Take 5
Episodes
Stephen Page's unbroken songs
09 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Page is a force of nature. As artistic director for Bangarra Dance Theatre, he’s told the stories of Indigenous Australia through movement,...
Rise Against's America
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Rise Against have been at the forefront of socially conscious punk for the last 20 years. On the release of their 9th album, I thought it was a perfe...
Sleater-Kinney's off-kilter songs
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sleater-Kinney have always been shapeshifters. Within that guitar forward, angular, and soaring indie rock sound they have always experimented and tr...
Danny Elfman's epiphanies
17 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What do Tim Burton’s films, the Men in Black franchise, and The Simpsons theme all have in common? They’ve all been scored by Danny Elfman.Danny ...
Shirley Manson's songs of purpose
11 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you remember the first time you heard Garbage? I do. It was 1995. Their debut single Vow. That opening guitar line, the stereo panning, and then S...
Lindy Morrison's life
04 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This is a story that’s not often been told. Lindy Morrison is well known as the drummer for The Go-Betweens. Over a decade, her drumming shaped the...
Gruff Rhys' bedrock songs
20 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Gruff Rhys is a legend of the Welsh music scene. As frontman for the Super Furry Animals, he took his band to global success. Gruff was at the centre...
St. Vincent's classics
14 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Annie Clark is one of the most exciting musicians working today. As a songwriter she’s jumped from indie balladry, to layered, ambitious sounds, an...
Julia Stone's songs of freedom
06 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Julia Stone is one of Australia’s most successful musicians. With her brother Angus, they gigged hard for years before cracking it internationally....
Ed Kuepper's decades
29 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When I say the name Ed Kuepper, what comes to mind? The Saints? Laughing Clowns? The Aints? Maybe his prolific solo career, or his work crafting beau...
Kate Crawford's atlas of sound
22 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I first heard Kate Crawford’s work in the late 90’s; she and Nicole Skelty’s made music as B(if)tek, and it was playful electro that was always...
Ariel Rechtshaid's studio
09 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When Ariel Rechtshaid fronted a ska pop band called The Hippos, I doubt he had any clue where his musical path would take him. They had a big hit in ...
Anne Edmonds and Lloyd Langford's songs that shaped them
25 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered what it’d be like to live with a comedian? You’re about to find out. Anne Edmonds and Lloyd Langford both make people laug...
Femi Kuti's legacy
18 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If I say Afrobeat, what’s the first name that comes to mind? Fela Kuti. The polyrhythmic prince who coined the term, and pioneered a movement that ...
Eskimo Joe's songs to unite
11 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Eskimo Joe are a band that need little introduction. If you grew up in the late 90’s or noughties they were all over the radio, a trio from Fremant...
Ione Skye's firsts
04 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ione Skye has been on our screens for decades. As a teen she starred in the legendary high school movie “Say Anything”. She’d pop up on “Fe...
Max Richter's songs to compel
26 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Max Richter is one of the most loved modern composers in the world. He’s sold millions of albums, and been streamed billions of times. Max’s work...
Kate Mulvany's backstory
19 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Mulvany is a professional storyteller. An award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and actor, she’s built a name for herself in her incredible ...
Tana Douglas' songs from the road
12 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What do Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ice Cube, Status Quo, and Neil Diamond all have in common? Tana Douglas. She’s recognised as the world’s first fem...
Fat Mike's no rules
04 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Fat Mike from NOFX is a bit of a legend. As frontman for the band for almost four decades, he’s been the soundtrack to countless generations of pun...
Brendan Cowell's turning points
29 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There are only a handful of people I ask back to Take 5. Brendan Cowell is one of them. The actor, author, playwright, and poet is a master storytell...
Adalita's evolution songs
21 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I still remember the first time I heard Magic Dirt. The burning sounds of their single “Ice” captured my 16 year old heart, and I can still recal...
Best of 2020
17 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
So we’ve taken another trip around the sun, and before we have a short break – I want to leave you with the annual best of buffet, for the Take 5...
Common's music for a movement
11 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
American rapper Common is a renaissance man. Growing up on the south side of Chicago, his records reflected the world he saw; and the one he wanted t...
Tara June Winch's songs that tell her story
03 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tara June Winch knows how to tell a story. In 2006 she released her first novel, Swallow the Air. It won a bunch of awards, and was added to the high...
Bag Raiders' 2010
26 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
2010 was a big year for bangers. The Australian dance music scene in particular, was thriving. Stalwarts like The Presets and Cut Copy were kicking i...
