular interest in New Zealand hip hop. We sat down with Kirsten this week and touched on many subjects from genre, to the Eminem vs. The National Party copyright case, to Bounce Music. What is Bounce Music I hear you ask? Tune in find out. 

Dane Girauds’ life took an unexpected turn when his band broke up, the hair-metal era abruptly ended and he found himself suddenly single, drunk on vodka and Raro, while wearing fishnet stockings in a new world of flannel. Perhaps this was a good thing as he eventually found his way into acting and writing and has since had a fascinating and prolific career. Dane began his screen career by starring in and co-writing the 2001 movie The Waiting Place. He directed the feature drama Luella Miller, he’s been involved with numerous television shows and documentaries (Bring Your Boots, Oz, Both Worlds), he created Find Me A Maori Bride and wrote on Jimi's World, Jimi Jackson's debut TV show. Dane’s a genuine and funny guy and we had a great time talking to him.

Shaun Howes is a comedian and entrepreneur from Wellington. He’s performed sold out seasons at the 2011 and 2015 New Zealand International Comedy Festivals and internationally in Australia, Hong Kong and the UK. At 23 years old he became the youngest Regional Manager for The CD & DVD Store, helped labels sign artists and was even a judge (three times) at the New Zealand Music Awards. We chat about some of the recent changes in the music industry and have a great conversation about the craft of performing both comedy and music. We also broach the question; how do you reconcile the art vs the crime when a hero is revealed to be guilty of a horrendous act? This is a fun one. Enjoy!

On this episode we discuss what it’s like being part of the LGBT community in New Zealand and in the music industry. We make no presumptions going in, instead we simply have an open and honest conversation with two individuals about their personal experiences. Alex Farrell-Davey is the singer/songwriter from upcoming band Alae and Jak Stone is the guitar player for Motorboat and previously Heathen Eyes. Neither Alex or Jak intend to represent any group of people and we certainly don’t claim to be experts. But in a world of polarising opinions, knee-jerk reactions and many a closed mind, doesn’t it make sense to have more thoughtful, transparent conversations where we truely listen to each other?  

Joe Walsh is the energetic frontman of Ekko Park and member of the Jordan Luck Band. Less than a week before this episode was recorded, Ekko Park finished recording their new album. Danny and Joe sat down on a Tuesday afternoon and discussed how the album was made and the events that inspired the bands new musical direction. They also discussed Joe’s childhood and family, what it was like growing up in a turbulent Northern Ireland, how he met Jordan Luck and eventually moved to New Zealand, their unexpected success in Italy, his passion for good lyrics and much more. Joe is a top guy, intelligent, passionate, funny and a true professional. Enjoy! (Photo by Mark Derricutt)

It’s our first episode of 2018 and in keeping with tradition we’re kicking the year off by talking to each other! Our conversation winds like New Zealand’s roads, which happens to be one of the subjects we touch on. We also discuss the ‘Me Too’ movement, the day to day of our careers as musicians and the upcoming reunion of Bobby’s band Opshop. Get in in ya!

We’re wrapping up 2017 with out Christmas Special! In this episode we talk to Allister Meffan and Jayden Lee from Alae, Molly Rowlandson from Molly & The Chromatics and Brandon Dickert from Save Ferris who first appeared on Episode 7. We also listen to several clips from the year, including segments with Scotty Pearson (Elemeno P), Cherie Mathieson, UK Producers Dave Eringa & Guy Massey, Lucy Graves (Black Eyed Peas), Alex Leighton & Ryan Cooper (The Barefoot Bandits), Rachel LaFond, Tommy Emmanuel and Michelle Bakker. We would like to extend a huge thank you to our supporters, our sponsors, our fantastic guests and most of all our listeners! Enjoy the special and have a great Christmas! DM & BK. 

Michelle Bakker is a passionate and forward thinking music manager who has been working internationally for more than two decades and is proactively and vocally rethinking her approach to the music business. We talk extensively about her current band Dead Poet Society who she’s been working with for the last three years. She also talks about her time managing Greg Johnson, working with Prince and how Eddie Van Halen personally changed her career. In addition, we discuss Michelle’s life as a minimalist and an independent thinker. This is a real chat about the business and an inspiring conversation about life. 

We have a really interesting guest on todays episode. Paul Walsh works in private security and his clients have included Metallica, Slipknot and Just Bieber. He’s also worked for the Police and The Special Tactics Group all over the world. We talk about his time in Afghanistan and Tanzania, the psychology behind his work, the close call with Metallica in Mexico and much more. We’ve also included a previously unreleased conversation between Danny McCrum and Gavin Downie about guitar amps, mic selection, Fender vs Marshall and how he helped develop Dave Dobbyn’s great tone. This is a fascinating listen, check it out!

