Why Does Justin Townes Earle Hate Nashville? (Interview)
Justin Townes Earle is a new man…newly sober, newly married and he has a new album, Single Mothers. Justin also has a new tour, one that brings him and his band to New Zealand in October with shows in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda recently spoke to Justin Townes Earle by […]
Jol Mulholland Introduces "Stop & Start Again"
Today marks the release of Jol Mulholland’s second solo album, Stop & Start Again. The Auckland-based musician has been a staple of the New Zealand music scene for a number of years, both as a solo artist and as a member of The Mots and Gasoline Cowboy. The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda headed over to […]
Little Bark Introduces USB
New Zealand artist Little Bark (aka Sophie Burbery) loves her vintage synths… and she puts them to good use on her second album, USB, which was just released last week. In case you are new to Little Bark, The 13th Floor invited her up to introduce a selection of tunes from USB. Listen in and […]
Kasey Chambers: Bittersweet But Not Twisted (Interview)
It’s no mystery why Australian country star Kasey Chambers’ new album is called Bittersweet. She and her husband and musical partner Shane Nicholson have split up and this is her first solo album in four years. Kasey and Shane made some beautiful music together, but now Kasey is determined to move forward. Bittersweet has just […]
Howling Bells: Tugging On Your Heartstrings (Interview)
Following the release of their fourth album, Heartstrings, Australia’s Howling Bells will be playing at Auckland’s Tuning Fork on September 13th. The band is re-energized after taking a brief hiatus during which time they changed bass players and vocalist Juanita Stein became a first-time mother.The band will be flying over from their adopted home of […]
Kristin Hersh: From New Orleans To New Zealand (Interview)
Kristin Hersh has been making music for almost 30 years…as a solo artist and as a member of Throwing Muses and her noise-pop band 50 Foot Wave. After touring with Throwing Muses in support of their latest album, Purgatory/Paradise (their first in a decade), Kristin is touring New Zealand at the end of August as […]
Pennywise: Yesterdays And Today (Interview)
Veteran skatepunkers Pennywise have just released Yesterdays, a new album full of old, previously unreleased and newly-recorded songs that date back to when bassist Jason Thirsk was still alive and well. Thirsk died in 1996, while the band was rising to the top og the California punk scene. Longtime fans will be thrilled to know […]
Going For The One, Again: Jon Davison of Yes (Interview)
Classic prog-rock band Yes have just announced that they will be playing Auckland’s Aotea Centre on November 10th. The last time they were in town was an historic day for the band…it was the first show with lead singer Jon Davison. This was back in April of 2012. Over the course of the following two […]
Pulp, Jarvis Cocker & Florian Habicht (Interview)
New Zealand-raised film maker Florian Habicht is due to return to Auckland when the New Zealand International Film Festival opens later this week. The German-born Habicht has directed a clutch of quirky films including Love Story, Land Of The Long White Cloud and the unforgettable Woodenhead. Florian’s latest film, Pulp: A Film About Life, Death […]
Watch Melody Pool & Marlon Williams Perform At The 13th Floor
Australian singer-songwriter Melody Pool and our own Marlon Williams stopped by The 13th Floor for a quick interview and a couple songs before setting out on their brief tour of New Zealand. Melody’s debut album, The Hurting Scene, was recorded in Nashville and shows that Ms Pool is a songwriter to keep an eye on. […]
Behind The Scenes With Nick Cave: The Making Of 20,000 Days On Earth (Interview)
The New Zealand International Film Festival is just around the corner and The 13th Floor is planning to give the event extensive coverage. The festival always manages to present a selection of formidable music films and this year is no exception. At the top of any music fan’s list should be 20,000 Days On Earth, […]
Rediscovering Muscle Shoals (Interview)
Despite it’s isolated, rural location, Muscle Shoals, Alabama has been a hot bed of musical activity over the past 50 years with everyone from Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett to The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan making their way to the tiny studios in order to get some of that Muscle Shoals mojo. In 2013, […]
Devilskin: The Family That Plays Together… (Interview)
Metal fans around New Zealand have been aware of Hamilton’s Devilskin for several years now…the band has racked up hundreds of thousands of Youtube views for its three videos. Now, the band is finally releasing its debut album. We Rise will see the light of day on July 11th and the band will set out […]
Introducing Melody Pool (Interview)
Australian singer-songwriter Melody Pool has come out of nowhere…well, actually, Kurri Kurri, in NSW…to produce a debut album of astonishing maturity. The Hurting Scene is full of beautifully intimate songs, many of which reflect Pool’s own experiences. The album was recorded in Nashville, funded by Crowdfunding and released in Australia last year. Now, on the […]
Joe Satriani’s Unstoppable Momentum (Interview)
Yesterday, it was announced that Joe Satriani’s Unstoppable Momentum Tour would be coming to New Zealand for two shows in November. Today, The 13th Floor brings you a fresh, new interview with the flamboyant axe-man. Mr Satriani has been a busy man since he was last in New Zealand with his supergroup, G3, featuring Steve […]
PNC Gives Us The Codes (Interview)
PNC (aka Sam Hansen) is well known as a talented kiwi hip hop artist, with three albums under his belt and a fourth set to drop on June 27. The Codes boasts production genius of Matt Miller, Fire and Ice and Forty One, as well as being engineered and mastered by electronic duo State of Mind. But the name-dropping doesn’t end there, as Hansen continues his penchant […]
Angie Stone On Soulfest (Interview)
R&B diva Angie Stone is just one of the artists scheduled to appear at Soulfest, a celebration of some of the finest neo-soul, jazz and hip-hop artists around including Maxwell, D’Angelo, Common, Mos Def and Anthony Hamilton, among others. The festivals takes place at Auckland’s Western Springs Stadium this coming October. In addition to her […]
Getting To The Bottom Of Earth (Interview)
Doom-metal giants Earth have been in New Zealand for a few days, getting ready for a run of shows from Dunedin to Auckland. The band is now a trio, led, as always by guitarist Dylan Carlson. As Dylan told The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda, these shows will serve as a preview to the new Earth […]
Globetrotting With Ladi6 (Interview)
Ladi6 has just announce her latest tour, which will take her throughout New Zealand during August along with support act Team Dynamite. The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda met up with Ladi6 just before she was about to head off to tour Europe and America before returning to NZ in August. They talked about her overseas […]
Introducing Busby Marou (Interview)
Thomas Busby and Jeremy Marou, collectively known as Busby Marou, are an Australian duo about to make their New Zealand concert debut this month when they open for James Blunt in Auckland and Wellington…they’ll also play their own show at Auckland’s Back Beat bar on May 29th. Their second album, Farewell Fitzroy, has just been […]