HEAVY Music Interviews cover art

HEAVY Music Interviews

HEAVY Music Interviews

Written by: HEAVY Magazine
Listen for free

About this listen

 All the latest music interviews from the team at HEAVY Magazine.

HEAVY interviews the worlds leading rock, punk, metal and beyond musicians in the heavy universe of music.

We will upload the latest interviews regularly so before to follow our social accounts and our podcast account on www.speaker.com/user/heavy

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.© HEAVY 2025 Music Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Keep On Digging Until You Make It With NED SMELLY From GOPHER

    Keep On Digging Until You Make It With NED SMELLY From GOPHER
    May 1 2026
    Wheezing new life and enjoyment into the current Australian heavy music climate, the arthritic riddled retirees known as GOPHER have released their astonishing, must hear debut album Tunnel Buddies.
    Featuring the forever young looking and current world mahjong champion Ernie Bingo on vocals, and perpetually complimented by the effervescent ladies man Ned Smelly on guitars, they prove without a doubt that you are never too old to hail the horns and bang your head. Even if it is fused to your neck.
    GOPHER’s infectious debut album Tunnel Buddies knits together a cohesive fusion of knee wobbling groovy grind, back breaking death/slam, slinky massaging synths, sedating sing along anthemic choruses, and most importantly FUN! Like a bit of diversity in your heavies and looking for something new to gnash your gums on? GOPHER, unlike Australia Post, delivers!
    To coincide the album’s release is a brand spanking new single and video for their about to be shindig hit Party In The Sky - a tale of guitarist and scrabble shark Ned Smelly’s passion for guzzling grog on flights and expertly making the time whizz by. Ned states, ‘When you’re up in the air for hours on end and with only shitty modern-day entertainment on offer, what better way to kill the time than drinking the plane dry, charming the hosties and passing the fuck out. We’ve all got a plane face and my ancient wrinkly noggin is the best of ‘em! This splendid ditty kicks off with a catchy synth intro before launching into an all-out groove riff spread and then cleverly leading into an all-time party sing along anthem. Get your boarding pass and come ‘Party In The Sky’ with us."
    Disturbed by the happenings with Gopher's sudden rise through the ranks, HEAVY tracked Ned down at his tropical hideaway to figure out whether or not to take Gopher's threats seriously. But first we thought we would compliment him on how good he looks today.
    "Look, when you're this old, everything freezes up," he spat back, possibly not believing I was being genuine. "Your muscles are fucked. Everything's just gone to shit. So I'm doing the best I can with what I've got to work with, you know? It's not easy. We do what we do. 250 years old, man."
    We turn our attention to Gopher's new single, Party In The Sky, with much the same result.
    "Yes. Yes," he nodded. "We like to party. We like to drink every day and smoke dairy and not do much else. We'll play guitars and write some music and do this crazy stuff. But yes, that's what we do. Flying in a plane is really boring, so what better way to pass the time than just to get really pissed, drink the plane dry and just pass the fuck out and voila, you land and you're good to go. Well, not so good, you're shit really, but at least you slept those six hours and then the time's gone."
    In the full interview, Ned described Party in the Sky as party metal about partying on a plane, explaining the song's themes and the video concept of staged on-the-road misbehavior, and positioned the album as a mix of metal subgenres with heavy riffs, synth elements, and singalong choruses.
    We talked about the past, present and future of Gopher, digging holes in Indonesia and their fun first ethos and attitude to music. Ned went off track more than a few times, but when he regained his focus we talked more about the musical side of Gopher's music, what they hope to bring to the music scene, playing live and much more.


