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David Mitchell found it ‘addictive and gratifying – not unlike sudoku’. Anna Goldsworthy has written one for children’s classic The Magic Pudding. And Ian Rankin wrote one for Scottish Opera.What is …
How do you maintain live music in a culture that does not value it? Jon Rose, acclaimed improvising violinist and instrument-maker, examines Australia’s history of improvised music and musicians and …
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to enter the minds of the world’s greatest jazz masters. Thesefree masterclasses, hosted by Fem Belling, see the festival’s headline artists discuss and explore…
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to enter the minds of the world’s greatest jazz masters. Thesefree masterclasses, hosted by Fem Belling, see the festival’s headline artists discuss and explore…
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to enter the minds of the world’s greatest jazz masters. Thesefree masterclasses, hosted by Fem Belling, see the festival’s headline artists discuss and explore…
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to enter the minds of the world’s greatest jazz masters. Thesefree masterclasses, hosted by Fem Belling, see the festival’s headline artists discuss and explore…
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to enter the minds of the world’s greatest jazz masters. Thesefree masterclasses, hosted by Fem Belling, see the festival’s headline artists discuss and explore…
Dave O’Neil invites a merry bunch of vagabonds to share with us their most treasured possessions – their record collections. Join us for a High Fidelity-style rummage through the back catalogue, as w…
When bestselling Scottish crime writer Ian Rankin swept through Australia to promote his book Standing in Another Man’s Grave, he dropped into the Wheeler Centre to chat about the return of Rebus…
Swedish indie songsmith Jens Lekman is renowned for his lyrics; his songs are pure storytelling set to music. Pitchfork has called him ‘one of the most distinct and observant singer-songwriters in…
Let the wild rumpus start!The Wheeler Centre kicks off our first season of events with a celebration of storytelling that revels in the deepest recesses of the imagination. This year, we dedicate…
We all know Jonathan Franzen is a twitcher. But did you know Tom Hanks likes to collect 1940s typewriters? Or that Johnny Depp likes to play with dolls?Sadly, Tom and the two Johnnies couldn’t join u…
Interview by Jo Case, for the Wheeler CentreLily Brett is one of Australia’s most-loved writers, best known for the blackly comic novels (like her masterpiece Too Many Men and most recently, You…
Richard Gill has worked in music and education for 50 years – and has never missed a chance to sing the praises of both. In a frank and fearless new memoir that will get tongues wagging, he shares…
Richard Gill has worked in music and education for 50 years – and has never missed a chance to sing the praises of both. In a frank and fearless new memoir that will get tongues wagging, he shares…
The revolutionary potential of rock and roll has long been a worn-out cliché in the West, where the Rolling Stones do commercials and rappers hang with royalty. But in contemporary China, rock (or…
The revolutionary potential of rock and roll has long been a worn-out cliché in the West, where the Rolling Stones do commercials and rappers hang with royalty. But in contemporary China, rock (or…
Mikey Cahill writes the ‘Rock City’ column for News Ltd. He reviews and writes about music for Hit, jmag and Inpress, and has twice been a judge for the Australian Music Prize. We spoke to him for…
In this instalment of Sam Pang’s series – focussing on the odd obsessions and unlikely fascinations of familiar faces – broadcaster Jess McGuire spills the beans about her love for British reality…
By Jeff SparrowIn Jeff Sparrow’s new book, Money Shot, he explores the relationship between porn and censorship, and what it reveals about our social values. Along the way, he journeys from the…
Over the past week or so, we’ve been celebrating Melbourne’s arts festivals at the Wheeler Centre Dailies.Today, we interview Brett Sheehy, artistic director of the Melbourne International Arts…
Always diverse, occasionally devilish, the one thing you can always expect from Unexpected Passions is an evening of laid-back laughs, with wizard of wit Sam Pang at helm. Who’s next?Well… it’s…
The Robert Glasper Experiment’s recent release, Black Radio – featuring a jaw-dropping roll-call of special guests – has captivated the funk, neo-soul and gospel sounds, while remaining deeply…
Debuting at New York’s famed Apollo Theater at the tender age of four, with the encouragement of godparents Dinah Washington and Quincy Jones, Austin grew up witnessing legendary performers – who…
From the moment French/Spanish bass wunderkind Renaud Garcia–Fons first held a double bass in his hands at age 16, the future of the instrument was destined to change.
Three-time Grammy Awardwinner Antonio Sanchez is ‘one of the standout jazz drummers on the contemporary scene’ (New York Times).
