#113 Matt Walker

It’s another special episode of HearSej at the Zed51 festival, celebrating 51 years of Brisbane community radio station 4zzz! The festival was held Saturday 24 October at Roma Street Parklands in Brisbane. As part of the celebrations, Seja interviews: 1. Nathan Pickels - TAPE/OFF 2. Shonen Knife 3. Josie Scott - The Mark of Cain 4. Emily Simms - Super Hotel 5. David McCormack - Custard 6. Steve Turner - Mudhoney In this mini interview festival edition episode, Seja asks just a few questions including what each band thinks is special about Brisbane, their dream stage production if cost was no object, and finally, their strangest live show experience.

It’s a special episode of HearSej at Valley Fiesta!!! Valley fiesta is an iconic free and all-ages Brisbane street festival that has just celebrated its 30 year anniversary. As part of the celebrations, Seja interviews: Kate Dillon - aka Babyshakes from Full Flower Moon Band, John Busby and John Willsteed from Halfway Jade Montgomery from Worm Girlz Joe Agius from Rinse Luke Peacock from Minor Premiers; and Will Perkins from Radium Dolls In this brief interview episode, Seja addresses a range of questions, including the factors that influence a band’s decision to accept or decline opportunities such as Valley Fiesta. The bands also share some of their most useless skills, offer a candid admission about songwriting that most musicians would rather keep to themselves, and describe how they prepared for the show. Finally, they recount their strangest live show experience.

Seja talks to her guest iOTA about his new album ‘Hours Disappear’, his experience releasing music for the first time in 10 years and his feelings about heading out on tour. He tells Seja about the drastic differences between performing in musicals to indie rock shows, his experiences acting in Mad Max Fury Road and his love for Suzi Quatro and Kiss as a kid. They chat about negotiating fame, compartmentalising their creative arts projects, and writing songs when they’re sad. iOTA’s strange show story was illustrated by Seja. You can see all illustrations for the podcast on instagram @hearsejpodcast. Theme song by Seja. End cover of theme by Sam Cromack (Ball Park Music)

Seja talks to her guest Matt Walker about his new album with Tex Perkins ‘Before the Show’; how it was recorded, their dynamic as a duo and how they bring out each other’s strengths. He tells Seja about mixing on a boombox, his esoteric guitar collection and filling in for Paul Kelly on guitar when he hurt his hand. They chat about Matt’s instrumental album Dobro Nada, Kay guitars and whether there will be a new Matt Walker and Ashley Davies album. Matt’s strange story was illustrated by Seja. You can see all illustrations for the podcast on instagram @hearsejpodcast. https://mattwalkermusic.bandcamp.com/album/dobro-nada

Seja talks to her guest Grace Mitchell about her new album 'Daughter of the King' and riding the happy wave of releasing music after such a long time. Grace tells Seja about writing and mixing the album herself, and how it differed from her experiences working with LA producers as a young musician. They chat about playing major festivals, being over familiar on stage and talking about aliens with Billy Corgan. Grace’s strange show story was illustrated by Seja. You can see all illustrations for the podcast on instagram @hearsejpodcast.

Seja talks to her guest Taasha Coates (The Audreys) about the 20th anniversary tour of the album Between Last Night and Us, how touring is her happy place and how these songs are morphing into different iterations over time. Taasha tells Seja about her sad playlist, horrendous internet comments and how her songwriting has changed over the years. They talk about giving less fucks, supporting other women and continuing to sing as they get older. Taasha’s strange show story was illustrated by Seja. All illustrations for the show can be seen on Instagram @Hearsejpodcast of on the HearSej Facebook page.

Seja talks to her guest Pinky Beecroft (Machine Gun Fellatio, The White Russians) about accidentally making his new album Lonesome Wolf while hanging out with his friend, his feelings about releasing new music and his thoughts on playing live shows that will satisfy fans of all his back catalogue. They talk about ‘why’ they release music, Ben Salter’s genius, and their lack of connection to their old songs. Pinky tells Seja about being a bad piano player in bands when he left school, his happiest memory watching Steely Dan, and his reflections on his own voice. Pinky’s strange show story was illustrated by Seja. All illustrations for the show can be seen on Instagram @Hearsejpodcast of on the HearSej Facebook page.

Seja talks to her guest Kutcha Edwards about his 60th birthday shows ’60 cycles around the sun’, his experiences playing on the world’s biggest stages such as the Sydney Opera House and how Robert Cray inspired him to first write songs. They chat about the story of his song ‘Today’, their love of Omnichords, writing through your spirit rather than your intellect, and listening with your whole being. Kutcha tells Seja about his role in burying family members, being an independent artist and intergenerational trauma. All illustrations for the show can be seen on Instagram @Hearsejpodcast of on the HearSej Facebook page.

Seja talks to her guest Kim Salmon (The Scientists, Beasts of Bourbon) about the Perth punk scene, his first guitar and learning from a jazz teacher when all he wanted was to play was rock n roll. They chat about playing Deep Purple songs, being no good at commerce and trying to imagine what bands sound like from reviews. Kim tells Seja about hearing the Ramones for the first time, songwriting in his early bands the Cheap Nasties and the Scientists, and what keeps him making art. Kim’s strange experience was illustrated by Seja. All illustrations can be seen on instagram @hearsejpodcast or on the HearSej Facebook page. The Scientists on Countdown in 1980 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-5BShdW1fE

Seja talks to her guest William Crighton about the making of his new album Colonial Drift and his collaborators. He tells Seja about growing up in western New South Wales, how he was introduced to singing by his mother and grandmother teaching him church hymns and how that fused music and spirituality together for him from an early age. William talks about living in America, his experience with cultural cringe and cultural/ancestral guilt and how seeing Merle Haggard changed his feelings about his musical journey. They talk about trying to reconcile our own complicity in a climate crisis as an artist, different practices around lyric writing and band members feeling like family. William’s strange show story was illustrated by Seja. All illustrations can be seen on instagram @hearsejpodcast or on the HearSej Facebook page. End podcast theme by Sam Cromack.