'60s '70s '80s - Warm, Candid, Classic, Rock Interviews with Music Legends - A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

More than fifty years after it first sailed onto the charts, Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) remains one of the most beloved songs of the 1970s.

In this episode of A Breath of Fresh Air, Sandy Kaye welcomes Elliot Lurie, the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter behind Looking Glass, for a fascinating conversation about the song that changed his life forever.

Elliot shares the remarkable story of how Brandy was written in a farmhouse in...

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Matt Sorum joins Sandy Kaye for an honest, funny and deeply insightful conversation about life inside some of the biggest rock bands in history.

Best known for his years with Guns N' Roses during the explosive Use Your Illusion era, Matt opens up about the journey that took him from the clubs of Hollywood’s Sunset Strip to stadiums packed with hundreds of thousands of fans around the world.

H...

Steve Katz is known as a founding member of Blood, Sweat & Tears as well as a guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and author.

Steve shares incredible stories from a career that spans more than six decades, taking listeners inside the birth of folk-rock, the Greenwich Village music scene, the formation of Blood, Sweat & Tears, Woodstock, Monterey Pop and beyond.

Steve recalls his early days studying under folk and blues l...

Did you know that one singer secretly voiced some of the biggest pop hits of the 1970s — all at the same time?

Most people have no idea who he was.

In this fascinating episode of A Breath of Fresh Air, Sandy Kaye chats with legendary British session singer Tony Burrows, the man behind an astonishing string of international hits including Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes), My Baby Loves Lovin', Gimme Dat Ding, United We Stand...

Al Jardine is perhaps one of few artists who can say they helped create an entirely new sound that changed popular music forever.

In this warm and revealing conversation, the founding member of The Beach Boys looks back on the extraordinary journey that took a group of California teenagers from local surf culture to global music immortality.

As Al prepares to tour Australia celebrating the 60th anniversary of the landmark album Pet ...

This week, one of classic rock’s most recognisable voices — singer, guitarist and songwriter Mark Farner, founding member of Grand Funk Railroad.

With more than 30 million records sold worldwide, 16 gold and platinum albums and a string of massive hits including “I’m Your Captain,” “Some Kind of Wonderful,” “The Loco-Motion” and “We’re An American Band,” Grand F...

In this episode, we dive into the colourful, high-energy world of Domingo Samudio, better known as Sam the Sham, the unforgettable frontman of Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs.

With his trademark turban, cape, and mischievous grin, Sam didn’t just perform music—he created a spectacle that helped define the fun, rebellious spirit of 1960s rock and roll.

We explore Sam’s early life in Texas, where his rich cultural infl...

The music world has lost one of its most distinctive voices with the passing of Dennis Locorriere, the longtime frontman of Dr. Hook, who died aged 76 following a battle with kidney disease.

The voice behind some of the most loved soft rock and country-pop hits of the 1970s has fallen silent. In this special tribute episode, we remember the life, music and remarkable legacy of Dennis Locorriere — the unmistakable lead singer ...

Today, Sandy sits down with John Illsley, founding member and bassist of Dire Straits, for an intimate and revealing conversation about the extraordinary journey behind one of the most iconic bands in rock history.

John takes us right back to the beginning, sharing the story of how a modest council flat in South London became the unlikely birthplace of Dire Straits.

It was there that a chance encounter with Mark Knopfler—via h...

Joe Camilleri is one of the most influential and enduring figures in Australian music, and in this episode he shares the remarkable story behind a career that has spanned more than six decades. From his early life as a migrant child growing up in Melbourne to becoming the driving force behind Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons and The Black Sorrows, Joe’s journey is filled with passion, persistence and reinvention.

In this conversati...

From Singing for Sweets to Punk Pioneer

Hugh Cornwell, best known as the original frontman of The Stranglers, has lived a career shaped by instinct, rebellion and creative evolution. Remarkably, his journey began at just three years old, singing in the garden for neighbours who rewarded him with sweets. Even then, Cornwell knew he wanted to be a singer—though his parents had very different plans.

Despite his artistic ambitions,...

Ann Wilson, the powerhouse voice behind the band Heart, is widely regarded as one of rock’s greatest female vocalists.

Born in 1950 in San Diego and raised in a military family that moved frequently, Ann found stability in music early on.

Alongside her younger sister Nancy Wilson, she was inspired by seeing The Beatles perform in '66—a moment both sisters later described as life-changing.

Ann began performing in local S...

Sandy recently sat down with legendary guitarist, singer-songwriter and founding member of Traffic, Dave Mason, for a candid and often humorous look back at a remarkable life in music.

Dave reflects on his early beginnings, revealing how a failed ambition to join the Royal Air Force led him instead toward music—a path he committed to in his teens after forming his first bands. He shares how his connection with Steve Winwood an...

In this episode, Sandy Kaye sits down with legendary singer-songwriter Don McLean, the voice behind one of the most iconic songs in music history—American Pie.

Best known for that timeless anthem, Don’s career spans more than five decades, with a remarkable catalogue that includes Vincent, And I Love You So, and many more. But as you’ll hear, there’s so much more to his story than a single hit.

Don takes us ba...

Step behind the curtain of the music industry and into the high-stakes world of one of pop’s most fascinating eras. In this episode, Sandy Kaye explores the remarkable story of Dan Beck — the music executive who worked closely with Michael Jackson during a pivotal and turbulent time in his career.

Dan Beck wasn’t just another record label executive. As a senior figure at Epic Records, he became Michael Jackson&rsqu...

Today’s guest is a true rock icon. Simon Kirke is the powerhouse drummer and co-founder of two of the most influential bands in classic rock history—Free and Bad Company.

From the raw, blues-driven energy of Free to the arena-filling success of Bad Company, Simon has lived a life that most musicians only dream about.

And as you’re about to hear, it all began with a simple toss of a coin.

In this warm and revealing c...

In this episode of A Breath of Fresh Air, Sandy Kaye sits down with Verdine White, the legendary bassist and founding member of Earth, Wind & Fire, to explore the remarkable life and career of one of music’s most dynamic performers.

Verdine reflects on growing up in a large and deeply musical family in Chicago, where jazz, blues and rhythm and blues filled the house and helped shape his earliest influences.

He talks about ...

In this episode, Sandy Kaye sits down with one of the true pioneers of Australian rock music — Ross Wilson. With a career spanning more than six decades, Ross has shaped the sound of Australian music as a performer, songwriter and producer.

From his early beginnings in Melbourne in the '60s, Ross quickly became part of the thriving local music scene.

Inspired by blues records and armed with a harmonica, he joined his first ban...

Ralph McTell is one of Britain’s most enduring and respected singer-songwriters, a master storyteller whose songs have become woven into the fabric of English folk music.

Born in Kent and raised in Croydon, McTell developed an early love for American blues, folk and traditional British music. As a teenager he was captivated by artists such as Woody Guthrie and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, influences that shaped both his finge...