In this globalised world, we’re increasingly drawn to stories from other places; talesthat immerse us in faraway cultures. And where better to find our stories than in fellowUNESCO Cities of…
Icelandic author Sjón is a rock ‘n’ roll renaissance man. He writes poetry, pens lyrics for Björk, wrote a whale-watching ‘splatter film’, and won the Nordic equivalent of the Man Booker for his…
Are modern lyrics dropping the ball? Can we blame the iPod generation’s short attention cocker spaniels for a lack of intelligence in pop or does this just make songwriters try harder to be heard…
Are modern lyrics dropping the ball? Can we blame the iPod generation’s short attention cocker spaniels for a lack of intelligence in pop or does this just make songwriters try harder to be heard…
As a musical group for homeless and disadvantaged people, The Choir of Hard Knocks (of ABC TV fame) found national success, winning awards and reaching the height of performance at the Sydney Opera H…
Burlesque sensation Amanda Palmer (lead singer of The Dresden Dolls) meets international cabaret diva Meow Meow at the Athenaeum, in what promises to be a night to remember. Get intimate with Amanda …
Few thinkers have succeeded in bringing the world of ideas beyond the ivory tower with such clarity and grace as Alain de Botton. In an event that extends one of the Wheeler Centre chief themes for t…
Liao Yiwu is a Chinese poet, novelist, musician and screenwriter currently living in exile in Germany because of government suppression of his work in China. Imprisoned for four years following…
Sudanese rapper and writer Emmanuel Jal is a child of war. The internationally acclaimed hip-hop star is celebrated for his electrifying concerts and albums, songs written about his homeland and his …
By Mark MordueThe Rolling Stones song ‘Emotional Rescue’ is a seduction song thinly veiled in romance. The urgency and strut that it exudes, Mick Jagger’s startling use of falsetto – it’s all about g…
The Melbourne Writers Festival begins this week and the Wheeler Centre is pleased to be presenting an adaptation of Shaun Tan’s award-winning ‘The Arrival’ in partnership with the Festival. On…
Image by Douglas Cason Arts/Flickr For those who are mourning the premature passing of a great and troubled talent, here are a few readings on the incomparable, late Ms…
A former president of the UK Elvis Fan Club, Adrian Wootton recounts the history of Elvis Presley’s extensive career on the silver screen.
A former president of the UK Elvis Fan Club, Adrian Wootton recounts the history of Elvis Presley’s extensive career on the silver screen.
A long-time Frank Sinatra aficionado, Adrian Wootton gives an overview of Sinatra’s 60-plus years in showbiz and the 50-plus films in which he appeared, ranging from classic musicals to his…
In the race to teach children to be literate and numerate is there a chance that we have lost sight of the real goals of literacy and numeracy and the real reasons for education? What is the…
Two landmark figures in the history of jazz visited Melbourne recently as guests of the Wheeler Centre and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. Jean-Hervé Peron and Tony Conrad both spoke at…
The Wheeler Centre and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival recently presented Jazzland at the 3RRR Performance Space, an afternoon of great talks on jazz. This event featured the iconic Tony…
The Wheeler Centre and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival recently presented Jazzland at the 3RRR Performance Space, an afternoon of great talks on jazz. This event featured Faust founder and …
The Wheeler Centre and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival proudly present Jazzland at the Wheeler Centre, an afternoon of great talks on jazz. This event features Faust founder and Krautrock l…
The Wheeler Centre and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival proudly present Jazzland at the Wheeler Centre, an afternoon of great talks on jazz. This event features the iconic Tony Conrad (USA) …
Ever since Puberty Blues, Kathy Lette has a long and celebrated career as a best-selling and much-loved novelist, with an unparalleled eye for a joke, an ear for a double entendre and a way with a…
Ever since Puberty Blues, Kathy Lette has a long and celebrated career as a best-selling and much-loved novelist, with an unparalleled eye for a joke, an ear for a double entendre and a way with a…
If the internet was cut off tomorrow, would you be happy? Dave Graney would be.Appearing onstage at Lunchbox/Soapbox, and in his characteristically meandering style, the flamboyant stalwart of…
Turntable image by Johnny Magnusson via WikiCommons Crikey’s Bernard Keane wrote yesterday about the reasons behind the Chinese government’s crackdown on dissenting…
Life is a musical old chum… but how do those who write for Music Theatre even begin? How does song relate to story? Do you sacrifice narrative integrity in the name of something you can tap your toe …
Photograph of Finnish accordionist Lässe Pihlajamaa via WikiCommons Michel Houellebecq, the bête noire of French literature, has just released a single entitled ‘Le Film…
At our Gala Night of Storytelling: Voices From Elsewhere, acclaimed indigenous Australian singer-songwriter and musician Archie Roach plays a song dedicated to his late wife, Ruby Hunter.
