I see it being less about “Australian exceptionalism” and more that I want acts that I can actually see live. International acts often add Australia as a distant stop. The benefit of a healthy local industry is the chance to actually see artists live or interviewed on TV/radio. The past 2 winners of the Hottest 100 haven’t even done an audio message or phone call for the station.
The recent cancellations of music festivals shows how much the music industry currently relies on international acts to draw crowds right now.
Weekends are about to get a whole lot spicier on Double J. Not only is regular fill in Yumi Stynes (pictured below) taking up a permanent spot on breakfast, from 8am on Saturday and Sunday mornings, with Caz Tran now moving to afternoons, but Frenzal Rhomb incendiaries Jay and the Doctor (that’s Jason Whalley and Lindsay McDougall, main picture, Lindsay, the Doctor, is wearing the shirt that I covet that says Farnsy) are also back as February Artists in Residence. You can hear them at 3pm Sundays.
Jason Whalley was terrible on Triple J back in the day, the Jay and the Doctor breakfast show was atrocious compared to Adam and Will… and now he’ll return to Double J? I’m not excited.