100 – Johnny Dee (Doro, Britny Fox, ex-Waysted)

With his 30 years+ in the industry, Johnny Dee has not only seen himself with the great Doro Pesch but has also been an integral part of 80s bands Waysted and Britny Fox. He’s played Tokyo Dome, toured with Iron Maiden, hit arenas all through North America and played in front of thousands at almost every illustrious metal and rock festival in the world. He’s pretty much done it all and continues to heavily tour more than ever.

I first met Johnny in 2005 at the Bang Your Head Festival in Germany before playing together in Japan in 2010 for the Doro/Jaded Heart/LORD tour. Over the years we’ve kept in touch and it was a thrill to be able to spend a chunk of time learning more about what he’s achieved over the past several decades as well as hear some incredible stories.

Both musicians and music fans will get a real kick out of this. Johnny shares his perspectives going through some of the dramatic and overwhelming moments in his life as he transitioned from hand written resumes and living at home as a local musician to travelling to the UK, playing with Maiden, getting an almost platinum album, large North American arena tours with Poison, playing Japan with Bon Jovi, joining the Doro Pesch ranks and becoming an integral part of German metal for the past 20 years+. An incredible journey that is showing no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Be sure to check out all of the bands and projects that Johnny has been a part of and follow him on the socials!

Show notes

Follow Johnny Dee on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter |
Doro – Main Website | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter |
Britny Fox – Facebook |
KICK – The INXS Experience – Main Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Cover photo by Savoia Concert & Event Photography

 

EP100 of The Andy Social Podcast features Johnny Dee @dee_drums of @DoroOfficial, Britny Fox and more! Listen on Apple, Android, YouTube and https://t.co/T0I2KLxt71 #PodernFamily pic.twitter.com/vC3rrsG5LR

— Andy Dowling (@AndyDowling) October 12, 2017

Photo by Jay Jay’s Art

Episode 99 – Matthew Bell (Troldhaugen, Autumn’s Dawn, Germ)

Matthew Bell is the guitarist for the band Troldhaugen.

Troldhaugen? Sure, you’ve heard of them. With classic hits such as ‘It’s Morphine Time’, ‘BMX Terminator’, ‘Genome in a Bottle’ and ‘I Ordered a Taxi Driver, Not a Taxidermy’, the hard style fashion crims from the rough streets of Wollongong have been making an impact with their latest album ‘IDIO-SYNCRASIES’.

In addition to venturing around the world preaching the good news of Poultrytician (another new album reference), Matthew Bell can also be seen working with Autumn’s Dawn and Germ. In addition, Matt has also played several shows for LORD back in the day, filling in when LT sustained an injury.

You see, us Wollongong folk stick together. Need more evidence? Here’s a high level run down with a few other key fellas in the Gong scene;

• Matthew Bell plays in Troldhaugen, Autumn’s Dawn and Germ.
• Matthew Bell has also played in LORD.
• Tim Yatras played in LORD, Autumn’s Dawn and Germ.
• Simon Batley has played in LORD, Germ and is the drummer in Troldhaugen.
• Rob Giles plays in Germ and Carbon Black.
• Rob Giles has played in LORD.

… and that’s just scraping the surface.

Matt and I had coffee/hot chocolate one fine Saturday morning to talk about how much Troldhaugen has changed of the years. From their earlier days wearing puffy folk garments posing in the forest, to being fluro fashion influencers with synth wave asethetics, things have certainly escalated! In addition, we talk about his approach to playing guitar, playing in Autumn’s Dawn and Germ as well as hitting the road with party pirate heavy weights Alestorm in Europe for the upteenth time.

Make sure you check out Troldhaugen’s latest album ‘IDIO-SYNCRASIES‘ and their video below for BMX Terminator. Prepare yourself!

Show notes

Follow Troldhaugen – | Bandcamp | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |
Buy Troldhaugen’s album IDO-SYNCRASIES here!
Check out Autumn’s Dawn – | Big Cartel | Facebook |
Check out Germ – | Facebook |

Episode 98 – Michael Cusack (Animator, Gillsberry, YOLO, Damo…

You might not initially recognise Michael’s name, but there’s a possibility that you’ve seen one of his animations. After all, his YouTube channel has 31 million views. Yes, thirty one million.

Michael Cusack is an animator and works under his studio name Gillsberry. He has been the creator behind cartoon classics such as YOLO, Damo and Darren (22 million views combined), Weedheads, and other disturbing yet hilarious viral hits.

Michael and I sat down for a couple of beers to talk about his animations, what he thinks of so many people viewing his work, any negative criticisms, recent projects with The Bondi Hipsters, future work and much more. Our chat took place at the Unanderra Hotel in Wollongong where Damo and Darren may very well have been drinking in the beer garden with us!

