The Rider, with Becko

The Human League return to Australia in 2027 - the first since their sellout a few years ago.

This is a greatest hits tour and it will be something special to see Phil, Joanne and Susan back playing some iconic venues.

In this chat, Phil explains how they somehow made it through the 90s and the 'grunge' era - the most difficult time for any 80s synth indy band to be once again going through a sweet spot!

This is Phil Oakey from The Human League, on The Rider with Becko.

20 years ago one of the great Aussie albums was released, "Suburban Songbook" by Bob Evans.

Suburban Songbook remains a critical and commercial success story two decades beyond its release.

Fittingly in 2026, Bob Evans will head out on the road for the 20th Anniversary of Suburban Songbook, set to perform the record in its entirety with full band this September and October, along with a special 20th Anniversary Edition of Suburban Songbook available digitally and on vinyl on September 4.

It's always great to catch up with Kevin and have conversations on Perth's music scene and how did he ask the rest of Jebediah how they felt if he worked on something else for a bit.

This is The Rider with Becko and Bob Evans.

Alexander Gow has released a brilliant new album, 'Bodyline'.

Best known as the frontman of Oh Mercy, Gow reflects on the evolution of his craft—from ARIA-winning records to striking out on his own—and unpacks the stories behind an album that embraces intimacy, restraint and lyrical precision.

Along the way, we talk about creativity beyond commercial success, balancing music with journalism, and what keeps him writing after nearly two decades of Australian music.

A natural progression from 2023’s Dizzy Spell, Bodyline tradeslo-fi minimalism for something richer and more playful. Still grounded in Gow’s unmistakable songwriting voice, the album expands its palette through layered arrangements and analogue warmth, recorded to quarter-inch tape with an openness to experimentation.

“Bodyline is the latest effort in my ongoing pursuit of enduring, horny songwriting -  full of pathos and personal exploration,” Gow says. “Writing songs is the thing I am best at; it brings me joy, meaning, and context in a life that is largely fulfilling, yet often chaotic and confusing.”

Stream it now... it's brilliant.

This is The Rider with Becko and Alexander Gow.

Music has a unique way of transcending time, and for Mark Holden, this has been a defining theme throughout his illustrious career.

From his rise to fame in the 1970s to his recent resurgence in the music scene, Holden's journey is both inspiring and enlightening.
Mark Holden’s career took off in the 1970s, a decade that shaped his identity as an entertainer. He reflects on how he became a household name during this era, particularly due to his appearances on television shows.

Then there was the Idol era - numerous stars were discovered and can owe their careers to Holden and Australian Idol.

Mark has a busy 2026 with a number of albums released and will continue to create new music despite the setbacks.

This is Mark Holden, on The Rider with Becko.

Meg Mac burst onto the scene as a Triple J Unearthed feature artist and a debut EP that got her airplay across the country.

"Never Be" and "Low Blows" are now aussie classics and she then made a name for herself as part of numerous festival tours on Falls and Spilt Milk and the USA circuit.

Her Triple J 'Like a Version' appearances have all been highlights but her cover of Tame Impala's "Let it Happen" has been widely credited as one of the best moments of the JJJ segment.

Her 4th album is about to arrive, "It's My Party" on 20th Feb and we have already heard a taste with 4 singles released.

Her theatre tour is also about to begin, so check her out this Feb and March!

This is Meg Mac on The Rider with Becko.

The legendary Tea Party are coming back to once again play some huge venues around Australia.

This time around, the tour will also include two amazing symphony shows - one in Melbourne and one at the Sydney Opera House.

It's always a pleasure to catch up with Tea Party frontman, Jeff Martin.

This episode we'll also catch up with Nick Mulvey who is about to kick off his second Australian tour - he has a lot of talent and some great stories.

His new album is "Dark Harvest Pt II"

This is The Rider with Becko with the Tea Party and Nick Mulvey.

Rob Hirst, much loved and will be missed dearly.

Paul Kelly is an Australian music icon. His 30th album is out now, "Seventy" which feels like part 2 of "Fever Longing Still." (Because it is)

His songwriting feels effortless, but it's a natural skill that many of us would dream of.

