Episode 90: Alex Cameron & Ben Marwe – Bad//Dreems

For close to 15 years now, I've been a massive fan of Adelaide's Bad//Dreems.Regarded as one of Adelaide's finest purveyors of pub-rock (a term they initially shied away from), Bad//Dreems first formed back in 2011, and wasted no time hitting the ground running.A debut EP gave way to 2015's 'Dogs At Bay,' which was followed by 2017's 'Gutful,' and 2019's 'Doomsday Ballet.' In 2023, the group re-emerged from COVID with Hoo Ha!, their best-performing record to date, and their only one to (so far) to receive an ARIA Award nomination.As I said at the start, I've been a massive fan of Bad//Dreems across this past decade-and-a-half. In fact, if you know anything about me, it's how much I am a fan of this group.As it stands, they're currently the band I've seen the most, I've also spent time in the studio with them, and they even refer to me as their number one ticket holder – which I'm not going to complain about.Last week, they released their fifth album, 'Ultra Dundee,' which is arguably one of their finest releases to date. It's powerful, it's mysterious, it's angular, jagged, and luscious, and it's the distillation of what Bad//Dreems have been leading to after all these years.Sadly, the record was also accompanied by the news that, after their upcoming tour, Bad//Dreems will be going on an indefinite hiatus.So I recently wiped away the tears and had a chat with founding Bad//Dreems members guitarist Alex Cameron, and vocalist Ben Marwe. Together, we had a lengthy chat about their career, their new record, and what this hiatus means for them.Anyway, have a listen to Bad//Dreems' 'Ultra Dundee,' buy a ticket to their upcoming tour, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

If you've ever thought to yourself, "Son of a gun, I reckon 'bush-psych' is one of those genres that should exist," well, have I got a name for you.That name is William Crighton, the Australian musician originally from Dubbo, who launched his career 25 years ago. However, his musical journey really begins in earnest with the release of his self-titled 2016 album.Remarkable in his musical approach thanks to a profound compositional and lyrical sense that manages to intertwine time, place, country, and emotion in a raw, yet profound mix, Crighton's work has been recognised as, I believe the technical term is 'pretty bloody good', having taken home the ARIA Award for Best Blues And Roots Album off the back of 2022's 'Water And Dust'.Today, Crighton is back with another corker of a record, 'Colonial Drift'. If you're in the mood for a good time, I implore you to pop those headphones on, sit back, and let him transport you with his myriad musical talents.This week (well, we recorded this over a month ago), I was lucky enough to be joined by William Crighton for a chat about his new record, his musical past, and everything else. The audio is a bit spotty due to a poor internet connection, but I won't fret if you don't.Anyway, have a listen to William Crighton's 'Colonial Drift', have a listen to our chat, buy a ticket to his upcoming tour, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

For over two decades now, the world of indie rock and emo has hosted none other than Pennsylvania's Tigers Jaw.First formed in 2005 as a two-piece, the project soon expanded and began releasing music. In 2008, their self-titled second album was released, firmly establishing the group as one of the genre's finest acts. In fact, you'll find tracks like 'Plane vs. Tank vs. Submarine' and its sublime follower 'I Saw Water' rightly considered some of the best in the '00s emo revival.This is all to say that Tigers Jaw do a pretty fine job, and that formative success has only followed them. While the group's membership has ebbed and flowed – though always comprising Ben Walsh since its formation and Brianna Collins since 2006 – their music has continued, with new records arriving with regularity.Now, after five years, Tigers Jaw are back with their latest record, Lost On You, and it's a stellar piece of work. Powerful, emotive, and punchy as ever, it's an amazing album which shows that more than 20 years into their career, Tigers Jaw are nowhere close to being done with their roles as impressive musicians.This week, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Ben Walsh in the lead-up to the record's release on March 27th. Anyway, have a listen to Tigers Jaw's Lost On You when it arrives (but listen to the rest of their discography in the meantime), have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

