Trusty Chords

• Episode 44: Barry Adamson – Magazine, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

  I’m going to hazard a guess that even if the name Barry Adamson isn’t one you recognise right off the bat, you’re definitely aware of his contributions to the world of music.At the age of 19, Barry found himself joining the nascent Magazine as his first band, with wayward Buzzcocks vocalist Howard Devoto recruiting him for the new band. An influential presence in the world of post-punk, the group's short tenure resulted in a handful of well-regarded albums before they split in the early '80s. Soon, Barry found himself briefly playing with The Birthday Party, before frontman Nick Cave recruited him for his eponymous new band, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. After a few years and albums there, Adamson found himself again embarking upon a new musical journey, with a solo career kicking off with 1989’s ‘Moss Side Story.’Even then, his career doesn’t peter out there either, because soon enough he was working as a composer as well, working on film soundtracks from time to time, including the likes of David Lynch’s ‘Lost Highway.’Throughout it all though, he’s never stopped being busy, and even in between reunions with Magazine and The Bad Seeds, he continues to make solo albums, with ‘Cut To Black’ arriving as his latest record just last year.In only a matter of days, Barry will be down in Australia once more for a tour of the country, and by all accounts, I wouldn’t miss it if I were you.This week, Barry was kind enough to join me for a chat to discuss his beginning in the world of music, and how he got to where he finds himself today.But in the meantime, I strongly urge you to check out Barry Adamson’s ‘Cut To Black,’ and once you’re done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

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• Episode 43: Matthew Hayward – Street Legal

  If you’re on the cutting edge of music, then you would be aware that there is a band hailing from unceded Kaurna Country (that is to say, the South Australian capital of Adelaide) that is one you definitely need to know. That band is Street Legal, a group whose sound might be rooted in the romanticism of ‘80s sonics and nostalgia, but heavily progressive, and boasting an approach to their music which is cutting edge, forceful, and – above all – a lot of fun.Having first made their recorded debut in 2020, a number of tracks have arrived in recent years, with the likes of ‘Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow’ and ‘Modern Ruins’ preceding the release of their debut EP, ‘Bruxism’. Released just last month, ‘Bruxism’ is a wonderful collection of tracks which showcases just what it is that makes Street Legal so special.If you’re someone who wants their music to be moving, to be impactful, and to be ultimately intriguing, then Street Legal are the band for you. But if you also want something that feels familiar, and with inspiration taken from some of the musical greats, then Street Legal is the band for you.I’ve actually been paying attention to the Street Legal story for a few years now because I’ve known frontman Matthew Hayward for quite a while now, having gotten to know him thanks to his work in the Adelaide music scene back in the day.As you can expect, it wasn’t exactly too difficult to coax Matt to appear as my guest on this week’s podcast, where I spent the whole time gushing about how much I really love Street Legal’s debut EP.If you're in New South Wales, Victoria, or South Australia this April, then you should definitely head along to catch Street Legal on their ‘Bruxism’ national tour.But in the meantime, I strongly urge you to check out Street Legal’s debut EP, and once you’re done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

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• Episode 42: Anika Ostendorf – Hachiku

  If you’re anything like me, then the chances are good you’ve been spending the past few years eagerly awaiting a full-length return from Hachiku.Started as the musical project of Anika Ostendorf just under a decade ago, Hachiku rose to fame as part of the beloved Milk! Records stable, with a handful of releases preceding the arrival of her debut album, 2020’s ‘I’ll Probably Be Asleep’.Again, if you’re anything like me, you probably listened to that album and truly fell in love with it. After all, how can you not? It’s got Anika’s masterful musical approach towards dream-pop, indie dance, and much more combining to craft something truly special.However, for those eagerly awaiting a follow-up soon after, well, there was a bit of a wait – almost four years in fact – before Hachiku returned with new singles. Thankfully, it was all in the lead-up to a new album, with ‘The Joys Of Being Pure At Heart’ arriving today, on February 28th.It’s a stellar album, full of that exuberant, immersive dreamy indie-pop style that has won Anika and her musical collaborators so much praise.Of course, there’s no time to rest on those laurels, because Hachiku will be hitting the road almost immediately, with dates in the US, Australia, and Europe scheduled to keep them all busy for the next few months.Thankfully, before things got too hectic, Anika was kind enough to join the podcast this week for a chat, and I couldn’t be more grateful.Anyway, I strongly urge you to check out Hachiku’s latest album, and once you’re done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

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• Episode 41: Kristin Hersh – Throwing Muses, 50 Foot Wave

  If you’ve not yet heard of Kristin Hersh, well, I envy you because she has a rather storied career ready for you to dive into. Having first formed Throwing Muses alongside her stepsister Tanya Donelly in the early ‘80s, the group swiftly became an impressive musical force, with records arriving via the influential 4AD label.In 1991, Donelly left the group to form Belly (having co-founded The Breeders just a few years earlier), and Throwing Muses continued as a trio. By 1994, Hersh had kicked off a solo career, and in 1997, Throwing Muses disbanded and she went on to focus on her prolific solo work.By the early ‘00s, she’d become a little bit busy to say the least. More solo albums followed, Throwing Muses reformed, and she’d even begun a new band called 50 Foot Wave. For Kristin, downtime is not something that she does, because it wasn’t long before she became an author as well.I feel like I need a bit of a diagram just to help sum up how impressively prolific Kristin really is.But let’s fast-forward a few years, because in 2025, Throwing Muses are back with a new album, with ‘Moonlight Concessions’ arriving as their first new record in five years. It’ll actually release on March 14th, when Kristin is in Australia as part of yet another tour of the country.Somehow, her busy schedule allowed her to join this humble little podcast for a chat ahead of what will soon become another full year of music, touring, and songwriting.Anyway, I strongly urge you to check out Kristin Hersh’s extensive back catalogue (and the new Throwing Muses album when it arrives next month), and once you’re done giving those a spin, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

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• Episode 40: Beth Seymour – Beth Seymour & The Lizzies, Hormones, La Famiglia

  If you’re a music fan from Melbourne, the chances are pretty good you’ve heard of Beth Seymour. By her own admission, it’s a name you might not be quite familiar with just yet. After all, as she says; new name, new her, new era.But for years, Beth has been a vital part of the Melbourne music scene, with an irresistible combination of earnest lyricism, power-pop melodies, and a punk attitude resulting in a sound that is – for folks like myself, at least – impossible to ignore.You might have caught Beth making music as part of La Famiglia, or even as part of the burgeoning Hormones. Now, you’re likely getting ready to experience Beth as a solo artist all over again, with her new era officially kicking off today thanks to a new solo single.It’s been a little while since we last heard from Beth, and in that time, quite a bit has changed. She came out as transgender, continued to work as a prolific musician, and has now reintroduced herself to the world with new single ‘Medication’. Backed by faithful backing band The Lizzies, ‘Medication’ is one of those songs that is truly arresting. It’s hard to not be moved by the honest, heartfelt lyrics, the raw performance, and the acoustic instrumentation which allows you to connect with it on such a deeper level. Give it a listen, and if you’re not a fan, I’ll… well, be very surprised.This week, Beth was kind enough to join me for a chat which is one of the longest this podcast has seen to date. If you like a couple of music nerds talking about songwriting, power pop, and more, you are well-catered to this week.Anyway, I strongly urge you to check out Beth’s new single ‘Medication’, and once you’re done giving that a spin, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

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