Paul has had a massive year, sold-out arena shows, back to back albums and the Red Hot Summer Tour in 2026.

‘Seventy' traces its inspiration to Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales and Boccaccio's Decameron, where disparate souls come together to swap yarns and keep the darkness away. “Telling stories is deeply human and has been since we started to become humans,” says Kelly.

'Seventy' comes with the song 'Rita Wrote a Letter' - Part 2 of 'How to Make Gravy'. In this interview, Paul reflects how this song has been on the shelf for a little while - but for one big reason.

The release of 'Seventy' comes as Kelly rides a wave of unprecedented demand, having recently sold out his extensive arena tour across the country. The tour reinforced his position as Australia's unofficial poet laureate, with Rolling Stone declaring: "He is one of the grand masters of songwriting and our unofficial poet laureate. This year he turned 70, and long may he run." The Age reflected on his enduring cultural impact: "He's forever connecting us back to memory, to place, to home. Kelly's set got me thinking about how he's baked into our national consciousness and perhaps played a part in forming it.”

This is The Rider with Becko, and Paul Kelly.

You might remember where you were when the Hottest 100 of 2006 was announced, and for the first time in ages it was a winner you couldn't argue against.

"One Crowded Hour" was the standout song of the year, a masterpiece.

Augie March were on a slow build, up until then. They had setbacks and tragedy that we'll tackle in this episode.

2006 was a year they will never forget.

Catch Augie March on tour in April as they celebrate 20 years of "Moo, You Bloody Choir,"

This is The Rider with Becko, and Glenn from Augie March.

The story of Murray Cook's 'sliding doors' moment is one for the ages - if he didn't go to uni and meet Anthony and Greg, there would be no Wiggles and no amazing music as part of the Soul Movers.

Over time the Soul Movers have changed and broadened their style with Lizzie Mac on vocals - so the name change to 'Murray and The Movers' opens the door to a more rocky edge.

Check out Murray and The Movers on tour this Summer and the new song "If I'm With You".

This is The Rider with Becko and Murray Cook.

Youth Group are a gifted band that have always deserved more focus. They have just wrapped up their tour off the back of their 6th album, "Big Whoop."

You might remember when they burst onto the scene with one of the greatest covers of all time, "Forever Young" which made it onto the O.C. and all of a sudden, they were hot property - and won an ARIA in 2006.

Over the years, Toby has released three solo albums and toured, but when Youth Group get together (which is rare), it feels special.

Check out the new album and new song "When I was" - one of the best hooks we've heard all year.

This is Toby Martin from Youth Group, on The Rider with Becko.

"Shotgun Karaoke" began as a backstage challenge while Something for Kate were on tour. Paul was thrown impossible songs to cover from artists like Iron Maiden and You Am I.

Strangely the challenge started to get a following on Youtube and it sparked something - a covers album!

"Shotgun Karaoke" came out and then Paul toured the country, but he didn't necessarly want to be known as the 'covers guy'. (But we all loved his "Wrecking Ball" version all the same!)

In 2025, "Shotgun Karaoke II" was released with covers from Cher, Max Q, REM and Patti Smith.

The tour also continues in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne.

This is The Rider with Becko, and Paul Dempsey.

Ione Skye, has written one of the greatest books of the year - "Say Everything".

Ione, Hollywood it girl as many refer to her is now an adopted Aussie: married to the iconic Ben Lee and living in Sydney. Their podcast "Weirder Together" has some hilarious takes and worth checking out.

In 1986 fifteen-year-old Ione Skye landed the breakout role in 'River's Edge' and then she inspired John Cusack’s iconic boombox serenade in the hit Cameron Crowe film, 'Say Anything. '

Her experiences around music and musicians is what makes this memoir so special. Growing up in the Hollywood Hills and living in Laurel Canyon, surrounded by so many gifted people from the Fleetwoods to the Zappas - Ione saw it all.

This is The Rider with Becko and Ione Skye.