I'd like to imagine that I'm like a lot of people when I say that I enjoy music that doesn't take itself too seriously. That's probably why I found myself resonating with Electric Six when they first broke onto the scene over two decades ago.By the time they turned heads with 2003's debut album, 'Fire', the group had been around for quite some time already, having first launched as The Wildbunch in Detroit back in 1996, and adopting their current name a few years later following some shuffling of members.That debut album was an impressive one, spawning hits like 'Danger! High Voltage', 'Dance Commander', and 'Gay Bar,' and proving that you don't need to be a solemn-faced, suit-wearing rocker to make a splash.They certainly rocked though, blending elements of rock, disco, and even metal in their work to craft a sonic palette which was as varied as it was impressive. Hell, their latest tour poster calls it 'disco-punk and metal-funk', so it's one hell of a descriptor.Pretty soon, they became a prolific entity, and between 2003 and 2023, they averaged around one album a year between myriad live shows. That initial success brought with it a pair of Australian visits in 2004 and 2005, but from there it was a long wait for a return. In 2023, they made a long-overdue comeback, following it up again the year after. Now, Electric Six are back for another Australian tour this month, and to celebrate, I was lucky enough to spend some time with frontman Dick Valentine (or Tyler Spencer, as his driver's license would tell you) for a chat about the group's enduring legacy.Anyway, have a listen to Electric Six's lofty discography (maybe start with 'Fire' – it's great!), have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

If you're one of those folks who contends that pop-punk was at its best in the '00s (and it was, let's face it), then there's a pretty good chance you've bumped a bit of Cartel in your time.First formed in Georgia back in 2003, it didn't take long for Cartel to hit their stride, recording and releasing music, while also touring in earnest. In 2005, however, they struck it big with the release of their debut album, 'Chroma.'A stellar masterwork of the genre, 'Chroma' is the sound of a young group combining their shared influences to craft something incredibly special. It's got hooks, it's got riffs, and it's got that cathartic edge that everyone strives for when it comes to music of the era.Over the years, Cartel have continued to grow. They became the second (and final) band to appear on the Band In A Bubble series (following on from previous podcast guests Regurgitator), they toured Australia on numerous occasions, and have released three more albums.However, since the release of 2013's 'Collider,' the band haven't toured Australia or released a new album. That sort of changed last year when they released a re-recorded version of 'Chroma' for its 20th anniversary, and announced a new run of Australian tour dates – which kick off this weekend – and will see them playing the record in full.This week, I was lucky enough to be joined by Cartel's Will Pugh, days before his latest trek to Australia, and mere weeks after his last. Together, we spoke about the band's formation, the legacy of 'Chroma,' and how that new album has been cooking.Anyway, have a listen to Cartel's 'Chroma,' have a listen to our chat, buy a ticket to their tour, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

For close to 25 years now, the Australian music scene has been home to a little group called Kisschasy. First forming in around 2002, the group rose to fame in 2005 with their exceptional debut record 'United Paper People,' and – having not exhausted their brilliance on their first outing – followed it up two years later with the stunning 'Hymns For The Nonbeliever.'Two years later, the group gave us their third album with 'Seizures,' and sadly didn't follow it up. A new record was demoed, but it never saw the light of day, and in 2015, Kisschasy bade us farewell after a final tour.In 2022, a return was on the cards, with the band playing their debut album as part of the Good Things festival that year. Following more tours, the band began sharing new music in 2025, and now they're back with their long-awaited fourth album, 'The Terrors Of Comfort.'I truly cannot tell you how much I love Kisschasy. They are a band who have been with me for over 20 years now, and if they had a dollar for every time I'd listened to one of their songs, I'm sure they'd be recording albums on gold microphones at Abbey Road after pulling up in their Ferraris.And in fact, 'The Terrors Of Comfort' is an album I implore you to listen to. It's only February, but I may have already found my album of the year. It's everything you love about Kisschasy's glory days, filtered through years of growth, evolution, and musical maturity that only a band like them can deliver.This week, I was lucky enough to be joined by guitarist and singer Darren Cordeux for a lovely chat where we discussed everything from the group's formation, to their classic era, to the new music. Plus it was a great chance for me to be a Kisschasy nerd for a while.Anyway, have a listen to Kisschasy's 'The Terrors Of Comfort,' have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

