VINYL TAP - Inside the Music Industry
VINYL TAP - Inside the Music Industry is hosted by Michael Parisi, a veteran of the Australian music industry with experience at Warner Music and Mushroom Records. He interviews executives, managers, creatives and artists from the Australian and international music business. The show explores the careers and insights of people shaping the industry, drawing on Parisi's background in A&R, artist management and consulting. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the music industry operates.
Episodes
Paddy Donovan; The Advocate
Paddy Donovan is a true music stalwart in Melbourne and in Australia..and I don't use that term loosely or if at all these days. He has worked in the creative industries, in media and in government throughout his 25 year career. He has played both a 'master and servant' role for the domestic music industry. I first met Paddy when he was the Head Music Writer at The Age Newspaper in Melbourne a cou
Andrew Klippel; His Royal Ourness
Andrew Klippel has been and still is one of Australia's most successful artist managers and music executives. As the son of the late, world acclaimed sculptor Robert Klippel, 'art' runs through his veins. He began his music career as a Pop Artist in the early 90's, but soon realised that his real passion and purpose was in producing, A&R and Artist Development. He launched his own label 'Engin
Dave Jiannis; The Godfather
Dave Giannis is arguably The Godfather of Punk, Metal and Rock music executives in the country, He began his journey playing in various hardcore bands some 30 years again his native hometown of Adelaide before his career took a 360 degree turn and he found himself backstage instead of front of stage.Through a combination of luck (being in the right place at the right time) and sheer hard work and
Guven Yilmaz - Young Blood
I first met Guven Ylimaz when he was running one of the coolest live boutique agency’s in Australia - VITA- around 2015. They were home -and in parts still are- home to acts like Peking Duk, Winston Surfshirt, BUG WETT, Club Angel, Skin On Skin and Milan ring amongst many others. Guv was the cool kid on the block and, arguably still is. Then in 2023- in a crazy post-Covid word- Matt Gudinski
Mary Mihelakos; The Matriarch
Mary Mihelakos is a true Music Stalwart in the Australian Music Scene. Whilst she has been predominately Melbourne based, her tentacles stretch far and wide. She began her music career at 3RRR Melbourne as a fresh faced 14 year old volunteer- not for the money, but for the love. She has worked in all facets of the business- management, radio, journalism and as a venue promoter. She has also been t
Roger Field; Further Afield
This week's special guest Roger Field is definitely no stranger when it comes to the Major Concert landscape. His expertise has and still covers all gamuts of the touring industry- ticketing, venue management, festival production and major concert promotion of course. He served as CEO of Live Nation Australia from 2014 to 2020 before was tasked with the premium role of President for Live Nation As
Daniel Merriweather; The Prince Of Soul
It's almost a case of 'whatever happened to...' with my first guest on Season 5 in 2026. His name is Daniel Merriweather, arguably, one of this country's greatest ever soul singers, producers and writers. His career has certainly had it's fair share of up's and down's , high's and low's but in 2026 he continues to strive to produce real, uncompromising and ground-breaking music. He has tasted bona
Joe Muller; New South Hustler
What a time to be alive in the music industry in 2025, particularly if you're one of the people charged with keeping the live music scene alive and prospering. As Managing Director of MusicNSW, Joe Muller has it all before him. And he's up for it and all about it! Joe comes from credible and respected music stock having had over 15 years of experience with in the industry as a festival curator, cr
Allan Klepfisz; The Tech Professor
On last week's episode of Vinyl Tap, I spoke to Asian Music Industry legend Sandy Monteiro, this week it's his business partners turn.Allan Klepfisz is not from the Music Industry per se. He is an entrepreneur by nature, having worked in the restaurant and textile industries, but he has always had a penchant for tech. His new Music Tech baby Fenix 360 aims to change the e-commerce landscape for cr
Sandy Monteiro; The Pioneer
Sandy Monteiro is very highly regarded in not just Asia, but throughout the world. He is a true pioneer of the digital music space and he has also had very successful stints at running both major and independent record labels. I first met Sandy when he was CEO of Universal S/E Asia some 10 years ago and was suitably impressed by his knowledge of music and, more importantly, his grasp and take on t
Dean Ormston; The Right/s Man
Dean Ormston runs the biggest not-for-profit music organisation in the Southern Hemisphere. As CEO of APRA/AMCOS, Dean oversees the music rights management of over 130 thousand domestic songwriters and composers, as well as all of the nation's Music Publishing companies. It's a big task and undertaking for this former school music teacher, but one that he is handling with flair and aplomb. The rol
