Interviews

As the end of the year approaches and the sun starts to make an appearance, it can only mean one thing- Good Things Festival is right around the corner. Kicking off in Melbourne this Friday, there’s no better time to catch up with one of the most exciting bands on the lineup. Dayseeker have spent…

Forever Ends Here were a real moment in the early 2010s Melbourne pop-punk scene, and their 2025 return definitely wasn’t on by bingo card- but I’m here for it. While this might look like a classic comeback, the Melbourne trio are approaching things with a clean slate as they reinvent themselves through their new EP,…

Brendan B. Brown still sounds faintly amazed when you ask him about the staying power of “Teenage Dirtbag.” Twenty-five years after Wheatus released their self-titled debut album, the misfit anthem is not only alive but thriving, fuelled by the viral TikTok trend of celebrities posting teenage photos of themselves, surprise covers, and a new wave…

Secondhand Serenade is the emotive acoustic project of Californian singer-songwriter John Vesely. One of the defining breakout acts of the Myspace era, Vesely soared to global attention with his heart-on-sleeve debut album Awake. Nearly two decades on, the record’s impact hasn’t dulled and Vesely is celebrating its legacy with a tour, playing the record front…

Melbourne duo Cry Club have always existed in their own colourful universe. It’s a place where maximalist pop, punky electronics and unapologetically queer joy crash together in spectacular fashion. Since forming in 2018, best friends Heather and Jono have carved out a loyal audience with their theatrical live shows, heartfelt politics and their ability to…

Adelaide’s Tom Montesi, also known as LOS LEO, likes to play life on hard mode, apparently. Giving himself the almost-impossible task of writing, recording and producing an album solo within one calendar year, he’s just pulled it off with a little over a month to spare, and the result is LL-1000. Sitting down with LOS…

In the wake of Biffy Clyro‘s announcement of Australian tour dates for April next year, bassist James Johnston kindly took some time out to chat with us about the tour and the experience of live music. The very exciting news, of course, is the Australian tour.  We’re obviously very, very excited to have you coming…

Upcoming NZ director Ursula Grace Williams has created a playful and revealing story, documenting Marlon Williams‘ four-year journey of creating an album recorded in his native te reo Mãori language. The album, Te Whare Tīwekaweka, is a blend of Marlon’s familiar country folk tunes and the rhythmic styles of traditional Māori music. Williams was recently…

When Luvcat holds the vinyl copy of her debut album Vicious Delicious for the first time, she can hardly believe it’s real. “It was the first day of holding my vinyl today,” she says, still sounding a little dazed. “It was a crazy experience.” With only a week to go before release, she admits to…

Taylor Acorn first caught my attention with her acoustic cover of Blink 182’s First Date, and she’s held it ever since. Now a few years on from that release, she’s played some of the biggest pop-punk festivals such as When We Were Young, Warped Tour and Good Things, and just last week she released her…

In 2015, The AU Review’s John Goodridge interviewed Kiss founder Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehley after the release of his 2014 solo album Space Invader. We stumbled upon it while thumbing through our extensive archives and are now publishing it in tribute to the pioneering musician, who sadly passed away on 16th October 2025, aged 74. Read…

Jehnny Beth has always thrived on duality- ferocity and tenderness, precision and chaos, control and release. With You Heartbreaker, You, her latest album released on August 29, those contradictions find their balance. Recorded with longtime collaborator and creative partner Johnny Hostile at their studio in France, this record has been described as ‘cathartic’- but for…

It’s been a good ten years since alternative legends Motion City Soundtrack last dropped a full-length record, making The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World feel like both a long-awaited reunion and a bold new chapter. Taking a break in 2016, the group returned for a string of live shows in 2019, not knowing where this…

Approaching one year on from the release of their tenth studio album The Night the Zombies Came, Alt Rock legends The Pixies are headed back to Australia this November for a run of special double-night performances across the country. Celebrating the anniversaries of Bossanova (1990) and Trompe le Monde (1991), the band will play both…

The Home Team are quickly becoming one of the most exciting bands in alternative music, blending their slick pop hooks with heavy riffs and a larger than life stage presence. Their second album, The Crucible Of Life, dropped last year and was followed up with a deluxe edition earlier in 2025, including their latest single…