Hello and welcome to Trusty Chords, the podcast which aims to celebrate music and those that create it.If you're not yet around sleepazoid, then now might be the time to change that, because according to all and sundry, they're on their way to becoming the 'next big thing' in Australian music.It's easy to see why, however. One only needs to take a look at their blissful mix of – as a colleague of mine described it – "gritty grunge and dreamy shoegaze" to see why they're drawing a crowd everywhere they go.And draw a crowd they do. Having shared their debut tracks back in 2024, sleepazoid released their debut EP 'running with the dogs' just last year. By the time I caught them, six months after that EP arrived, you'd be forgiven for thinking they've been around a decade or longer given how voracious their fanbase is, how packed their shows can be, and how intense they are as performers.Fast forward even further, and now, they've just released their latest EP, 'NEW AGE'. As you'd expect, it's another stunning piece of work from this group who simply can't help but make some amazing music, and it truly leaves you wondering just what amazing heights sleepazoid are about to scale next.This week, I was lucky enough to be joined by Nette France, Jo Pabis, Jim Duong, and George Inglis from sleepazoid (sadly, Luca Soprano couldn't make the chat) for an in-depth chat about their career and the new EP. This is one of my rare in-person chats, so excuse the spotty audio that occurs when five people  chat over two shared microphones.Anyway, have a listen to sleepazoid's 'NEW AGE' EP, buy a ticket to their upcoming shows, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

If there's one thing that you need to know about Joyce Manor, it's that every time they release a new album, their fans are in for a good time.In fact, I've been saying that for well over a decade now, having followed the Californian outfit since the release of their second album, 'Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired,' back in 2012.In the time since, they've released four more albums, a few more split EPs, myriad singles and music videos, and toured the world on numerous occasions. Not bad for a little group that kicked off rather quietly back in 2008.Now, 18 years into their storied career, Joyce Manor are back with their latest album, 'I Used To Go To This Bar.' For diehard fans of the group, it's exactly what you want out of a record from Joyce Manor, with that frenetic sense of energy and power being paired with their stellar lyrics and inimitable knack for writing a killer tune.This week, I was lucky enough to have a chat with not just one, but all three members of Joyce Manor, with Matt Ebert, Barry Johnson, and Chase Knobbe joining for what may actually be my favourite episode I've recorded to date.Anyway, I'll let you be the judge of that from a listener's perspective. So in the meantime, have a listen to Joyce Manor's 'I Used To Go To This Bar,' have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

If you've listened to Australian music at any point over the last 25 years, the chances are good you've bumped a bit of The Herd from time to time.Formed in Sydney out of, and by, members of the Elefant Traks collective, The Herd wasted no time in sharing their myriad musical influences with the world. After their self-titled debut scored praise thanks to the likes of the song 'Scallops' (to date, a word I cannot pronounce correctly thanks to the song), second album 'An Elefant Never Forgets' attracted attention thanks to enduring political cuts such as '77%' and 'Burn Down The Parliament'. But it was 2005's 'The Sun Never Sets' that really set the spotlight upon them. Packed full of intricate rhymes, a vast array of musical themes, and arguably one of the best local releases of that year, it was an album whose impact is far greater than its commercial performance. The record also scored an additional boost after The Herd performed a cover of Redgum's 'I Was Only 19' for triple j's Like A Version segment, cementing them into local musical history.While two more records followed over the next six years, The Herd have been largely absent from our stages for years now. But this year, that's changing, with the group coming together for a 20th anniversary tour in support of 'The Sun Never Sets.' Performing the record alongside some of their other classics, it's bound to be a stellar experience for all and sundry.This week, I was lucky enough to be joined by Tim Levinson (otherwise known as Urthboy) for a chat about the record and the upcoming tour. Anyway, have a listen to The Herd's 'The Sun Never Sets,' buy a ticket to their upcoming shows, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

I'll be honest when I say that there's a good chance a lot of folks who appear on this podcast are unknown by large portions of the listenership. That's not a bad thing, of course, since it helps promote discovery and all that sort of thing.However, there's another very good chance that this week's guest is one that you do know, especially given he's the first Grammy Award-winner (that I know of) to appear on this podcast. That person is John Gourley, the co-founder of Alaskan rock outfit Portugal. The Man. Having formed back in around 2004, it didn't take long for the group to start releasing music, and by the time I discovered them in 2009, they'd already released four records. Plenty of tours followed, including a few trips to Australia, and a spot on the final Big Day Out lineup. Then 2017 happened. That was the year the whole world caught on thanks to their unavoidable single 'Feel It Still'. It topped the charts around the world some months after it was released, and in early 2018, Portugal. The Man took home the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.It took a few years for the band to release their next album, and following a bit of a personnel overhaul in 2024 and 2025, Portugal. The Man returned in November with their tenth album, 'SHISH,' which is certainly worth your time if you're a fan of immersive, introspective pop rock.This week (well, it was last year when we recorded this actually), I was joined by Gourley for a chat about the band's rise to fame, their brush with success, and – of course – their latest album.Anyway, have a listen to Portugal. The Man's 'SHISH,' have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.