Off The Record

Dan from The Black Seeds called in to talk about waking a celebrity, their summer tour with UB40 and the upcoming performance at Mānuka Phuel SYNTHONY Festival, which returns to the Auckland Domain on Saturday 21 March 2026.

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Wellington rockers Dropper have had a busy summer, and they're finishing it off with a run of shows opening for Transvision Vamp. Their singer Jude called up for a chat about touring the country, the possibility of doing a stage dive at Meow Nui or The Powerstation, plus getting mistaken for Oasis. 

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Ahead of Yellowcard’s long awaited return to New Zealand, Sean Mackin called up to talk about the band’s resurgence, the legacy of Ocean Avenue, and why Better Days feels like a new chapter rather than a nostalgia lap. From skate punk roots to violin powered anthems, Sean reflects on 20 plus years of music, growth, and what it means to play these songs all over again.

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Electric Six are coming to New Zealand soon, their singer Dick Valentine called up for a chat about the staying power of Electric Six,  Detroit’s fiercely supportive ‘90s scene, the MTV explosion of Gay Bar and how their cult status has kept them touring decades after their first hit.

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Ahead of performing at Electric Ave in Christchurch and at Meow Nui in Wellington on May 1, Bret McKenzie called in for a chat about his latest solo album Freak Out City and the enduring friendship with Jermaine Clement that's seeing them do Flight Of The Conchords again in May.

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Before The Beths tour Japan, New Zealand and America this year, they popped in for a chat with us about life on the road, the Obama list and other highlights from the last twelve months

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It's been 8 years since Biffy Clyro last toured NZ and they're back in April 2026 to tour their new album Futique.We caught up with drummer Ben - one third of the band to chat about the tour, getting ripped as a drummer and new spots to check out in NZ

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Counting Crows are coming round here in 2026, their lead singer Adam Duritz called up for a chat about “The Complete Sweets! Tour” - bringing decades of sing-along moments, deep cuts, and fresh energy to iconic theatres across both countries. 

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Push Push are touring the North Island in February, their enigmatic and heroic frontman Mikey Havoc popped in for a chat about the songs that people still tell him they love from A Trillion Shades Of Happy, and the new music they'll be releasing in 2026. 

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Zed frontman Nathan King popped in to reflect on new music, the Christchurch band scene that shaped them in the ’90s, and the rush of playing to big crowds 25 years later as the band gear up for the Greenstone Summer Concert Series alongside Iggy Pop, Joan Jett, and Hoodoo Gurus

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Dave Faulkner from Hoodoo Gurus called up from Australia ahead of their Greenstone Summer Concert Tour here with Iggy Pop and Joan Jett. He talked about their first gigs in New Zealand, life on the road, festival crowds, and what still keeps the band coming back to the stage after four decades.

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Jimmy Barnes called up to chat about forty years of For The Working Class Man, the upcoming tour in April, and the special connection he’s built with New Zealand across decades of shows and visits.

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On the eve of The Black Seeds releasing their new song Compassion, singer and percussionist Dan Weetman popped in for a chat about the song's origins and where we can catch them this summer.

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Troy Kingi is about to release his ninth album in the 10/10/10 series (ten albums in ten years in ten genres) He called up to talk us through the collaborations on this latest one and where we can catch him playing live in the coming months.

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We sat down with the rock talent ahead of FULL METAL ORCHESTRA'S inaugural Christchurch show!

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Garbage are playing at the Auckland Town Hall on Wednesday December 3, their drummer Butch Vig called up for a chat about the setlist, his favourite New Zealand beverage and shared some stories about some of the legends he's worked with over the years - including Nirvana. 

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Ahead of their New Zealand tour this November, Margo from Cowboy Junkies called up to talk about staying true to their sound, protecting the band’s bond and how they find joy in simply playing together after four decades.

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Joel Little popped in for a chat about his days in Goodnight Nurse and going on to write some of the biggest pop songs on the planet, with some of the biggest pop stars, plus he wants to raise awareness for a campaign that supports live music in New Zealand at BigFan.co.nz 

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