HEAVY Music Interviews

HEAVY Magazine

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.

  1. Welcome To The Freakshow With SAMORA SQUID

    2D AGO

    Welcome To The Freakshow With SAMORA SQUID

    Photo by Matthew Hedges Internationally renowned Lutruwita/Tasmanian genuine sideshow freak Samora Squid will be doing an hour of their most full-on material for SQUID’S SUNDAY SIDESHOW, a DIY punk residency at famed Naarm/Melbourne venue The Tote, and don’t say you weren’t warned. Sword swallowing. Live piercing. Extreme contortion. A Samora Squid show is shocking, confronting, hilarious and not for the faint of heart. “What I do, it’s not stand up, though I’m sure I’ll say some dumb shit that people will laugh at. There’ll be a lot of non-verbal storytelling, involving sharp pointy things and burny things. When I registered the show, I ticked all the trigger warnings. [Laughs] Not all of them were in the show yet, but I wanted to cover my bases.” Having spent years performing everywhere from Europe to Dubai, SQUID’S SUNDAY SIDESHOW was born when the Melbourne Comedy Festival put out applications. “I thought, “It’s been a while since I’ve staged something I’ve made … This is a good chance for me to make a new show, to revitalise old stuff, to try new stuff out, and do something that encompasses the range of skills that I’ve acquired over the last thirty years. This show’s got my original music in it, as abrasive, industrial and dystopian as it is. I’ll be using all my physical theatre training, and all of my knowledge of theatre to turn a dive bar into a unique experience. The Tote is one of my favourite places for live music.” HEAVY caught up with the man himself to peek behind the curtain some more... Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

    21 min
  2. Bringing The Poison Down Under With SCOTT IAN From ANTHRAX

    2D AGO

    Bringing The Poison Down Under With SCOTT IAN From ANTHRAX

    Thrash metal titans ANTHRAX return to Australia later this month for four huge shows. Bold and uncompromising, ANTHRAX stands as one of the legendary “Big Four” of thrash, a band whose breakneck riffs and mosh-pit anthems have shaped heavy music for over four decades. On their 2026 Australian tour, ANTHRAX will ignite stages in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, performing a career-spanning arsenal of classics. Fans can expect a high-octane set packed with fan favourites, deep cuts and new-era highlights as Anthrax once again prove why they remain one of metal’s most vital live forces. HEAVY caught up with guitarist Scott Ian to find out more. One of the things we ask is what has changed with the band since they were last here in 2019. "The main thing is we made a record," he replied with a sense of pride. "We finished an album. It's done and it's coming out soon. There will be an announcement soon. That's all the information I have or that I can give. And we're very I'm very, very, very excited about it. And maybe people in Australia will get to hear a little bit of it when we're down there at the end of the month. That's the that's the major, the major change from six years ago, for sure." In the full interview, Scott addressed setlist strategy, noting the band balances staple hits with rotating deeper cuts because it is impossible to please every fan, and the group continues to adjust choices to keep shows engaging. Scott reviewed geographic differences in crowd energy, highlighting particularly passionate responses in Melbourne and several South American cities. He also described a recent back injury sustained during a cold outdoor cruise show, his appearance in Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition and more. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

    15 min
  3. A Homecoming In Sound: EIVOR Prepares For Australian Headline Tour

    MAR 7

    A Homecoming In Sound: EIVOR Prepares For Australian Headline Tour

    Interview by Angela Croudace Fresh from a powerful return to the region in 2024, Faroese artist Eivør is set to bring her first-ever headline tour of Australia this March, marking a long-anticipated homecoming of sorts. After opening for Heilung last year, the experience left a lasting imprint on the singer, who describes the visit as the fulfilment of a long-held dream and the catalyst for returning with her full band and production . Known for live performances that feel closer to ritual than concert, Eivør approaches each setlist as an emotional journey, carefully shaping the arc of every show while allowing room for spontaneity and connection. “It’s about taking people somewhere,” she explains, noting that no two nights are ever exactly the same . Australian audiences can also expect elements drawn from her work on The Last Kingdom, where her voice reached a global audience and reconnected her deeply with her Nordic roots, threads that continue to weave naturally into her live shows . Above all, this tour is about community. Eivør speaks warmly of the love she felt from Australian crowds last time, describing the experience as family-like and deeply affirming. For first-time headline attendees, she hopes audiences leave feeling “something”; whether joy, release, or simply love." Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

    28 min
  4. The Struggle Within: Ready To Leave Hell With HAYDEN McGOOGAN

    MAR 7

    The Struggle Within: Ready To Leave Hell With HAYDEN McGOOGAN

    Interview by Angela Croudace Fresh off the release of his latest single Relapse, Sydney singer-songwriter Hayden McGoogan is writing from a place of hard-won clarity. Penned just after a month into sobriety, the stripped-back track captures a fragile headspace: doing well, but fearing it could all unravel. “It’s not about relapsing,” he explains. “It’s about hoping I don’t.” Recorded live with a full band, including pedal steel, piano and violin, Relapse deliberately resists the urge to rush. The restrained tempo mirrors recovery itself; staying present, letting things breathe. For McGoogan, sobriety lifted a creative fog. Songs began pouring out after a period where he “just didn’t have the brain capacity” to write. Over the years, Hayden has shared stages with some formidable names, experiences that have quietly shaped his outlook on longevity and authenticity. From the Celtic punk fire of Flogging Molly to the thunderous hard rock charge of Danko Jones and the trailblazing Belfast punk spirit of Stiff Little Fingers, McGoogan has witnessed firsthand what it takes to hold a crowd. He’s also played alongside punk royalty Marky Ramone and CJ Ramone — a full-circle moment for a musician raised on that era’s raw urgency. Watching seasoned performers command a room night after night confirmed for McGoogan that connection, not spectacle, is what turns a gig into something unforgettable. Known for his raw, raspy vocal edge, he now leans into vulnerability over perfection. Influenced by artists like Social Distortion and Jason Isbell, McGoogan sits somewhere between grit and brutal honesty. With an EP set for release on March 28, his mission is simple: be authentic. “Worst thing than failing,” he says, “is not trying.” Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

    28 min

About

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.