Trusty Chords

As far back as I remember, I've never been someone to really find myself attracted to bands that generate a lot of 'buzz'. I mean, I remember realising as a kid that I had to listen to a song numerous times before it really clicked with me.

That's probably why I was pretty surprised I found myself really digging Getdown Services when they first came across my desk.

Having only been around for the past five years, the duo – comprising Ben Sadler and Josh Law – have fast made a name for themselves. They released their debut album, 'Crisps', back in 2023, with a string of EPs following soon after. 

Along the way though, their live shows swiftly drew attention for their frankly wild nature. 

See, while Getdown Services are like musical chameleons with a noted sense of humour, they're not a 'joke' band or anything like that. They're simply a pair of lads who know how to make good music, know how to have a good time, and want you to do the same.

They've managed to make a fan in Harry Styles, and earlier this year, they undertook their debut Australian tour, which swiftly sold out.

Just last month, they released their latest album, 'Massive Champion', and it's a massive success for the pair. Frankly, it's easy to see why they're being called Britain's best band.

That's why I was stoked to have a chat with them recently, where we talked about their musical journey, and why it is that people don't take music seriously if it has a sense of humour.

Anyway, have a listen to Getdown Services' 'Massive Champion', have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

It's always really fun watching artists catch on quickly and suddenly seeing their popularity skyrocketing as folks catch on and pay deep attention to them.

That's pretty much what happened with Sydney outfit The Lazy Eyes when they first formed about seven years ago. Launched by a bunch of school mates, they swiftly found themselves performing at events like BIGSOUND before they released a single, and then as they did, a global pandemic happened and halted their momentum.

Thankfully, they didn't stagnate, and while singles like 'Cheesy Love Song' were followed by a pair of EPs, their profile continued to rise. In 2022, they released their debut album, 'SongBook', and months later they were supporting names like The Strokes.

Though impressive, it'd take a while before we heard new music from the band. In fact, it would take about four years, with their return occurring earlier this year as they got ready to unleash their second album, 'Cheesy Love Songs'.

It's a gorgeous piece of work that showcases that indie rock mentality of The Lazy Eyes and blends it with their clear love of melody and pop sensibilities, wrapping it up and delivering it in a package which is as self aware as it is impactful.

This week, I was lucky enough to have a chat with The Lazy Eyes members Harvey, Leon, and Itay. We didn't quite go deep on all the standard questions relating to their Trusty Chords (we had a good time regardless), but we certainly touched on their formation, their new record, and why their second record shares a name with their debut single.

Anyway, have a listen to The Lazy Eyes' 'Cheesy Love Songs', buy a ticket to their upcoming tour, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

It's always fascinating to see how songs can catch on and – in some cases – become emblematic of an entire era. For many, the early '90s hip-hop scene is typified by songs like 'Jump Around', the debut single from Los Angeles trio House Of Pain.

They charted around the world, and while that debut single hit No. 3 in the US and No. 15 in Australia, they never quite matched the same critical and commercial heights.

By the time they'd hit the big time, one member of the group – Everlast – had already gone solo with a debut album in 1990, having previously emerged as a member of Ice-T's Rhyme Syndicate. But once House Of Pain called it quits in 1996, Everlast went solo once again, with albums like 1998's 'Whitey Ford Sings The Blue's going top ten in the US.

He even took home a Grammy in 2000 thanks to 'Put Your Lights On', a collaboration with Santana which is still a track I go back to regularly.

However, while albums would come relatively regularly, his most recent record – 2018's 'Whitey Ford's House Of Pain' – was his last for some time, with live shows being largely put by the wayside, and new music emerging only rarely. As he explains, there was a lot going on: COVID, a house fire, a divorce, and even a health event which left him unable to play guitar.

This year, however, he returns with 'Embers To Ashes', an album which falls into vintage Everlast territory, pairing his vulnerability with acclaimed musicianship in a way that appeals to fans both longtime and nascent.