Chrissie Vincent; Saint Vincent
Anyone who can spit into Johnny Lydon's (yes of Sex Pistols fame) sushi and get away with it should automatically be inducted into the Australian Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. And this is only one of many stories that Chrissie Vincent has in her arsenal of rock and roll anecdotes. There's no denying Chrissie is a trailblazer. She started her career in 1981, when the local music industry was beginnin
Emmanuel Zunz; ONErpm Around The World
Paris born, US based music entrepreneur Emmanuel Zunz has always been fiercely independent. His music roots are steeped in philanthropy. He started his very first music venture 'Verge Records' back in 2007. It was an innovative record label predicated on releasing music from artists who lived in impoverished neighbourhoods in the US to yield profits to put back into those communities. While it was
Mardi Caught; The Re-Inventress
Mardi Caught is a 'stayer' and a master at propelling artist careers. These are not mutually exclusive concepts! She cut her teeth in various major label roles both in Australia and in the UK & also at MTV in London. At the very heart and core of what she does is pure Artist Development. She thrives on it and this is beautifully demonstrated by he work with ground breaking acts like Royel Otis
Regan Lethbridge; From Busk Til Dawn
Who said Busking doesn't pay or, in fact, lead to global success? Starting his music career as a busker himself has held Regan Lethbridge in solid stead. Regan is best known as the co-manager of Tones and I and the manager of Tash Sultana, both of whom have forged strong international careers. And both of whom, like Regan, honed their craft as street performers. Today Regan is the proud and succes
Industry Nights; Live Music, The New Frontier
Recently, Vinyl Tap ventured out to the St Kilda Town Hall in Melbourne for a special live panel taping. Joining me on the night to discuss the LIVE Music scene were;PATRICK DONOVAN; Live Music Strategy and Development lead for the Port Phillip City Council, esteemed and widely acclaimed artist and proud local identity CASH SAVAGE, SUNSHINE TROTT; one of Melbourne's most celebrated local DJ's and
David Vodicka; Legal Eagle
David Vodicka has paid his dues in every way. First as an independent label owner and now as, arguably, one of the most successful and influential music lawyers in Australia. His 'Rubber Records' imprint, always cutting edge with its output, certainly delivered some of the best new artists in years gone by. Cordrazine, Even and 1200 Techniques are amongst some of my favourite Aussie acts of all ti
Annabelle Herd; Leading The Charge!
Running a music industry organisation and representative body like ARIA is by no means a walk in the park in the current music climate, but this weeks guest is more than ready for the task.Annabelle Herd has the right temperament and 'can-do' mentality for navigating the domestic music industry through these challenging, but exciting times. A career in politics as an advisor in the Communications
Karl Richter; Off The Richter
Karl Richter is somewhat of a chameleon in the Music Industry. Not only has he been able to successfully pivot from A&R to Music Supervision, but he now is also a major player in the Music Tech space. In this enlightening new episode of Vinyl Tap, we go back to Karl's early community radio days and his entry into the music industry per se. Starting as an A&R manager at MDS, Mushroom's Indi
Mitch Clark; Westend Girl
Mitch Clark is a true survivor in the music business! She started her professional career learning from the likes of pioneer promoters Michael Coppel and Zev Eizek before taking the plunge and moving to the UK in the late 80's in search of her own journey and path. Whilst there she worked her way up the ranks at the legendary Chrysalis Records label and at EMI UK where she ended up as a VP of Inte
Simon Moor; The Disruptor
Simon Moor has been in the business of Artist Discovery for all of his professional career, first as an A&R manager via his stints at Sony Music & EMI and then as a creative inside SonyATV Publishing. We sure as hell had some great A&R stouch's in the 90's fighting for the same bands but Simon always had a great ear for finding new music. In 2010, his professional trajectory took a maj
Richard 'Rash' Hussein; Sultan of Swing
Richard 'Rash' Hussein has spent the better part of the last 20 years in Dubai helping to establish a real music industry over in the Wild East! Through his A&R stints at both EMI and Warner Middle East, not only did he amass a staggering 50 #1 records but he also helped define a blueprint for merging Arab Pop with the Western music industry. In this week's episode, we learn a lot more about t
Maggie Collins; Queen Bee
Maggie Collins is one of the most dynamic executives in the music business today. She cut her teeth at community radio and at Triple J before venturing into artist management, working with the likes of DZ Deathrays, Donny Benet and Odette. She also managed to programme Big Sound between 2016-2019, become a mum and now heads up the Association of Artists Managers in Australia. She is definitely up
