Ramble City

Listen to Part 1 of this conversation via the link below. After over 30 years of a career in Rock n Roll Photography including touring with the Rolling Stones three times amongst others, British born photographer TONY MOTT is one of a kind. He's photographed Nicole Kidman, Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac… and even took some snaps of our host Bradley McCaw. Listen to Part 1 of this conversation hereWatch video of this episodeFollow the RC Music PlaylistCheck out Tony's photosFollow Brad everywhere @bradleymccawofficialBrought to by True Arts Podcast NetworkThis interview was originally recorded in late 2021. Created, produced, hosted & engineered by Bradley McCaw.Original sound design by Matt Erskine at Crosspoint SolutionsOriginal Video designed by Adam Shaw at Axis Productions Theme composed by James RyanAbout Tony Mott:After over 30 years of a career in Rock n Roll Photography including touring with the Rolling Stones three times amongst others, Tony decided to branch out into Film and TV Stills Photography commencing in 2005 with the feature, Suburban Mayhem.Tony has worked on numerous features and television series since and has become a sought after photographer in the field.A 30 year retrospective of Tony's work “What A Life” is currently touring Australia after opening at the State Library of NSW in Sydney .Tony lives in Sydney with his wife Libby and two children Harvey and Lucinda Mott and his cat “kitten caboodle”.Except from Tony Mott's website: Trainspotting… travel around the world… life as a Chef on the high seas, a passion for music and few photos along the way. Welcome to Tony's Mott's story – so far.I was born in April, 1956, (that makes me sort of old) and raised in Sheffield, England, quite normally by mum and dad, Mary and Brian Moulds. I was trained as a chef at Sheffield Polytechnic and in 1976 I left England, arriving in Australia for the first time. Using my training I worked in Sydney at the Opera House and the Gazebo before helping a friend open a restaurant in Armidale, New South Wales, called The Blackboard Menu, but I had to leave after six months because I only had a limited working visa. It was at this point that I realised I wanted to live in Australia permanently. I returned to England with the intention of securing a permanent visa, which didn't eventuate. Refusing to allow a little thing like a visa to stand in the way of escaping the UK, I managed to get a job on the SS Oriana as a chef, a wonderful job that lasted two years and took me to over 60 countries as diverse and interesting as Puerto Rico, Egypt, Panama, India, the Caribbean Islands, all around the Mediterranean, Nordkapp (where the sun never goes down and all its inhabitants are bonkers) and elsewhere. It was during this time I developed a strong sense of wanderlust, an affliction which has taken me to India seven times and helped me traverse the Himalayas on a number of occasions. In fact, to celebrate my 40th birthday I had to make a choice between getting pissed in Redfern or walking the Annapurna Circuit with my best friend, I chose the latter.Eventually my job on the ship came to an end and brought me back to Australia and in 1981 I finally managed to settle here permanently. I got my old job back at the Gazebo Hotel in King Cross, which, as it turns out was a perfect location to embark on the next stage of my life.I've often thought about my penchant for travel and trainspotting (that's a whole other story right there!) and always go back to my childhood in Sheffield. When I was about eight or nine years old my mum and dad used to visit the local pubs, including one called the Castle Inn. My sister and I used to sit on the wall outside with our crisps and fizzy pop watching the trains go by. From this point we could see the trains disappear into a tunnel and I always wanted to know what was on the other side of that tunnel. Eventually I got to the other side of the tunnel and just kept on going!! Finally I got to and settled in Sydney.In the early 1980s Sydney had a brilliant live music scene. Every night of the week you could see any number of excellent bands at any number of excellent venues, right across the city. Working as a chef meant I usually finished work around midnight, not a bad situation for somebody like me who loved music. I'd leave work and hop into any given venue. On Monday nights I used to go to the Piccadilly Hotel in the Cross to see the Divinyls play. They had a residency at the venue and at this stage they were unsigned and largely unknown. Singer Chrissy Amphlett didn't do a lot in those days. The stage persona she later became famous for was non-existent but, suddenly it seemed, she became a loony on stage wearing the schoolgirl uniform and gyrating about.During my days sailing the seven seas I'd developed a strong desire to document photographically the amazing places I saw. So every Monday night after work at the Gazebo I used to hone my fledgling skills by snapping away at the Divinyls. A lot of crap shots were taken but after four months the band's manager, Vince Lovegrove, who'd obviously seen me shooting away, asked to see the shots, one of which he chose and used as a tour poster. I was well chuffed! To top it off he paid me 20 bucks – my first foray into professional photography.I was very green in those days, typified when Vince told me that my name was on the door for the band's next gig. I had no idea what this expression meant and for the next two months I continued to pay my way into their shows. One night he saw me and said, “You know your name's on the door, don't you?” Not wishing to appear unsophisticated, I replied, “Yeah, I know. Isn't that great,” thinking that somewhere – perhaps the band's rehearsal studio – there was a door on which they'd written my name as a mark of respect. Just shows you how much I had to learn about the music industry.By 1983 the Divinyls tour poster had had a snowball effect on my career and before long other bands were asking me to shoot their gigs. One day I walked into the offices of the free paper On The Street, then in its infancy and long before the term street press had ever been coined. I started getting work through the paper.About a week before I went to “On The Street”, Margaret Cott, now publisher of “The Drum Media”, had just started as a layout girl and so began a professional relationship with her which lasts to this day. Within a year Margaret had become editor and I was photographing anything that moved, anywhere, anytime. All this and I was still working full-time at the Gazebo.It was 1985 and for a short period of time during that year I got married. My wife was Swedish (and to my knowledge still is) but I won't go into the topic any further other than to say she now lives in Sweden and I still live in Sydney. Anyway, she had suggested I head back to England and so I did, and with my few contacts in the industry I spent the summer of 1986 drinking a lot and generally having a good time going to music festivals. I went to Reading, Milton Keynes and so on, seeing tons of bands. I haven't managed to work out how to this day, but I managed to photograph Queen at Knebworth, which was a hell of an experience. I also went to Paris and New York that summer, purely as a drunken wanderlust thing as opposed to seriously pursuing anything professionally.When I got back to Australia, Mick Jagger was touring to promote his first solo album. While I was away, and unbeknownst to me, Jagger's manager, Tony King had been trying to track me down wanting to hire me as Jagger's tour photographer. To this