Stephen Gallagher is an award winning composer and music editor based in Wellington, New Zealand. His music is haunting and he’s one of those people that makes it look easy. Of course in reality his life as been one of dedication and hard work. In this episode we talk about the process of writing soundtracks, how Stephen’s career came to be, his work on The Hobbit, The Lovely Bones and Human Traces, his collaborations with Brian Eno, Peter Jackson and Ed Sheeran and how the international hit I See Fire was casually written right in front of him. 

We’re celebrating our 50th episode with guitar legend Tommy Emmanuel. Tommy is an Australian icon with an enthusiastic international audience. Everyone who sees him play, knows they’re witnessing something special. His music is a rare mix of feel, emotion and technical ability, all delivered with energy and personality. He is a profound musician and a great guy. Over the years Danny toured with Tommy four times and the experience had a profoundly positive impact on him. On this episode they reunite and Tommy opens up about his life, his struggles and his approach to his music and career. We had so many great conversations in vans, planes and hotel bars and finally we recorded one!' Tune into Don't Give Up Your Day Job for one of our best episodes yet! Do it!

Rachel LaFond is a pianist and composer from Seattle, who recently moved to New Zealand. Rachel’s mother was a piano teacher so her relationship with the piano started when she was very young. When she was a teenager she studied music in Austria before returning to the US. Several years ago Rachel and her husband gave up their day jobs (that’s right folks!!) to travel the world. Their travels brought them to New Zealand where Rachel was suddenly inspired and compelled to write. They liked the place so much they moved here, and in no time Rachel wrote, recorded and released her first album. The rest is… well a podcast episode!  

Scotty Pearson is best known as drummer for New Zealand band Elemeno P. The band’s abrupt and controversial ascent (as some people saw it) earned them a solid fan base, significant album sales and more than their fair share of criticism. We go back to the start. We talk about Scotty’s beginnings in the punk days of the late 70s, touring with christian bands, Ringo Starr, forming Elemeno P, getting kicked out of the US and the crazy number of drum kits he owns! Scotty is a top guy, really honest and generous with his stories. Enjoy!

Gray Bartlett has been a prominent and unrelenting force in the music industry for over fifty years. He is a highly respected guitarist who has performed regularly around the world since the sixties. As a music promoter he brought some the the biggest names in music to New Zealand (including  Michael Jackson) and as an artist developer he launched the careers of numerous artists including Hayley Westenra. He’s even the person responsible for the sand down at Auckland’s Mission Bay. That’s right, before Gray there was only rocks! This is an action packed episode. Get into it!  

Dave Johnston is a Tui-Award winning professional drummer and composer who plays and writes for alternative rock bands The Zoup and Villainy. He is also a freelance mixing engineer and during the day works as Industry Liaison for the SAE Institute. We discuss his beginnings in music, the inner workings of Villainy, his experience being produced by Tom Larkin (Shihad) and his role at SAE. Dave is very generous with both his time and opinions and we thoroughly enjoyed talking to him.  

Alex Leighton & Ryan Cooper are the brains and good looks behind Mukpuddy Animation. Tenacity is an understatement for these guys. Mukpuddy is an independent studio that launched over fifteen years ago and has stubbornly worked through many set backs and false starts before finally getting the green light on their biggest project to date; The Barefoot Bandits (TVNZ) a show they’ve affectionately dubbed "The Kiwi Goonies". On the eve of the release of season two, they visited our studio and had a candid conversation about their journey. Get in to it!

As well as being a musician and luthier, he’s worked at Disney World, on Antartica, as a business mentor and use to sky dive for fun. Talk about an interesting life! American Tomm Stanley now lives in Christchurch, New Zealand and owns Stonefield Music, building top quality, beautifully crafted bass guitars. With lots of experience in marketing and business Tomm is launching his company with an international mindset and strategy. A fascinating and lovely guy with lots of great stories. This is a good one!

