Hi guys and welcome to our new episode of "The Pod With". My guest is Mike Rivkees, "the new guy" from celtic punk legends The Rumjacks. I first met Mike back in March, when we did an interview and drinking game around the release of the band's latest album, "Hestia", and have run into him a few times on tour. A self-taught multi-instrumentalist and mad talented songwriter, Mike is also a film maker and a director.
In our chat, we explore the ways that music and image are connected, in what I hope to be the first part of the double feature on the subject. Enjoy!
Watch the vidcast here:
Or listen on the go on Buzzsprout:
On Spotify and on all streaming platforms
The third episode of "The Pod With..." is live after a small delay, and my guest is one of my favorite artists, Nathan Gray of Nathan Gray & The Iron Roses. Some of you may also recognize them as the voice and face of post hardcore heroes boysetsfire. Now, if you know me, you know my deep respect and admiration for Nathan both as an artist and as a person so being able to have an almost hour-long discussion about music and politics was something I was really looking forward to.
Nathan is about to release their third solo album, titled "Rebel Songs" and the timing for this interview honestly couldn't be better. Always vocal about social inequality, advocate for the less fortunate and conscientious of injustices, after a long battle with themmself they fly the flag of revolution through creation and not destruction.
In our chat, we discuss making social commentary through art, how revolution comes from personal growth and the importance of creating safe spaces in music. Unfortunately I faced some minor technical issues towards the end, so apologies, please bear with me and enjoy our otherwise very interesting conversation.
Listen to the podcast on Buzzsprout:
on the go through your preferred streaming platform:
Ore-order "Rebel Songs" here and make sure to catch The iron Roses in Europe in December.
For anyone familiar with the pop punk genre, Trash Boat frontman Tobi Duncan is a figure that stood out. A talented singer with a distinctive voice, openly bisexual and a vocal LGBTQ advocate, Tobi is considered an icon in his scene and quite rightly. Trash Boat's latest album, "Don't You Feel Amazing", saw a change –or more precisely, a transition- in the lyric subjects. Tobi’s approach is more straightforward, more blunt, as he touches on various issues and conveys important messages, opening up a dialogue that feels much needed.
Recently, Trash Boat fell victims of censorship themselves while performing at the Heavy Music Awards, with Twitch shutting down the stream for violation of the terms of use. Witty and well-spoken, he discusses the incident, representation and visibility in the music industry and the expression of identity through art.
Watch the vidcast on Youtube:
or listen to the podcast on the go on Buzzsprout and on Spotify:
Eluveitie is a household name in the European metal scene and with good reason. The band has rightfully earned a place in the pantheon of folk metal by combining heavy guitars with their patrimonial legacy; endless beds of greenery, the Gaelic language, the Celtic mythology and of course the many traditional instruments.
Singer and harpist Fabienne Erni joined the band in 2017, bringing in a new creative element, a unique voice tone and her undeniable lungs of steel. Fabienne released two albums with the band, before announcing her new project with Eluveitie guitarist Jonas Wolf. Illumishade released their debut album last year and in the months that followed, the singer continued her creative journey by uploading acoustic covers on Youtube and eventually even started a Patreon, which grew into a vibrant community.
In the pilot of our new podcast, Fabi talks about her career so far, her projects, and goes in depth about the pros and cons of platforms like Patreon.
