Studio Stories

Dean Young/Rustle Podcasts
  • 5.0 (1)
  • MUSIC HISTORY

Studio Stories. An award winning podcast that spotlights the people behind some of New Zealand’s best known albums - and the stories behind their creation. We take you into the studio and hear from artists, producers and engineers, who talk inspiration, frustration, elation, and the power of the musical creative process. Winner of 4 Golds and 1 Silver at at the 2023 New Zealand Podcast Awards. Listen, rate and review at studiostoriespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Devilskin - Be Like The River w/The Band and Producer Clint Murphy

    4D AGO

    Devilskin - Be Like The River w/The Band and Producer Clint Murphy

    Donate to Studio Stories for as little as $5 through Buy Me A Coffee! Support the promotion of New Zealand music and keep the lights on at Studio Stories HQ Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates: instagram.com/studiostoriespodcast  Stream episodes subscribe, review and more at www.studiostoriespodcast.com in 2014 Devilskin were riding high on the back of their highly successful debut album "We Rise". (As featured in Studio Stories Season 1) But the pressure to follow up such a huge debut was soon to see the band again recruiting Clint Murphy to start the process of the 2nd album and the band set about writing the songs that would soon be brought to life in Modern World Studios in the village of Tetbury in the UK. The Devils were making inroads into the UK via regular European tours. After sold-out album tour for We Rise and an eight-date 'Summer Surrender' tour in late 2014, Devilskin went offshore to play a series of promotional gigs, where they attracted the attention of international record companies and festival organisers. While in the UK, the band scheduled a pitstop at Modern World with Producer Clint Murphy to record the single Mountains. Following the supporting Mountains and the Moon tour, the band returned to Tetbury to finish fully recording Be Like the River. The album was released on 11 November 2016, and peaked at #1 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart Be Like The River was to win Best Rock Album at the 2017 NZ Music Awards and a nomination for Best Group. Producer Clint Murphy won Best Engineer for his work on the album. Be Like The River is the sound of a band hitting their stride, buoyed by the reception of their debut, a seemingly relentless touring schedule and the kind of magical chemistry a band bounded by family will provide. It's a phenomenally well performed and produced 2nd record, an album which solidified Devilskin as major players in the NZ music scene. Our Guests Jennie Skulander Paul Martin Nic Martin Nail Clint Murphy Buy or Stream Be Like The River Spotify Apple Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 6m
  2. Semi Lemon Kola aka: Propeller w/The Band & Nick Abbott

    MAY 12

    Semi Lemon Kola aka: Propeller w/The Band & Nick Abbott

    Donate to Studio Stories for as little as $5 through Buy Me A Coffee! Support the promotion of New Zealand music and keep the lights on at Studio Stories HQ Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates: instagram.com/studiostoriespodcast  Stream episodes subscribe, review and more at www.studiostoriespodcast.com This is a very raw - and real look at the career of Semi Lemon Kola. In this episode we don't just focus on an album, but on the entire recording career of the band. Semi Lemon Kola was four very different people with 4 very different musical identities, a band that was not easily categorised with an industry approved label - and, were a band that should have been one of the greatest rock acts of the nineties. Early gig-mates of Head Like a Hole and Supergroove, the band found themselves in a makeshift studio within their first year recording what would become their first 'album' - "The Extended Pleasure of Reality". "Happy Day" was their BFM chart-topping single the following year, but it was to be the soaring "Before Heaven" single that SLK grabbed national attention. Semi Lemon Kola's sound took a giant leap forward with The Before Heaven EP, recorded under Malcolm Smith at Revolver. Bouyed by the reception to the single and their growing reputation as a stellar live act, the next couple of years saw Semi Lemon Kola playing in front of ever larger audiences, gaining slots at the Strawberry Fields festival in 1994, Big Day Out in 1995 and Mountain Rock festival in 1995. When they returned to York Street Recording Studios in May 1995, they were at their height as a band, both in terms of songwriting and the fullness of their sound. The Malcolm Welsford produced "Otherwise" single showcased a more aggressive side along with the equally high sounding "Henry XXL'. In 1996 the band finally headed into the studio with Nick Abbot to record their only full length album. It was during these sessions that the band would undergo a controversial name change to Propeller, with the self-titled record becoming their Swan Song. Live, the band supported several big name international acts, including Fugazi and Tool, But due to internal struggles, they disbanded in 1998 due to "culinary differences". Read more about the band at Audio Culture Our Guests Tosh Graham Deryck Hunt Rob Young Gareth Price Nick Abbot Buy or Stream Semi Lemon Kola: Spotify Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 11m
  3. Villainy - Dead Sight w/Neill Fraser, Thom Watts & Dave Johnston

