13th Floor MusicTalk

The Veils are on the verge of releasing their 8th album, Fragile World, recorded live to tape at Roundhead Studios in Auckland. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Finn Andrews, just days after he became a dad for the second time, about the advantages of recording "live to tape", his relationship with his own father and labouring under the weight of this Fragile World.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Damned drummer Rat Scabies who was breakfasting at home. Rat sheds some light on how and why they decided to shake things up 50 years ago…what it was like working with producers Nick Lowe and Shel Talmy…and the significance of their recent headlining show at the OVO Arena at Wembley.

Joan As Police Woman is about to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her debut album with Real Life Evolution...new versions of old songs, re-imagined and re-recorded.The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Joan, who was home in New York City, about how and why she decided to re-make Real Life, including recording one track in New Zealand with Iggy Pop. Joan talks about joining Iggy's band, her upcoming shows at Joe's Pub and the joy of creating something from nothing.

The founding member and front man for Silversun Pickups is anticipating his first show in New Zealand as the Tenterhooks Tour travels Down Under in July.The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Brian Aubert about the band's 25 year career arc...about working with ace producer Butch Vig...and performing at Ringo Starr's birthday party.

Red Rockers came to us from New Orleans by way of San Fransisco becoming part of the West Coast punk scene that included The Dead Kennedys, Wire Train, Romeo Void and Translator. Marty Duda spoke to bass player and songwriter Darren Hill about their 2023 reunion that resulted in this new album and concert video titled It's In Our Blood. Darren reveals how he felt about being called the "American Clash" by Lester Bangs and what it was like managing The 13th Floor Elevators' Roky Erickson.

Peter Case has released a new live album, My Life To Live: Peter Case at McCabe's. And what a life he's lived!Marty Duda tracked Peter down to his home in San Francisco just as the 72 year-old "song performer" came off the road...but only briefly.Listen and watch as Peter talks about the fine art of talking to an audience, his days with The Nerves and The Plimsouls and how he has become a "full service songwriter".

Austin psych-meisters The Black Angels are heading down under!The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to head Angel Alex Mass about celebrating 20 years of their debut album, Passover, and how they have become both afraid and powerful at the same time.

Matt Berninger, the voice of The National, is coming down under, playing solo shows at the Sydney Opera House and Auckland's Holy Trinity Cathedral.The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Matt, who was home in Connecticut, about what National fans can expect, why earplugs will not be necessary and what new songs we might be privy to.

ELskan FLY is Shelley Wyatt, a Canadian-born singer-songwriter now based in Kirwee, on New Zealand's South Island.The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Shelley about making her new album, Lion Den and what brought her from the "prairie seas" of Manitoba to the Canterbury plains.

Teddy Thompson has just released Never Be The Same, his first collection of new, original songs in six years.The 13th Floor's Marty Duda found Teddy at home in Brooklyn just as the new album was about to "drop". Watch and listen as Teddy talks about Crowded House, David Mansfield and...cake.

The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Suzanne about returning to Auckland, where she and her now-ex husband Mitchell Froom spent some quality time with Neil Finn years ago. Mitchell is now a member of Crowded House and Suzanne is preparing to make her way back to New Zealand. Marty touches on a number of topics with Suzanne including the time she was interviewed by Lou Reed on MTV (they talked about The Rainbow Warrior), almost sharing jury duty with Patti Smith, writing a song about Lucinda Williams along with her favourite version of Tom's Diner...we don't think you'll guess.

London-based sonic outfit Public Service Broadcasting will enter New Zealand’s orbit, performing music from their latest album The Last Flight at Auckland's Powerstation.The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to founding member J. Willgoose, Esq. about the band's exploits since they were last here in 2018 and what they have up their collective sleeves this time around.In this special tour, Public Service Broadcasting will perform music from across their celebrated catalogue including Inform-Educate-Entertain, The Race For Space, Every Valley, Bright Magic and the spectacular BBC Proms-recorded This New Noise.

Direct from Nashville, by way of Sandy Hook, Kentucky (pop. 641)…here is Leah Blevins to talk about her new, Dan Auerbach-produced album, All Dressed Up.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Leah….who is now based in Nashville…just as All Dressed Up hit the streets. Watch and listen as she tells up about growing up in Sandy Hook, working with The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and opening for The Black Crowes.

Gary Klebe is a founding member of power-pop pioneers, Shoes. Forty-nine years after their debut album was released, Gary has finally made his solo debut with a long-player called Out Loud.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda found Gary at home in Zion, Illinois to find out why he went solo after all these years and what is the status of Shoes.

After just entering his 40s, Ali Whitton has released his debut solo album today, titled Between The Forest And The Stars…10 original songs co-produced by Dave Khan and Reb Fountain.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Ali from his home in Wellington, just before the big day, and found out that the Kiwi/Brit was thinking about throwing in the towel and concentrating on gardening. Fortuately for us, he had a change of heart. Watch and listen to find out why.