Harris Meitanis; Mango Magic
Harris Meitanis has been around the block and played the game for near on 30 years. He has worn many hats- Solicitor, Label owner, Studio owner, music publisher, music agent, A&R and management. Most recently, he has guided the rise and rise of one of this country's biggest and most successful comedy acts, the fabulous SOOSHI MANGO boys. These guys aren't just performing at small comedy clubs,
Scott Horscroft; The Method Man
I don't use the words 'one-of-a-kind' very often, but my first guest of 2025 - Scott Horscroft - is certainly worth of the mantle I've bestowed upon him. He's one of the best producers in this country, if not the world. Doesn't do things by halves and certainly doesn't professionally either. I liken him to a a method actor, only in a parallel world of music production. He has been involved in some
LIVE PANEL EPISODE; How Do I Get Discovered These Days?
Welcome to this week's special presentation of VINYL TAP. We recently held a live panel night at Collarts College in Melbourne where I assembled an esteemed array of some of the biggest thinkers in the local music scene. Please give a nod to Adam Booth (Weez) from Calibe Management and EMI A&R, Sarah Hamilton ex MD of DITTO now and Golden Hour Consultancy, Gabby Colombi Co Founder of Global PR
MSquared; Double Vision
MSqaured Productions are a very successful Melbourne based music production duo who have been able to seamlessly transition to and traverse between many music genres throughout their 12 year journey together. Michael De Lorenzis and Michael Paynter started out as the 'go-to' guys for mainstream pop production and artist development and over the course of the last few years have managed to cleverly
Alice Ivy; The Heiress
I call Alice Ivy 'The Heiress' for good reason! She is at the forefront of modern music production, not just in Australia but she is also starting to make some serious noise on the international stage. I'd even go as far as saying that she's destined to be our next big superstar producer! Her production work has evolved so beautifully since she announced her arrival with her brilliant debut album
Jan Skubiszewski; The Journeyman
Jan Skubiszewski is somewhat of a journeyman producer. I first met Jan when he was cutting his production teeth at Marlon Studios in Prahran, Melbourne some 20 odd years ago. At the time, he was working with a slew of up and coming soul and urban acts and making ground breaking music with the likes of Daniel Merriweather (who went on to sign to Mark Ronson) and pioneering local MC, Phrase. Fast fo
Anna Laverty; The Sound Sorceress
Put simply, Anna Laverty is one of Australia's leading music producers. She is a straight shooter but humble, a great talker but measured and, above all, she talks and walks it. In this new episode of The Producers, I talk to Anna about everything from cutting her teeth in London (having worked under uber producers Paul Epworth and Ben Hillier) to mental health and to her appreciation of classic s
Francois Tetaz; The Producers' Producer
Season 4 kicks off today with a new series; THE PRODUCERS. And the first supernova cab to leave the rank is a revered and celebrated giant of the Australian music production landscape. Francois Tetaz is arguably one of the most successful producers in our history. His work with Gotye alone- which has amassed millions upon millions of streams/sales & every award imaginable (including 3 Grammy A
The Future Of Touring
Welcome to the second instalment of Vinyl Tap's live panel sessions as part of the BIG THINKERS series. In this fresh episode , we didn't ask a question as such but my special guests and I discussed the state of the live music industry in Australia. Joining me on the panel on the night were; Travis Banko from Laneway Festival (and co-manager of Baker Boy) , Bec Young from Collective Artists, Nic G
Paul Wiltshire; Rogue Tradr
Paul Wiltshire is somewhat of a music maverick, in the most positive ways of course. He started his music career as a pop writer and music producer amassing an impressive 12 Number One hits and a further 28 Top 20 hits with the likes of Delta Goodrem, Vanessa Amorossi, Human Nature and The Backstreet Boys. Even more impressive is the fact that he has made an album with Engelbert Humperdinck, but I
Colin Daniels; The Impresario
Colin Daniels has been around and around and around some more in the music business. Starting off his music journey as a fresh faced DJ in the very early 90's, he has operated under many guises over the years. He has co-owned a dance label in Vicious Records, was responsible for importing some of the biggest dance records via his role at Mushroom Distribution Services in the 90's and then flew the
Cath Haridy; All Flair, No Floss
It's both frightening and heartwarming to know that I've known Cath Haridy for 25 years. She began working with me firstly at Warner Music as my assistant before we both moved over to Festival Mushroom in the late 90's to start a new label imprint called SPUTNIK. From very early on is those formative years I could tell that Cath was a 'stayer' in this business. She cut her teeth and excelled in al
Industry Nights; Do You Need A Record Deal?