Fanny Lumsden's solace songs
19 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I think we can all agree 2020 has been a YEAR. No one more so than country music singer Fanny Lumsden. Based in the tiny town of Tooma, on the wester...
Bjorn Stewart's full course
12 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bjorn Stewart is a slashie. An actor, director, writer, and comedian; I became a massive fan seeing him doing Quarantine Cooking Challenges on the lo...
Kylie Minogue's disco ball
05 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Where do I begin with Kylie Minogue? She’s been in our lives for over three decades, she’s sold more than 70 million records, holds multiple ARIA...
Róisín Murphy's foundation songs
29 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Roisin Murphy is a force of nature. We first met her as one half of Moloko, whose pop house hits made them a household name. But since 2005 Roisin Mu...
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever's summer songs
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There are some bands that just sound like summer. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, are one of them. Those jangly guitars, the three part harmonies…...
Julia Baird's luminous songs
15 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You know when you meet someone, and from the get go you think, you’re good people. Julia Baird is good people.An acclaimed journalist and broadcast...
Peter Garrett's songs of reckoning
25 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
So where I do even begin with Peter Garrett? He’s one of the most iconic front men, and activists in Australia. As lead singer of Midnight Oil, he ...
Tame Impala's songs that would surprise
18 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s hard to remember it now, but back in 2010 Tame Impala were getting excited about the prospect of their first headline American tour. The Perth...
Felix Riebl's Musical Geography
11 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For Felix Riebl, exploring the world has been his life for more than twenty years. As founding member of The Cat Empire, touring all over the planet ...
Christian Joy’s visionary songs
04 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever seen one of Karen O’s outfits and thought to yourself “who MADE that?”. Today you’re going to meet her. Christian Joy is a fash...
Daniel Levitin's neuroscience of music
28 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered why you get goosebumps when you listen to certain songs? Or what makes a hit, a hit? Maybe you’ve argued that the music you ...
Quan Yeomans' inner child
21 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Quan Yeomans is a guy who likes to play. Whether fronting Regurgitator for the past quarter century and bringing his songwriting clout to their punk,...
Darren Hanlon's coping songs
14 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Darren Hanlon is one of Australia’s great troubadours. His music has charmed us for near on twenty years now, and he’s known as a songwriter’s ...
Virginia Trioli's landmark songs
07 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When I say the name Virginia Trioli, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For me, I think boss. I think killer journalist who, when she does ...
Emma Donovan's family tree
31 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the biggest and best voices in Australia, is Emma Donovan’s. As a little kid, Emma got a heap of practice in with her family band. The Donov...
Courtney Barnett's Melbourne songs
17 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Courtney Barnett is a national treasure. Ever since I started hearing her songs, around 2013, she’s been one of my favourite storytellers. A dry ...
Rufus Wainwright's 5 acts
10 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Rufus Wainwright is one of the greatest voices of our time. Hailing from a dynasty of incredible songwriters in Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright...
Susan Rogers’ catalyst songs
03 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Susan Rogers, by her own admission, is a rare bird. A female producer and sound engineer in an industry dominated by men, her drive and commitment wo...
Ricky Powell's access all area songs
26 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ricky Powell is a collector of stories. Whether on the street shooting the daily comings and goings of his beloved New York, or on tour with Beastie ...
Kate Miller-Heidke's stage songs
19 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There’s only one person on the planet who has played Coachella, the New York Metropolitan Opera, and hit the stage at Eurovision; and that person i...
Nick Littlemore’s songs of enlightenment
12 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I was 21 when I first heard Pnau. Their debut album Sambanova would become the soundtrack to pre drinks and after parties, it signalled a duo who kne...
Ben Shewry’s songs for the senses
05 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Every now and then I invite someone who isn’t a muso, to Take 5. It makes sense right; all of us are affected by music, and the songs that soundtra...
REMI's songs of friendship
29 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Melbourne duo Remi have been making music for almost a decade. We first met then in 2014, when they uploaded a song called Sangria to triple j Uneart...
Jessie Ware’s late night songs
22 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jessie Ware got her start in the club. Back before she was making her own music, Jessie’s voice jumped on songs by SBTRKT, and her love of dance mu...
Tori Amos' sonic hunters
15 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tori Amos is an icon. From her arrival onto the scene in 1992 with her debut album Little Earthquakes, to redefining how we felt about classical pian...