This week, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Everlast (well, we had the chat back in May, if you want a peek behind the curtain), to chat about the new record and everything associated with it.

If you're eager to hear war stories about his time in House Of Pain, I will admit you may be disappointed, but Everlast – or Whitey Ford, if you prefer – is someone who can still tell a good story, and share some real interesting tales about his experiences with music.

Anyway, have a listen to Everlast's 'Embers To Ashes', have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

Cast your mind back to the early-to-mid-'00s, and it was pretty hard to escape Epicure. That is, if you were listening to triple j, the Ballarat outfit were a hot commodity.

Having formed in the mid-'90s, a few formative releases gave way to a bit of a personnel shuffle and something of a musical refocusing. What came next was the sort of thing that most bands of the era could only dream of.

Slick support slots, constant airplay, and even placings in the annual Hottest 100 countdown made Epicure's name one that a lot of fans were quite familiar with, while albums such as 'The Goodbye Girl' and 'Main Street' were mainstays of those same fans' CD players.

By 2010, however, it was clear that things were reaching an end, and after the fittingly-titled Quietly Into The Night tour, the band found themselves no longer a going concern.

Members still made music, of course, including Juan Alban, who released a string of solo records in the coming 15 years. However, many fans of the band – and I include myself in that list – were not expecting to receive word that 2026 was bringing with it a new record from the group.

Dubbed 'Evenings In Honduras', it's a wonderful piece of work which feels like a perfect continuation of what the band had delivered all those years ago, and also serves as a perfect example of a 'reunion' done right.

My excitement for this new record led to me giving Juan a call to chat about this new record, how it came together, and what fans can expect going forward.

Anyway, have a listen to Epicure's 'Evenings In Honduras', buy a ticket to their upcoming tour, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

When I first started this podcast, I made a wishlist of people I wanted to chat to. I've still not achieved my most-wanted artist (but I came close earlier this year!), but one of those first names I put on that list was none other than Eric Michener, better known as Fishboy.

If you're not across Fishboy, then you definitely need to go back and right that wrong immediately.

I truly believe Eric is one of my favourite songwriters, with albums like 'Albatross', 'Classic Creeps', 'Waitsgiving', and 'Art Guards' providing a perfect example of his broad storytelling skills, and the way in which he is able to construct and craft dazzling character-driven narratives that connect like satisfying jigsaw puzzles. 

That is to say, if you want an album to sound good and feel good too, then darn it, you need to listen to his discography.

To this day, I believe that 'Art Guards' may actually be my favourite album, solely due to the satisfaction obtained from this lyrical narrative.

Of course, in recent years, 2021's 'Waitsgiving' may have overtaken things as his most popular record – especially if you're in Eric's home of Denton, Texas, where the annual Waitsgiving celebration takes place.

However, it's been a few years since the last album was released, and last month, that all changed with the arrival of 'Bravest Neighbor'. 

Described as a "12 song examination of how a game of telephone in an imaginary community can touch on isolation, embarrassment, estrangement, and heartbreak," I'm not lying when I tell you this is a very good album.

The lyrics are impressive, the music is accomplished, the narrative is stunning, and the additional musicians on here (I mean, it was recorded by Kid Koala in Montreal, so you know it's going to be good) are stunning. 

I don't want to give anything away, but I urge you to listen to this record at least once before you hear this episode. I've listened to it close to a dozen times and I'm still discovering things. In fact, Eric and I actually discussed whether to make this episode spoiler-free or not in the lead-up to our chat.

Oh, in case you can't tell, my guest this week is indeed Eric Michener, who was kind enough to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon talking down the computer to a dedicated Australian fan about his craft, his records, and his love of music.

Now, I will admit that there are a few audio hiccups at play here. Namely that I could hear my own voice echoed through Eric's audio, so if you're hearing a little bit of doubling up when I'm talking, that just means my countless hours of audio editing have not quite reached their peak. Sorry about that.

Anyway, have a listen to Fishboy's 'Bravest Neighbor', have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.