Riffing With Christina

Eyehategod’s Mike IX Williams talks about their long-awaited next album, their new drummer, why Hurricane Katrina changed everything, his gratitude for the fans that saved his life, his favourite memories of late drummer Joey, the band's notorious reputation and lots more. Watch the YouTube video version.

Singer and songwriter Corinne Gibbons has been living the nomadic travelling artist life since she fell in love with making music as a teenager. We discuss her creative songwriting process, what she has learned from collaborating with talented artists (and children) in Indigenous communities, what the elders can teach us all about time and shares some serendipitous moments working with the world's most brilliant musicians plus some sage advice for musicians looking to live the dream. 

Michael Gira of Swans is a truly iconoclastic musician that has created music that hits the extremes of the spectrum - the darkest, the most abrasive and explosive sounds you can imagine, through to the most ethereal otherworldly music. Swans cuts through all your blood and gristle to your heart and bones. Their new album Leaving Meaning leans to the light; a super cinematic piece that you can feel on a visceral level. The record is a shining example of why SWANS have remained a vital evolving animal.  Watch my video interviews: https://www.youtube.com/thevoidwithchristina

Apocalyptica is a band from Finland featuring classically trained musicians which started out covering Metallica songs, reimagined on cellos. Over the last few years they’ve moved into creating their own symphonic heavy metal music and have collaborated with an insane range of singers. I spoke to them before their show at the Opera House. You can watch the video version of this interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUfV6vpZBso  

Prolific Canadian musician Devin Townsend shares the story of his new solo album "Empath," the killer touring band he's put together to share it with the world, the difference between Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart, the darkness of being a human, the function of being an artist, the creative experience, the fundamental differences between men and women, his career evolution from his wild and aggressive Strapping Young Lad material to the far dreamier Empath, and lots more. 

Gang of Four's Andy Gill is an iconic guitarist and acclaimed record producer who has carved out a unique (and often imitated) guitar sound. We discuss the New York trip that preceded their mega influential first album Entertainment!, the history of Gang Of Four, Andy's brand new approach to their latest album, producing Killing Joke’s epic self-titled record, left and right in the dark days of capitalism and more. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Entertainment!, they return to Australia in November.

​Andrew "Party" W.K. is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and badass keyboardist that is best known for his diehard commitment to PARTYING and the concept of PARTY. Here we talk about fearless expression, the emotion he wants to create every single show, the spice he seeks with his soulmates (the fans) and who is more culturally significant: My Little Pony or Hello Kitty.

Primitive Man is a band that savages ears like a concrete sledge of granite-tipped sonic violence that intensifies gravity. Their latest album is called "Caustic" and it isn't just a clever name. It is caustic. Founding member Ethan McCarthy is quite the opposite. This lively conversation goes deep into the Denver, Colorado world he hails from, his real feelings on the grind bands of his past and where the music should ideally be experienced: in a crypt. Note: sailor-level swearing from all involved throughout the show. 

Andy Sneap and Mike Exeter have produced records for heavy metal's most significant artists including Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. In this special episode we explore Andy Sneap's trajectory from musician to acclaimed heavy metal record producer, their shared experience co-producing Judas Priest's Firepower, and some awesome Black Sabbath and Rick Rubin stories. 

Steve Hughes is an Australian comic known for his acerbic style, heavy metal affiliations and controversial comedy. He speaks about why having a nervous breakdown was NOT the best thing that ever happened, being the Venom of the anti-political correctness movement and lots more.

Dave "Oderus Urungus" Brockie of GWAR was a badass space lizard from another planet who took real things seriously but never took himself too seriously. Mike from Bongzilla has been writing songs exclusively about weed for the last 25 years. Both of these rad musicians feature on this week's episode, which explores everything from Gandhi to Hendrix to the war on weed. Check out the video interviews on The Void with Christina YouTube channel. 

Nate Newton of Converge and Old Man Gloom is an essential musical and human element of some of the most iconic American hardcore bands to ever rattle speakers, sear through pits, scream, squall and soothe hearts with their serrated edges and rough-hewn soul. He and his merry bands of riff-wielding musical animals joined forces in the fertile Massachusetts hardcore scene which birthed and cross-pollinated a slew of bands who continue to drive hooks into new listeners. Here we delve into the rich history of Nate's musical trajectory and the underground scene that made these bands, the real story behind some of their most significant records, their spirit animals, their creative journey and the loss of talented and beloved Old Man Gloom bandmate (and Cave In legend) Caleb Scofield and what made him such a special human being. 

