Episode 51: Steve Sladkowski – PUP

For 15 years now, Canadian outfit PUP have been defying the concept that their name stands for a Pathetic Use of Potential and have been proving all and sundry wrong as they travel around the world with their unique blend of alt-rock and punk.Formed in 2010 as Topanga, PUP issued their self-titled album in 2013, with 'The Dream Is Over' following just a few years later. Records like 'Morbid Stuff' and 'The Unravelling Of PUPTheBand' have since cemented their status as consistent, reliable purveyors of stellar music, and their live shows have cemented them as favourites amongst lovers of the genre.This year, May 2nd, to be precise, PUP release their fifth album, 'Who Will Look After The Dogs?'. As I usually say, it's a brilliant record, and it's one that is undeniably worth your time. Things get even better too, because in just a few short months, they'll be back visiting Australia as part of their global tour plans.This week, I was lucky enough to be joined by PUP guitarist Steve Sladkowski, who was kind enough to talk about music for far longer than we were supposed to. In honour of his appearance, we're also briefly rebranding the podcast in honour of PUP's 2022 song 'Four Chords.' (Not really, but hey, I'd be remiss not to take the opportunity!)Anyway, I strongly urge you to check out PUP's 'Who Will Look After The Dogs?', and once you’re done doing that, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

There’s no denying the fact that Adelaide is just one of those cities that can’t help itself but breed amazing bands. Sure, you can look at groups like The Angels, Cold Chisel, and more, but why not look at groups like Stolen Youth, The Rivalry, Sleeptalker, and Dick Wolf?They’re also amazing bands, and for the trainspotters amongst us, you might recognise that those bands have one constant thread, and that’s Jesse Coulter. Jesse’s been in the music scene for a good number of years now, whether it’s up the front of bands or behind the scenes, but at every turn he’s in charge of quality.One of the most prominent projects he’s been associated with is none other than Grenadiers, a three-piece rock outfit which formed in 2009 and released three records over the ensuing eight years.Following a lineup change in those formative years, Grenadiers released their second album ‘Summer’ in 2015, and it was a little bit of a corker. It got them some decent attention, and even nabbed them a spot on triple j’s Like A Version series.After their third album, ‘Find Something You Love And Let It Kill You,’ Grenadiers went a little bit quiet, and in fact, they’ve not actually played a show since 2019. But that’s all about to change this May, because Grenadiers are hitting the Crown & Anchor in Adelaide for a ten-year celebration of ‘Summer’ on May 3rd.It’s likely the last time you’ll see them, so I figured now was the time to have a chat with Jesse about the band.But before we get into it, I strongly urge you to buy a ticket to Grenadiers’ upcoming gig, and once you’re done doing that, pop ‘Summer’ on the stereo, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

If you’re anything like me, the name Killing Heidi was one that was synonymous with the Australian music scene at the turn of the millennium.Formed in regional Victoria by siblings Ella and Jesse Hooper, Killing Heidi first rose to fame as part of triple j’s Unearthed series, with the track ‘Kettle’ featuring a newly-teenaged Ella on vocals. This promise that triple j saw soon exploded in 1999, with tracks such as ‘Weir’ and ‘Mascara’ serving as an indicator of what was to come on their debut album, ‘Reflector.’‘Reflector’ was a monster success, becoming the fastest-selling album in Australian music history at the time of its release, and winning the band four ARIA awards, including Best Group and Best Rock Album.A few more albums followed in the years after, but then it all went quiet on the Killing Heidi front. While the Hoopers are still immensely active (Ella can be seen frequently in the media world), it was only close to a decade ago that Killing Heidi themselves became active again. Now, after years of shows, the band are hitting the road this year to mark 25 years of ‘Reflector.’ They’ve not only announced a 25th anniversary reissue, but they’re hitting stages around the country to play the record in full. Put simply, if you were a Killing Heidi diehard like me, then you won’t want to miss this.Recently, I was lucky enough to be joined by Ella and Jesse for a chat, and truly, I can’t thank them enough for the pleasure.So before we get into it, I strongly urge you to buy a ticket to Killing Heidi’s upcoming gigs, and once you’re done doing that, pop ‘Reflector’ on the stereo, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

There was a period of time in the early ‘00s when one of the most exciting bands in the game was Canada’s own Death From Above. Well, that’s what they were called at first, but by the time they released their debut album ‘You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine,’ Sebastien Grainger and Jesse F. Keeler had lengthened their name to Death From Above 1979 due to a lawsuit.But that didn’t detract from that album becoming a ferocious piece of work, with tracks like 'Romantic Rights,' 'Blood On Our Hands,' and 'Black History Month' being considered classics by all fans of the dance-punk and alt-rock genre spectrum.In 2006 though, the group split, and fans wondered what the future may hold. While Grainger launched his solo career and worked with other bands, Keeler served as one half of electronic duo MSTRKRFT.But in 2011, they were back together, and we’ve since received three new albums from the band, with 2021’s ‘Is 4 Lovers’ being their last to date.More recently, they’ve been a little busy touring the world as part of the anniversary of their debut album, playing the record in full in the process. Now this month, they’re visiting Australia for the first time in years to bring the stellar tracks to local audiences.To celebrate, I was lucky enough to have a brief chat with Jesse F. Keeler about the record and the band’s history, though he quickly abandoned our time constraints and we just kept it pretty casual.Anyway, I strongly urge you to check out Death From Above 1979’s ‘You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine,’ grab a ticket to their upcoming tour, and once you’re done doing that, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