Week 4 of the Big Thinkers series and what better way to celebrate it but by bringing in FIVE of the best music industry minds in the business to wax lyrical , in a live setting, about a simple but pertinent question; Do you need a record deal (in 2024)? And what a star studded line up it was; the no nonsense Ms Cath Haridy from Cath Haridy Management, the girl with the best rock name in Australia
Bec Young and Sarah Hamilton; One of One Equals Three
It's a case of Double Delight on Vinyl Tap this week with two of the brightest and best young female music executives in the country right now! Sarah Hamilton is a veteran of the digital music space. As an early adopter of digital music, Sarah started at Myspace at a time when no one really cared that much about it before ending up at DITTO where she ran the show for a considerable amount of time.
Danny Rogers; Laneways and Lifeways
As far as balancing acts go, Danny Rogers has got his down to a fine art. He is both a prestigious artist manager on the one hand and a music festival co-founder on the other. You only need to look at his management CV to appreciate that he been responsible for some of the biggest international breakthroughs in our pop culture history; Gotye and The Temper Trap. Then there's the Laneway Festival w
Josh Simons; The Pivot Master
Season 3 kicks off with my BIG THINKERS series and the first duck in the pond is Josh Simons, the CEO of Vinyl Group. Josh started his music career as a professional musician. His band 'Buchanan' had considerable success but it was while he was contemplating his long term future for his band that he came up with the idea for Vampr - think Linkedin for music creatives! His quest for success with Va
Richard Bron; Metalmorphisis
Richard Bron comes from Rock Royal stock in the UK. His grandfather was one of the UK's first music publishers and his father Gerry signed and recorded some of the most seminal British bands of all time- Uriah Heap, The Damned and the legendary Motorhead to name a key few. Richard himself has done the hard yards having first moved to New York as a 16 year old to head up Bronze Records. a JV he est
Emma Banks; The Agents' Agent
When I think of the world's biggest and most successful agents , it's hard to go past Emma Banks. As Co-Head of CAA UK, Emma is responsible for a roster that includes Muse, Katy Perry, Arcade Fire, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lorde, Green Day and our very own Kylie Minogue. And for all the wonderful and well deserved awards that she has earned over the years (She's a 10 x winner of Poll Stars UK Ag
Korda Marshall; King Korda
Korda Marshall is an A&R King amongst Kings in the UK and a long term player in the global music industry. He has owned his own label (Infectious), run other indie labels (Mushroom UK) as well as a major label (Warner Music UK) and along the way has had major success at every step. His ethos is imbedded in a punk rock style attitude in that he has always defied convention and the so called rul
Kim Frankiewicz; Royal Blood
It's scary to think I've known Kim Frankiewicz for near on 30 years. She was a formidable force back then, let alone what she has become now. Kim is one of the most respected executives in the world of music publishing. She got her start working with INXS and then the Models before she was wittingly pushed in to music publishing by her long time mentor Chris Murphy, the man who guided the INXS jug
VINYL TAP Highlights Reel + Preview of UK Tour
We look back at some of the most interesting, funniest and inspiring moments from Vinyl Tap to date, all the way back from season 1 until now. Michael also reveals a UK podcast tour, where he's set to interview some of the UK music scene's biggest movers and shakers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Roger Grierson; The Unorthodox King of Spin
While many of you listeners may not have heard the name before, Roger Grierson can rightfully be regarded as a stalwart of the alternative music scene in Australia. Roger is a product of the global punk era of the 1970's! That's when he started his journey, first as an artist then as a manager then going on to be a tour promoter, a music publishing honcho and, ultimately a chairman of Australia's
Tina Arena; Icône Royale
