Come As You Are With JON O'CONNOR From NIRVANA TRIBUTE

Come As You Are With JON O'CONNOR From NIRVANA TRIBUTE

Interview by Kris Peters
Grunge fans rejoice as the raw energy of Nirvana returns to Australia!
Direct from the UK, the world’s number one tribute to the Seattle legends, Nirvana Tribute, are making their way back to Aussie shores for their fourth visit, and for the first time will be hitting New Zealand as well to pay homage to, and celebrate the life of Kurt Cobain.
Tribute bands are a dime-a-dozen these days, and quality versions are rarer than hens teeth, especially in the case of Nirvana tribute acts. It seems every country has more than a handful of bands claiming to pay homage to the original artist and their music, but in reality turn out to be nothing more than semi-adequate wanna-be's who are just in it for the quick buck.
Sound harsh? Well I should know, having worked with one of the best and most popular tribute bands ever, ACCADACCA.
There's only one other band that I have ever seen manage to capture the raw intensity and musical brilliance of the band they are paying tribute to, and that is Nirvana Tribute. Especially frontman Jon O'Conner, who is that similar in looks, presence and voice to Kurt Cobain himself that you could close your eyes at their gig at the local pub and easily be transported back to The Duchess Of York Hotel in Leeds back in 1989, standing in front of the actual Nirvana in a smoke-stained, overcrowded and sweaty club.
Nirvana Tribute has been hailed as worthy successors the world over, with countless tours and new territory conquered on a yearly basis and even more that unfortunately miss out.
HEAVY caught up with frontman Jon O'Conner recently to talk more about Nirvana Tribute plus the man and legacy honoured each and every time the band gets on stage.
"The people seem to like us there," he shrugged when we mention the band must be doing something right to be invited back for a fourth tour of Australia, "so we'll always go back. We love it as well. I think on my first visit to Australia, I was completely blown away. Just the hospitality and the people there… you can't beat it."
We point out the fact that Australians are known for their honest nature in general, but even more so when it comes to music, so if Nirvana Tribute have managed to win us over things are looking pretty good.
"I think we would have known if they weren't happy," he laughed. "They made us feel right at home on that very first trip, so I'm sure the fourth one will be just the same."
As mentioned earlier, there are an uncomfortably large number of tribute bands doing the rounds, with Nirvana being right up there as the most popular band to attempt. We ask O'Conner how he feels about such bands who ultimately only serve to denigrate the efforts of others like Nirvana Tribute who actually take pride in their work.
"At the moment there is an almost oversaturation of the market," he agreed. "There's some substandard Nirvana tribute bands, but this is the one to come and see. If you wanna see a genuine Nirvana performance and go home feeling like you'd been at a Nirvana show, this is the one that you need to see. Plus we bring a little bit of chaos with us as well (laughs)."
In the full interview, Jon talks more about what fans can expect from the show, headlining the Louder Than Love run of shows while here, the resurgence of grunge music and how far he thinks it will go, recreating the magic of Nirvana and what things Nirvana Tribute do to make that happen, separating himself from the stigma that comes with portraying Kurt Cobain, his thoughts on the enduring legacy of the great man, what attracts him to Nirvana's music, what people find so special about it, living up to fan expectation and more.


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Deeper Wells And Deeper Laughs: Dyssidia’s MITCH BRACKMAN Gets Real