Franz Ferdinand are set to return to Australia for another massive tour, Perth to Sydney this November and December.

The timing is appropriate, after releasing their 6th album - coming back to the country that elevated Franz Ferdinand onto the main stage at The Big Day Out.

The rise of Franz Ferdinand blew everyone away when 'Take Me Out' charted across the world and earned the band a Grammy nom and Mercury Prize.

There is a winning formula behind the sound of the band, and it made them stand out compared to other guitar based artists.

Make sure you catch them in November and December - tickets through Frontier Touring.

This is The Rider with Becko, and Bob from Franz Ferdinand

Davey Lane is one of the hardest-working musicians I know.

Guitarist for You Am I, he's on various touring projects including the album celebrations of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, and now his fourth album is released: "Finally, A Party Record."

Finally, A Party Record.  is an eclectic mix, chock full of late-‘70s LA party vibes.

Singles released so far are God, I’m Fucked Up Over You and Over, Over & Out.

Lending vocals up front on lead is Nitida Atkinson (An Absent Lover), with backing vox on other tracks from the likes of Phil Jamieson (Flippant Words), Angus Leslie (Not Expecting To Fly), Loretta Miller (Not Expecting To Fly, Flippant Words, Remedies), Gem Choir (If It Can Rain, It’ll Rain) and a scream from Kram on Remedies.   

Go and check out the new album and sit back and enjoy the stories.

This is The Rider with Becko and Davey Lane.

It's hard to believe 30 years have passed since one of the most important albums of the indy scene was released: Dave Graney & The Coral Snakes "The Soft N Sexy Sound".

Dave Graney & The Coral Snakes were part of a huge movement, long before most of us discovered the band in the mid-90s. Whether it was Melbourne, Sydney or London, we all have a story of stumbling into a smokey bar and seeing the 'loung lizard' in action... and it was something.

Fast track 30 years, the upcoming Anniversary shows promise to bring the cool and collective sounds of DG & The Coral Snakes’ acclaimed album to life in full on the stage. The setlist will dive deep into The Soft 'n' Sexy Sound, with standout tracks such as  “Rock'n'Roll is Where I Hide", "I'm Not Afraid to Be Heavy”, and "I'm Gonna Live in My Own Big World”, along with a second set of classics and fan favourites.

Dave says: The Soft ‘n’ Sexy Sound. 1995. Gold status. ARIA award for Best Male Artist (I called it “king of pop” as that sounded less pretentious). Rock’n’Roll Is Where I Hide, I’m Not Afraid To Be Heavy, Apollo 69, Morrison Floorshow.

This is The Rider with Becko and Dave Graney & Clare Moore

Alice Cooper has reunited with his original Alice Cooper group for the first time in over 50 years - the new album is out now, "The Revenge of Alice Cooper."

Dennis Dunaway, Michael Bruce, Neal Smith and Glen Buxton are back with Alice, and they sound as brutal as ever.

A lot has happened since Alice went solo, the 80s 'Trash' era was epic and it's been endless touring. But this is a big deal, the original Alice Cooper Band going into a studio in Connecticut and bringing back the magic of the 70s.

You'll hear some brilliant stories from Alice including the impact of Wayne's World and the secret lair of the 'Hollywood Vampires.'

This is The Rider with Becko, and Alice Cooper

Sometimes you know you're onto something good. The day I met INXS Manager Chris Murphy, he had a skill of finding great people with an even greater attitude. They wanted to work harder than anyone else, but have fun doing it.

That's how it was meeting the Buckleys.

Consisting of siblings Sarah Grace (lead vocalist/bass guitar), Molly (vocals, keyboard and mandolin) and Lachlan (electric and slide guitar), the band have taken their electrifying live show to stages across Australia and the United States from Bluesfest Byron Bay to CMC Rocks, Tamworth Country Music Festival, Meatstock, Gympie Music Muster, Savannah In The Round, Mundi Mundi Bash as well as appearances at Nashville’s iconic Bluebird Cafe, Music City Roots, LA, New York and more.