day I have no idea who recommended me for the job but I'm extremely grateful. Eventually I made contact with Tony King and as it turned out they were not happy with whoever it was they had hired instead of me. By this stage the tour was in Melbourne so I went down and met Tony in his hotel room. I don't think I would be giving anything away when I say that Tony King is what you would describe as an effervescent gay man and when I met him he enthusiastically expounded the virtues of Sydney. “Oh I love Sydney,” he said, “so many sailors in the one city.” I thought, what have I got to do to get this gig? Tony King, it should be pointed out, is a lovely man and I have always gotten on extremely well with him on a professional basis. But that was the start of my relationship with Mick Jagger and eventually the Rolling Stones. It was an enormous break which has resulted in me touring with the Stones three times. As I've said, I have no idea how I got the gig because I was only reasonably well-known as a live photographer in Sydney at that point. And to think I nearly missed out because I was getting legless overseas!!To illustrate how absurd the music industry can be at times, at the end of tour party I could hear people behind me talking about the tour photographer and how “he's just come back from working in London, Paris and New York, don't you know”. I suddenly realised they were talking about me! Little did they know I was basically having a good time in these places and not doing the glamorous jobs they imagined.As a consequence of the Jagger gig I toured in the same year with Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac. I wasn't any better as a photographer but once I had gigs of that calibre in my CV I looked so much better. That period was the beginning of my first break.It was 1988 and with these three enormous gigs under my belt I was going out at least five nights a week just to see bands. I'd worked out by now what having my name on the door actually meant so I was saving myself a small fortune. The Sydney scene during this time was fertile. There were great bands in great venues happening every night of the week; a favourable environment in which to grow as a rock'n'roll photographer.More breaks came my way in the early 1990s. I did a book called Still Noise with four other photographers, the album cover photography for Tommy Emmanuel's Dare To Be Different and the Beasts of Bourbon's Black Milk. It was all moving along quite nicely in a relatively short period of time. I'm proud of both those album covers because they're so radically different. Tommy Emmanuel's album was so obviously mainstream and commercial while the Beasts of Bourbon was very inner city and independent, and that's one of the things I love about working in the music industry – one minute you can be working with somebody like Lucinda Williams and the next minute working with the likes of Slipknot. They're vastly different performers with vastly different personalities to be captured through the lens. But I digress.I guess the next major event that boosted my career was the start of the Big Day Out in 1992. In the late 80s and early 90s I'd been regularly heading over to Europe and the US every couple of years to check out the summer music festivals. I really couldn't understand why Australia didn't have its own version of the UK's Reading or Glastonbury festivals. Being staged in the UK, when those festivals take place, it's an added bonus when it doesn't rain, so why, with our weather and talented bands, why should we miss out??Enter Ken West. Obviously Ken had been to these festivals, too, and had some thoughts about doing an Australian festival, and so began the Big Day Out. He's now one of the most respected promoters in the country and the Big Day Out is highly regarded both here and overseas. It became very successful very quickly and in the space of four years was at the same level as the festivals in the UK. So the Big Day Out was a valuable break for me. Every year I go on the road with the Big Day Out as it tours around Australia. This means I get to build a rapport with the bands I shoot, which is a luxury not often afforded a photographer.It's always easier to work with people who you feel relaxed with and vice versa. I don't work like a fashion photographer – I've never treated a musician as a model. A lot of photographers do because they presume there's a lot of glamour involved. Musicians are not thespians and they're not models so you need to build a rapport with them. Musicians can often feel uncomfortable in front of the camera, so relaxing them is an imperative. Obviously I'm referring to session work here. Live is a completely different kettle of fish. The disadvantage of doing sessions is that the artist is doing something that doesn't come naturally to them. The advantage is that you as the photographer have complete control over the environment, things like lighting. The difficulty is getting the artist comfortable. The live situation is the opposite, the artist is in their natural environment but the photographer is not, you have no control over the lighting and so on. The quality of your shots is reliant on the lighting guy and the movement of the artist.Eye contact is vital in photography. If you take a photo of someone and their eyes are out of focus the whole shot lacks impact. That's how people look at photos, through the eyes of the subject. The eye is all important. In a live situation the subject is more than likely not looking at you, and there's also the bloody ever present microphone getting in the way. In total I've had over 30,000 photographs published, the result of some 2,500 sessions and countless live shows, which have become 400 posters, 450 cd or vinyl covers and over 800 magazine front covers, and I'm still counting. It seems an age has passed since Vince Lovegrove used my shot of Chrissy Amphlett as a tour poster. I guess it has been a long time. Certainly much has happened and I've managed to collect some stories that I think are vaguely intresting along the way – some are downright bizarre and I hope you enjoy them.Oh, and why did I change my name from Moulds to Mott? Well, when I first got a photo credit Moulds didn't look so groovy so I had to come up with an alternative. I looked to the most influential band in my life, Mott the Hoople. The next decision was Tony Mott or Tony Hoople. I went for the former.Everyone should have a Mott the Hoople. In my formative years in college they were the only band that I related to lyrically.They delved into social, political and more general matters, not to mention being a dynamic live act. They were punks before punk had happened, all that and glam rock as well.I've always felt music is an important medium, it can be a sanctuary when things are not so rosy, and a celebration of the joys of life, the two extremes of emotion. And that is why Mott the Hoople have been so important to me. A couple of examples of that are in 1976, when I first left England for Australia, I related to the Ian Hunter album All American Alien Boy, an album about an Englishman arriving in the US, feeling alien and yet loving it. I totally related to the sentiments. Thirty years later, when I lost my best friend who died at an early age and I was finding grief very difficult to deal with, I found solace in the Ian Hunter song “Michael Picasso”, a song about the death of his long-time best friend and David Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson. That's why I believe music is so powerful and important. Everyone should have a Mott the Hoople.