Malika Tirolien is an extraordinary singer and songwriter who gained international acclaim when she sang on Snarky Puppy’s album Family Dinner. She grew up in Guadeloupe before relocating to Montreal. She soon established herself on the local jazz scene and performed with many great bands including Groundfood and The Brooks. Since her performance with Snarky Puppy, Malika has released her own album Sur la voie ensoleillée (2014) and most recently a new band called Bokante with Snarky Puppy’s Michael League. They are currently touring the world promoting the new album. Just before you listen to the episode, check out her legendary performance here

Keyboardist and vocalist Lucy Graves has played for CeeLo Green, Printz Board, she currently plays for the Black Eyed Peas as well as her new duo Parker Lane. Lucy grew up in west Auckland and attended Avondale College, followed by the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Having relocated to Los Angeles, Lucy is a great example of a dedicated, successful New Zealand musician that you’ve probably never heard of. While many people are hypnotised by short-lived media darlings, puffed up by hype and rumour, musicians like Lucy Graves work tirelessly behind the scenes, maintaining high standards and working with some of the best in the business. Get it in you!

Having started in radio and programme production, including a number of iconic music radio initiatives for NZ on Air, industry insider Peter Dickens went on to become the general manager for The New Zealand Music Foundation. In 2016 The New Zealand Music Foundation conducted their first ‘Wellbeing Survey’ to try and further understand the extent of the mental health issues in the entertainment industry. This is a subject that’s close to our hearts and in this conversation we attempt to unwrap the problem. http://www.nzmusicfoundation.org.nz 

Today we release our 40th episode and this is one we can all relate to. Nicole Slater is an L.A. based social media & branding consultant who specialises in the entertainment industry. Her background includes TV and radio work as well as being the marketing and promotions manager for the legendary House of Blues. She now runs her own consultation company and works with a variety of high calibre clients. This episode gave us the opportunity to ask Nicole numerous questions in the attempt to get some clarity around the ever-changing landscape of social media and online marketing. 

DJ Gene Rivers has been committed to his craft and pursuing his journey from his youngest days. Most known as former DJ on George FM and KFM, Gene has seen many sides of the DJ and radio industries. We discuss the beginnings of hip hop and the way some of New Zealand culture adopted and imitated the emerging American trends. We also discuss George FM and the internal changes that arguably caused the station to lose its way. Oh and we talk about the infamous Max Key!

Today’s episode is a journey, a rollercoaster of a ride through Pele Nili’s life and mind. His experiences growing up in south Auckland, his ventures in music and eventual achievement in writing and directing the movie Groove City. We talk ghosts, religion, cheese burgers, winning a Tui, sleep paralysis and much more. Strap in for a fascinating conversation. Pele is an individual, a visionary and we were thrilled to speak to him.  

He’s a comic book artist and a professional wrestler! Naturally. Michel Mulipola was quiet kid with a passion who grew up to become a professional who does what he loves. As well as wrestling and releasing his own comic book series, he’s currently working on the U.S comic book Headlocked: The Last Territory. We discuss comic books, wrestling, 13 Reasons Why, Comic-con, punching receipts, killing Superman and a lot more! He’s s a great guy and an inspiration!  

Actor Stelios Yiakmis has made a name for himself in both New Zealand and Australia playing roles on Shortland Street, McLeod's Daughters, All Saints, Underbelly, Street Legal, The Blue Rose and acclaimed 2006 movie Jindabyne. Does he really believe he’s a lesbian, an embodiment of God and a spectator to the end of the world? We find out! We also speak briefly to Nick Poortman as he waits to board the plane, heading to his new life in L.A. 

Yoko-Zuna! Not the Wrestler, not the Mexican metal band… the innovative, highly reputed instrumental New Zealand band who have quickly made a great name for themselves on the local scene. These guys are impressive, not just because of their music, but also because of their attitude and the approach they have taken behind the scenes. Upcoming musicians can learn a lot from these guys and we really enjoyed talking to them. Great laughs!

Professional singer, vocal coach, producer and entrepreneur Cherie Mathieson is our latest guest and we were thrilled to have her on the show. She’s collaborated with a long list of great artists including a very successful album with with Mark de Clive Lowe. She regularly tours with Sola Rosa, does session work and directs high profile shows like the APRA Silver Scroll Awards and Christmas In The Park. This is a very inspiring chat. Get your ears around it!

Paddy Milner is a world class piano player who’s worked with Tom Jones, Jack Bruce, David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) Eric Burdon (The Animals) Van Morrison, Joss Stone and many more. He was recently in New Zealand touring with The Last Waltz show and kindly made time to chat to us. Great guy, great player, great chat! Do it. 

In this special two-guest episode, UK producers Dave Eringa & Guy Massey join us for a fascinating conversation about making records and a lot more. Dave Eringa has worked with Manic Street Preachers, The Who, Kylie Minogue, Tom Jones & The Proclaimers. Guy Massey worked at Abbey Road and his resume includes The Beatles Remasters, Ed Sheeran, James Blunt and Paul McCartney. Get into it! 

