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It’s a special episode of HearSej at Valley Fiesta!!! Valley fiesta is an iconic free and all-ages Brisbane street festival that has just celebrated its 30 year anniversary. As part of the celebrations, Seja interviews: Kate Dillon - aka Babyshakes from Full Flower Moon Band, John Busby and John Willsteed from Halfway Jade Montgomery from Worm Girlz Joe Agius from Rinse Luke Peacock from Minor Premiers; and Will Perkins from Radium Dolls In this brief interview episode, Seja addresses a range of questions, including the factors that influence a band’s decision to accept or decline opportunities such as Valley Fiesta. The bands also share some of their most useless skills, offer a candid admission about songwriting that most musicians would rather keep to themselves, and describe how they prepared for the show. Finally, they recount their strangest live show experience.

Seja talks to her guest iOTA about his new album ‘Hours Disappear’, his experience releasing music for the first time in 10 years and his feelings about heading out on tour. He tells Seja about the drastic differences between performing in musicals to indie rock shows, his experiences acting in Mad Max Fury Road and his love for Suzi Quatro and Kiss as a kid. They chat about negotiating fame, compartmentalising their creative arts projects, and writing songs when they’re sad. iOTA’s strange show story was illustrated by Seja. You can see all illustrations for the podcast on instagram @hearsejpodcast. Theme song by Seja. End cover of theme by Sam Cromack (Ball Park Music)

Seja talks to her guest Matt Walker about his new album with Tex Perkins ‘Before the Show’; how it was recorded, their dynamic as a duo and how they bring out each other’s strengths. He tells Seja about mixing on a boombox, his esoteric guitar collection and filling in for Paul Kelly on guitar when he hurt his hand. They chat about Matt’s instrumental album Dobro Nada, Kay guitars and whether there will be a new Matt Walker and Ashley Davies album. Matt’s strange story was illustrated by Seja. You can see all illustrations for the podcast on instagram @hearsejpodcast. https://mattwalkermusic.bandcamp.com/album/dobro-nada

Seja talks to her guest Grace Mitchell about her new album 'Daughter of the King' and riding the happy wave of releasing music after such a long time. Grace tells Seja about writing and mixing the album herself, and how it differed from her experiences working with LA producers as a young musician. They chat about playing major festivals, being over familiar on stage and talking about aliens with Billy Corgan. Grace’s strange show story was illustrated by Seja. You can see all illustrations for the podcast on instagram @hearsejpodcast.

Seja talks to her guest Taasha Coates (The Audreys) about the 20th anniversary tour of the album Between Last Night and Us, how touring is her happy place and how these songs are morphing into different iterations over time. Taasha tells Seja about her sad playlist, horrendous internet comments and how her songwriting has changed over the years. They talk about giving less f***s, supporting other women and continuing to sing as they get older. Taasha’s strange show story was illustrated by Seja. All illustrations for the show can be seen on Instagram @Hearsejpodcast of on the HearSej Facebook page.

Seja talks to her guest Pinky Beecroft (Machine Gun Fellatio, The White Russians) about accidentally making his new album Lonesome Wolf while hanging out with his friend, his feelings about releasing new music and his thoughts on playing live shows that will satisfy fans of all his back catalogue. They talk about ‘why’ they release music, Ben Salter’s genius, and their lack of connection to their old songs. Pinky tells Seja about being a bad piano player in bands when he left school, his happiest memory watching Steely Dan, and his reflections on his own voice. Pinky’s strange show story was illustrated by Seja. All illustrations for the show can be seen on Instagram @Hearsejpodcast of on the HearSej Facebook page.

Seja talks to her guest Kutcha Edwards about his 60th birthday shows ’60 cycles around the sun’, his experiences playing on the world’s biggest stages such as the Sydney Opera House and how Robert Cray inspired him to first write songs. They chat about the story of his song ‘Today’, their love of Omnichords, writing through your spirit rather than your intellect, and listening with your whole being. Kutcha tells Seja about his role in burying family members, being an independent artist and intergenerational trauma. All illustrations for the show can be seen on Instagram @Hearsejpodcast of on the HearSej Facebook page.