Russell 'The Real Thing' Morris has arrived at Ramble City showcasing his evolution in music across multiple eras, touching on the origins of some of his highest-selling albums like 'Sharkmouth' and the minds behind his Day of the Dead album 'Jack Chrome and the Darkness Waltz'. Interview was originally recorded in 2021. Watch video of this episodeFollow the RC Music PlaylistListen to Russell MorrissListen to Bradley McCaw's musicFollow Brad everywhere @bradleymccawofficialBrought to by True Arts Podcast NetworkCreated, produced, hosted & engineered by Bradley McCaw.Original sound design by Matt Erskine at Crosspoint SolutionsOriginal Video designed by Adam Shaw at Axis Productions Theme composed by James RyanAbout Russell Morris:Russell Morris is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist who had five Australian Top 10 singles during the late 1960s and early 1970s. On 1 July 2008, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) recognised Morris' status when he was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.The Real Thing was added to the National Film and Sound Archives Sounds of Australia registry in 2013.

Respected as one of Australia's iconic musicians, Ian Moss (5x time Aria winner & original member / guitarist of Australian super group 'Cold Chisel' drops by to discuss his current live tour and Rivers Run Dry' Deluxe Album Release. Brad explores the history of the term ‘album' and have a good ol' ramble about the changing view of full length records in the modern music business. Watch video of this episodeFollow the RC Music PlaylistListen to RIVERS RUN DRY by IAN MOSSListen to Bradley McCaw's musicFollow Brad everywhere @bradleymccawofficialBrought to by True Arts Podcast NetworkCreated, produced, hosted & engineered by Bradley McCaw.Original sound design by Matt Erskine at Crosspoint SolutionsOriginal Video designed by Adam Shaw at Axis Productions Theme composed by James RyanAbout IAN MOSS:Respected as one of Australia's iconic musicians, Ian Moss delivers an unforgettable sound – not only as a telling soloist on guitar but especially with his silken voice, ringing with clarity and resonating with pure soul. While primarily recognised as an axeman of unusual tenacity and sweet melodic sensibility, Ian's distinctive vocal is the essential signature of his soulful, bluesy muse – as it has been since his first tentative foray into music during the early 1970s.Born and raised in Alice Springs, Ian started playing guitar in local teenage bands but moved to Adelaide after failing one of his high school years, planning to repeat in the big city. Fate intervened when he answered an advertisement for a guitarist in a shop window in 1973, joining the band that was to become a legend in Australia – Cold Chisel. After Moss joined organist and principal songwriter Don Walker and drummer Steve Prestwich, the group took shape with singer Jimmy Barnes and eventually bass player Phil Small, starting the hard grind of playing gigs on the back of flatbed trucks and in suburban hotels. Barnes remembered young Mossy as “a boy from the bush who didn't wear shoes but played fantastic”. They hit the road and paid their dues, playing countless one-night stands across the country. The reputation and status of Cold Chisel steadily grew, mainly on the strength of blistering live shows, and in time their well-crafted recordings became staples of radio airplay.By 1980, with the release of the seminal East album, Cold Chisel was the biggest band in the country. Moreover, they defined a national sound – hard-driving rock chased by a shot of blues, lyrics depicting the Australian experience and resonating powerfully with young working class fans. Moss's voice began to shine through such seminal Cold Chisel songs as Never Before, Bow River (written by Moss) and a gorgeous rendition of Ray Charles' Georgia. However, efforts to translate overwhelming Australian success to Europe and the United States failed to gain traction, serving to demoralise, frustrate and eventually dissolve the band at the height of its creative powers. While the band's Last Stand tour in December 1983 closed an important chapter in Ian Moss's musical career, Cold Chisel remains one of Australia's favourite bands long after its demise.Enjoying the status of Australia's best guitarist, Moss carefully evolved into a solo artist of the same calibre and commanding the same respect as Cold Chisel. After five years of patient nurturing, Moss released his debut single Tucker's Daughter in January 1989, and caused an immediate sensation. The anthemic song – which Moss wrote in collaboration with Don Walker – sat in the Top 10 for 11 weeks and hit No 1 for two weeks, achieving gold sales status after 15 weeks and selling more than 73,000 copies. Moss's second solo single, Telephone Booth, was released in June that year, hit the Top 10 and remained in the Top 20 for 10 weeks.This bold renaissance of his solo career amplified Moss's willingness to embrace new ideas and influences. “It took a bit of nerve for me to unplug and play acoustic, but it injected this freshness into my playing,” he says. “It was a significant new path for me.” Heartened by success for that album, a second chapter of Moss's acoustic recordings – his sixth solo album Let's All Get Together, released in 2007 – saw the input of guests including James Morrison and Margaret Urlich adding colour to striking new interpretations of familiar songs, including Flame Trees and Choir Girl. To support the album release, Moss undertook an extensive tour with former Noiseworks and INXS singer Jon Stevens, and further touring in early 2008 showed Moss to be an especially dextrous musical stylist; not just a rock player, not just an acoustic strummer, but a truly seasoned and rounded musical talent.In 2008, Moss was on the Australian television series It Takes Two, singing duets with celebrities and showing a side of his musical character that surprised many listeners. “When I put aside the guitar and sang a few soul ballads on that show, people were suddenly listening to me differently. They'd say ‘Yeah, we knew you sang, but we didn't know you could really sing'. It was both flattering and frustrating. I kept wondering what they thought I'd been doing for past 30 years. It showed that there was a different side of my music that hadn't really been heard by enough people before.” Mossy is now allowing his guitar work to take a back seat while he concentrates on singing – which is the focus of his new album Soul on West 53rd that features fresh takes on classic soul songs from the likes of Sam Cooke, Al Green, Otis Redding and Levi Stubbs.This product of New York recording sessions with producer Danny Kortchmar and an all-star band of soul session musicians, including drummer Steve Jordan, Leon Pendarvis on keyboards, Neil Jason on bass and Hugh McCracken on guitar, is another bold venture from Moss that will certainly turn heads. When audiences hear the power and excitement on Soul on West 53rd, it will reinforce what Ian Moss has to offer as a vocalist of repute. The album release will also give him the impetus to reconnect with his supportive legion of European audiences – and maybe even reach America. “It's nice to fantasise about that, taking my soul songs to America. I'd love to give it a try, but I know it won't be easy.”Significantly, as Moss prepares to introduce material from his new album to live audiences, the influence of his New York soul sessions has inspired a new burst of song writing for him. “Working with such classic songs has brought a lot of ideas for original material as well. For the next album, featuring my own songs, I'd expect it to follow the same style. There's something really great going on here.”The setting had been established for Moss to emerge as an important solo artist. His debut album Matchbook, released in August 1989, entered the charts at No 1 and remained there for three consecutive weeks. It stayed in the Top 10 for 14 weeks and has sold more than 185,000 copies.When he went back out on the road, Moss's live shows drew a hoard of Chisel faithful and a league of new fans. In 1989, Moss toured for 25 weeks, playing dynamic and energetic performances five or six nights every week to virtually full houses across Australia. Crowds were left hungry for more.Moss closed off a triumphant year by winning five Australian Record Industry Association Awards in 1989: Best Australian Debut Single for Tucker's Daughter and Best Australian Debut Album for Matchbook, Australian Song of the Year for Tucker's Daughter, Best Australian Album for Matchbook and Best Australian Male Artist.In 1990, Mossy took his music to the world, touring and gaining airplay across Scandinavia and northern Europe. At home, as a live video recorded on the Matchbook Concert Tour went Gold on the day of release, Moss returned to the studio to start recording his second album, Worlds Away. Released in Australia in October 1991, the album was then issued in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavia the following year. In 1993, Moss consolidated his growing European fan base with tours in April and May through Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, earning high praise in fantastic reviews.Moss took stock of his musical output in 1995, changing direction to embrace the blues in bolder fashion, and in the studio this translated to recording a much tougher album than his previous releases suggested. Petrolhead, his third solo offering that was released in 1996, had Moss playing bluesy rock with none of the heavily produced, big budget sheen that had been applied his late-1980s and early-1990s recordings. With lan Rilen (from Rose Tattoo and X) on bass, Paul Demarco (Rose Tattoo, Catfish) on drums and Don Walker on occasional keyboards and song writing, the sound was recorded almost live, stripped back and honest without ever losing its innate power. “It was a conscious decision to get back to something I was always happy doing,” says Moss. “The result is tough, ballsy blues meets rock… plenty of heart, alive and kicking.”A Cold Chisel reunion during 1998 – both in the studio for the recording of new material and subsequent touring to promote the resulting Last Wave of Summer album – put Ian back in the national spotlight as a showman and musician of dazzling ability. It reminded the Australian public of Moss's alluring talent and diversity as a performer, as did another Cold Chisel reunion tour in 2003 and his input to Jimmy Barnes' Double Happiness album of duets in 2005.However, during 2005, Moss's musical output took another exciting fresh turn. He was invited to record an album of acoustic songs for Liberation Music and the Six Strings album – part of the Liberation Blue label's engaging acoustic series – was the result.2018 will bring a new chapter in Ian's career as he releases the new self-titled studio album, his sixth, and heads to the road for what will be his biggest national tour in decades. In 2007 he told the Sydney Morning Herald, “I haven't made my definitive album yet.” Ten years later with his the self-titled “Ian Moss”, he might have just done that.Mossy's sublime playing – on his Fender electric and Maton acoustic – is as expressive as ever. “Sometimes the words are useless for what it is I'm trying to get across,” he confides in ‘Hold On (To What We Got)'.Of course, that underplays Mossy's vocal – a superb instrument in its own right – as well as the powerful personal stories on this record. But Mossy's finest work is all about feel. And it's that feel that tells you everything you need to know.It's no accident that the album is self-titled. This is the pure stuff. Classic Mossy.In August of 2018 Ian was invited to take part in the Jimmy Webb and Friends concerts along side David Campbell, Kate Ceberano, Ed Kuepper, Cold Chisel bandmate Jimmy Barnes and of course the master songwriter Jimmy Webb and blew the room away.In October 2018 he performed the Cold Chisel classic ‘Flame Trees' to a global audience of millions at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games on the Steps of the iconic Sydney Opera House.2019 saw the 30th Anniversary of the iconic and landmark album Matchbook and a national tour with a killer band that received rave reviews. The album was released on August 1, 1989 and peaked at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. It remained in the Top 10 for an amazing 14 weeks, shipping more than 200,000 copies in the first 12 months alone. The album went on to win Album of the Year, Best Male Artist and Breakthrough Artist – Album, Breakthrough Artist – Single and Song of the Year (shared with Don Walker) for ‘Tucker's Daughter' at the ARIA Music Awards in 1990.As Cold Chisel's biographer Anthony O'Grady observed, “When Moss goes into guitar dream world he pulls out chords and notes and sounds that do not fit the plot as such, but which create new dimensions – astounding stuff that can never be reached through intellectual process, only through a quantum leap of intuition and imagination.”