Show notes

Follow Michael and Gillsberry on Main Website | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube |
The Bondi Hipsters

EP98 of The Andy Social Podcast w/Animator @MichaelRCusack (YOLO/Damo and Darren) Apple, Android https://t.co/T0I2KLxt71 #PodernFamily pic.twitter.com/qQgiEg6ZR0

— Andy Dowling (@AndyDowling) September 28, 2017

 

Episode 97 – Rusty Young (Author – Marching Powder,…

Definition of a risk taker? Rusty Young. International best selling author, Rusty hit the book scene in the early 2000s with the release of his first book, Marching Powder. For those who haven’t read it, Rusty voluntarily stayed in San Pedro Prison in Bolivia for several months with convicted drug trafficker, Thomas McFadden. The book is an absolute eyeopener into a world of corruption, heavy drug use and an unorthodox prison eco-system that is not seen anywhere else in the world.

Rusty later relocated to Colombia to finish Marching Powder and somehow stumbled into working for a US contractor who was helping to train counter-terrorism soldiers dealing with the Colombian Conflict. Through his work helping the operation, Rusty dived into a deeper side of the South American drug war. He discovered countless cases of children being recruited as soldiers in the conflict, who experienced unthinkable acts of torture and abuse. It was through these experiences and the stories that he heard which lead to his latest book Colombiano.

Rusty invited me to his place in North Sydney to talk about his time in South America, his initial decisions that lead him to not only walking through the doors of a Bolivian Prison 2 decades ago, but to later immerse himself deep into the Colombian culture and the war on drugs. We cover his approach to writing and the length of time it took to get to the release of his second book Colombiano and we also touch on the Wildlands documentary which looks incredible.

If you haven’t already, pick up both of Rusty’s books and check out the Wildlands documentary. You won’t be disappointed.

Show notes

Follow Rusty – Main Website | Facebook | Instagram |
Buy Colombiano HERE
Buy Marching Powder HERE

Read Marching Powder? EP97 The Andy Social Podcast w/ Author Rusty Young! New book Colombiano! iTunes https://t.co/T0I2KLxt71 #PodernFamily pic.twitter.com/MmacjRtOUM

— Andy Dowling (@AndyDowling) September 23, 2017

 

Rusty Young reading his new book Colombiano to friend and former San Pedro prison room mate, Thomas McFadden.

Rusty Young with Thomas McFadden in San Pedro Prison, Bolivia.

Rusty with Former Undercover Agent and later Chief of International Operations for the DEA, Mike Vigil.

Episode 96 – Leroy Loggins (NBL Legend, Brisbane Bullets)

When it comes to Australian sporting legends, Leroy Loggins is a name that should always be in conversation. Gracing the hardwood in the National Basketball League (NBL) from 1981 to 2001, Leroy has a long list of accolades earning the respect from fans who hold him in the highest regard as one of the leagues true greats.

I mean, check out these career highlights!

• 11 times Brisbane Bullets MVP
• 4 times NBL MVP
• 2 times NBL Defensive Player of the Year
• 3 times NBL Champion
• Brisbane Bullet’s captain from 1990 to 2001
• 567 NBL games
• 13,106 points scored
• Played in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona
• NBL All Star Teams 1982 – 1995
• NBL’s 20th Anniversary Team in 1998
• NBL’s 25th Anniversary Team in 2003
• Inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006
• The number 30 jersey worn by Leroy Loggins throughout his career was retired in January 2004 by the Bullets in his honour.

Growing up in the rough side of Baltimore (think HBO’s The Wire! – Leroy confirms!), Leroy had to keep his head above water to avoid the violence and poverty in his area. It was only through basketball that he was able to find a way out and eventually jump off a plane in Sydney wondering how on earth he got there.

To this day, Leroy’s past weighs heavy on him but he uses it as fuel to help others, in particular the Australian indigenous community where the Leroy Loggins Foundation provides an outlet for some of our most disadvantaged Australians. Leroy’s helped many over the years and it continues to be a mission that brings him fulfilment by giving back to others.

Leroy and I sat down to talk about his career in Australia, college basketball, growing up in Baltimore and the ongoing challenges that he had to face in order to get where he is today.

I’m really excited to see what’s next for Leroy. The work he has done through his foundation is thankless and I hope that he is able to continue to help and inspire more and more people through his story.