In a recent review, Sunburnt Country say’s “The Buckleys are one of the greatest live acts you could ever hope to see”.

Meet the family, and you will just love them. You might also know their Dad!

This is The Rider with Becko, and The Buckleys

AC/DC are without doubt, the greatest band to come out of Australia.

Over 200 million albums sold and famously, 'Back in Black' the highest selling rock album of all time.

The band formed in 1973 and toured heavily across Australia and then the world.

The lineup has changed over the years, but the foundation was the Young brothers, Malcolm and Angus.

Since Malcolm's passing, the future has been uncertain but we all know how special it is to have the band back on the road for the 'Power Up' World Tour.

They return to Australia in November, and this will be a tour not to miss.

This is The Rider with Becko, and Angus Young.

The Coronas formed over 20 years ago in Ireland. 8 albums later, they haven't lost that hunger and the love of touring the world.

It seems they like Australia too, after four visits in four years we welcome them again this November.

After meeting in college, forming a band and then a quick name change to avoid confusion with 90s dance artist 'Corona' - The Coronas gave us their debut album in 2007 'Heroes or Ghosts'.

Each album has been a step ahead musically and a success in the Irish charts.

This is The Rider with Becko and Danny from The Coronas.

After 14 years touring the world with 5 Seconds of Summer, Calum Hood has released his debut album 'ORDER chaos ORDER'.

This has not been a rushed effort, the 10-track collection is a masterpiece and has been in the works for over two years.

The album was written and recorded with 'Day Wave' (Jackson Phillips) and brings together emotions and fragility from life experiences.

On this episode of The Rider, Calum talks about the circumstances behind this album, growing up in Sydney and plans for 5 Seconds of Summer.

This is The Rider with Becko, and Calum Hood.

Sometimes you chat to someone and straight away you think you're on the same wavelength, that's how it feels with 360.

His 5th album, 'Out of The Blue' is out in July and it feels very much a 'HEY, I'M BACK!!' Most of the album had been recorded over the last few years since covid and it seems his life has hit a crossroad.

You find out in this episode of The Rider, 360 has made some huge changes to his life that will surprise you.

The new album though, is a progression that rolls on from his last release and even includes some collabs you wouldn't expect.

See 360 on tour with Pez through July and August.

This is The Rider with Becko, and 360.

Little Birdy came onto the scene as the spotlight was on their hometown, Perth.

Eskimo Joe were riding high, Jebediah, Sleepy Jackson, End of Fashion and more...

The debut album from Little Birdy, 'Big Big Love' landed in the ARIA chart at number 5 and the unforgettable track, 'Beautiful To Me' was loved by the entire country.

As Little Birdy celebrate 21 years of that album, we hear how the band started all those years ago at the Hyde Park Hotel and maybe there's more in the fire for Little Birdy down the track...

This is The Rider with Becko and Katy Steele from Little Birdy.

The Cat Empire have been a huge part of Melbourne's music scene since 1999.

Most of us heard "Hello" and we were hooked, while others were lucky enough to be there from the beginning.

Recently, The Cat Empire dissolved their original lineup and had the official farewell at the Myer Music Bowl.

Now with a brand new lineup and the first album since the change, "Bird in Paradise" - Felix says the band has never been more hungry.

This is The Rider with Becko, and Felix Riebl from The Cat Empire

Paul Kelly, our icon of the Australian music industry has officially released his 29th studio album, "Fever Longing Still".

It's his first album with new material since 2018, with 12 additions to his incredible collection of love songs spanning more than 40 years.

Paul is about as Melbourne is it gets, but we discover in this conversation that things weren't always easy to begin with in the Melbourne music scene. His move to Sydney in the mid-80s brought about his break-through with a long list of hits.

This is an open and completely honest chat with Paul, no topic is off limits whether it be life, love, heartbreak and even heroin.

Paul and his band will hit the road in August next year to celebrate another huge release, so hit up Frontier to get your tickets.

This is The Rider with Becko and Paul Kelly

Kasey Chambers is nothing short of a national treasure. We as a nation cried and supported her when 'Not Pretty Enough' burst Kasey onto the scene.