After over 30 years of a career in Rock n Roll Photography including touring with the Rolling Stones three times amongst others, British born photographer TONY MOTT is one of a kind. He's photographed Nicole Kidman, Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac… and even took some snaps of our host Bradley McCaw. Watch video of this episodeFollow the RC Music PlaylistCheck out Tony's photosFollow Brad everywhere @bradleymccawofficialBrought to by True Arts Podcast NetworkThis interview was originally recorded in late 2021. Created, produced, hosted & engineered by Bradley McCaw.Original sound design by Matt Erskine at Crosspoint SolutionsOriginal Video designed by Adam Shaw at Axis Productions Theme composed by James RyanAbout Tony Mott:After over 30 years of a career in Rock n Roll Photography including touring with the Rolling Stones three times amongst others, Tony decided to branch out into Film and TV Stills Photography commencing in 2005 with the feature, Suburban Mayhem.Tony has worked on numerous features and television series since and has become a sought after photographer in the field.A 30 year retrospective of Tony's work “What A Life” is currently touring Australia after opening at the State Library of NSW in Sydney .Tony lives in Sydney with his wife Libby and two children Harvey and Lucinda Mott and his cat “kitten caboodle”.Except from Tony Mott's website: Trainspotting… travel around the world… life as a Chef on the high seas, a passion for music and few photos along the way. Welcome to Tony's Mott's story – so far.I was born in April, 1956, (that makes me sort of old) and raised in Sheffield, England, quite normally by mum and dad, Mary and Brian Moulds. I was trained as a chef at Sheffield Polytechnic and in 1976 I left England, arriving in Australia for the first time. Using my training I worked in Sydney at the Opera House and the Gazebo before helping a friend open a restaurant in Armidale, New South Wales, called The Blackboard Menu, but I had to leave after six months because I only had a limited working visa. It was at this point that I realised I wanted to live in Australia permanently. I returned to England with the intention of securing a permanent visa, which didn't eventuate. Refusing to allow a little thing like a visa to stand in the way of escaping the UK, I managed to get a job on the SS Oriana as a chef, a wonderful job that lasted two years and took me to over 60 countries as diverse and interesting as Puerto Rico, Egypt, Panama, India, the Caribbean Islands, all around the Mediterranean, Nordkapp (where the sun never goes down and all its inhabitants are bonkers) and elsewhere. It was during this time I developed a strong sense of wanderlust, an affliction which has taken me to India seven times and helped me traverse the Himalayas on a number of occasions. In fact, to celebrate my 40th birthday I had to make a choice between getting pissed in Redfern or walking the Annapurna Circuit with my best friend, I chose the latter.Eventually my job on the ship came to an end and brought me back to Australia and in 1981 I finally managed to settle here permanently. I got my old job back at the Gazebo Hotel in King Cross, which, as it turns out was a perfect location to embark on the next stage of my life.I've often thought about my penchant for travel and trainspotting (that's a whole other story right there!) and always go back to my childhood in Sheffield. When I was about eight or nine years old my mum and dad used to visit the local pubs, including one called the Castle Inn. My sister and I used to sit on the wall outside with our crisps and fizzy pop watching the trains go by. From this point we could see the trains disappear into a tunnel and I always wanted to know what was on the other side of that tunnel. Eventually I got to the other side of the tunnel and just kept on going!! Finally I got to and settled in Sydney.In the early 1980s Sydney had a brilliant live music scene. Every night of the week you could see any number of excellent bands at any number of excellent venues, right across the city. Working as a chef meant I usually finished work around midnight, not a bad situation for somebody like me who loved music. I'd leave work and hop into any given venue. On Monday nights I used to go to the Piccadilly Hotel in the Cross to see the Divinyls play. They had a residency at the venue and at this stage they were unsigned and largely unknown. Singer Chrissy Amphlett didn't do a lot in those days. The stage persona she later became famous for was non-existent but, suddenly it seemed, she became a loony on stage wearing the schoolgirl uniform and gyrating about.During my days sailing the seven seas I'd developed a strong desire to document photographically the amazing places I saw. So every Monday night after work at the Gazebo I used to hone my fledgling skills by snapping away at the Divinyls. A lot of crap shots were taken but after four months the band's manager, Vince Lovegrove, who'd obviously seen me shooting away, asked to see the shots, one of which he chose and used as a tour poster. I was well chuffed! To top it off he paid me 20 bucks – my first foray into professional photography.I was very green in those days, typified when Vince told me that my name was on the door for the band's next gig. I had no idea what this expression meant and for the next two months I continued to pay my way into their shows. One night he saw me and said, “You know your name's on the door, don't you?” Not wishing to appear unsophisticated, I replied, “Yeah, I know. Isn't that great,” thinking that somewhere – perhaps the band's rehearsal studio – there was a door on which they'd written my name as a mark of respect. Just shows you how much I had to learn about the music industry.By 1983 the Divinyls tour poster had had a snowball effect on my career and before long other bands were asking me to shoot their gigs. One day I walked into the offices of the free paper On The Street, then in its infancy and long before the term street press had ever been coined. I started getting work through the paper.About a week before I went to “On The Street”, Margaret Cott, now publisher of “The Drum Media”, had just started as a layout girl and so began a professional relationship with her which lasts to this day. Within a year Margaret had become editor and I was photographing anything that moved, anywhere, anytime. All this and I was still working full-time at the Gazebo.It was 1985 and for a short period of time during that year I got married. My wife was Swedish (and to my knowledge still is) but I won't go into the topic any further other than to say she now lives in Sweden and I still live in Sydney. Anyway, she had suggested I head back to England and so I did, and with my few contacts in the industry I spent the summer of 1986 drinking a lot and generally having a good time going to music festivals. I went to Reading, Milton Keynes and so on, seeing tons of bands. I haven't managed to work out how to this day, but I managed to photograph Queen at Knebworth, which was a hell of an experience. I also went to Paris and New York that summer, purely as a drunken wanderlust thing as opposed to seriously pursuing anything professionally.When I got back to Australia, Mick Jagger was touring to promote his first solo album. While I was away, and unbeknownst to me, Jagger's manager, Tony King had been trying to track me down wanting to hire me as Jagger's tour photographer. To this day I have no idea who recommended me for the job but I'm extremely grateful. Eventually I made contact with Tony King and as it turned out they were not happy with whoever it was they had hired instead of me. By this stage the tour was in Melbourne so I went down and met Tony in his hotel room. I don't think I would be giving anything away when I say that Tony King is what you would describe as an effervescent gay man and when I met him he enthusiastically expounded the virtues of Sydney. “Oh I love Sydney,” he said, “so many sailors in the one city.” I thought, what have I got to do to get this gig? Tony King, it should be pointed out, is a lovely man and I have always gotten on extremely well with him on a professional basis. But that was the start of my relationship with Mick Jagger and eventually the Rolling Stones. It was an enormous break which has resulted in me touring with the Stones three times. As I've said, I have no idea how I got the gig because I was only reasonably well-known as a live photographer in Sydney at that point. And to think I nearly missed out because I was getting legless overseas!!To illustrate how absurd the music industry can be at times, at the end of tour party I could hear people behind me talking about the tour photographer and how “he's just come back from working in London, Paris and New York, don't you know”. I suddenly realised they were talking about me! Little did they know I was basically having a good time in these places and not doing the glamorous jobs they imagined.As a consequence of the Jagger gig I toured in the same year with Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac. I wasn't any better as a photographer but once I had gigs of that calibre in my CV I looked so much better. That period was the beginning of my first break.It was 1988 and with these three enormous gigs under my belt I was going out at least five nights a week just to see bands. I'd worked out by now what having my name on the door actually meant so I was saving myself a small fortune. The Sydney scene during this time was fertile. There were great bands in great venues happening every night of the week; a favourable environment in which to grow as a rock'n'roll photographer.More breaks came my way in the early 1990s. I did a book called Still Noise with four other photographers, the album cover photography for Tommy Emmanuel's Dare To Be Different and the Beasts of Bourbon's Black Milk. It was all moving along quite nicely in a relatively short period of time. I'm proud of both those album covers because they're so radically different. Tommy Emmanuel's album was so obviously mainstream and commercial while the Beasts of Bourbon was very inner city and independent, and that's one of the things I love about working in the music industry – one minute you can be working with somebody like Lucinda Williams and the next minute working with the likes of Slipknot. They're vastly different performers with vastly different personalities to be captured through the lens. But I digress.I guess the next major event that boosted my career was the start of the Big Day Out in 1992. In the late 80s and early 90s I'd been regularly heading over to Europe and the US every couple of years to check out the summer music festivals. I really couldn't understand why Australia didn't have its own version of the UK's Reading or Glastonbury festivals. Being staged in the UK, when those festivals take place, it's an added bonus when it doesn't rain, so why, with our weather and talented bands, why should we miss out??Enter Ken West. Obviously Ken had been to these festivals, too, and had some thoughts about doing an Australian festival, and so began the Big Day Out. He's now one of the most respected promoters in the country and the Big Day Out is highly regarded both here and overseas. It became very successful very quickly and in the space of four years was at the same level as the festivals in the UK. So the Big Day Out was a valuable break for me. Every year I go on the road with the Big Day Out as it tours around Australia. This means I get to build a rapport with the bands I shoot, which is a luxury not often afforded a photographer.It's always easier to work with people who you feel relaxed with and vice versa. I don't work like a fashion photographer – I've never treated a musician as a model. A lot of photographers do because they presume there's a lot of glamour involved. Musicians are not thespians and they're not models so you need to build a rapport with them. Musicians can often feel uncomfortable in front of the camera, so relaxing them is an imperative. Obviously I'm referring to session work here. Live is a completely different kettle of fish. The disadvantage of doing sessions is that the artist is doing something that doesn't come naturally to them. The advantage is that you as the photographer have complete control over the environment, things like lighting. The difficulty is getting the artist comfortable. The live situation is the opposite, the artist is in their natural environment but the photographer is not, you have no control over the lighting and so on. The quality of your shots is reliant on the lighting guy and the movement of the artist.Eye contact is vital in photography. If you take a photo of someone and their eyes are out of focus the whole shot lacks impact. That's how people look at photos, through the eyes of the subject. The eye is all important. In a live situation the subject is more than likely not looking at you, and there's also the bloody ever present microphone getting in the way. In total I've had over 30,000 photographs published, the result of some 2,500 sessions and countless live shows, which have become 400 posters, 450 cd or vinyl covers and over 800 magazine front covers, and I'm still counting. It seems an age has passed since Vince Lovegrove used my shot of Chrissy Amphlett as a tour poster. I guess it has been a long time. Certainly much has happened and I've managed to collect some stories that I think are vaguely intresting along the way – some are downright bizarre and I hope you enjoy them.Oh, and why did I change my name from Moulds to Mott? Well, when I first got a photo credit Moulds didn't look so groovy so I had to come up with an alternative. I looked to the most influential band in my life, Mott the Hoople. The next decision was Tony Mott or Tony Hoople. I went for the former.Everyone should have a Mott the Hoople. In my formative years in college they were the only band that I related to lyrically.They delved into social, political and more general matters, not to mention being a dynamic live act. They were punks before punk had happened, all that and glam rock as well.I've always felt music is an important medium, it can be a sanctuary when things are not so rosy, and a celebration of the joys of life, the two extremes of emotion. And that is why Mott the Hoople have been so important to me. A couple of examples of that are in 1976, when I first left England for Australia, I related to the Ian Hunter album All American Alien Boy, an album about an Englishman arriving in the US, feeling alien and yet loving it. I totally related to the sentiments. Thirty years later, when I lost my best friend who died at an early age and I was finding grief very difficult to deal with, I found solace in the Ian Hunter song “Michael Picasso”, a song about the death of his long-time best friend and David Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson. That's why I believe music is so powerful and important. Everyone should have a Mott the Hoople.