She is an Australian Icon who currently sits in her own prestigious lane. Tina Arena has been in the music industry for near on 50 years. She is decorated and she's adored. The awards and achievements are plentiful- Member of The Order Of Australia, ARIA Hall of Fame, French National Order of National Merit and I could go on- but what is most tangible and credible is the fact that she remains a pa
Nick Launay; Wizard of Sound
When I look at my 'favourite records of all time' list, it appears that Nick Launay has his magic fingerprints all over them. Whether it's 'Sound Affects' by The Jam (as an assistant engineer) or 'Release the Bats' by The Birthday Party or '10,9, 8, 7.." by Midnight Oil or even 'Diorama' by silverchair, they all have a timeless, transcendental quality. Put simply, Nick is one of the best ever reco
Michael Chugg; The General
In terms of concert promoters in this country and, arguably, the world over, you don't get much bigger than Michael Chugg. 'Chuggi' as he is known on every corner of the globe really is one in a million. You know that old cliche about 'the mould being smashed when they made him', well it rings true for Chuggi. He has been in the touring game for 59 long years and in that time he worked with so man
Fifa Riccobono; The Godmother
Fifa Riccobono is a LIVING LEGEND! As one of their first female CEO's of a known record company in the world, Fifa was one of the driving forces of the world renown ALBERTS Music label. Best known for turning the world of rock music on it's head, Alberts boasts a roster that is second to none. From AC-DC to Rose Tattoo and from The Angels to The Easybeats, Alberts was the envy of many and the pave
Richie McNeill; True Faith
Welcome to the third instalment of Vinyl Tap's 'Living Legends' Series where we take a trip down the EDM highway and into the world of esteemed Dance Music promoter Richie McNeill. Richie is a giant of the game, a proper pioneer of the dance scene in Australia. At heart, Richie is still a starry-eyed music fan and in essence, he has had (and continues to have ) a major impact on Dance culture. His
Sahara Herald; The Power & The Passion!
Welcome to the second instalment of my 'LIVING LEGENDS' series. It gives me great pleasure to welcome one of the best pioneering festival promoters and current tour promoters in Australia Sahara Herald to the VINYL TAP chair. Sahara is a tour de force (pardon the pun) and a fantastic role model for women in the music industry the world over. She made her mark as an integral cog of Australia's firs
Terry Blamey; From Kylie To Eternity
Welcome back to VINYL TAP: Inside The Music Industry, the 2024 Edition! For the next 10 weeks, I'll be talking to 'LIVING LEGENDS'- those people who have or continue to leave their footprint on the both the local and international music industry. Episode 1 needed to be special and it gives me great pleasure to kick it off with a gentleman who has helped shape and influence pop culture both here an
Jane Gazzo; Tales from The Melbourne Underground, Part 2
Part 2 of Tales from the Melbourne Underground sees the tables turn somewhat! Esteemed music broadcaster Jane Gazzo and Michael Parisi interview each other about growing up as Italian migrants in the Melbourne and Australian Music scene. They discuss everything from their music education to their favourite memories of venues, live shows and artists. This interview was recorded live on Dec 4th 2023
Bruce Milne and Mary Mihelakos; Tales from the Melbourne Underground
In this bonus Xmas Day edition of VINYL TAP; Inside The Music Industry (recorded live on Dec 4th from the Always Live Festival Soundbox in Melbourne), Michael welcomes three luminaries of the Melbourne Music Scene to the chair to discuss their views of the Melbourne scene both in a historical and contemporary sense. Bruce Milne- the man behind one of the most important records labels in our local
Frank Cotela and Ant Celestino; ONELOVE - Life after Stereosonic
Welcome to Part Two of Episode 10 of Vinyl Tap; Inside The Music Industry. This time I follow the yellow brick road down to the land of Dance Music and my two guests are regarded as dance music royalty both here in Australia and abroad. Frank Cotela and Ant Celestino have been at the forefront of the EDM industry for over a quarter of a century. Their label ONELOVE first came to life as a club nig
Frank Cotela and Ant Celestino; ONELOVE and The Politics Of Dancing Part One.