    MAY 5

    Villainy - Dead Sight w/Neill Fraser, Thom Watts & Dave Johnston

    Donate to Studio Stories for as little as $5 through Buy Me A Coffee! Support the promotion of New Zealand music and keep the lights on at Studio Stories HQ Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates: instagram.com/studiostoriespodcast  Stream episodes subscribe, review and more at www.studiostoriespodcast.com Villainy, hot off the heels of a stunning debut in "Mode. Set. Clear" - was to waste no time in getting back into the studio for the follow up. But they weren't just content with recording 'the next batch of songs'. Oh no. They were out to make a statement - with one of the most one of a kind sounding albums from a New Zealand band, possibly ever. Dead Sight sets a new bar for intensity, with the band and production team intentionally breaking one of the cardinal sins of recording to give the record a brutal, threatening, and above all else - extremely unique sound. Now for the first time ever, the band goes on record to explain the sound of the album and talk exclusively about its creation in detail. Villainy celebrated the 10th anniversary of Dead Sight in 2025. Listen to the band's 'Lost EP" Dead Sides, featuring previously unreleased tracks from the Dead Sight sessions. Our Guests Neill Fraser Thomas Watts Dave Johnston Buy or Stream Dead Sight: Spotify Apple Music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min
  4. SEASON 6 EPISODE 1 ANNOUNCEMENT

    SEASON 6, EPISODE 1 TRAILER

    SEASON 6 EPISODE 1 ANNOUNCEMENT

    Season 6 of Studio Stories is coming May 6th for New Zealand Music Month. What album gets the Studio Stories deep dive for episode 1???? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    2 min
  5. Pumpkinhead - Sloth w/Brent Milligan, Jason Peters and Aaron Hogg

    09/30/2025

    Pumpkinhead - Sloth w/Brent Milligan, Jason Peters and Aaron Hogg

    Donate to Studio Stories for as little as $5 through Buy Me A Coffee! Support the promotion of New Zealand music and keep the lights on at Studio Stories HQ Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates: instagram.com/studiostoriespodcast  Stream episodes subscribe, review and more at www.studiostoriespodcast.com Christchurch's Pumpkinhead came roaring out of the mainland in the early 90's. The band's 1995 album Sloth was recorded at Phil (AC/DC) Rudd’s rural Mountain Studio, near Tauranga with the band's live engineer David Wernham co-producing with the band. Wernham was also the guitarist/vocalist in the band 147Swordfish. The album yielded hits "I Like", "Third Eye" and the first single "Water". After playing on the Sloth recording sessions, guitarist Jason Harmon left the band in December 1994. When the band played Strawberry Fields Festival in Raglan, February 1995, Dave Hunt proved to be a more than capable replacement on guitar. Pumpkinhead were an absolute force of nature on the live stage with Rip It Up magazine's John Russell wrote of their Strawberry Fields performance: “Every element gelled, all stops were pulled, and the result was the most supreme live performance. Just when you think they are peaking, Brent begins swigging kerosene and blows a series of enormous fireballs that tips the performance over the edge into the realm of something other worldly.” The band imploded in November of 1996, but at the time of this writing are set for a series of reunion shows to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Sloth as well as a remastered vinyl reissue, now expanded with two bonus tracks. Originally recorded at AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd’s Mountain Studio and released in 1995, Sloth climbed the NZ charts and gave us the single 'I Like' earning critical acclaim as one of the wildest debuts of the era. - Flying Out Our Guests Aaron Hogg Brent Milligan Jason Peters Buy or Stream Sloth: Spotify Apple Music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    54 min
  6. Head Like A Hole - 'Double Your Strength...' w/Booga Beazley, Nigel Regan, Tom Watson and Robbie Rowlands

    09/23/2025

    Head Like A Hole - 'Double Your Strength...' w/Booga Beazley, Nigel Regan, Tom Watson and Robbie Rowlands

    Donate to Studio Stories for as little as $5 through Buy Me A Coffee! Support the promotion of New Zealand music and keep the lights on at Studio Stories HQ Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates: instagram.com/studiostoriespodcast  Stream episodes subscribe, review and more at www.studiostoriespodcast.com Head Like A Hole's 3rd album marked a turning point for the band. With the addition of 2nd guitarist Tom Watson, the direction veered away from the noisy chaotic sound of previous albums towards a more bluesy, song-focused approach. Recorded in Melbourne in 1995 at the legendary Sing Sing Studios under the watchful eye of Producer Robbie Rowlands, the band was to face the uphill struggle of bettering the set of demos they created for the record - dubbed "The Stench Electric" and the quick changing musical environment that was the mid-nineties. **Former bassist Andrew Durno declined our invitation to appear on the podcast and former drummer Mark Hamill was approached, but did not return contact in time to be interviewed. Our Guests Booga Beazley Nigel Regan Tom Watson Robbie Rowlands Buy or Stream Double Your Strength... Spotify Apple Music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    56 min
  7. Shapeshifter - Soulstice w/P Digsss, Sam Trevethick, Nick Robinson and Evan Short