Australian music legend Marcia Hines stops by Ramble City. We cover starting her career in Boston USA, moving to Australia, Gospel music, Woodstock, performing in Hair music at 16(!), what she would do starting out in the business today and lots more!RAMBLE CITY is hosted by award wining Singer/songwriter Bradley McCaw, musing on art & life with artists & sportspeople from around the people. Welcome to RAMBLE CITY.This interview was originally recorded in late 2021. Follow Brad everywhere @bradleymccawofficialBrought to by True Arts Podcast NetworkCreated, produced, hosted & engineered by Bradley McCaw.Original sound design by Matt Erskine at Crosspoint SolutionsOriginal Video designed by Adam Shaw at Axis Productions Theme composed by James RyanWatch video of this episodeListen to Marcia Hines'Once We Get Started'Listen to Bradley McCawFollow Brad everywhere @bradleymccawofficialBrought to by True Arts Podcast NetworkThis interview was originally recorded in late 2021. Created, produced, hosted & engineered by Bradley McCaw.Original sound design by Matt Erskine at Crosspoint SolutionsOriginal Video designed by Adam Shaw at Axis Productions Theme composed by James RyanAbout Marica Hines: Australia's beloved musical treasure Marcia Hines, with a career spanning five decades, has released 22 albums, selling 2.6 million copies, and has garnered countless chart-topping singles and multiplatinum records globally.Marcia is an inspiration to women and Australians everywhere, constantly reinventing herself and setting industry benchmarks. She moved from Boston Massachusetts to Sydney in 1970, at just 16, to star in the Australian production of Hair and then became the first black woman to star in Jesus Christ Superstar. She is an inspiration to women and Australians everywhere, constantly reinventing herself and setting industry benchmarks.Marcia was Australian Idol's favourite judge for the original show's seven consecutive years and returns to the judging panel for the Seven Network's reboot in 2024. She was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2007 and in 2023 she received the Support Act Music in the House Award for Excellence in the Community. This award and the Order of Australia (AM) received in 2009 acknowledged her services to the Australian entertainment industry as a performer, judge, mentor and the extraordinary contribution she has made to the community through a range of charitable organisations.Since 2015 Marcia has starred in the circus/burlesque/discotheque spectacular Velvet, directed by Craig Ilott and now a global success story with shows running in Europe and North America. Velvet morphed into Velvet Rewired in 2023 and Marcia reprised her role in a sell-out Australian tour that included eight weeks at the Sydney Opera House. There have been other productions including Pigalle for the Sydney Festival, Saturday Night Fever at Sydney's Lyric Theatre, and in 2020 she became ‘The Dragon' in the Australian season of Shrek The Musical. In January 2024 Marcia will return to the theatre stage in the role of Teen Angel in the new John Frost/Crossroads Live production of Grease.It has now been over 50 years since Marcia first arrived for Hair and to celebrate this extraordinary career, ABC Records has released ‘Still Shining', a 22-song celebration of her amazing journey. From ‘Fire and Rain' to ‘What I Did For Love' to ‘From The Inside' to elegant, up tempo discotheque standards like ‘You' and ‘Your Love Still Brings Me To My Knees', ‘Still Shining' is a fitting tribute to a great Australian. There are also two new songs produced by the LA-based Australian producer/composer, Michael Fatkin.A new album ‘The Gospel According to Marcia', celebrating Marcia's musical roots and memories from her childhood in Boston and her early experiences with gospel music is released on Friday 3 November through ABC Records.It is a story of strength, commitment and relationship to an audience that has loved and admired her from the day she first arrived and became part of Australian culture. Marcia Hines is a wonder to behold and remains at the very forefront of modern musical endeavour.

This an announcement pod! Bradley McCaw is back with another rambling season! After a two year break ‘Ramble City' is returning to your podcast feed.Follow Brad everywhere @bradleymccawofficialProduced by True Arts Podcast NetworkCreated, produced, hosted & engineered by Bradley McCaw.Original sound design by Matt Erskine at Crosspoint SolutionsOriginal Video designed by Adam Shaw at Axis Productions Theme composed by James Ryan

Blake Dantier picks his TOP FIVE Australian Drinking Songs inspired by the release of his debut album DRY SEASON. The guys break down songs from Cold Chisel, AC/DC, Slim Dusty & more.Listen to "TOP FIVE" & Blake DantierListen to Bradley McCawJoin BRAD'S PLACE (Newsletter)Blake Dantier's WebsiteProduced by OFM (Old Fashioned Media)Created, produced and hosted by Bradley McCawEnginnered by Kayna StattsEditted by K-Leb AisbettSound designed by Matt Erskine at Cross Point Solutions And Original Video designed by Adam Shaw at Axis Productions Theme composed by James Ryan

James Johnston talks parenthood and it inspiring his latest single. Brad invents a game called “ARE YOU CONCERNED?” before discussing the 2022 Tamworth Country Music Festival. Listen to "Anything Like Me"James Johnston WebsiteListen to Bradley McCawJoin BRAD'S PLACE (Newsletter)Tamworth Country Music FestivalProduced by OFM (Old Fashioned Media)Created, produced and hosted by Bradley McCawEnginnered by Kayna StattsEditted by K-Leb AisbettSound designed by Matt Erskine at Cross Point Solutions And Original Video designed by Adam Shaw at Axis Productions Theme composed by James Ryan

The Tenor From Oz - Paul Tabone talks about the death of classical music, his 1600+ performances on London's West End in “Phantom of the Opera” and THIS IS ME, his latest album.Listen to THIS IS MEPaul's Tour Dates, Upcoming Performances Who is Hal PrinceNewsletter - Join "Brad's Place"More about Bradley McCawTickets to Phantom of The Opera in SydneyProduced by OFM (Old Fashioned Media)Created, produced and hosted by me Bradley McCawEnginnered by Kayna StattsEditted by K-Leb AisbettSound designed by Matt Erskine at Cross Point Solutions And Original Video designed by Adam Shaw at Axis Productions Theme composed by James Ryan

Adam Harvey discuss his TOP FIVE Adam Harvey Songs. After selling half a million records, being nominated five times for an ARIA Music Award and winning eight golden guitars at the Country Music Awards of Australia he faces his toughest test… picking five favourites from his own catalogue and sharing stories from an incredible career. Listen to "Adam's Harvey Top Five"Adam Harvey WebsiteAdam Harvey Tour DatesListen to Bradley McCawJoin BRAD'S PLACE (Newsletter)Produced by OFM (Old Fashioned Media)Created, produced and hosted by Bradley McCawEnginnered by Kayna StattsEditted by K-Leb AisbettSound designed by Matt Erskine at Cross Point Solutions And Original Video designed by Adam Shaw at Axis Productions Theme composed by James Ryan

Jose McLaughlin stops by to chat about his incredible career, starting with piano in the family home, travelling the world as a recording artist and pop star, and being a part of the 1960's Mersey Beat Scene, that British invasion that gave us acts like The Beatles. I start by asking Jose about his home town and what it was like growing up in Liverpool… Before The Beatles…Purchase Jose McLaughlin's bookEpisode Transcripts available hereQuick outline of Mersey Beat & Liverpool Music hereMusic from the episodeJoin Brad's NewsletterProduced by OFM (Old Fashioned Media)Created, produced and hosted by me Bradley McCawEnginnered by Kayna StattsEditted by The Great K-LebSound designed by Matt Erskine at Cross Point Solutions And Original Video designed by Adam Shaw at Axis Productions Theme composed by James Ryan

Jem Cassar-Daily stops by to discuss break up songs and her brand new single LIKE IT MORE. Brad presents what he believes are the top five elements to any break up song as they dig into Jem's new song.Follow Brad on FacebookListen to LIKE IT MOREJem Tour DatesListen to Bradley McCawPlaylist - Find music from the show Produced & Created by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsEngineered by Kayna StattsTheme composed by James Ryan

Bradley McCaw and Ramble City leave an end of year message to wish you and all of your family a wonderful holiday season this year.Whatever you celebrate, wherever you are listening to this - all of the team at Ramble City would love to thank you for listening and sharing in 2021!We will be back with new episodes at the end of January. So stay subscribed enjoy your New Years and then be back here to celebrate with us. We have some amazing guests lined up in 2022. James Morrison. Louie Shelton. Marcia Hines. Russell Morris. The list keeps going. A quick heads up we will be doing some website work over the break so be sure to check you are still subscribed in the new year - just in case the internet decides to play silly buggers…We will be making some changes to the show format next year. It will be just as interesting just as fun - but we can't wait to have more music, more guests, more interesting stories and above all more Rambling. See you in 2022 folks!Don't forget to follow me everywhere @bradleymccawofficial and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!Listen to Bradley McCawHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsAssistant Engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James RyanProduced by Old Fashioned Media.