When it comes to Damian Cowell, the only word that accurately sums up his career is ‘prolific.’A staple of the Melbourne music scene for close to five decades now, Cowell has been involved in more bands than I’ve had hot dinners. On the prehistoric side of things, there’s bands such as Tall Stories and I Can Run, and then there’s a rather well-known group called TISM. That’s probably the band he’s best known for, with the group’s anonymous, pseudonymous members releasing six albums, and nabbing two ARIA Awards across their initial 22-year span. They also boast one of the most passionate fanbases in Australian music history as well, and when the group announced an unexpected reunion in 2022, fans ensured it resulted in some of the band’s best-attended gigs of their career.But we’re not here to focus on just TISM – in fact, we barely do in our chat – because Cowell has also been a member of Root!, The DC3, and has been the eponymous frontman of Damian Cowell’s Disco Machine. Currently, he’s one half of The Arseless Chaps, a new duo formed with comedian Tony Martin that promises to operate in the same vein as names like Groove Armada, Daft Punk, The Presets, and Barlow & Chambers. (Well, maybe not the last one.)I’ve had a few chats with Damian over the years, and recently, he was kind enough to agree to a lengthy discussion about his career and myriad projects ahead of The Arseless Chaps’ upcoming tour of Australia.So before we get into it, I strongly urge you to buy a ticket to The Arseless Chaps’ upcoming gigs, and once you’re done doing that, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

For about 15 years now, Adelaide has been home to a stellar outfit called Raccoon City. Though not exactly trailblazers of the screamo and post-hardcore genre in the city, for a while, they were arguably one of the most prominent, setting themselves apart as a leading figure within those circles at a time when the genre du jour was a breezy indie-rock.Personally, Raccoon City were one of those groups that became rather formative for me during the time I would find myself at gigs in Adelaide. They were a constant presence, played intensely arresting live shows, and became a favourite of mine and others that I knew.After releasing their debut album ‘Nightlife’ in 2014, Raccoon City existed for about another year or so before putting things on ice for a while. All the while, folks like myself hoped that a return was inevitable, and thankfully in the midst of COVID the group did indeed return, this time with a stellar new record called ‘For Nobody, Nowhere’.It was the sound of a group having evolved. After all, their lineup had shifted somewhat (to actually include a friend I went to school with), and their music felt bolder, more adventurous, and more mature. Fast-forward another couple of years, and this year they’ve returned again with new album ‘FUGUE’.Once again, it’s a truly impeccable album and one that – if you’re a big fan of emotive vocals, crushing compositions, and passionate performances – you definitely need to listen to.At the front of the band is Levi Cooper, the vocalist of Raccoon City, which he co-founded with brother Dylan. Over the years, he’s been in a number of bands – a number likely too big to truly do justice to. But this week, he’s managed to find the time to have a chat to me about his most notable band ahead of their new record.Frankly, it’s just great to have more folks with South Australian accents on the podcast.Anyway, I strongly urge you to check out Raccoon City’s ‘FUGUE’, and once you’re done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

If you don’t recognise the name Kingsley Hall, then I want you to stop what you’re doing right now and do a bit of musical research.For most, Kingsley’s name would be recognisable thanks to his role up the front of English outfit The Chapman Family, where he was better known as Kingsley Chapman. Though relatively unknown down here in Australia, their successes were notable (after all, they played the likes of Glastonbury and even boasted IDLES as a support act), though they split around 2013.In recent years though, you’ve been able to find Kingsley up the front of Benefits, a noisy outfit which pairs harsh musical elements with Kingsley’s impassioned, politically-relevant, stream-of-consciousness lyrics. In fact, they resonated with me so much that their debut record, Nails, was my album of the year in 2023. Considering I listened to hundreds of records that year, it’s no mean feat.But their music isn’t for everyone. It’s confronting, it’s harsh, it’s angular, and at times it’s a little hard to digest. But that’s part of the appeal.Now, Benefits have pared down to a duo, with Kingsley joined by Robbie Major to present as a ferocious two-piece which still pack the same amount of energy and ferocity despite the much more economical format.Today, they release their second album, ‘Constant Noise’, and it is an absolutely stunning piece of work. To some, it might feel like they’ve pulled back on the throttle a little bit when it comes to being a confronting record, but the energy is still there, the anger still palpable, and the visceral effect it has upon you as a listener is still as real as ever.As I mention in the early part of our chat, when I started this podcast, Kingsley was one of the names I’d had right at the top of my list in terms of dream guests. Heck, I followed The Chapman Family quite a bit in their final years, and I’ve paid attention to everything he’s done since, so it’s no surprise I wanted to dive deep into his musical past.So Kingsley was kind enough to join me for a chat recently, and despite our attempts to keep it short and snappy, it ended up being a long one – and that’s with all the editing he advised me to do.Anyway, I strongly urge you to check out Benefits’ new album ‘Constant Noise’, and once you’re done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