    09/16/2025

    Shapeshifter - Soulstice w/P Digsss, Sam Trevethick, Nick Robinson and Evan Short

    Donate to Studio Stories for as little as $5 through Buy Me A Coffee! Support the promotion of New Zealand music and keep the lights on at Studio Stories HQ Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates: instagram.com/studiostoriespodcast  Stream episodes subscribe, review and more at www.studiostoriespodcast.com Soulstice  - the third album from NZ drum and bass icons Shapeshifter was released in 2006, reaching No. 4 on the New Zealand Album Chart. It's production marked a distinct change in creative direction by the band, as well as being the first record to feature former part-time contributor Paora 'P Digsss' Apera as a permanent feature in the group's line up. As a result - 'Soulstice' features a far heavier vocal focus compared to Shapeshifter's earlier, more traditional work with additional vocal contributions by long time collaborator Ladi 6. in 2005, relocating back home to NZ from Melbourne, the band set about creating a more organic approach to production - seeking out a back to basics 'bach' (a New Zealand holiday home) in the heart of Kaikoura to convert into a studio. The result is a record that showcases their versatility, seamlessly blending elements of soul, drum and bass, funk, reggae and rock, tied together with incredible work from Mix Engineer Evan Short and long time live sound engineer and producer Tiki Taane. Soulstice achieved Gold sales status in New Zealand in just 3 weeks and has since achieved Platinum sales and spawned some of the group's most popular songs, such as fan favourites "Electric Dream", and "Bring Change", "New Day Come" and "One". “Bring Change” received the Tui Award for Best Electronic Release. Our Guests P Digsss Sam Trevethick Nick Robinson Evan Short Buy or Stream Soulstice Spotify Apple Music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min
  8. The Black Seeds - The 20th Anniversary of "On The Sun" w/Barnaby Weir and Lee Prebble

    10/30/2024

    The Black Seeds - The 20th Anniversary of "On The Sun" w/Barnaby Weir and Lee Prebble

    WE’RE COMING BACK FOR SEASON 5! New episodes coming soon. Donate to Studio Stories for as little as $5 through Buy Me A Coffee! Support the promotion of New Zealand music and keep the lights on at Studio Stories HQ Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates: instagram.com/studiostoriespodcast  Stream episodes subscribe, review and more at www.studiostoriespodcast.com *Season Finale With "On The Sun", Wellington's The Black Seeds circa 2004 found themselves on the cusp of change. Not only were the band embracing a more funk approach with this record, but post release, would see founding members depart with their blessing for the band to continue. The album spawned several huge hits, "So True", "Fire" and "Turn It Around" and It reached number 3 on the New Zealand albums chart. The Black Seeds, of course, have gone on to huge success, and it really began with this - their 3 x Platinum second album, recorded with Lee Prebble at The Surgery Studios in Wellington. THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF ON THE SUN To celebrate 20 years since The Black Seeds released their sophomore album “On The Sun”, they have FINALLY pressed it to vinyl for the very first time. All 11 original Songs have been carefully remastered for this format by Mike Gibson from the original masters by Don Bartley at 301 Sydney way back in 2004, and this delicious NZ made package comes on two 180gm black vinyl with printed inner sleeves. They have included two bonus tracks in this release with the 2023 Waiata Anthems Te Reo version of So True “Koia Ko Koe”, and a previously unreleased track Rogan Josh, which was favourite live tune The Black Seeds would sometimes jam for 8-9 minutes. Limited to 1000 copies world-wide.  Includes digital pre-order of On The Sun (20th Anniversary Edition). You get 2 tracks now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released. Our Guests Barnaby Weir Lee Prebble Buy or Stream On The Sun Spotify Apple Music Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    43 min
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About

Studio Stories. An award winning podcast that spotlights the people behind some of New Zealand’s best known albums - and the stories behind their creation. We take you into the studio and hear from artists, producers and engineers, who talk inspiration, frustration, elation, and the power of the musical creative process. Winner of 4 Golds and 1 Silver at at the 2023 New Zealand Podcast Awards. Listen, rate and review at studiostoriespodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Dean Young/Rustle Podcasts
  • Years Active
    2012 - 2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Rustle Ltd
  • Show Website
    Studio Stories

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