For some of us 2021 was the first time we had heard the name Charlie Watts. But for others he had always been that drummer sitting at the back of the Rolling Stones - a man who lived a life almost at opposites with everything we know about the Stones. A man that scaled the heights of Rock n roll while wearing a tailor made three piece suit. Todays guest is Alan Clayson, English singer-songwriter, author and music journalist. Starting his career as the leader of 70s rock band, he would eventually establish himself as a prolific writer of music biographies covering Beatles, The Stones, Roy Orbison, Led Zeppelin, the list goes on! In short Alan knows his rock n roll and it was so much fun to just chew into some history and crazy rock n roll stories with him. We recorded this just after Charlie Watts passing in late 2021, and we talk about Charlie Watts career and life as a jazz drummer who found himself outrageously successful playing music he had never planned too with the Stones - we cover some outrageous facts and stories of Rock n roll life how Charlie and Mick where kind of two ends of the spectrum and we dig into how Alan writes and selects his musical subjects.Don't forget to follow me everywhere @bradleymccawofficial and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!Alan Clayson WebsiteListen of Alan Clayson's BooksListen to Charlie WattsListen to The Rolling StonesListen to Bradley McCawHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsAssistant Engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James RyanProduced by Old Fashioned Media.

Have you ever wondered what goes on inside a great rock n roll band? How and why do they stay together? How do they keep the magic alive? And where does all that great music come from? Todays guest are Ian Haug and Steve Bishop, two thirds of Brisbane band The Predators - who with John Collins - were the three founding members of drum roll… one rock group called Powderfinger. In this chat recorded just prior to their debut album EVERYBODY LOVES release in 2021 - we dig into their early days in the flourishing Brisbane music scene in the late 80s and 90 also known as BUMS - you'll understand that later… they talk about Powderfingers formation and the early days of gigging before discussing what makes a band tick, what kind of animal predator I would be and what brought them back together to make music as the The Predators today.Before we get to it don't forget to follow us wherever you get your podcasts - or subscribe to the show on Youtube. You can follow me @bradleymccawoffficial everywhere you get socials and why not share this episode with a friend. Yeah that sounds lovely… I bet they'll love it. We kick off Ian and Steve talking about the early days of Powderfinger and my receiving what I thought was the coolest press release in our shows history. Listen to 'Everybody Loves"Listen to Bradley McCawListen to PowderfingerHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsAssistant Engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

What does that term ‘artist' mean? How and where do we learn how to be one? And how do artists actually support themselves and others in a community and business that can be isolating, competitive and ultimately terribly rewarding and meaningful. Todays guest is Tyran Park Australia's award-winning singer, actor, director and recording artist. He is currently the Head of Music Theatre at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), the Executive Producer of the Australian Musical Theatre Festival and the Artistic Director of Clovelly Fox Theatre Company.This chat recorded in his office at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, 2019 is one of the more personal episodes we have released so far. This chat that does focus more on theatre and musical theatre - we dig deep into how we feel about writing, being artists, making art in Australia.We take turns name dropping some of our favourite colleagues and idols including Hal Prince, and explore how the greats develop their skills and relationships, while making art they are proud of. If you are enjoying the program maybe take a moment to go follow wherever you get your podcasts! Don't forget to share this with a friend or enemy - nothing better than helping someone you dislike with a great program they might fall in in love wit.And a quick side note, I do reference my first musical here BECOMING BILL - if you want to hear more about that or listen you'll find al that in the show notes.Quick story, this episode started with Tyran and I chatting on the phone for hours about a project I was trying to create. I was in a airport bar, waiting for a flight and it was such a fun and informative chat I asked if he would come on the show. I'm so thrilled he agreed. Although, I didn't expect to start with me asking about a list on the wall of his office… “5 performers that can chat and cry at the same time.” Listen to Becoming BillMore about TyranWho is Hal Prince?More about BradleyProduced by Old Fashioned StudiosHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsStory Producer & additional engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

Part Two of our ramble chat with Award winning Alan Clarke: DIRE STRAITS ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME MEMBER, MULTIPLE GRAMMY, BRITS & MTV AWARDS WINNER. If you haven't heard the first part of this chat I highly recommend you go back and start at the beginning no cheating! to those that have - welcome back it's good to see you… we pick things up, digging into the classic 1985 Dire Straits album: Brothers in Arms that spent 14 weeks at number one in UK, nine weeks at number one in the US & 34 weeks at number one on the Australian Albums Chart. I couldn't wait to discover every detail about the recording, the writing, how the band created one of the most iconic and beloved albums of all time and Alan gives us some incredible stories about behind the scenes- even how Mark Kopher came up with that iconic Money for Nothing guitar sound - but I won't ruin it - lets just get into it… This is Part 2 with Alan Clarke.Todays two part chat features Award winning MUSICIAN/PRODUCER/COMPOSER Alan Clarke: DIRE STRAITS ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME MEMBER, MULTIPLE GRAMMY, BRITS & MTV AWARDS WINNER have sold an estimated 100 million units worldwide, including 51.4 million certified units, making them one of the best-selling music artists of the 20th century. Don't forget to follow me everywhere @bradleymccawofficial and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!Listen to Alan ClarkListen to Dire StraitsListen to Bradley McCawHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsAssistant Engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

How did a 13 year old musician playing hammond organ in working clubs of North East London go on to tour the world and create some of the most beloved rock albums of the 1980's?Todays two part chat features Award winning MUSICIAN/PRODUCER/COMPOSER Alan Clarke: DIRE STRAITS ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME MEMBER, MULTIPLE GRAMMY, BRITS & MTV AWARDS WINNER have sold an estimated 100 million units worldwide, including 51.4 million certified units, making them one of the best-selling music artists of the 20th century. In this brilliant chat taken online in early 2021, Alan shares stories of his early years, rehearsing and creating music with Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits, touring with Eric Clapton band, and oh so many incredible stories in this episode folks… that we had to put it into two episodes… one for now and the one right below for later!Don't forget to follow me everywhere @bradleymccawofficial and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!We begin in London, with young Alan finding his instrument - the very rare Hammond organ - in a shop window literally down the street from his school scoring his first gig at 13.Listen to Alan ClarkListen to Dire StraitsListen to Bradley McCawHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsAssistant Engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