Lindsay McDougall started playing guitar with Frenzal Rhomb way back in 1996 and has gracefully assaulted stages around the world with the band's potent cocktail of rock and roll good times and utter silliness ever since. He's also burned up the airwaves with his dulcet tones on Triple J and now the ABC for many years. We discuss his upcoming show at Download Festival, the Australian experience, the next Frenzal Rhomb album and much more. 

Shawna Potter of Baltimore's War on Women is a welcome revelation, a powerful voice equal parts savage, full-bodied and soulful. Hitting peak notes hard and striking violently through the real things that matter means something, onstage and on record. Especially from a band that is as excellent as a David Lee Roth star jump. In this extended conversation, Shawna Potter speaks to host Christina Rowatt about music, creativity, punk rock and using your voice as a weapon. 

Nath Core has an epic expanse of musical knowledge and has created the digital worlds of many iconic heavy bands including Baroness,  Napalm Death and Neurosis. We discuss his experiences travelling from the cultural desert of Australia to America, building great relationships with excellent bands, the history of grindcore, seeing Guns N Roses alongside the legendary Del James, Ross Halfin's photography, some fun anecdotes from the proverbial Encyclopaedia Metallica and what it was like to interview Scott Kelly of Neurosis on a picturesque mountaintop. 

Australian fashion model Tiah Eckhardt is the writer/creator of lauded lingerie blog "The Daily Knicker," a blog showcasing a lingerie collection that rivals John Peel's record collection. Her carefully curated lingerie recommendations have introduced thousands around the world to artistic, sexy and womanly designs with a rare level of editorial insight. In this in-depth conversation she speaks to host Christina Rowatt about her lifelong love affair with lingerie, her experiences as a high fashion, runway and lingerie model from the age of fourteen, her wildest and most glamorous modelling adventures, falling in love, this immense moment of cultural transformation as the multi-faceted experience of being a woman is starting to be reflected in a more nuanced way, embracing bisexuality, the difference between Australian men and British/American men (and the lack of chivalry in Australian male culture), weird parallels between music and fashion post-GFC, capitalism versus self-love, sex and romance in the digita

Recording engineer and record producer Mike Exeter talks to Christina Rowatt about working with longtime studio collaborator Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi, engineering on the final Black Sabbath record with producer Rick Rubin, recording some of rock's most magnificent voices including Judas Priest singer Rob Halford and the iconic Ronnie James Dio, making Judas Priest's 2018 album alongside Andy Sneap and his intuitive approach to make any artist feel comfortable enough in the studio to give their best performance. 

Corey Glover as Living Colour's vocal heart is a soulful, powerful and critical musical element of the band's unique sound and their ability to transcend genre and time; equally at home at a funk show as a stadium metal festival. Corey joins The Void for a fast conversation about communicating via the most primal channel we have: music, and the five songs that changed his life. In the second half of the show, Australian composer, filmmaker and musician Paul Dawkins joins us to talk ancient instruments, growing up in the music business, his experiences as a young musician with rock and roll hitmaker producer and industry legend Peter Dawkins as a father, what really happened at the birth of the compact disc and 21st century survival as a musician. 

Sunny Singh has been capturing the live hardcore music experience on film for over a decade with Hate5Six. With an arsenal of over two thousand high quality live performance videos online, Sunny has invested thousands of hours in shooting, editing and broadcasting killer hardcore bands in their element - live and dangerous. In this in-depth conversation, we explore his history, tech, hardcore music, transformative shows, Rage Against The Machine, art as a defiant response to the corrupt systems of late capitalism, the emotional feedback loop of live music and the decision to launch his Patreon in 2018, which has allowed him to make Hate5Six a full time job.  Watch Hate5Six YouTube channel  Join the Hate5Six Patreon Watch The Void with Christina YouTube channel

Pagan frontwoman Nikki Brumen chats to Christina about recording vocals for the Melbourne band's killer debut album "Black Wash" in one day and their combustible and original sound which she describes as the lovechild of French pop, Italian disco, Norwegian black metal and a demonic Karen O. We also discuss ridiculous and inappropriate Norwegian black metal stories, her previous life in a band with her talented artist twin sister, the heavy frontwomen she loves to share a stage with and the healthy and supportive Melbourne rock and roll scene.