Interview: Mel Parsons Talks About Her New Album Red Grey Blue
Auckland-based singer-songwriter Mel Parsons has just released her second album. Titled Red Grey Blue, she co-produced it with the ubiquitous Jeremy Toy. Mel Has just set out to tour the country in support of the new album. Before hitting the road, she stopped by The 13th Floor to have a chat about her music, […]
Interview: Red Hot Chili Pipers Explain "Bag-Rock" & Why They Are Banned From The Rugby World Cup
Direct from Scotland, the Red Hot Chili Pipers begin their tour of NZ on Saturday September 30 at Auckland’s Vector Arena. Expect to hear tunes from anyone from The Who to Robbie Williams played on the bagpipes. The 13th Floor spoke to head Piper Kevin MacDonald about the upcoming tour and the group’s ban […]
Interview: Nick Lowe Talks About The Old Magic And Why Punk Sucked
The former Jesus Of Cool, Nick Lowe, has just released his new album, The Old Magic. Lowe, who has been recording since the 1960s is a veteran of the British pub rock scene (with his band Brinsley Schwartz) and the punk scene (producing The Damned and Elvis Costello). Lately his music has been a […]
Interview: Sean Donnelly (aka SJD) Talks About Joining Neil Finn’s Pajama Club
The Pajama Club is the entity that Neil Finn and wife Sharon created around the music they found themselves making while left with a bit of spare time. The music began to take shape when Sean Donnelly, who also records as SJD, joined in to help craft the songs. Their resulting self-titled album has […]
Interview: Frontier Touring’s Michael Gudinski’s 30 Years of Rock & Roll Roadwork
Frontier Touring has been promoting concerts in Australia and New Zealand since the early 1980s. To celebrate their 30th anniversary, they have published Every Poster Tells A Story an impressive hard-cover book featuring posters from just about every tour the company has promoted from Squeeze and The Police to Leonard Cohen and Pendulum. The […]
Interview: Joe Satriani Talks About The New Chickenfoot Album And Tour
Chickenfoot is the hard rock “supergroup” made up of former Van Halen members Sammy Hagar (vocals) and Michael Anthony (bass) along with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani. The band is just about to release their second album and then hit the road. The 13th Floor spoke to […]
Interview With Karl Steven of The Drab Doo Riffs
The Drab Doo Riffs have just released their third E.P. entitled A Fistful Of Doo-Riffs. Bandleader Karl Steven stopped by The 13th Floor to talk about the new music along with his work with The Vietnam War and Tourettes.
Sisters Of Mercy Interview
The Sisters Of Mercy, led by founding member Andrew Eldritch, will finally perform in New Zealand at Auckland’s Powerstation, Thursday, September 22nd as part of their 30th Anniversay Tour. The 13th Floor caught up with Andrew and found the outspoken musician to be as feisty as ever. Click here to listen to the interview:
Re-Inventing The 80s With Nadine Loren
Born in Switzerland, raised in Germany and then New Zealand, Nadine Loren now lives in the United States where she has hooked up with veteran producer Peter Asher (Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor) and released an album full of 80s covers. Naked 80’s finds the singer reworking songs like Who’s That Girl, The Boys Of […]
Interview: Paul McLaney Talks About IMMRAM, Music and Mythology
In addition to being a recording artist under his own name and as Gramsci, Paul McLaney works on the other side of the music business at Mushroom Publishing. Now he can add Record Label Owner to his list of credits. Paul is one of three music lovers who have just started Escape Artists Recordings. […]
Interview: Building The Perfect Myth with Steve Kilbey
Steve Kilbey has been a member of The Church ever since the band first formed in Sydney in 1980. Lately he’s been recording and touring with Ricky Maymi, guitarist with The Brian Jonestown Massacre. The two have been working on a project called The Wilderness Years, an album of songs based upon a very […]
The 13th Floor Talks To Dave Alvin
Former Blaster Dave Alvin has just released one of the best albums of the year…it’s called Eleven Eleven. So, The 13th Floor was thrilled to get a chance to speak to Dave and find out more about some of those intriguing characters that pop up in his new songs. Click here to listen to […]
Adult Education: The Jon Toogood Interview
The Adults (Jon Toogood, Shayne Carter & Julia Deans) are about to embark on their first tour together. The 13th Floor spoke to Jon Toogood just as they began rehearsals for the upcoming shows. Click here to listen to the interview with Jon Toogood: Click here to watch The Adults perform at JB Hi-Fi. […]
Poolside with Ian Ball of Gomez
Gomez have just released their 7th studio album, Whatever’s On Your Mind. The 13th Floor spoke to Ian Ball, one of the band’s 3 front men as he was lounging at a public pool in his adopted home town of Los Angeles. Click here to listen to The 13th Floor interview with Ian Ball: […]
Chewin’ The Fat With Seasick Steve
Born in 1941, Seasick Steve is a contemporary of Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Aaron Neville. But unlike his contemporaries, Steve has only been recording for the past five years, although he’s been making music in one form or another since the 1960s. With the release of his fourth album, You Can’t Teach An […]
Interview: Ben Waters Pays Tribute to A Forgotten Rolling Stone
English piano player Ben Waters has just recorded a tribute to Ian Stewart. Stewart was an original member of The Rolling Stones and avid boogie-woogie piano player who continued to tour and record with the band until his death in 1985. The 13th Floor spoke with Waters about his new album, Boogie 4 Stu. […]
Archival Interview: The Ramones – July 7, 1979
Joey Ramone would have been 60 years old this week. The 13th Floor celebrates the birthday of one of rock & roll’s most influential artists by offering you a chance to listen to an interview with Joey and Johnny Ramone recorded on July 7, 1979. The Ramones had just played a show in Rochester, […]
Talkin’ about punks, gangsters and guitars with Mike Ness of Social Distortion
Mike Ness has been fronting Social Distortion since they formed in Orange County, California in the late 1970s. The band has just released a new album, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes and, along with it, a very ambitious video for the song Machine Gun Blues. The 13th Floor spoke to Mike Ness the day after the […]
Down On The Farm with Holly Golightly
London-born Holly Golightly now resides on a farm in the southern U.S. state of Georgia. You may remember Holly from her recordings with The White Stripes and The Greenhornes. Along with various horses, chickens and assorted farm animals, she lives with her musical partner Lawyer Dave. Together they make music as Holly Golightly and […]
Eli’s Coming: On The Road With Eli “Paperboy” Reed
American soul singer Eli “Paperboy” Reed is due to make his New Zealand debut later in April with two shows, one in Auckland and one in Wellington. The 13th Floor spoke to Eli just as he wrapped up his most recent tour of The States and got him to discuss a few of his […]