Show notes

Leroy Loggins Community Organisation
Check out Leroy on Wikipedia
NBL.com.au Article – Top Ten NBL Players from the NBA Draft

 

 

 

Episode 95 – Rodney Holder (Music Business Facts, Formerly…

Looking to understand the music industry more? When it comes to the business side of things, Rodney Holder is your man! Teaching Music Business Studies at Southbank Tafe College since 1999 and playing with the Australian legendary band Alchemist (see my chat with fellow Alchemist great, Adam Agius), Rod has decades of experience both in theory and in practice when it comes to all facets of the industry.

In addition to his formal teaching and artist experience, Rodney is also the host of the popular podcast Music Business Facts. Providing up and coming independent artists, band managers, label owners, publicists to name a few with critical and valuable content from some of the world’s greatest names in the industry.

Greatest names? Just from a musician perspective, Rodney has had Dave Lombardo (Slayer/Suicidal Tendencies), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Mickael Akerfeldt (Opeth), Vinnie Paul (Pantera/Hell Yeah), Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad) to name a few that have feature on his show. Throw in industry giants such as Michael Chugg (Concert Promoter), Andy Farrow (Band Manager),  Jadden Comerford (Label Owner) and you have one of the best resources of expertise and knowledge for anyone looking to increase their skill set and find success in music.

I sat down on the banks of the Brisbane River with Rodney to chat about his years in music, finding leverage from some of the industry’s greats, reflections of time in Alchemist, tools/tips for others, future plans and much more.

Be sure to reach out to Rodney and say hi through his website, check out his podcast (I can’t recommend it enough!) and definitely go back and reacquaint yourself with Alchemist.

Show notes

Music Business Facts – Main Website | Facebook | Twitter | iTunes | YouTube |
Learn more about Rodney via his bio HERE.

EP95 of The Andy Social Podcast feat Host & Coach of @Musicbizfacts, Rodney Holder! iTunes, Android & https://t.co/T0I2KLxt71 #podernfamily pic.twitter.com/wkyx3CMqkf

— Andy Dowling (@AndyDowling) September 7, 2017

 

Episode 94 – Tim Price (Music Publicist, Collision Course,…

Tim Price is a heavy music publicist, band manager guru and now a hot shot in the music app world, with his recent launch of the 24/7 heavy music streaming platform of The Faction.

Founding Collision Course in 2013 and also running Pricewar Music, Tim has been the secret weapon for many Australian and international artists over the years in getting their music and product out to the masses. Tim has forged himself a reputation in the music industry as a representative of high quality, world-class music, and an expert in not only ensuring his artists are heard by the right people but giving them the right tools to succeed.

I stopped by the Collision Course HQ in Brisbane recently to talk about the launch of his new app The Faction, initial beginnings in music and PR, and growing up in Central Queensland. We also discussed the necessity for bands to bring in people with expertise to help them reach the next level and free them up to do what they do best, creating and playing.

If you love heavy music, you’ll need to check out The Faction app which is available through all good app stores. Be sure to also reach out to Tim via any of the links in the show notes below. He might be of help!

Show notes

Contact/Follow Tim Price – Facebook | LinkedIn |Twitter | Instagram |
Collision Course – Main Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |
Pricewar Music – Main Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |
The Faction (New 24/7 Heavy Music Radio App!) – Main Website | Apple | Android | iHeart Radio | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube |

Episode 93 – Dr Steve Salisbury (Palaeontologist, Dinosaur Hunter,…

Dinosaurs right?! I think everyone has a fascination with these ancient creatures, however many of us know nothing more than what has been portrayed in pop culture such as Jurassic Park, toys on the shelf in a department store, Dino-Riders (remember them?!) and whatever books we were shown as a kid. At least, that’s all I knew!

Enter Dr Steve Salisbury. A man who has been referred to by some as a Dinosaur Hunter but more formerly identified as a Palaeontologist. Steve does a lot of his work through the University of Queensland as a Senior Lecturer as well as a Research Associate at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Steve is legit.

Dr Salisbury completed a PhD on crocodilian locomotor evolution (what? don’t worry, I ask him!) in Germany and the UK before returning to Australia to help discover one of Australia’s largest dinosaurs at the time, Elliot the Sauropod.

Since then, Steve has travelled extensively to continue his research on the evolution of Gondwanan continental vertebrates (it’s ok, we cover this as well!) and most recently helping to discover Plesiosaur skeletons in Antarctica as well as some of the world’s largest dinosaur footprints in the far north-western region of Australia.

As always, I’m completely out of my depth but I had a hell of a lot of fun asking Steve a bunch of stupid questions to feed my child-like curiosity. I even threw some dinosaur conspiracy theories at him for entertainment value.