I’m going to hazard a guess that even if the name Barry Adamson isn’t one you recognise right off the bat, you’re definitely aware of his contributions to the world of music.At the age of 19, Barry found himself joining the nascent Magazine as his first band, with wayward Buzzcocks vocalist Howard Devoto recruiting him for the new band. An influential presence in the world of post-punk, the group's short tenure resulted in a handful of well-regarded albums before they split in the early '80s. Soon, Barry found himself briefly playing with The Birthday Party, before frontman Nick Cave recruited him for his eponymous new band, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. After a few years and albums there, Adamson found himself again embarking upon a new musical journey, with a solo career kicking off with 1989’s ‘Moss Side Story.’Even then, his career doesn’t peter out there either, because soon enough he was working as a composer as well, working on film soundtracks from time to time, including the likes of David Lynch’s ‘Lost Highway.’Throughout it all though, he’s never stopped being busy, and even in between reunions with Magazine and The Bad Seeds, he continues to make solo albums, with ‘Cut To Black’ arriving as his latest record just last year.In only a matter of days, Barry will be down in Australia once more for a tour of the country, and by all accounts, I wouldn’t miss it if I were you.This week, Barry was kind enough to join me for a chat to discuss his beginning in the world of music, and how he got to where he finds himself today.But in the meantime, I strongly urge you to check out Barry Adamson’s ‘Cut To Black,’ and once you’re done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

If you’re on the cutting edge of music, then you would be aware that there is a band hailing from unceded Kaurna Country (that is to say, the South Australian capital of Adelaide) that is one you definitely need to know. That band is Street Legal, a group whose sound might be rooted in the romanticism of ‘80s sonics and nostalgia, but heavily progressive, and boasting an approach to their music which is cutting edge, forceful, and – above all – a lot of fun.Having first made their recorded debut in 2020, a number of tracks have arrived in recent years, with the likes of ‘Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow’ and ‘Modern Ruins’ preceding the release of their debut EP, ‘Bruxism’. Released just last month, ‘Bruxism’ is a wonderful collection of tracks which showcases just what it is that makes Street Legal so special.If you’re someone who wants their music to be moving, to be impactful, and to be ultimately intriguing, then Street Legal are the band for you. But if you also want something that feels familiar, and with inspiration taken from some of the musical greats, then Street Legal is the band for you.I’ve actually been paying attention to the Street Legal story for a few years now because I’ve known frontman Matthew Hayward for quite a while now, having gotten to know him thanks to his work in the Adelaide music scene back in the day.As you can expect, it wasn’t exactly too difficult to coax Matt to appear as my guest on this week’s podcast, where I spent the whole time gushing about how much I really love Street Legal’s debut EP.If you're in New South Wales, Victoria, or South Australia this April, then you should definitely head along to catch Street Legal on their ‘Bruxism’ national tour.But in the meantime, I strongly urge you to check out Street Legal’s debut EP, and once you’re done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

If you’re anything like me, then the chances are good you’ve been spending the past few years eagerly awaiting a full-length return from Hachiku.Started as the musical project of Anika Ostendorf just under a decade ago, Hachiku rose to fame as part of the beloved Milk! Records stable, with a handful of releases preceding the arrival of her debut album, 2020’s ‘I’ll Probably Be Asleep’.Again, if you’re anything like me, you probably listened to that album and truly fell in love with it. After all, how can you not? It’s got Anika’s masterful musical approach towards dream-pop, indie dance, and much more combining to craft something truly special.However, for those eagerly awaiting a follow-up soon after, well, there was a bit of a wait – almost four years in fact – before Hachiku returned with new singles. Thankfully, it was all in the lead-up to a new album, with ‘The Joys Of Being Pure At Heart’ arriving today, on February 28th.It’s a stellar album, full of that exuberant, immersive dreamy indie-pop style that has won Anika and her musical collaborators so much praise.Of course, there’s no time to rest on those laurels, because Hachiku will be hitting the road almost immediately, with dates in the US, Australia, and Europe scheduled to keep them all busy for the next few months.Thankfully, before things got too hectic, Anika was kind enough to join the podcast this week for a chat, and I couldn’t be more grateful.Anyway, I strongly urge you to check out Hachiku’s latest album, and once you’re done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.