Kids Love Balloons

Professionally he's my enemy. Lucky this is an amateur podcast! Gavin has been one of the most actively supportive friends of this podcast for a number of years, so it's great to finally have him on. I mean sure, he buggered up the episode structure by adding his songs to the Ever-growing Playlist of Joy before the half way point, but I can forgive it. Gav plays with creativity every single day. Has turned what is considered fun in to successful professional career and some entertaining...

Adventures in gallivanting! Back for another episode and this one runs deep. I always admire the guts it takes to travel across the seas and chase a dream inside you... taking on all the risks... what if it doesn't work? Passion leads us to incredible places. Tamara (HANSSØN) is an Australian who has now lived in New York for 9 years, busy writing her second album, while navigating this year of pandemic, protests and all sorts of associated change. Family relationships. Work. Travel. All...

I took a lot from this. Actor, songwriter and Play School host... Zindzi has the perfect skill set for delving in to a childlike mind-frame and talking joy, creativity and happiness! We hear insights in to the creation of Play School and also the spin off Art Time. "Those kids were not thinking at all. Their imaginations literally had no bounds. It was the best reminder ever, because they came up with the most amazing things..." The art of being in the moment. Taking time to find that. I...

Quit your job, run your own business, be your own boss. He dared to dream, took the plunge and backed himself, and I'm so stoked to have watched this guy's journey vicariously for the best part of the decade. Josh even helped me get this podcast up and running when I had no idea what as RSS feed was 6 years ago. One of the good dudes. He's committed his efforts into creating positive memories for people on one of their milestone days - their wedding ceremony. Shattering the rule book,...

"Why wouldn't I have a space band? And give it a red hot crack?" Zoë's attitude is precisely what I want to learn about with this podcast. She lives her life diving in to the child-like mindset of enjoying herself, channeling happiness, meditating on joy. Being present. It was fascinating spending time on the phone with her and I hope to make regular, positive change from her lessons. The way Zoë switched the mundane chore of balancing spreadsheets in to a detective-like investigation...

The very first song added to the Ever-growing Playlist of Joy was The Chariot by Melbourne, Australia band The Cat Empire. Today's guest is a member of that band. A man integrally responsible for many moments of happiness in my life, and that of hundreds and thousands of others around the world. The episode begins very reflective and sober, then works in to the excitement of songwriting, performing, and the energy between performers and audience that really creates an undeniable feeling. AFL...

We're back again. Kids Love Balloons. Now more than ever I need a regular reminder to look for happiness, and now more than most times, I have the spare time to do it! My first guest is the effervescent Mikey Cahill. There's only one of this guy. DJ, writer, promoter, mascot(!) and so much more. Stoked he said yes and gave me some time to muse over what happiness means to us. The three songs he adds to the Ever-Growing Playlist of Joy are brilliant. What makes you happy?

On Hit 93.5 Dubbo with Pippa and Alo

The single greatest answer to any question I could possibly ask. @TheSongNerd

The OGAE are an organisation with branches around the world for fans of the Eurovision Song Contest. As I explain in the intro of this podcast episode, in their glorious wisdom, welcomed Slavko as their guest of honour to 2018's Australian Eurovision preview parties. Search OGAE to find your local group. Slavko's passion for art is the level it should be. He lives and breathes it. I hope some of his passion for music and connection rubs off on you while you listen to this podcast. I'll say...

Provider of the greatest "Hey Mum!" in Australian history, Tania Doko is a songwriting powerhouse. In songwriting partnership with James Roche, Bachelor Girl had 3 top 50 singles, 5 ARIA nominations and a Songwriter of the Year award over 1998 and 1999. This freaks me out but we're approaching the twentieth anniversary of this period. Crazy. So after years of writing songs based in Stockholm, I've managed to catch Tania during a three week Melbourne trip, where she's creating a new Bachelor...

Author of five published books with more on the way, a podcast which has been picked up by newspaper and radio entities, teaching masterclasses; Nicole Hayes is a creative guru and won't slow down any time soon. After our chat I believe her extreme creative output has plenty to do with how happy she is on a regular basis. That happiness becomes positive energy shared with those around her, and the world is a better place. This episode of Kids Love Balloons is one big "HELL YEAH" to being...

Belinda Kirwan is an actor, screenwriter, producer, teacher and dead set legend! Recently she's been co-creating a TV series HActresses, which has become a web series of seven episodes you can watch on YouTube right after you listen to this podcast. You'll recognise many popular Australian personalities including bloody champion Jo Stanley (who features on episode 22 of Kids Love Balloons!). We discuss how tough it can be to achieve your career and creative goals, the struggles you have to...

It's been a while! But here we are, finally a new episode. Mike Mills is a brilliant all-round musician from Melbourne. He's involved in a multitude of musical projects but is perhaps best known for his work "as" Toehider. (that's where you can find him on Twitter). We had a chat right after the release of Toehider's latest album, titled "Good". As I explain in this podcast, it's better than good. We discuss overcoming mental demons, the weight of expectation, balancing emotions, and how...

Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss, 1990. For Patrick and everyone else.

Alan Brough has demonstrated his vast music knowledge & passion for years, most famously as team captain in Spicks & Specks. Name me someone more qualified to select three songs for our Ever-growing Playlist of Joy! I'll wait... More recently, Alan has turned his hand to writing books for children aged roughly 10-12. Charlie and the War Against the Grannies was released last year; the next in the series, Charlie and the Karaoke Cockroaches, is released on June 27th. I'm fascinated with the...

The world's greatest song contest is fast approaching. Here-assembled is a group of 6 Melbourne-based super experts for your comprehensive preview! Jason-Scott Watkins, Ti Butler Danie Tregonning, Mark Perkins and 2011 contestant Nina share a range of perspectives on the contest. How it makes them happy, their favourite memories, and most urgently: their predictions for the 2017 finals which take place in the second week of May! The politics, the gimmicks, the key changes, the voting, the...

"If your quest of life is happiness, then you're going to be a really sad human being." The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is truly one of the world's greatest. Twice Emmy-nominated Loyiso Gola is one of the first class calibre of talents who have travelled here this year, performing his show Dude, Where's My Lion? His International Emmy noms stem from the South African show Late Nite News, a satirical take on politics in the ilk of The Daily Show or The Weekly with Charlie...

"Here's one I prepared earlier"... James paid Melbourne a visit in November to speak at the CBAA conference. The afternoon of his presentation, we caught up with a beer and my microphone and discussed radio, podcasts, music and what makes us happy. This weekend I'm pleased to finally share it. The time is right. James is a "radio futurologist". What's that? Click play and listen to him explain it! I never knew cereal could have this much effect on a person's life. Cereal. Breakfast is not...

Podcasting at the footy! You'll hear the ambience of pre-match entertainment at Ikon Park as Tegan & I prepare for our teams to do battle in AFL Women's Round 5. You'll also hear Tegan and I chat about what makes us happy, the multitude of creative endeavours she's involved with, and the gob-smacking way sexual references in music such as Grease and the Rocky Horror Picture Show go straight over kids' heads. Oh how naïve we were. Tegan is currently preparing to perform at the Melbourne...