Beth Orton Is Back With A New Album (Feature/Interview)
It’s been six years since we last heard from Beth Orton. Since then she has given birth to a daughter and a son and has spent most of her time with her children and husband, folk singer Sam Amidon, at their home in Vermont, in the north-eastern United States. When The 13th Floor spoke […]
The Return Of The Pretty Things (Feature/Interview)
POWERSTATION: DECEMBER 11, 2012 ‘ BANNED ‘ from NZ for 47 years … THE PRETTY THINGS ARE BACK! The Pretty Things have always been ‘4 Real’. Attitude with a capital A. Real accents and bolshy attitudes to match, ‘the Pretties’ eschewed the Sixties pop scene to carve their own niche of hard blues rock. While the Rolling Stones Stones took non-conformity and turned it […]
Talkin’ Woody Guthrie With Billy Bragg (Interview)
Billy Bragg brings his “Ain’t Nobody That Can Sing Like Me” tour to New Zealand beginning on October 12th. Billy has spent much of this year involved in the celebrations of Woody Guthrie’s 100th birthday, and his shows will be divided between performing Guthrie’s songs and his own. The 13th Floor spoke to Billy […]
Gomez Offers Chance To Vote On Set List (Interview)
Long time New Zealand favourites Gomez are returning for two shows in October. Having been together for 15 years, the band is celebrating with their Quinceanera Tour. As a tip of the hat to their long-standing fans the band is offering chance to vote for songs to be included in each show of the […]
Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson Talk About Wreck & Ruin (Interview)
Four years ago Australia’s first couple of country and Americana, Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson, released their first album together, the highly acclaimed and highly enjoyable Rattlin’ Bones. Now, after tending to their respective solo careers and producing their second child, the duo is back with Wreck & Ruin. The 13th Floor spoke to Kasey […]
Prepare For The Panther! (Interview)
Have you heard about Steel Panther? If not, now is the time! Here’s how their own press release describes them: “They hark back to an earlier, simpler time when men with girly hair and unfeasibly tight trousers peddled neanderthal attitudes and trite songs to absolutely no acclaim and often outright hostility. Steel Panther revive this proud […]
Rick Wakeman Laments Prog Rock’s Lack Of Respect (Interview)
The former keyboard wiz of Yes has recently been named the first recipient of the “Prog God Award” by Prog Magazine (of course). But the man behind such 70s extravaganzas as Journey To The Centre Of The Earth and The Myths An Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table is annoyed that […]
Talkin’ With Temper Trap (Interview)
Australian band The Temper Trap has just released the follow-up to their very successful 2009 debut album Conditions. Between then and now the band has added a new member, keyboard player Joseph Greer, who hails from Auckland. Joseph is not completely new to Temper Trap fans, he played on the first album and has […]
The Latin Soul of Jennifer Zea (Interview)
Jennifer Zea has just released her debut album,The Latin Soul. It was produced by Nathan Haines and co-written by Kevin Field. Jennifer is a native of Venezuela who has brought her style of Latin Soul to the Auckland music scene. The 13th Floor spoke to Jennifer Zea just as her album is about to be […]
Heavy Metal Ninja Revealed
Are you curious about the mysterious band known as Heavy Metal Ninjas? They are the ones who will be playing Auckland’s Powerstation on Friday, May 25th along with Cairo Knife Fight and Supervillians. The 13th Floor tracked down these shady characters to their rehearsal room in the bowels of the Auckland CBD and cornered the head Ninja […]
Shirley Manson Talks Trash With The 13th Floor (Interview)
After a seven-year layoff, Garbage is back with a new album, Not Your Kind Of People. The 13th Floor caught up with frontwoman Shirley Manson just as the band was hitting the road to promote the new release. Click here to listen to the interview with Shirley Manson of Garbage: Click here to listen […]
Zowie Speaks! (Interview)
New Zealand’s electronia-pop dynamo Zowie (aka Zoe Fleury) has just released her debut album Love Demolition. Zowie’s been on the Auckland scene a while now, dating back to her days as Bionic Pixie. Now, after raves from Perez Hilton and opening slots for Katy Perry, she’s poised to break into the big time. The […]
Interview: Catching Up With John Butler
The John Butler Trio will tour New Zealand in February as part of the Summer Vineyard Tour that also features Aloe Blacc and Annabel Fay. The tour will play eight dates from Hawkes Bay to Whitford. The 13th Floor spoke to John Butler about the latest version of his trio and about some of […]
Captain Sensible’s Top 5
The Damned are due in town later this week and so it seemed only right to ask guitarist Captain Sensible about his five favourite tracks. His selections may surprise, or even possibly offend you. Listen here as Captain Sensible discusses his top 5 tracks:
Interview: Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls
The Dresden Dolls have reunited and are about to return to New Zealand for shows at the end of January. Lead singer and pianist Amanda Palmer is not a stranger to these shores, having toured here on her own just last year, narrowly missing the February Christchurch earthquake. The 13th Floor spoke to Amanda […]
Interview: Daryl Hall
Daryl Hall and John Oates will be performing in New Zealand for the first time in 30 years this month. The dates are: Saturday, January 28th at Church Road Winery, Napier and Sunday, January 29th at Villa Maria Estate, Auckland. As well as being one-half of the best selling duo in music history, Daryl […]
Interview: Anna Calvi’s Long-Distance Whisper
Anna Calvi is one of the 13th Floor’s most eagerly-anticipated artists to be performing at this month’s Laneway Festival in Auckland. Her self-titled debut album was one of the best of 2011. As evidence of that fact, Anna was in The Netherlands after receiving an award there for her album when The 13th Floor […]
Interview: Victoria Girling-Butcher Talks About Her First Solo Album Since Leaving Lucid 3
Summit Drive is the title of Victoria Girling-Butcher’s first solo album. The former Lucid 3 frontwoman has been through a lot since her band split up, most notably fighting a debilitating auto-immune disease. Victoria stopped by The 13th Floor to talk about her music and her life. Click here to listen to the interview: Click here […]
Interview: The Damned’s Captain Sensible Talks Punk, Politics & Psychedelia
In anticipation of The Damned’s upcoming show at Auckland’s Powerstation on January 25th, The 13th Floor gave guitarist & founding member Captian Sensible a call to see what he and his band of merry pranksters have been up to. Click here to listen to the interview: Click here to listen to The Damned’s first […]
Interview: Mulatu Astatke Talks To The 13th Floor
Ethiopian jazz/funk pioneer Mulatu Astatke is due to perform his first concert in New Zealand at Auckland’s Powerstation on Friday, November 25th. The 13th Floor called him at his home in Ethiopia just as he was about to depart for his tour. Listen in as Mulatu discusses his 50-year career as a groundbreaking musician. […]