Sparks is coming to New Zealand for the first time in their 55+ year career...how and why have the Mael Brothers covered so much musical territory and managed to remain vital? Ron Mael tells all. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda has been a fan of Sparks since he saw them in concert in 1975. So he had a lot of questions for older Mael brother Ron. At age 80, and with no sign of slowing down, Ron fields questions about aging, seeing The Beatles (twice), working with Georgio Moroder and admiring Muhammad Ali.

With The Waterboys slated to start touring in May with dates throughout New Zealand and Australia, we figured it was time to catch up with head Waterboy Mike Scott. The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda found Scott in Dublin where he had plenty to say….about Dennis Hopper, Steve Earle, Fisherman’s Blues and trolling through 80 reels of tape. Be sure to catch the band on tour…they are on fire!

Are you ready for Mogan David and The Winos? The band was formed in LA over 50 years ago by a group of University students who would become movers and shakers and the music biz. Now, their own music is available on Liberation Hall and its called, Savage Young Winos.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Harold Bronson who, in addition to being a founding member of the Winos, co-founded Rhino Records with Richard Foos…another Wino…and has also become a respected music journalist. Other members of the band have gone on to become bigwigs at Columbia and Warner Brothers Records, while another is a New York Times best-selling author. So, how did this scuffy group of underachievers get started? Here is Harold Bronson with their story.

Coromandel-based electronic artist Matt Sephton has just released a new album titled, Vā, 11 tracks made from field recordings, found sounds, hydrophone experiments, collaborations with the land and people and bass heavy electronic production.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda found Matt at home on the eve of release day and talked to him about how he has become a “sound weaver”.

Veteran Dunedin artist J Callander (Jeremy to his friends) has just released Shadows In The Shade, an impressive collection of original music he calls, "Outlaw Space Rock".The 13th Floor's Marty Duda found Jeremy in his music room in Dunedin ready to talk about writing and recording Shadows In The Shade and how he turned Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel into Outlaw Space Rock.

Texas-based band Voxtrot is back with their second album in just two decades. What have they been doing all that time? Bandleader Ramesh Srivastava is here to explain all.The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Ramesh just as the new album, Dreamers In Exile, was due to be "dropped". Ramesh was home in Lockhart, Texas, the self-proclaimed "BBQ Capital Of Texas", where he opens up about how this long-awaited second album finally came to be.

Veteran Americana band The Long Ryders have just released their new studio album, High Noon Hymns.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to founding member Sid Griffin about a range of subjects…everything from politics to mortality to rock & roll cliches to becoming Vanilla Ice.

Em Beihold is finally about to release her debut album, Tales Of A Failed Shapeshifter, nine long years her debut EP. Along the way there have been some ups and downs.The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Em a few days before Tales Of A Failed Shsapeshifter was about to drop. Here she is explaing why the process took so long, how she dealt with writer's block and why she enjoys a bit of monobob.

Iron & Wine are about to release a new album titled Hen’s Teeth and play dates in Australia and New Zealand.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Sam Beam about making Hen’s Teeth simultaneously with his previous album, about writing Grace Notes and what we can look forward to when the live show comes down under.

Ex-pat Kiwi singer/songwriter Hemi Hemingway has just released his second album, Wings Of Desire, and moved back to New Zealand after an extended stay in London.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Hemi on release day and asked what brought him back, what inspired his musical evolution and what he plans next.

Bic Runga has just released her first new album in 15 years. It's called Red Sunset, and this time around the 20-time Tui Award winner has made a record with "modest expectations".The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Bic on the eve of release day and just after a Lorde concert. Listen as Bic reviews Lorde and tells us about her "new stage in life", her musical beginnings as a drummer and...Alice Cooper's makeup.

alayna, the critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter who hails from Rotorua, is preparing to release her highly-anticipated second album, Set Her Free.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to alayna in the middle of “Album Week” to find out more about this collection of original songs that she calls, “a series of love letters”.

Here is Six60 guitar and bass man Marlon Gerbes to tell us all about their new album, Right Here Right Now and how they are preparing to open Auckland’s newest venue, Te Paepae Theatre/NZICC.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Marlon about how they recorded this new album, “live in the studio” in just three days, while breaking in new drummer Damian Graham. And why they choose to collaborate with overseas songwriters. All that and more!

Louder Than You Think: A Lo-Fi History Of Gary Young & Pavement is a documentary film about the band’s “eccentric” first drummer, Gary Young.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to two of the film’s producers, Jeffrey Clark and Brian Thalken, just as the Soundtrack album is released on Independent Project Records.

Her hometown is Los Angeles, but her musical heart is in Nashville...meet Natalie Del Carmen and hear about Pastures, her second album...the one she considers her real debut.The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to the young singer/songwriter and talked to her about her great-grandad's banjo, her inability to whistle and her ability to write songs that address the unique trials of finding yourself in your twenties.

Belfast-based singer-songwriter Dani Larkin is about to release Next Of Kin, an album that blends traditional Irish ballads with a taste of the 21st century.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda found Dani at home in Belfast and they talked about how this album is the culmination of three years’ of work and a lot of passion.