Ahead of the release of their tenth studio album, Futique, Ben and James Johnston took time out to have a chat with me about embracing the moment, Biffy’s longevity, and their plans to return to Australia soon. Congratulations on the album. It’s a double chef’s kiss. Both: Thank you so much! Number ten! James: Number ten!…

Longtime friends Ian Fraser and Luke Gruntz have been making music together since 2016, and in that time Cleopatrick has gone from small-town beginnings to massive worldwide stages. Earlier this year, the duo released their second studio album Fake Moon, which marked a bold step into new territory that leans more pop compared to their…

Radio Free Alice are one of the most exciting bands to emerge from Australia in recent times. They’ve had a heady rise since forming in Sydney in 2020. Today they have released their third EP, Empty Words, and are currently on a massive three-month tour, hitting the UK, France, Ireland, the USA, Canada and back…

Australian metal band Parkway Drive have had a huge couple of months- from playing a one-night-only show at Sydney Opera House to announcing their very own Park Waves Festival to now appearing on Chris Hemsworth’s Disney Plus show Limitless: Live Better Now. I sat down with drummer Ben Gordon to chat about teaching Hemsworth how…

Yesterday, Naarm’s Joan & the Giants released their latest EP, the emotive and healing The Five Stages of Grief. The genesis of the EP was the ending of the relationship between frontwoman Gracie Newton-Wordsworth and former guitarist Aaron Birch. It’s an incredibly vulnerable and honest record, featuring contributions from both parties. It was a nine-year relationship, so its…

Since forming in Chicago in 1999, rock powerhouse Rise Against have carved out a fierce and loyal global following with their anthemic choruses and unapologetic activism. Now, two decades and nine records deep, Rise Against are gearing up to release their tenth studio album, Ricochet, out August 15. Taking their sound to a whole new…

The Used are headed back to Australia this August, and they’re not coming quietly. Rather than playing a standard setlist, the pop rock icons are going all in- three nights in each city, playing three of their most beloved records in full. That’s right, fans will get the chance to experience one of three iconic…

Fit For A King are perhaps one of the most relentless forces within the modern metal core scene- unafraid to evolve while staying true to their foundations. With their 2018 record Dark Skies, the Texas five-piece struck a rare balance between brutal heaviness and heartfelt honesty which catapulted them to a new tier of success….

For Sydney-based Dinley Jones, 2025 has been a whirlwind already. After making it to the top 21 in the most recent season of Australian Idol, the singer, dancer and all-round creative force has been riding a wave of momentum with a growing fanbase and a fresh single. Before Idol came calling, Jones was doing what…

After wrapping up a whirlwind run of European shows, Northlane frontman Marcus Bridge is catching his breath – but only just. With only a brief moment to settle back into home life, the iconic Aussie metalcore group are gearing up to hit the road again for a massive regional Australian tour, their first in three…

With over two decades of music under their belt, a catalogue stacked with pop-punk anthems and a fiercely loyal global fanbase, Simple Plan have more than earned their place in the scene’s history books. Now, the Canadian quartet are reflecting on their journey with their recent documentary Simple Plan: The Kids In The Crowd –…

Grammy nominated composer Cheryl B. Engelhardt and Australian producer-artist GEM have collaborated on an ambient new-age album that takes inspiration from cosmic events such as solar eclipses and super-moons.  They discuss working with 3x Grammy winner Producer Lonnie Park, the Dallas String Quartet, pop singer Robin Tucker and GRAMMY-winning vocalist and sound healer Johnaye Kendrick….

Get ready for a night to remember as Australian industry legend Craig McLachlan brings his unique & exciting Live & Intimate stage show to theatre’s and venues across Australia: Six String Stories. Having entertained audiences the world over for almost 40 years, McLachlan is one of Australia’s most beloved, versatile, and resilient performers.  From the…

After taking a well-earned breather following their wildly successful 2021 record Amazing Things, UK alt-rock favourites Don Broco are stepping into a new era- and true to their word, they’re kicking things off Down Under. With their latest record almost complete, a killer set at this year’s Download Festival in the UK and a long-overdue…

Formed in 1991, Everclear are currently engaged in the 30th anniversary tour of the band’s sophomore album, Sparkle & Fade. We caught up with founder and lead singer/songwriter Art Alexakis and guitarist Freddy Herrera backstage before their recent performance at Welcome to Rockville in Florida. What began as a regular interview evolved into a conversation…