Miranda Tapsell’s chapter songs
08 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve been chasing Miranda Tapsell to Take 5 for years. The proud Larrakia Tiwi woman has proven hard to pin down because she’s been so busy makin...
The Rapture share songs for the people they love
01 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Rapture are one of my favourite bands. They were the sound of the noughties; with their punk-funk party out of New York City, they’d define a s...
Anna Calvi’s songs of freedom
24 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Anna Calvi is a powerhouse. A virtuoso guitarist from a young age, it took her a while to gather confidence to get behind the mic; but when she did, ...
Dave McCormack's cornerstone songs
17 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For many of us who came of age in the 90’s, Dave McCormack was a familiar voice. As lead singer of Custard, his husky voice atop some truly whimsic...
Georgia’s easter egg songs
02 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Georgia Barnes grew up in raves. As the daughter of Neil Barnes from Leftfield, she seemed destined to make music herself, and her formative years wh...
Ngaiire's songs without boundaries
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sydney singer Ngaiire is a powerhouse. I remember the first time I heard her voice, I was a goner. The way her voice curled around every lyric was on...
New Order’s Bernard Sumner with the songs that made him
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a family tree of modern music and one of its biggest branches is New Order.The Manchester band, formed in the wake of Joy Division’s unti...
Hot Chip's jubilant songs
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I still remember the first time I heard Hot Chip, and I distinctly remember the yellow sleeve their first album came in. It didn’t reveal much abou...
Girls to the Front Bonus Best Of
07 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Girls to the Front on the Take 5 podcast! A Frankensteined special of some of my favourite recent conversations with incredible women. Celebra...
Hayley Mary's women of the decade
05 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you came of age in the 2010’s, the sound of Hayley Mary’s voice would have been a tonic. As the lead singer of The Jezabels, she soared over b...
Weyes Blood's songs that fly too high
27 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
American artist Natalie Mering didn’t always sing folk music. Back in the day she was into noise rock; she played bass with the kind of heavy bands...
Leigh Whannell’s songs you can see
20 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Leigh Whannell is a guy who likes to scare you.Back in 2004 he wrote and starred in Saw; it was a horror movie done on a budget, it’d go on to make...
Clare Bowditch's hurricane songs
13 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been almost 20 years since we first met Clare Bowditch.Back in 2003 she grabbed our attention with her brooding debut single “Human Being”...
Fletcher from Pennywise with songs that push forward
06 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Pennywise are Cali punk legends.From backyard parties in Hermosa Beach, to touring the world over the past quarter of a century, the band have built ...
Fatboy Slim’s dancefloor evergreens
30 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Norman Cook is a legend.Under the moniker Fatboy Slim the British producer and DJ has been making us dance for decades. His breakthrough album “You...
Best of 2019
13 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a massive year for the Take 5. Since 2006 I’ve been having conversations that go well beyond music, but in the last couple of years I f...
West Coast is the Best Coast
05 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ever since we first met American duo Best Coast, they’ve worn their love of California on their sleeves. Bethany Cosentino & Bobb Bruno have vi...
Kram’s amazing Spiderbait moments
29 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Spiderbait are no strangers to triple j and Double J. They’re part of the fabric of Australian festival culture, they’re Hottest 100 champions, a...
Dennis Lyxzén’s memorable moments
21 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The story of Refused is an interesting one. The Swedish hardcore punk legends had a strong fanbase and released three albums, the final of which was ...
Amanda Palmer's love song dedications
14 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Through the early to mid-noughties, Amanda Palmer’s voice cut through as frontwoman for the Dresden Dolls. Their cabaret pop filled the airwaves, a...
Elbow's songs of nostalgia
07 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Elbow are one of those bands who hold a place in your heart. Maybe it’s the timbre of Guy Garvey’s voice or the stomping emotion they bring to th...
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ songs from the road
31 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros landed into the scene with their song ‘Home’. It was all over the radio, on soundtracks to films, you still ...
Bernard Fanning’s trip down memory lane
24 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There are certain bands that are part of the fabric of Double J and triple j. Powderfinger is one of them.As we trek through the Take 5 archives, I w...
Julia Jacklin's unexpected songs
17 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Julia Jacklin now has two brilliant albums behind her, but three years ago she was just starting to get traction as a solo artist with her debut albu...
Gerard Way's songs that made him
10 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For so many of us, My Chemical Romance soundtracked our angsty youth.Their theatrical music was mirrored by the wild shows, and Gerard Way was at the...