It was an anthem people related to and was in so many ways the most unlikely to be a number one hit.

Now her 13th album is out, 'Backbone' which accompanies her book 'Just Don't Be a Dickhead'.

A lot has changed in her life, but this album feels like it crosses all stages of her career with music that could have featured on any of her earlier albums.

Kasey's life is an amazing one, in this chat, we hear about her childhood and how her father influenced her music style and the balancing act that is touring and having a family.

This is The Rider with Becko and Kasey Chambers.

Unwritten Law burst onto the scene in the late 90s with a fast-paced rock vibe that we all grew up with.

Many years later, a true fan of the band took on the role of Tour Manager and then literally fell into the role of guitarist. This opportunity wasn't taken for granted, in fact it's more of an all-rounder role of Tour Manager, Guitarist, and sometimes babysitter!

Scotty Mac, the Aussie living the dream playing for Unwritten Law is a story not to be missed.

Catch Unwritten Law on 'Hotter Than Hell' Festival.

This is The Rider with Becko and Scotty Mac from Unwritten Law.

The Jezabels superstar, Hayley Mary is all set to step into her solo persona with the debut album, "Roman XS."

You may have seen the Jezabels rise to fame in the early 2010s, being a festival staple and also the famous residency gigs at Sydney's Lansdown Hotel.

Hayley chose the worst possible time to launch her solo career - right at the beginning of the pandemic, but we finally get our hands on her new album 25 October.

With Oasis announcing their return, you'll hear some hilarious Liam Gallagher stories after she supported him on the last Aussie tour.

Catch Hayley Mary on tour this Summer celebrating this incredible album.

This is The Rider with Becko and Hayley Mary from the Jezabels.

Regurgitator are one of Australia's favourite bands and recently celebrated some huge milestones - 25 years of the album "Unit" and we're not far off from 30 years of "Tu Plang".

You'll see them on the 'Hotter Than Hell' tour, which kicks off 12 October in WA.

You'll hear about the highs and lows of the band, how they got through 'Band in a Bubble' and their unusual connection with Powderfinger.

This is The Rider with Becko and Quan from Regurgitator.

Jon Toogood reached legendary status in the NZ music scene many years ago.

Fronting the band Shihad, supergroup 'The Adults' and over 30 years of songwriting, producing and mentoring.

Finally, he has a solo project to his name: ‘Last Of The Lonely Gods’ is a rousing and optimistic 10-track collection that sees Jon back on the acoustic guitar, making meaning of being separated from his mother in lockdown as she passed away, losing his brother-in-law and experiencing tinnitus as a side effect of long covid.  

“This is a really honest record. It's healing for me, it comforts me, and it’s about looking to the future.” 

This is The Rider with Becko and Jon Toogood.

Missy Higgins has grown up with all of us and we've grown up with her.

The debut album 'The Sound of White' was mostly written when she was 15 and it was perfect.

Every Missy Higgins album was different moment in our lives, and hers too - from the highs to the lows.

The latest album is 'The Second Act' and it literally is the next step of her life.

Songs from Missy’s eagerly anticipated new album have already been previewed at 40 sold out shows across Australia, drawing unanimous rave reviews. Missy has explained that her new songs pick up on a lot of the same themes that she was exploring when she first started writing songs – “who am I and who do want to be?” – hence the tour’s unusual structure where new material was juxtaposed with a performance of her entire debut album across two distinct, but linked, acts.

This is The Rider with Becko and Missy Higgins.

Birds of Tokyo have returned with a new single, and it's not what you expect - 'Heartbreakers Bar'.

The band haven't lost their sense of humour and you'll hear from Adam that this has been a work in progress for a number of years.

Birds Of Tokyo will stage some unconventional shows in Australia’s favourite rock venues over the coming months. The band will perform an opening set in ‘acoustic busking mode’ followed by fully plugged performances of electric anthems like “Lanterns”, “Good Lord”, “Plans” and “Unbreakable” which have seen them grow into one of Australia’s most popular bands. See them on tour and check out the new track 'Heartbreakers Bar'.