The cover of Dylan’s first volume Readers who enjoyed Bob Dylan’s Chronicles: Volume One can look forward to the publication of volumes two and three, NME reports. In the k…
Click to watch video. The link between music and literature is as old as the hills. In ancient Greece, storytellers sang their Homeric epics. These days…
Singer/songwriter Clare Bowditch When I was a teenager, the road to ‘success’ was fairly well paved. You joined a band, rehearsed your guts out, started playing small…
Backstage before a gig or killing time in the van, musicians love to read. Joining Ramona Koval are opera singer Ali McGregor, conductor Richard Gill and Oz rock legend Shane Howard along with their …
Throughout the year, in collaboration with Radio National’s The Book Show with Ramona Koval, we’ve delved into the reading habits of professions ranging from lawyers to nuns. As part of our November …
Promotional image from The Cockatoos Victorian Opera is staging an uniquely Australian opera, The Cockatoos, based on a Patrick White short story.Sung in English, the…
Campaigning Premier John Brumby has announced that a $24.7 million headquarters for contemporary music will be established in Melbourne.The organisation will host Australian Independent Records…
Glasgow’s indie record label Chemikal Underground is moving into short stories, according to the Millions.The label that broke bands such as Arab Strap and Mogwai has released an album of short…
When thinking about Melbourne as a City of Literature, we should be celebrating the extraordinary literary achievement of our songwriters.Diverse, imaginative and daring, they’re an eclectic and…
Wondering where the music industry is going? Jess McGuire sat down with former Sports frontman Stephen Cummings, empire-builder Rebecca Barnard and singer/songwriter Clare Bowditch to put music…
From Catullus to Shakepeare, Auden to Dickinson, poetry has long struggled to understand love. To celebrate the publication of Love Poems by Dorothy Porter, readers including Richard Gill, David…
Music writer Mark Mordue When I think about poetry, about my need to read it and reflect on it and even express the odd poem here and there as if there were a more pure or …
“Lyrics don’t mean anything! Like ‘Rama-lama-ding-dong’ or ‘Give Peace a Chance’!” – Homer SimpsonThe Edsels released, “Rama Lama Ding Dong” in 1958 which became a national hit, but surely not…
Critiquing music can be fraught: whether it was Miles Davis or Elvis Costello who said it first, ‘writing aboutmusic is like dancing about architecture’. Our first event on the art of music…
Critiquing music can be fraught: whether it was Miles Davis or Elvis Costello who said it first, ‘writing about music is like dancing about architecture’. Our first event on the art of music…
Hardie Grant Books has released The 100 Best Australian Albums, a book that attempts to define our nation’s best popular music, and perhaps start a few arguments.According to Bernard Zuel at the…
Broadcaster Vijay Khurana Nick Hornby loves pop music. This we know. From his record store-owning High Fidelity protagonist Rob, to 31 Songs, his collection of essays…
Singer/songwriter/ad man, Ben Birchall Okay, I’ll admit it. I dance with the devil. He’s good looking, he pays for the drinks and he’s got the best record collection.I’m a …
Dr Samuel Johnson has been an active Twitterer for some time but recently he has published a new dictionary based on our modern world.Of course, it’s a fake but as an extract from the Quietus shows, …
Clare Bowditch on a recent album cover It began last night when singer/songwriter Clare Bowditch watched our latest Feminism Has Failed video. She tweeted about them…
London-based Andrew Mueller couldn’t decide between being a rock journalist, travel writer or foreign correspondent so he thought he’d try all three at once.In this Lunchbox/Soapbox, Mueller takes…
Whether it’s Lady Gaga or a song from the 60s you heard in a supermarket, certain songs get stuck in your head. In Germany they’re known as ‘Ohrwurm’ (or earworm in English) – those inescapable…
Australia’s one true poet laureate has finally committed his own story to paper. The 100 chapterswhich make up Paul Kelly’s How to Make Gravy share the tales and personal stories behind 100 ofhis…
Australia’s one true poet laureate has finally committed his own story to paper. The 100 chapterswhich make up Paul Kelly’s How to Make Gravy share the tales and personal stories behind 100 ofhis…
When singer/songwriter/legend Paul Kelly sat down to talk with ex-Go Between Robert Forster it was the meeting of two of Australian music’s finest minds. Not only does Kelly sing his songs, but he…
Michael Nolan, co-editor of Kelly’s book If writing about music is like dancing about architecture (as satirist Martin Mull’s regularly misattributed quip goes), then…
Why does Melbourne, the classiest city in Australia, have such a problem with street violence? Is it the licensing laws? Is it the parents? No and no. Is it the rise of house music at the expense of …
Why does Melbourne, the classiest city in Australia, have such a problem with street violence? Is it the licensing laws? Is it the parents? No and no. Is it the rise of house music at the expense of …
Keating! the Musical explained and sung about his creative process.
The Miles Franklin Literary Award shortlist has been announced. Among those nominated is Sonya Hartnett for her book Butterfly. Sonya will be speaking with 3RRR's Donna Morabito next week at the…
The Observer publishes an extract from Patti Smith's new memoir, Just Kids. Patti Smith's Just Kids: Harper Collins