Berlin-based Kiwi Muroki is about to release his long-awaited debut album, Amber Skies.The 13th Floor's Marty Duda found Muroki holidaying on the Coramandel just ahead of release day and the beginning of his NZ tour. Here he is to tell us how his time in Berlin, New Zealand, Portugal and Kenya influenced what we hear on Amber Skies.

Nashville-based Americana rocker Sophie Gault is about to release her third studio album, titled Unhinged. The 13th Floor's Marty Duda spoke to Sophie about covering Robert Johnson, recording with Gurf Morlix and sailing the Outlaw Cruise.

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Melody Guy has just released her new album, Train To Dreamland.Marty Duda spoke to Melody on the eve of release day to find out where that train took her. Turns out its be quite a journey, one that has included domestic abuse, being kidnapped at gunpoint and singing at McDonalds.

Blues guitarist Eric Johanson has released Live In Mississippi, where the raucous Friday-night crowd welcomed Eric to the stage at the Ground Zero Club in Biloxi, Mississippi.The 13th Floor's Marty Duda found Eric at home in New Orleans earlier this year and spoke to him about playing at Ground Zero and briefly living in New Zealand.

This past year saw a host of cool reissues from Liberation Hall including an expanded version of the one and only album by Pearl Harbor & The Explosions.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Pearl who was at home in the desert in Southern California in remission from a recent cancer scare.

Portugal. The Man have released their 10th studio album, titled Shish, after Shishmaref, Alaska.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to bandleader John Gourley who is a proud Alaskan native. He found John at home in Portland, Oregon and talked about making Shish, growing up in Alaska and being chased by ICE agents in Portland.

Season Of The Peach is the 10th studio album from Black Lips, a record they call a “rock & roll odyssey”.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to founding member Jared Swilley about a musical odyssey that takes us from punk to doo-wop to gospel to Sardinia.

Juliana Hatfield releases her latest solo album, Lightning Might Strike, in just a few days.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Juliana about making a record that, “captures a period of change”. Along the way we discuss the life changes that come with aging and the joys of R.E.M.

Sax man Dave McMurray has just released I Love Life (Even When I’m Hurting) on Blue Note Records.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Dave, who was in his hometown of Detroit, the inspiration for the album and the place where he first met friend, collaborator and, now head of Blue Note, Don Was. Dave recounts those days in Detroit and where he’s at now.

Liberation Hall Music has just reissued American Music and Non Fiction, the first and third albums by The Blasters.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Blasters bass player John Bazz about those heady times in the late 70s and early 80s when he, Phil & Dave Alvin and the rest of the band were crossing Chuck Berry with The Clash to make something uniquely their own.

JJJJJerome Ellis has just released his new album, Vesper Sparrow, an album of very original music that combines “granular synthesis” with jazz and gospel.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to the songwriter, sax player and former Yale lecturer about how he turned his stutter into a musical instrument while, all the time, keeping his eye on the sparrow.

Kiwi-South Africa trio The Transits have just released their second album, titled Bleed Hope.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to vocalist and bass player Dom Antelm from his home in Auckland to find out how they keep a band, separated by thousands of miles, productive and creative.

Troy Kingi has just released his 9th album in his 10/10/10 series and Night Lords finds him collaborating with 14 of his favourite rappers.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Troy about his unique mix of hip hop and r&b, resulting in a soulful blend that will leave listeners floating on a sea of possibilities.

Aussie punk pioneers The Saints, led by vocalist Chris Bailey, recorded one last album before his death in 2022, now titled, Long March Through The Jazz Age.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to late-era Saints drummer Peter Wilkinson about the making of this poignant final album and what his friend, Chris Bailey would make of all this.

Kirsten Morrell releases her new single, Hoping & Wishing (Robin’s Song)…with an album in the works and a show coming up at Big Fan.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda invited the former Goldenhorse vocalist to The 13th Floor to talk about her new music, her return to New Zealand and what to expect at her solo shows.

Weaving post-rock, dream pop and indie rock, Wellington’s Hail, Meteor! have released Nearer, an album of delicate vastness.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to guitarist David Coventry and John Kingston to find out exactly what that means.

Rhett Miller, founding member and front man for The Old 97’s, has released his 10th solo album, A Lifetime Of Riding By Night.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Rhett who had vocal chord surgery immediately after recording his vocals for the album. Rhett’s recovered and singing better than ever! So we talk about making this very personal album as he takes a day off from touring…

Wellington band Dropper has just released their debut album, Be A Little Kinder, borne out of frontman Jude Savage’s previous band, Bleeding Star.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Jude just before release day and his 20th birthday and found out how a new collaboration with River Hann-Ellen of Debt Club reignited his creative spark.

The Salt Collective is a collaborative musical project led by French songwriter-guitarist Stéphane Schück.The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda spoke to Stéphane about how and why he travelled from Normandy to North Carolina to work with his heroes from The dBs along with a cast of collaborators that includes Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Andy Partridge (XTC), Amiee Mann (Til Tuesday), Jason Faulkner (Jellyfish), Mitch Easter (Let’s Active), Matthew Caws (Nada Surf) and many more…