This is Adam Spark from Birds of Tokyo, on The Rider with Becko.

Diesel is the legendary quiet achiever of the Aus music industry - constantly toiling away, touring and recording. You might find it hard to believe his latest album is his 17th!

"Bootleg Melancholy" is out now and the national tour kicks off in late-August.

Diesel is in a great zone, and this conversation - one of many I've had with him over the years would go down as one of his most honest.

We hear how it all happened, from "Johnny Diesel and The Injectors," touring with Jimmy and then making the hard (or easy) decision to go solo.

This is Diesel on The Rider with Becko.

The world was a different place in 2004 when Spiderbait went into the studio, armed with a somewhat crazy idea to cover 'Black Betty'. It was a year over great cover songs including 'Behind Blue Eyes', reworked by Limp Bizkit and we can't forget Shannon Noll's work with 'What About Me' - some kids even think that was the original!?

Spiderbait decided to not just cover the song, but to completely rework it.

We hear the story behind the album 'Tonight Alright' before Spiderbait hit the road to celebrate 20 years of the release.

This is The Rider with Becko and Kram from Spiderbait.

When you take two of the most respected Aussie musicians of the last 30 years and stick them in a studio - great things happen.

Powderfinger's Bernard Fanning and Something For Kate's Paul Dempsey have given us 'Fanning Dempsey National Park'. (You'll find out why they settled on that name a little later in this episode)

'The Deluge' is finally out and has straight away secured #2 on the ARIA chart.

You'll hear how this project got off the ground and also how they managed to keep it a secret. The initial recordings took them to Norway and San Francisco, or as Bernard referred to it - 'the great eating tour!!'

'The Deluge' is a brilliant album which you will listen from cover-to-cover. Also get set for the tour coming up in October.

The is The Rider with Becko and Bernard Fanning & Paul Dempsey.

After 8 years, Empire of The Sun are back with a sensational new album "Ask That God."

Their 4th album has been jam-packed with solid singles you expect from Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore - both songwriting machines.

In this chat with Luke, we delve into the circumstances of the recording of this album and how the setbacks of covid may have assisted their creativity.

The accompanying videos of the singles are visual masterpieces, filmed in Thailand and Luke explains when you're filming overseas, nothing always goes to plan.

Empire of the Sun go on tour in October, taking them across Australia and to the Hollywood Bowl.

This is The Rider with Becko and Luke Steele from Empire of The Sun.

The Tea Party is one of the great successes of the Canadian music scene.

They burst onto the scene with their 3rd album, "The Edges of Twilight, " bringing them to Australia for the first time. Jeff Martin fell in love with the place and ended up staying!

25 years ago, "Triptych" was released and this tour celebrates this much-loved album.

'The three of us are looking forward to bringing the magic of our fourth studio album Triptych to live audiences in Australia. The album features several timeless classics including Heaven Coming Down amongst others. Join us as we take this journey into an iconic era in The Tea Party’s history together.’

The tour has kicked off in Perth, get your tickets through Livenation so you don't miss out.

This is The Rider with Becko and Jeff Martin from The Tea Party.

Brisbane band Sheppard's 4th album Zora brings happiness from its first listen. That's typical Sheppard though, it puts you in a better mood and that's exactly what the inspiration was behind the album - their grandmother Zora.

The band are celebrating 10 years of 'Geronimo' - the song that acted like a slingshot and gave them a chance to tour the world.

This has taken them to Nashville, a new home for a band and the perfect environment to work with the world's best musicians.

The is George, Amy and Emma from Sheppard on The Rider with Becko.

The Eskis make it count when they release new music. It's been five years since their last single and Aussie music fans are incredibly excited at the prospect of more new music from the pride of Fremantle.

They haven't gone away, plenty of touring has been going on including Spring Loaded and more recently the Incubus and Live tour.

The nostalgic "The First Time" is out and the Eskis continue their road trip, kicking off their national acoustic tour.