In our very first episode we talked about our own beginnings in music. To kick off 2017 we thought we would pick up where we left off. In Part 2 we discuss conspiracy theories, music funding, perceived success and we both continue talking about our own stories and experiences in music. We’ve got some great guests coming up this year so stay tuned! 

This is our Christmas Special! It’s a two-part double episode with several great guests, snippets from previous episodes and more of our highly intelligent and enlightening banter. In Part 1 we speak to Matt Bizzle, a saxophonist who’s currently making the transition to full time musician. Nick Poortman returns to talk about social dynamics within the music industry and Bobby chats to Opetaia Foa'i from Te Vaka about writing the soundtrack for the upcoming Disney film Moana. In Part 2 Eddie Gaiger talks about his experience as a top ten contestant on NZ Idol and Gavin Downie returns to talk about the emotional and mental challenges of working in the music industry; particularly for the roadies, riggers and technical crew. Bobby also talks about his ‘Little Drummer Boy’. Enjoy! And have a great Christmas! DM & BK. 

This week Dave Baxter from Avalanche City has been the centre of a big media story after he won a court case against his ex-manager. The judge ordered the now infamous Matt Coleman to pay back $307,287.27 and though it’s not clear if Dave will ever see the money, this verdict is a win for us all. We chat about his career, how his first single Love Love Love took off and Dave’s account of the recent legal battle.

We all know him as one of New Zealand’s favourite stand up comedians and from the television shows 7Days and Pulp Comedy. Jeremy Elwood is the real deal, a seasoned performer and an all round good guy. We discuss the rules of comedy, censorship, Brian Tamaki, Donald Trump, The Temple Bar and the best ever heckler come back! Get on it!

Alice Brine is a rising star in the NZ comedy scene. Nominated for a Billy T James Award and winner at the Wellington Comedy Awards, she recently gained notoriety when one her reactive and poignant Facebook posts went viral. Our fast and furious conversation touches on sexism, racism, stealing jokes, hecklers and Opshop’s bunker. Hold on to your hats.

He’s a world class saxophonist. He plays for artists like Snarky Puppy, John Mayer and Usher. His own albums are extraordinary… and he’s a good guy! In this episode we are excited, humbled and grateful to talk to Bob Reynolds. We discuss meeting and playing with John Mayer, touring, the inner workings of Snarky Puppy, the brilliant Michael League and a lot more. Enjoy! 

Today our guest is Monique Powell from US band Save Ferris. Most known for their hit single Come On Eileen, we discuss how they got started, the resurgence of the band, their upcoming EP and the time Conan growled affectionately in her ear. There’s even a brief guest appearance by John Avila from Oingo Boingo. Get on it!

New Zealand actor, director and playwright Alison Quigan is a class act and an absolute professional. Best known for her seven years playing Shortland Street receptionist Yvonne Jeffries, Allison has an impressive and varied career and we had an immensely enjoyable conversation with her. This is a good one! Enjoy!

Michael Bennett is a writer and director who’s work includes Matariki, Outrageous Fortune, The Lost Children, Kerosene Creek, Cow and Street Legal. We discuss his approach to his craft, his early years as well as his involvement with wrongly convicted Teina Pora. This was a really interesting conversation. Enjoy!

We caught up with Nick Granville before a show in Wellington. Nick is a professional guitarist who has forged a career in the music business through innovation, strategy and determination. We discuss his beginnings and the ins and outs of how he’s approached his career. This is definitely a guy to learn from. Great chat. 

Today we talk to producer and engineer Nick Poortman. Nicks passion and dedication to his work is evident. We discuss his time at York Street Studios, working alongside Greg Haver and Clint Murphy, the time he accidentally deleted a job, entitled attitudes, his entrepreneurial approach and playing the recorder to win girls. Do it!

Joe Bagale is a professional musician based in San Francisco. He’s a multi-instrumentalist with a wide music vocabulary and a great attitude towards life and music. We chat about music, running bands, growing up in a musical family, getting lessons from Steve Gadd and jamming with Stevie Wonder.

Dr. Mike Ashby is an author and a business expert. He’s also a huge music fan and plays in a band on the side. We thought it would be interesting to sit down with him and discuss music and business and the business of music - and we were right. We talk time management, record contracts, Uber, Spotify, his new book and a whole lot more.

In this episode we chat to guitarist Ty Tabor from legendary US band Kings X. Ty Tabor and bandmates Doug Pinnick and Jerry Gaskill started Kings X in the early 1980s and became one of the most innovative and respected bands in modern rock. We discuss their early years, paying their dues, his approach to soloing, his guitar tone, The Beatles and his love of vinyl.