How do you make a new record during, what my next guest calls his “grumpy old man stage?” Recorded during the 2020/21 covid epidemic and it's series of lockdowns, he discovered a surprise romanticism and joy, inspired by a cynicism he felt looking at the things we become as people as a community.. and as a music business. Todays guest is Shane Nicholson the Australian singer-songwriter from Brisbane. He's released 11 albums, won 3 ARIA Awards, 11 Golden Guitars, and has twice been named Producer of the Year at the Country Music Awards of Australia. He's collaborated on incredible music with Kasey Chambers and Paul Kelly and we chat on the phone just prior to the launch of his 2021 album LIVING IN COLOUR. Our Ramble chat makes all the stops - chatting about some of his favourites on the new record, finding Harvest on vinyl and it inspiring a cracker song, crossing paths with Paul Kelly in random places around the world - and how he rents Airbnbs for the night to find time to write songs.Don't forget to follow my everywhere @bradleymccawofficial and check out my new album on Spotify and Apple Music. Share us with a friend and follow whenever you get your podcasts!We start with us discussing the joy of chatting on the phone - with no video - before getting to what it was like making this new brilliant record - on his own in lockdown - I wondered if it took him back to the start of his career in Brisbane, starting out on his own.Listen to LIVING IN COLOURShane Nicholson 2022 Tour DatesListen to Bradley McCawHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsAssistant Engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Making a good record. Is really hard… There are so many choices to make… Think about it? Which song do you record? Which studio? What band? What are you having for lunch? The options are endless!And what if this album would be the first, in 17 years. Todays guest are Vika & Linda - one of Australia's most iconic vocal duos. Coming to prominence singing in Joe Camilleri's band The Black Sorrows they went solo in 1994 and released a run of albums, receiving aria noms, a number one record - and continued to feature on some other pretty cool albums with Ross Wilson, Hunter & Collectors, Archie Roach, John Farnham, Deborah Conway and more!We recorded this chat - this year - yes this is a fresh one folks just prior to the release of ‘The Wait' their brand new record that is available now. And we take a deep dive into how Vika and Linda make a record. It's a really fun and interesting look behind the recording process. A quick reminder to follow me everywhere @bradleymccawofficialAnd check our our show notes for links to where to listen to THE WAIT and current tour dates for 2022!Check out new music from my upcoming solo record produced by Louie Shelton and bass legend Nathan East… But we kick off the ramble proceedings with just how much has happened in the last 17 years and eventually get to the important things like lunch in the studio… When the best time to record is during covid and sitting in with Billy Joel's band while on tour with the Piano Man himself. Listen to THE WAITVika & Linda Tour DatesListen to Bradley McCawHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsAssistant Engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

To say South Africa, has a strong history of song and dance… is a pretty big understatement. And few acts from the country have been as beloved or successful as the Soweto Gospel Choir.Todays guest is SHIMMY JIYANE a singer, dancer, choir master, choreographer and a Founding Member with the choir.We recorded this episode backstage at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in 2019 just prior to a performance by the choir.Soweto Gospel Choir have five grammy nominations, three 3 wins and have performed alongside some of the music businesses who's who: Bono, Aretha Franklin Stevie Wonder the list goes on… Don't forget to follow Bradley everywhere @bradleymccawofficialCheck out his new record featuring Musicians Hall of Fame Louie Shelton & Bass legend Nathan East. Sign up to the mailing list for cool things and more episodes www.bradleymccawofficial.comSoweto Gospel Choir WebsiteListen to the Soweto Gospel ChoirListen to Bradley McCawBradley's websiteProduced by Old Fashioned StudiosHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsStory Producer & additional engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

She's known to millions around the world as the "Angel of Australia" - the name given to her by that famous Dutch violinist, André Rieu. But today, she joins us for a good old Ramble Chat!Todays guests is the one and only Mirusia, Australian born Soprano with Dutch heritage that made her name touring the world with Andre Rieu before a flourishing solo career put her CD's and DVD's at number one on the Australian ARIA charts.We sit down in Brisbane Australia, pre-covid, to discuss her Opera career, performing stadium-size concerts all over the world… we even explore the differences between being Dutch and Australian… in a very silly game I invent called “How do I say this in Dutch” - spoilers I rarely things correctly. Quick reminder… follow us wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes every Friday. And check out what I'm up to at Bradleymccawofficial on Instagram and Facebook. Oh also go check out the music from my new Album featuring music legends Louie Shelton (from Monkees, Lionel Ritchie & Jacksons) and Nathan East (Daft Punk, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins). Don't forget to share this episode with a friend AND visit the show notes for links to Mirusia's music, tours and latest releases. In fact her new live CD and DVD is gorgeous so definitely check that out. This was a blast to record and think you're really going to enjoy it so let's get into it. We kick off talking about a charity Mirusia is passionate about the ACMF - and the personal adversity she overcame to become the youngest ever recipient of the prestigious Dame Joan Sutherland Opera Award and then, well… everything else that followed. Mirusia's WebsiteListen to MirusiaFind out more about the ACMFListen to Mirusia's latest LIVE ALBUMListen to Bradley McCawBradley's websiteProduced by Old Fashioned StudiosHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsStory Producer & additional engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

What do you love about music? What are your favourite records? Have you ever felt like a song has saved your life?For Andrew Stafford, todays guest… music did just that… and in his words… because those who can't play music review it, he has carved out a career writing about music instead. Andrew Stafford is a freelance journalist and the author of Pig City, a celebrated musical and political history of Brisbane. He has written for The Age, The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald among others. And In 2019 we sat down in his Brisbane home, surrounded by a pretty incredible record collection to talk about his second book, a beautiful and incredibly moving memoir called SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN.In our chat we cover what makes a great song, some of our favourite records, another classic book/film High Fidelity, and we start with me asking him to describe the very intimidating record collection stacked up around us.Buy Something To Believe InAndrew's WebsiteProduced by Old Fashioned StudiosHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsStory Producer & additional engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

How does an one of Australia's leading performer/composers in the classical world use the didgeridoo, an Indigenous Australian wind instrument, dating back over 1000 years, to navigate a more contemporary musical styles, expanding the horizons of the instrument and the culture and landscape it represents?Todays guest is William Barton. Composer, Producer, Multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist that is widely recognised as one of Australia's leading Didgerido players and composers. He has performed with Philharmonic Orchestras of London and Berlin to historic events at Westminster Abbey for Commonwealth Day 2019 and the Beijing Olympics.But this chat takes place at the office of his publishers in 2019, in a studio in Sydney. He explore his Kalkadunga heritage, growing up on a cattle farm, and the focus or philosophy he personally uses to frame his music… His playing & artistry.Don't forget to subscribe for a new episode every single Friday. Oh and you can find out what I'm up to hear some of my new album at bradleymccawofficial.com William Barton's websiteListen to William's music on SpotifyMore about the DidgeridooProduced by Old Fashioned StudiosHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsStory Producer & additional engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

Theatre, music, film… How does an artist sell or market art in the modern age? Does “finding your audience” in quotations, all go back to the campfires our ancient ancestors sat around.Todays guest is Tim O'Connor, CEO of the Australian based Harvest Rain Theatre Company who has won awards as a director/producer working with some of Australia's most respected performers. In fact in 2014 his Arena production of CATS, starring Marina Prior turned out to be the largest production ever staged in the southern hemisphere. That's a pretty big feline.Now, this was recorded in 2019 in Brisbane Australia - yes this is another from the vault folks and as such - you'll hear I don't talk much in this episode - mostly I sit back and listen. Tim's philosophies on marketing art were thought provoking to me then and even though much has changed since - he was pretty spot on with where we finds our selves today two years on.Quick reminder to follow us where you get your podcasts for new episodes every Friday. See what I'm too on all social media channels at bradleymccawofficial and see our show notes for some links to articles by the smithosian magazine todays topic. While this chat starts with musical theatre primarily, we do branch out pretty quickly to other art forms and eventually ramble our way to Youtube and good ol fashioned audience building in the modern age. More about Tim O'ConnorSmithsonian Magazine ArticleHarvest Rain Theatre CompanyProduced by Old Fashioned StudiosHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsStory Producer & additional engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

Superheroes. Comic books. DC versus Marvel. How did these stories and characters become apart of our lives. Where did this all begin?Todays guest is Brian Salvatore the editor of (multiversitycomics.com) and host of brilliant Dc3cast… During our chat - recorded in 2021 - he outlines the evolution of the comic, from the 1930's to now, it's effect on society across time, and we go deep into the construction of DC Universe - DC being one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies.Now we explain what all this actually means… in English - don't worry… Perhaps like me you know very little about comic books - it's a brilliant story in it's own right. If you've ever wondered where these works of art came come from or how they went from a glossy publication to fighting on our cinema screens… You're in for a real treat. If you enjoy this episode please be sure to follow us wherever you get your pods and let a friend know you're listening to our show. Word of mouth really is the best way for us to reach new listeners. Also… we have a bonus TOP FIVE EPISODE just below this one where Brain recommends comics for those new to form or just starting out. So definitely check that out if you are so inspired after this chat you need to buy some of your own. Listen to DC3Cast PodcastVisit Mulitversity ComicsProduced by Old Fashioned StudiosHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsStory Producer & additional engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