“We really look up to bands like the Rolling Stones and U2 – those guys who keep touring and creating music over and over again,” shares bass player and vocalist Kav Temperley.

“It makes us proud of our musical journey and the people who have taken our songs into their lives. Eskimo Joe is still the three core members. It just wouldn't be the Eskies without the three of us in a studio or on stage making music together – our friendship is as much a part of the band as the music itself. After an amazing 2023 of playing some huge festivals, there's this indescribable energy when a massive crowd is singing your songs back at you. We wanted to capture that energy and infuse it into our recording. So, in the first week of January this year, over five days we wrote and recorded The First Time at my studio in Fremantle.”

It's an entertaining chat as always with Kav and maybe in a few months we'll be able to check out some more tasty new music from Eskimo Joe.

The is Kav Temperley from Eskimo Joe, on The Rider with Becko.

Jebediah have always been a fan favourite since "Slightly Odway" came out in 1997. It certainly doesn't feel like 13 years since their last album Kosciuszko.

OIKS, their sixth album is now out and it feels like they have picked up from where they left off, after over a decade. The fact they have gone into the same studio with producer, Dave Parkin shows that they are after familiar surroundings but prepared to mix up the sound.

OIKS also kickstarts a packed year for Jebediah in 2024, with the band set to embark on a 22 date national album tour starting in July, supported in full by Aussie rock legends Magic Dirt.

In this episode of The Rider, Kevin Mitchell opens up on his Bob Evans project and how Jebediah are comfortable with not releasing music frequently but when they do get into the studio, they really slot right in like old times.

This is Kevin Mitchell from Jebediah, on The Rider with Becko.

We all remember where we were when we heard that debut album for the Living End - usually near a radio when "Prisoner of Society" was released.

That album debuted at number one and stayed in the ARIA chart for 83 weeks - insane by any standards.

25 years since its release, frontman Chris Cheney reflects on the creation of the album: “I think unknowingly our destination was always this; this album right here. All songs led here. All the gigs and all the songs we’d written and rejected over the years, all the lessons we’d learned had been building up to this….our first album.”

“Ultimately what we captured was a melting pot full of our influences but not to the extent that we sounded confused,” Cheney continued. “The way we played glued it all together. Stylistically, it had punk (‘West End Riot’), metal (‘Growing Up Falling Down’), pop (‘I Want a Day’), rockabilly (‘Second Solution’), hillbilly thrash on steroids (‘Prisoner of Society’), jazz (‘Fly Away’), ska (‘Trapped’ and ‘All Torn Down’), swampy surf twang (‘Bloody Mary’), country pickin’ and anything else we thought we could throw at it.”

The Living End celebrate this album with a huge show in Melbourne and a special vinyl re-release of the album with some cool extras.

This is Chris Cheney and Scott Owen from The Living End, on The Rider with Becko

Silverchair, born in Newcastle - 3 kids with some incredible talent and passion for making it to the world stage, and they did.

Supported by their parents and the 'two Johns' (manager and record company boss), they became the band aussies were proud of. We saw them play the rooftop in NYC for the MTV VMA's, Rock in Rio and multiple Big Day Outs.

The story from Ben and Chris is now out, their book - 'Love & Pain'.

‘Fundamentally, our story is a great one. An extraordinary one. Some of it may seem beyond belief, but we lived it. We were there. It all happened. I want to document it for my sons to read when they’re old enough – and we owe it to our incredibly loyal fans,’ says Ben Gillies.

‘When Ben and I first discussed the idea of writing a book, I realised it would be an opportunity to celebrate some of the awesome times the two of us shared and lived together, as well as reflect on some of the hard times – in the band and in our lives. This book is a keepsake for both of us, and a reminder that there is some beauty in addressing the truth of things, as well as paying respects to all aspects – good, bad and indifferent – of our story,’ adds Chris Joannou. 

This is Ben Gillies & Chris Joannou, on The Rider with Becko.

Murray Cook is the most humble music superstar you'll ever meet.

You would never believe he is an 'O.G. Wiggle' speaking to him, but his passion for the music scene is obvious when you start talking about 'the scene' in Sydney in the 70s and 80s.