Seja talks to her guest Kim Salmon (The Scientists, Beasts of Bourbon) about the Perth punk scene, his first guitar and learning from a jazz teacher when all he wanted was to play was rock n roll. They chat about playing Deep Purple songs, being no good at commerce and trying to imagine what bands sound like from reviews. Kim tells Seja about hearing the Ramones for the first time, songwriting in his early bands the Cheap Nasties and the Scientists, and what keeps him making art. Kim’s strange experience was illustrated by Seja. All illustrations can be seen on instagram @hearsejpodcast or on the HearSej Facebook page. The Scientists on Countdown in 1980 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-5BShdW1fE

Seja talks to her guest William Crighton about the making of his new album Colonial Drift and his collaborators. He tells Seja about growing up in western New South Wales, how he was introduced to singing by his mother and grandmother teaching him church hymns and how that fused music and spirituality together for him from an early age. William talks about living in America, his experience with cultural cringe and cultural/ancestral guilt and how seeing Merle Haggard changed his feelings about his musical journey. They talk about trying to reconcile our own complicity in a climate crisis as an artist, different practices around lyric writing and band members feeling like family. William’s strange show story was illustrated by Seja. All illustrations can be seen on instagram @hearsejpodcast or on the HearSej Facebook page. End podcast theme by Sam Cromack.

Seja talks to her guest Johannes Eckerström from the Swedish metal band Avatar about growing up near Gothenburg, playing trumboe and piano as a kid and how making a living from music seemed like a possibility. Johannes tells Seja about being enamoured with the circus and the showmanship of wrestling, getting his self confidence from his parents and the secret to heavy metal. They chat about how metal is empowering, how Avatar plan what goes out into the world visually and winning over 60,000 people whilst supporting Iron Maiden. Johannes’s story was illustrated by Seja. All illustrations can be seen on instagram @hearsejpodcast or on the HearSej Facebook page. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32iX5lbVDto True Norwegian Black Metal

Seja talks to her guest Sharon Van Etten about her amazing band the Attachment Theory and the organic process they shared whilst writing the new album. Sharon tells Seja about the adjustment of inviting people into her songwriting practice, how her band are her chosen family and how she has come around the jamming. They chat about their mutual love of Elastica, conscious stream writing, the power of subtraction, lyric writing and setting priorities at this stage in life. Sharon’s story was illustrated by Seja. All illustrations can be seen on instagram @hearsejpodcast or on the HearSej Facebook page.

Seja talks to her guest Dan Whitford (Cut Copy) about the new album Moments and how the title has made him go into full dad joke/pun mode. He tells Seja about the reasons for the long break between albums, some of the software and hardware that inspired the album and how he feels about his voice after all these years. They chat about their family and band connection to each other, their time signed to Modular Records and despite questionable business dealings, how Steve Pav’s championing of electronic music with a live element changed the course of Australian dance music. Dan and Seja agree that there is joy in a synth that has been on a journey before you get it, and Dan talks touring on a lower budget. Dan’s strange show story was illustrated by Seja. All illustrations can be seen on instagram @hearsejpodcast or on the HearSej Facebook page. https://pitchfork.com/news/synth-repairman-accidentally-gets-high-by-touching-lsd-left-in-vintage-buchla/ https://hypernatural.bandcamp.com/album/hypernatural

Seja talks to her guest Evan Dando (The Lemonheads) about living in Brazil, how glad he is to be out of America at the moment and the making of the band’s latest videoclip. Evan tells Seja about having good money karma, how much the Replacements influenced him and how much he appreciates songwriting now that he doesn’t take things for granted. They share feelings about their shared love of Tom Morgan and Smudge and talk about how much the two albums the Lemonheads are in Australia playing at the moment ‘ It’s A Shame About Ray’ and ‘C’mon Feel The Lemonheads’ meant to people. Evan Dando was illustrated by Myles Heskett @myleskett

Seja talks to her guests Dave Graney and Clare Moore about their upcoming 30th anniversary shows for the album The Soft ’n’ Sexy Sound. They tell Seja memories of playing festivals over the years, about staying in squats in London, and the rivalry and close community with their musical peers the Go-Betweens, Kim Salmon, the Scientists, the Boys Next Door and the Triffids. They chat about album production, advocates at record labels, clever and funny titles, and how all the best people are creative creeps. Dave and Clare’s strange show story was illustrated by Seja. All illustrations can be seen on instagram @hearsejpodcast or on the HearSej Facebook page.

Seja talks to her guest Sally Seltmann (New Buffalo) about her studio set-up, her dogs, co-writing sessions and how to keep ideas fresh. They chat about their shared similarities, working with and taking criticism from your partner, self producing and record label politics. Sally tells Seja about the financial side of being a songwriter vs feeling satisfied creatively, how making music is medicine and about the joys of hearing her daughter play music. Sally’s strange show story was illustrated by Seja. All illustrations can be seen on instagram @hearsejpodcast or on the HearSej Facebook page.