Neil and Sharon Finn’s musical hookups
03 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Finns are a musical bunch. Neil has fronted the legendary Crowded House, sons Liam and Elroy play, and brother Tim led Split Enz and has made a h...
Tony Visconti's enduring relationships
27 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tony Visconti is a living legend. For more than 50 years he’s been behind some of the most iconic albums of our time.His career began with T Rex, a...
Tool's unexpected finds in their music library
19 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a big time for Tool fans. They just released their first album in 13 years; it’s fair to say that anticipation was at an all time high ...
Kasey Chambers' musical breakthroughs
13 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Kasey Chambers is a living legend. Five number one albums, fourteen ARIA Awards, she recently became the youngest woman to be inducted into the ARIA ...
Vivien Goldman's hidden histories
06 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever met a professor of punk? I didn’t even know such a thing existed, before I met Vivien Goldman. She lectures at New York University bu...
Fred Armisen's punk life
30 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If I told you to 'put a bird on it', you’d know immediately what I meant. This iconic sketch from Portlandia is the work of Fred Armisen. He’s a ...
Waleed Aly's songs we should talk about
23 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Waleed Aly is the smartest guy in the room. Whether hosting The Project, writing editorials for major newspapers, or completing his PhD, it feels the...
Andrew Stafford's songs to believe in
16 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Back in 2004, Andrew Stafford published a book called Pig City. It captured the Brisbane music scene, the politics that fuelled this artistic reactio...
Jessica Mauboy's songlines
09 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jessica Mauboy is a ray of light. We met her on a singing show more than a decade ago and since then she’s been flat out being a renaissance woman ...
Peter Hook’s unknown pleasures
02 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Hook is an architect of modern music. As bass player and founding member of Joy Division and New Order, his melodic high playing style changed ...
Adrianne Lenker's songs that get under your skin
26 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Adrianne Lenker feels things deeply. You hear it in every one of her songs; whether solo, or with her band Big Thief. Lucky for us, she shares it all...
The Streets Take 5 with songs of then and now
19 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the early 00’s The Streets burst onto the scene. Original Pirate Material was like nothing else around. Combining garage beats with everyday sto...
Mark Ronson's songs of pop perfection
12 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Where do you begin with Mark Ronson? 7 Grammys, an Oscar, and so many hit records over 15 years of writing and producing music. He may not sing, but ...
Jen Cloher's musical navigators
05 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jen Cloher is a beacon in Australian music. She’s one of our best songwriters, and a great champion of her peers. Whether it's running management w...
Warren Ellis' songs in the key of Waz
21 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Warren Ellis’ music has been the soundtrack to my adult life. I remember when I first heard Dirty Three, they were like nothing else around; an ins...
Kelsey Lu's songs of hope
14 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There are times when I like to take the Take 5 on the road; heading to places where creative people gather, and the conversations around art and musi...
Kirsha Kaechele’s illuminating songs
07 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It’s fair to say, Kirsha Kaechele has lived a life less ordinary. The American artist and curator lives in Hobart, but Australia is just the latest...
Washington's chameleon songs
31 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Megan Washington is one of my favourite people to talk to. Ever since we first met her ten years ago, she’s been an open book, who has an incredibl...
Jimmy Barnes' songs that made him
24 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It’s not overstating it when I say Jimmy Barnes is a national treasure. Everyone can sing along to a Cold Chisel song, you’ve undoubtedly seen hi...
Hear Kacey Musgraves' Take 5, with the theme of 'songs that follow her arrow'
17 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Kacey Musgraves is the woman of the golden hour. At the Grammy’s she won every category she was nominated in, including Album of the Year. Her live...
Tiny Ruins' songs from the road
10 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For around a decade now, New Zealand artist Tiny Ruins has been singing stories to us. Across three albums, Hollie Fullbrook has sketched beautiful p...
Vika and Linda Bull's sibling songs
03 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Vika and Linda Bull are legends of Australian song. Whether they’re backing Paul Kelly, or singing out front on their own, the sisters have brought...
Kurt Vile's musical heroes
26 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
One of my favourite artists is Kurt Vile. His music has been a friend to me for years; a familiar voice and drifting guitar that always makes you fee...
Simon Amstell's songs that tell his story
12 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Simon Amstell is a funny guy. That's literally his job; as comedian, TV host, and recent feature film maker. He got his start as the scathing host of...