    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.
    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
  • Expressing Yourself With SPRUCE From HZED

    Expressing Yourself With SPRUCE From HZED
    May 1 2026
    Interview by Kris Peters
    HZED is a powerhouse riff-driven rock band hailing from Melbourne, Australia, known for their high-octane energy and authentic, rock drenched sound. The band’s current lineup features vocalist Tenaye, guitarist Spruce, drummer Sam, and members Hannah and Piddo.
    Musically, HZED is defined by raw, "in-your-face" rock anthems. Their songwriting process often begins with a riff or track idea from Spruce, which is then passed to Tenaye to develop lyrics and a vibe. This collaborative approach has resulted in standout tracks like No Colour and the hard-hitting single Heartbreaker.
    Following the release of Rising Up Above in March, HZED today release their new single Say Whatcha Want. Produced by Rusty Brown (of the legendary Electric Mary), the track is a masterclass in short and punchy rock and roll. To turn the heat up even further, HZED recruited Aussie rock icon Dave Leslie (Baby Animals) to lend his signature searing guitar work to the track, creating a high-octane collaboration that demands to be heard at maximum volume.
    HEAVY caught up with Spruce ahead of the release to find out more.
    "This one's a bit heavier and faster than what we've done before," he began, "and a bit more in your face. It's a bit more punk rock as well. We had Dave Leslie jump on board and do some guitar work on there for us as well, and Rusty (Electric Mary) produced it as usual so it's pumping."
    In the full interview we discussed musical and production details for the new song. Spruce described the single as heavier, faster, and more punk-influenced, noting guest guitarist Dave Leslie’s contribution, and credited producer Rusty Brown for mentoring and improving their songs since 2021.
    He confirmed two immediate single-launch shows on May 2 in Collingwood and May 8 in Frankston, with ticket links available via their socials and Linktree. Spruce also outlined plans for an EP and two additional releases around October and the end of the year, plus more.


    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.
    Show More Show Less
    12 mins
  • A Thirst For Music With MIKE SCOTT From THE WATERBOYS

    A Thirst For Music With MIKE SCOTT From THE WATERBOYS
    Apr 29 2026
    THE WATERBOYS make their long-awaited return to Australia and New Zealand in May 2026 their first tour in over a decade.
    Led by the incomparable Mike Scott and critically acclaimed as one of the best live bands on the planet, the 2025 band also features double keyboard players Brother Paul from Memphis and James Hallawell from Cornwall and is grounded by killer Irish rhythm section Aongus Ralston (bass) and Eamon Ferris (drums).
    THE WATERBOYS will be performing tracks from their audacious new album, Life, Death and Dennis Hopper: a bold, cinematic tribute to the maverick American actor and cultural icon, along with material across their storied catalogue. From the early "big music" of The Whole Of The Moon and classic album This Is The Sea through to the roots-inspired Fisherman's Blues era and music from their ambitious post-2015 output.
    HEAVY sat down with Mike for a chat ahead of the tour, asking him about The Waterboys reputation as one of the best live bands on the planet and what it is about their performances that makes them so special.
    "Well, they're always different," he shrugged. "We don't repeat the show. We improvise on stage and I like being able to to take a left turn in the music anytime that it occurs to me. I like to do what the music tells me and I get instructions in the moment when we're on stage. I get a little sort of advanced notice in my mind of what the next phrase or the next musical action is going to be and I like to go with those and obey them basically, and it's wonderful to have a band that can deal with that and that likes to improvise themselves.
    All the band members are able to make up their own parts and to head off into something they've never done before. And I like that. I think that unpredictable quality and the sense of excitement that you get when something unforeseen happens and it's magic... I think that helps bring people back to see us again and again. Also we play with a particular intensity, I know we do. We play with our lives."
    In the full interview, Mike talks more about what we can expect from the shows and runs us through the changes in the band since they toured here last. We discussed the virtues of having two live keyboard players and how it enhances their sound, as well as most recent album Life, Death and Dennis Hopper and how it was received.
    We run through the concept and how easily it translated to music, running through two of the albums songs and finding out the story behind them. Mike took us back to the early days of The Waterboys and the musical climate that gave birth to the band, emphasing their musical evolution and more.


    Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.
    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
No reviews yet