Please reach out to Dr Salisbury through the links below and hopefully we can encourage more people to develop an appetite to understand and appreciate more of our ancient past.

Show notes

Discover more about Steve Salisbury – UQ Profile | Twitter |
The Dinosaur Lab at the University of Queensland HERE.
Article – Australia’s ‘Jurassic Park’ the world’s most diverse – University of Queensland
Article – Australia scientists uncover dinosaur footprint that may be world’s largest – Reuters
Article – Dinosaur foot reconstruction fuels Cretaceous footprint debate – Cosmos Magazine
Article – Brisbane dinosaur hunter finds plesiosaur skeletons in Antarctica – The Brisbane Times
As mentioned in the episode, check out The Hypothetical Institute Podcast (co hosted by Andrew Saltmarsh previously feat EP87) – iTunes | Stitcher | Podbean | Facebook | Twitter |

 

Law Boss Richard Hunter and a 1.7m sauropod track in the Walmadany area in Western Australia

With Goolarabooloo Law Boss Phillip. Roe Image by Damian Kelly.

 

Episode 92 – Oliver Burton (Actor, Director, Shakespeare Enthusiast)

Shakespeare? To be honest, I was a little out of my depth! I’m about as cultural as Vegemite mixed in with 2 Minute Noodles (gourmet cooking, right?). Regardless, I was keen to learn more about Actor, Director, Improviser and Shakespeare enthusiast Oliver Burton. It was time to dive into a world that I know very little about.

Graduating from The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA),  Oliver is best known for his acting, theatre performances and involvement in companies and projects such as The Post-Haste Players, Sport for Jove, and Impro Australia’s Theatresports School Challenge.

In addition to the world of creative arts, Oliver is a voice artist, MC and host for various projects and events. He has a diversified portfolio of work and he’s always ready to take on the next opportunity that comes his way.

We hung out at Oliver’s apartment in Sydney chatting about his earlier beginnings, his desires to be creative, and the hustling he does to make ends meet. This is all to ensure he lives the life of his choosing on his own terms.

In addition, we spoke about his love of Shakespeare. As noted earlier, my knowledge of Shakespeare was NIL and I was prepared to be completely left in the dust. Despite my apprehension, Oliver’s passion and hunger to present Shakespeare in a more modernised way for more people to enjoy was absolutely infectious. I came out of this chat with a whole new respect for English literature and I hope many of you will also be able to feed off Oliver’s energy and excitement, with a desire to discover more.

This is another great example of what my podcast is all about. Stepping outside the comfort zone, talking to new people and discovering that we all have an interesting story. Despite our interests being in different areas, we can all share perspectives and connect in ways that we may never have previously expected. Keep it coming, I say!

PS: I received a text from Oliver a couple of days after our chat – “For your interest, I picked the paid development in the end and will put the proceeds into a short film I’m writing. Make of that what you will :)” – This will make more sense after you listen to the episode!

Show notes

Contact Oliver – Main Website | Instagram | Linkedin | Twitter |
The National Institute of Dramatic Arts – Oliver’s Profile

Literature recommendations from Oliver;

• A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare by James Shapiro – Get the Kindle here.
• Year of the King by Anthony Sher – Get the Kindle and Paperback here.

The Post-Haste Players – Main Website | Facebook |
Sport for Jove – Main Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Google + |
Impro Australia’s Theatresports – Main Website | Facebook |

Episode 91 – Travis New (Guitarist for Mi-Sex, Jasmine…

Travis New is one of the most sought after guitarists in Australia. He has cut his teeth over the years playing with some of the best Aussie musicians across a multiple genres, holding him in high regard amongst amongst peers and mentors.

Travis balances a busy lifestyle of teaching at the JMC Academy in Sydney, playing with Steve Balbi of Noiseworks fame with Aussie legends Mi-Sex, touring significantly with Country star Jasmine Rae and most importantly being a husband and father. Things are never quiet.

I cornered Travis the day after he arrived back in the country from a trip to Europe to sit on Coogee Beach in Sydney and talk, well, music.

We covered his teaching, important lessons that his students learn, working with a smorgasbord of musician personalities, being a better musician and attempting to balance it all.

Check out the show notes to connect with Travis and learn more about his involvements.

Show notes

Follow Travis on Facebook | Linkedin | Instagram | Twitter |
Check out JMC Academy HERE.
Check out Mi-Sex on Main Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Check out Steve Balbi on Facebook | Twitter |
Check out Jasmine Rae on Main Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Check out Adam Brand on Main Website | Facebook | Twitter |
Ruby Tuesdays at The Agrestic Grocer in Orange – Facebook

 

Photo Credit Gold Robot Records

Travis New with Boney M