Justin Maclaren is the dynamic and energetic frontman and manager of the touring show AutoMatic 80s. This is a really fun and interesting conversation, recorded in front of a fireplace just before we headed off to play a show. We discuss the behind the scenes of Automatic 80s, touring with Alanis Morissette and Garbage, building stage props and there’s even a special appearance by the babysitter!

Today we talk to legendary jazz and fusion musician Nathan Haines. We discuss his open minded approach to music, the pointless concept of ‘genre’, playing at Ronnie Scotts, John Scofield, seeing Miles Davis live, writing and recording, balancing his career and family life and his background growing up in a very musical family and his natural progression in to music. 

He’s played with Greg Johnson, Dave Dobbyn, Tim Finn, Bic Runga, Gin Wigmore… the list goes on!! Mark Hughes is one of the most in demand musicians in New Zealand. We chat about his work with Greg Johnson, making the most of the changing music industry, touring, his process of learning songs and many more random tangents. Mark’s a great guy and this was a really enjoyable conversation.

Drummer and Producer Brady Blade is the kind of guy we should all learn from. He’s a total pro, a top musician and a humble, grounded and generous human being. We discuss is work with Emmylou Harris, Dave Matthews, Al Green, a great story about U2s management, playing on David Letterman and a new project with Dave Matthews and Jacob Dylan. Plus find out why you should never eat his mashed potatoes!

Stephen Small is the real deal. A hardworking, versatile, true professional who’s dedication and hunger for his craft seems insatiable. He’s played on Grammy nominated albums, worked with numerous NZ bands, he’s a keyboard player, composer, band leader and a top guy. We discuss Kitaro, Autozamm, record deals and a whole lot more. Get your ears on it.

Today’s guest is the ridiculously talented Godfrey De Grut. Keyboardist, composer, music director. We discuss his early days as a musician, his odd habit of firing people, Christmas In The Park, the 6 degrees of Alex Burke, working with Kanye West and the heady subject of music copyrighting. 

In todays episode our guest is record producer Greg Haver. Originally from Wales, Greg has worked with Manic Street Preachers, Mel C (Spice Girls), Opshop, The Feelers and many more. We chat about his work with Matt Groening and The Simpsons, working at George Martin’s legendary AIR studios in Montserrat and faking it til you make it. 

Scott Page is mostly known as the saxophonist for Pink Floyd, Supertramp, and Toto. He is also an entrepreneur and music mentor with a surprisingly positive view on the modern industry. We discuss his fathers role in the creation of Sound City, what Dave Grohl got wrong, the invention of the wah pedal, Jeff Porcaro and he generously shares his wealth of knowledge in regards to implementing strategy into your career. 

Brandon Dickert is a professional drummer based in L.A. He plays for ska/pop band Save Ferris, ‘space rock’ band Sidewave, he’s a tutor, a producer, a composer and an all round cool guy. We talk about his journey as a musician and what it’s like pursuing a music career in modern times. Get into it! 

In this episode we talk to legendary New Zealand actor and comedian Peter Rowley. We have a fantastic and candid conversation about the late great Billy T James. We also discuss Peter’s bizarre experience with Tommy Lee Jones, his work with Billy T James, gun collections, shooting black & white TVs, Came A Hot Friday, Letters To Blanchy and the controversial Billy T James biopic. 

Bart is an author, speaker, comedian, marketer and one of the worlds' top forensic handwriting experts. He’s been a guest on numerous radio and TV shows including Larry King, Howard Stern and the Today Show. We discuss the ‘Go to hell K’, sharing a spa with Sarah Silverman, the genius and frailty of Prince, the subject of ‘large Ys’…plus he analyses our handwriting and tells us things about ourselves we didn’t even know!

Gavin Downie is a production manager and instrument tech who has toured the world and worked with some seriously big names. He's overflowing with stories and experiences and we had a great conversation with him.

Jasper is a very experienced drummer, his bands have included Autozamm and Gramsci, he’s played all over the world and is an accomplished drum teacher. We talk about his shows in Iran and Russia, working in the studio, even MacGyver gets a mention. Great guy, great chat! (Clapping in unison? Terrifying!)

In this episode we talk to Dan Antunovich, a legendary New Zealand bass player who made the big move to L.A. to further his career. This guy is one of the few who didn't just talk about doing it. He actually did it. A fantastic talent, a charming individual and a great chat.

For our first episode in this series we spoke to each other. We discussed our beginnings in music, the business of music and the reason why we created this podcast series.