Welcome to Part One of Episode 10 of Vinyl Tap; Inside The Music Industry. This time I follow the yellow brick road down to the land of Dance Music and my two guests are regarded as dance music royalty both here in Australia and abroad. Frank Cotela and Ant Celestino have been at the forefront of the EDM industry for over a quarter of a century. Their label ONELOVE first came to life as a club nig
Simon Napier-Bell; The Pop Maestro
Simon Napier-Bell is a living legend in the global music industry. I was fortunate enough to meet him at the 'Big Sound' conference in Brisbane earlier this year and when he agreed to an interview, I didn't waste any time. For those who don't understand or know British Pop history, Simon has left an indelible mark on the music scene for decades. He's a record producer, artist manager, author, a pr
Johann Ponniah; New Wunderkind On The Block!
My next guest on Vinyl Tap; Inside The Music Industry is one of my favourite music executives in the world, let alone Australia. Johann Ponniah is the founder of I OH YOU, a record label that has always oozed class and that has a real timeless edge with what it releases. The label itself was spawned from a Melbourne house party in 2009 that was thrown to pay off some utility bills for the share ho
Jaddan Comerford; UNIFY, AMPLIFY, GLOBIFY!
Welcome to Episode 7 of VINYL TAP: Inside The Music Industry. This week I talk to someone who I've watched grow in to one of this country's most dynamic and successful music executives. As the founding CEO of the UNIFIED Music Group, Jaddan Comerford has become a global industry player of the highest order. From humble beginnings as a punk rock fan releasing music from his bedroom office, he has c
Millie Millgate; Thinking Global, Thinking Local!
They say timing is everything in this business, so it's somewhat serendipitous that my next guest on Vinyl Tap; Inside The Music Industry has just been announced as the inaugural Director of Music Australia, a government funded music body to support and promote the Australian contemporary music industry both here and abroad. Mille Millgate's name is synonymous with the exporting of Australian musi
Linda Bosidis: A Master Of Music Publishing
In Episode 5 of VINYL TAP; Inside The Music Industry, I had the pleasure of sitting down with someone who I have known as a good friend and work colleague for over 30 years. Linda Bosidis has been a real force in the music publishing world for all her working life. She started her career at APRA before joining Mushroom Music Publishing, where she has been for over 23 years. Today, she is the Manag
John Watson; The Managers' Manager
In Episode 4 of Vinyl Tap; Inside The Music Industry, I was fortunate enough to wax lyrical with one of the best artist managers Australia has ever produced. John Watson really needs no introduction, as his CV and roster essentially speaks for itself. Combined, his artists such as Silverchair, Missy Higgins, Wolfmother, Pete Murray, Gotye, The Presets and Birds of Tokyo have sold over 20 million
The Queen of Music Broadcasting; Jane Gazzo
In Episode 3 of Vinyl Tap; Inside The Music Industry, I talk to the effervescent Queen of Music Broadcasting, Ms Jane Gazzo. Jane's CV is astonishing. Not only is it over 25 years old, but there's no media medium she hasn't been involved in and with. She has worked in radio, TV and print both here and abroad and she is highly regarded as one of the most influential music voices of our generation.
The Warrior; Corey 'Nooky' Webster
In Episode 2 of Vinyl Tap; Inside The Music Industry, Michael Parisi speaks with multi-talented rapper, producer, creator, mentor and radio presenter Corey 'Nooky' Webster. As host of Triple J's BLAKOUT show, Nooky is all about showcasing and promoting indigenous excellence in both the music and arts industry's. In this interview, Nooky give a thoughtful insight into his life and the times, includ
The Music World according to Mushroom CEO, Matt Gudinski
Welcome to the first episode of VINYL TAP- Inside The Music Industry. I sit down with Matt Gudinski, the CEO of The Mushroom Group. I've known Matt for over 20 years, his father was a close mentor and friend of mine. I have enjoyed watching Matt grow over the years into the great executive that he has become. His outlook on life and business is honest and refreshing. Hosted on Acast. See acast