'Dumb Luck' is his 4th album as part of the Soul Movers, you'll hear his brilliant riffs and even some influences from his favourite band - The Rolling Stones.

Check out the Soul Movers as they continue their Aussie tour - the album is out now.

This is Murray Cook, on The Rider with Becko

Any band who can survive a 100+ show tour have something special.

Kingswood are a great example of the work ethic Aussie bands are famous for - tour constantly and build an audience.

Their latest album "Home" took them on the road for the "Hometowns tour" and now they head to Europe.

We will hear about 'Peggy' the tour bus and how you survive travelling to each corner of Australia.

This is Fergus (and Al!) from Kingswood, on the Rider with Becko

Voyager have been around the Perth music scene for years, in fact their new album 'Fearless in Love' is their 8th.

Their campaign to be Australia's entrant in Eurovision has been long, but this year they finally made it, performing 'Promise' on the world stage.

Alex from Voyager has plenty of stories on what goes on behind the scenes of Eurovision.

Part two of this episode features legendary Aussie musician Shane Howard from Goanna. The song 'Solid Rock' is now 40 years old but as relevant as ever.

The is the Rider with Becko, with Alex from Voyager and Shane Howard.

Tex Perkins is a national treasure - there, I said it!

A true musician's frontman and more.

You'll know him as part of The Beasts, celebrating their 40th anniversary, of course The Cruel Sea and The Fat Rubber Band.

Recently the famous stolen 'Cruel Sea ARIA' was found in a dumpster and you'll hear the massive twist to the story which you won't get anywhere else. (It was an inside job!!!!!!)

Tex is about to go out on the road for his 'Man in Black' Tour - the songs of Johnny Cash. It is one brilliant show, and you'll find out why these songs are so special to Tex.

This is The Rider with Becko and Tex Perkins.

Magic Dirt are one of the hardest workers of 'the scene' - forming in 1991 in Geelong and numerous Big Day Outs to their name.

It was late in the piece when 'Dirty Jeans' and 'Plastic Loveless Letter' gained a heap of airplay for them and entries into the JJJ Hottest 100 in the 2000s.

Adalita has released numerous solo albums and her latest, 'Inland' taking 5 years with Covid interruptions, but still another masterpiece.

Recently Adalita appeared on the Michael Hutchence tribute, 'Rooms for the Memory 2023' - Michael's only solo single which was a ARIA Top 10 hit in 1987. This recording also honoured the talents of Ollie Olsen who worked with Michael on the recording.

This is the Rider with Becko and Adalita.

Grinspoon are back on the road and another reminder we are all getting old!!

24 years since the release of the album 'Easy' and 21 years of 'New Detention.' A great reason to re-release the albums, both on vinyl for the first time.

The Easy Detention Tour will also kick off in October playing great venues across the country.

The Grinners are always solid live: a huge show and huge pyro & confetti guns!! Pat talks about what is to come on the tour and how will the set list work when you have two albums in the mix - play them in full or play the best!?

Get the tour dates at grinspoon.com.au

This is The Rider with Becko and Pat Davern from Grinspoon

When you sit opposite someone of the presence of Billy Corgan, you are reminded how important Smashing Pumpkins was to the sound of a generation.

Billy has taken risks over the years, he doesn't doubt it - but he knows this 3-part album Atum, is making an impact with the fans. The riffs are all new - don't believe the hype from fan pages and music publications.

You'll find out some cool twists to this album, and how it almost leaked early.

From 46 songs they were working on mid-Covid, to now - 33 tracks, 3 acts written and produced by Corgan over 4 years.

This is The Rider with Becko, and Billy Corgan

Leo Sayer is the musician who has had it all. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Lennon, Richards, Daltrey and Dylan - you'll hear the Bob story a little later in the podcast.

Number one hits around the world, the fame and the setbacks and even a moment with Elvis that changed his life.

This is an episode that is full of incredible moments, and hey - let's now claim him as an Aussie because we can.

This is The Rider with Becko and Leo Sayer