Part 2 of our chat with Brain Salvatore about the History of the Comic Books. Here he lists his top five comics for new readers.Todays guest is Brian Salvatore the editor of (multiversitycomics.com) and host of brilliant Dc3cast… Check out out previous chat - just above this on our feed - that explores the evolution of the comic, from the 1930's to now, it's effect on society across time, and we go deep into the construction of DC Universe - DC being one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies.Listen to DC3Cast PodcastVisit Multiversity ComicsProduced by Old Fashioned StudiosHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsStory Producer & additional engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

Time for us to step into the world of classical music. To the world behind the baton. How does the conductor of an orchestra think about music? How do they merge those different pieces of the orchestral puzzle and combat yawning audiences, standing ovations, to create programs of music performed in venues like the Sydney Opera House - that are often just as as referred as the composers they are playing.How does historical art connect with today's community and drum roll… is music something only reserved for the elite. Or those who are best at it. Todays Ramble Chat is with Guy Noble one of Australia's most versatile conductors and musical entertainers, he has lead all the major Australian orchestras with and without performers such as The Beach Boys, Ben Folds, Randy Newman and Clive James. He has cooked on stage with Maggie Beer, and might be the only person to have ever sung the Ghostbusters theme live on stage accompanied by The Whitlams. As regular guest presenter on ABC Classic FM, writer for Limelight Magazine and presenter of inflight classical channels on airlines worldwide - he knows music - and we speak in 2019, yes two years ago, sitting opposite each other on two soft great coaches, from his house in Sydney. Listen to the GUY NOBLE RADIO SHOW on ABCGuy Noble writing for Limelight Produced by Old Fashioned StudiosHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsStory Producer & additional engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

Is all art, is in some ways manipulative? Isn't entertainment just another means to educate? Today's guest is Wesley Enoch, a writer and director that has helped shape some of Australia's most iconic and celebrated Indigenous theatre productions including “The Sapphires” the true story turned play by Tony Briggs that become a film earning 20 million at the Australian box office. It's always a real personal treat to hear about the history and background to a iconic or landmark piece of art - but this conversation showed me the different philosophies and methodologies every individual takes to shape the messages and causes they are passionate about. How art can be as Wesley suggests a “trojan horse for change…”He has worked as Artistic Director of Queensland Theatre Company, the Sydney Festival, a for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. His many original plays are celebrated pieces of Australian theatre and we chat from his office at Sydney Festival in 2019 - yes this is another one from the vault! - He ramble through his early days plying his trade, his mentor Nick Enright, the Australian playwright and director and how that infused his work and life as a director… but it comes back to the Sapphires today folks - the story of four women that travel to Vietnam to sing for troops in 1968. A true story turned play, turned film that inspired and educated many of us. Without us realising at the time. The Sapphires Film TrailerBuy The Sapphires SoundtrackWriter of the play TONY BRIGGS talks about previous Australian productionWesley Enoch's PlaysProduced by Old Fashioned StudiosHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsStory Producer & additional engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

How do the great producers make great albums possible? What skills do they need? How do they communicate or plan or simply capture great music? Today's guest is a veteran of the music industry. As a producer, musician, engineer, composer - he is quite simply prolific in every sense of the word.Patrick Hamilton, is the son of two musicians, was classically trained before becoming a session musician for many of Belgians leading artists. This lead to work as a producer and writer with multiple #1 singles and gold & platinum albums.Our chat recorded in 2021 explores his early days in Belgium, making incredibly successful albums with Katherine Jenkins, his mindset and process as a producer and musician, and his new career as a solo artist with millions of streams to his name thus far. We cover so and so much more about the music business in general and his career to date.Listen to Patrick HamiltonListen to Katherine JenkinsProduced by Old Fashioned StudiosHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsStory Producer & additional engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

How does an award-winning country artist turn independent after 20 years, and use crowdfunding to create her new album, taking control of a career. And in the process preserving a legacy for herself and her family. Today's guest is Catherine Britt and Australian country music artist, whose long list of credits include Aria nomination, CMAA Country Music Awards. Multiple golden guitar Awards. She's worked with Kasey Chambers. Poor Kelly Dolly, Parton. Keith Urban, but in our chat recorded online in 2021, we discussed the music business, her latest album, hitting the road, which we would later discover would be affected by covid border closures. So please check our website for the updates on that. But we kick off the chat in Newcastle, Australia as a seventeen-year-old, being discovered by Sir Elton John!Upcoming guests include musician Hall of Fame Musician LOUIE SHELTON, Dire Straits Keyboardist ALAN CLARK, singer/songwriter BOB EVANS, Writer/Director WESLEY ENOCH, Hall of Fame Poker Player Marsha Waggoner and so many more!Listen to Home Truths (Spotify)Current Catherine Britt Tour DatesCatherine's WesbiteHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsAssistant Engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

How does an American Blues musician navigate art, faith, business and racism during a career that spans almost 70 years and after everything, end up one of the last of the first True Blues Masters on the planet. Bobby Rush is our guest today and he's won 12 Blues Music, Awards, and in 2017, at the age of 83. Yes, 83 (!), won his first Grammy award for "Porcupine Meat." Celebrating the release of his new memoir “I Ain't Studdin' Ya" Bobby stops by ramble City to share stories from his incredible career working alongside many of the ‘greats' from the American Music tradition and some of his personal views and philosophies on life and music. Rolling Stone Magazine called him, "The King of the Chitlin Circuit" because of his 50 years of Relentless touring.Buy "I AIN'T STUDDIN' YA"Listen to BOBBY RUSHChitlin' CircuitTranscriptsUpcoming guests include musician Hall of Fame Musician LOUIE SHELTON, singer/songwriter BOB EVANS, Writer/Director WESLEY ENOCH, Hall of Fame Poker Player Marsha Waggoner and so many more!Produced by Old Fashioned StudiosHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsAssistant Engineering by Gilang CandradityaTheme composed by James Ryan

Tyrone Noonan is an Aria Award winning Australian musician, and original member of celebrated Brisbane band GeorgeWhen a small group of Brisbane musicians, featuring siblings Katie & Tyrone Noonan form a small band during high school, no one expected years later to be Aria Winners and one of only ten Australian bands to debut at number one on the Aria charts.Special mention here to the other members of GEORGE Geoff Green on drums and percussion, Paulie Bromley on bass guitar and Nick Stewart on acoustic and electric guitar. Geoff Hooton, a bass guitar player, left the band in early 2000.This conversation took place to celebrate the bands Twenty year reunion performance at Brisbane Powerhouse. Tickets available hereListen to Tyrone NoonanListen to GEORGE

Marsha Waggoner, an Australian born American professional poker player whose long and storied career has landed her in the Women's Poker Hall of Fame. Despite playing as a young child, her career started by chance, originally entering casinos as the very first female black jack dealer in Australia - with countless tournaments to her belt, including World Series of Poker tournament, placings and wins, she had chips printed with her face on it, and witnessed the changing face of poker over the last forty years.More about MarshaPoker chips with Marsha's face printed on themWorld Series of PokerProduced by Old Fashioned StudiosHosted by Bradley McCawSound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point SolutionsTheme composed by James Ryan

Alexander Sage Oyen is an American musical theatre writer/actor/singer. Playbill magazine called him “one of the contemporary musical theatre writers YOU SHOULD KNOW” and he selected Mac Miller's “Circles” as this episodes CLASSIC ALBUM. Mac Miller s a grammy-nominated hip-hop artist whose difficult career spanned multiple styles, or iterations. We focus on his career, his battle with celebrity, his superstar album, producer / film composer John Brion and more.A quick disclaimer: Neither of us knew Mac personally. So everything here, is a result of research - obviously. Mac Miller's story is so interesting, and inspiring. It was a story I personally didn't know before recording this episode.Episode Transcripts available hereListen to Mac Miller's CIRCLESBuy Alexander's music!NPR Tiny Desk Live Concert Mac MillerAll things JON BRION

The very first conversation recorded for RAMBLE CITY: JOSE MCLAUGHLIN, a mulit-instrumentalist, composer, and former member of world-famous pop group Gerry and the Pacemakers. He's worked with The Doobie Brothers, Chuck Berry, Peter Allen, James Morrison, Bo Diddley and so many many more. Purchase Jose McLaughlin's bookEpisode Transcripts available hereQuick outline of Mersey Beat & Liverpool Music hereProduced by Old Fashioned Studios. Hosted by Bradley McCaw. Sound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point Solutions. Theme composed by James Ryan

Welcome… To Ramble City. A new podcast hosted by Bradley McCaw. Where artists and thinkers from around the globe, muse on art, sport and show business. Sound design by Matt Erskine & Cross Point Solutions. Theme music composed by James Ryan.