Deeper Wells And Deeper Laughs: Dyssidia’s MITCH BRACKMAN Gets Real

Interview by Ali WilliamsIf you thought progressive metal was all serious faces and minor chords, think again. Mitch from Dyssidia joined HEAVY’s own Ali Williams for a wild, winding, and refreshingly unfiltered chat—spanning everything from vinyl snobbery to deadly Frisbees and Adelaide’s criminally underrated music scene.Dyssidia just dropped their sophomore album Deeper Wells of Meaning—only five years after their debut, because, you know, global pandemics and musicians’ creative “pauses.” Mitch spills on the pain of planning an album launch, only to have COVID crash the party two weeks later. The silver lining? More time to marinate, mature, and, presumably, stare at the ceiling thinking about vinyl colour options. Forget digital downloads; Mitch’s passion for vinyl is a religion. The band doesn’t just release albums—they curate tactile experiences. The latest artwork, painted by Adam Burke (with an actual brush—no AI here, people), is so gorgeous that Mitch reckons at least 20% of positive feedback is just fans drooling over the cover. Want a double LP with wild colours? Dyssidia’s got you. Want a band-branded stubby cooler? Even better—just watch out for Mitch’s plans to weaponize plastic frisbees at shows. Rock and roll, but with dental insurance. The band’s gearing up for their album launch in Adelaide, with Adriatic, Wings of Thanatos, and Kuiper joining the chaos. Touring across Australia is like prepping for the Olympics—distances are brutal, costs are bonkers, and sometimes even the koalas get confused by daylight savings. Perth fans: you’re loved, you’re loyal, but unless someone donates a private jet, don’t hold your breath for monthly Dyssidia visits.Dyssidia have re-joined forces with Wild Thing Records—mainly because the contracts are so chill they’re basically handshakes, and the friendships are the real glue. According to Mitch, it’s not about the business as much as it is about the hang. “Most of the time, you’re just trying to survive and connect with other bands, so your mini-tour isn’t just you in a van talking to yourself.”There’s no road map for being a modern prog-metal band. Dyssidia is all about that flexible, DIY, make-it-work spirit—embracing the weirdness of the times, working from home, and enjoying the freedom to create on your own terms. New music is brewing (eventually), Adelaide is still underrated, and at least Ali and Mitch are now Facebook friends. In the words of the great philosopher: Thanks babe.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

12 Joulu 202518min

Backstage chats with ALL TIME LOW At GOOD THINGS 2025

Backstage chats with ALL TIME LOW At GOOD THINGS 2025

HEAVY was lucky to again be invited backstage at Good Things 2025 to chat with the bands about their shows and other fun stuff. Today, Angela gets cozy with All Time Low.Big thanks to Destroy All Lines and the team at Dallas Does PR for allowing us to share the day with them. Big thanks also to the team - Kyra, Geoffro and Angela as well as our new video team, Grey & Brook.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

11 Joulu 20258min

Backstage Chats With YOURS TRULY At GOOD THINGS 2025

Backstage Chats With YOURS TRULY At GOOD THINGS 2025

HEAVY was lucky to again be invited backstage at Good Things 2025 to chat with the bands about their shows and other fun stuff. Today, Kyra and Angela get up close with Yours Truly. Big thanks to Destroy All Lines and the team at Dallas Does PR for allowing us to share the day with them. Big thanks also to the team - Kyra, Geoffro and Angela as well as our new video team, Grey & Brook.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

11 Joulu 202513min

Living In A Perfect World With STEVE TULIPANA From SEASON TO RISK

Living In A Perfect World With STEVE TULIPANA From SEASON TO RISK

In 1994, Season to Risk had been on tour for the past four years, playing as a young opening band on legendary shows with Killdozer, Unsane, Neurosis, Prong and Killing Joke. Their first album had sold well, with songs charting on radio and getting music video airtime on MTV and Canada's Much Music. There was an opportunity to take advantage of the popular wave of alt rock and nu metal dominating the air waves and being signed unexpectedly to major label Columbia Records put them in the position that they had amazing support as artists, but also someone to answer to and the machine must be fed.The band decided instead to work with Martin Bisi (producer of Sonic Youth, Foetus, Swans, Cop Shoot Cop) and use their major label money to deliver a punishing post hardcore masterpiece of crushing noise rock, In A Perfect World. The album has become a cult classic and over the course of the past 30 years, some of the songs off In A Perfect World became mainstays in live shows.And now, Season To Risk have decided the time is right to revisit that timeless album, having In A Perfect World remastered by Duane Trower (Weights & Measures Soundlab), creating a reissue that gains new clarity without losing its raw urgency. Released on Record Store Day in the United States, In A Perfect World has been rejigged to embrace the modern sound, with Season To Risk using the experience to harness their focus and energy into live shows and a new record.Singer Steve Tulipana joined HEAVY to take us behind the scenes. We start by asking if the nerves are any different, releasing the same album three decades later."I mean, it's weird," he smiled, "It's 30 years old, which is kind of a trip obviously for us. To think about how much time has passed… It doesn't feel like 30 years ago by any means, which is over half my life. I'm more nervous because we have some US dates we're going to start. It's a pretty gruelling little run of shows we're doing, and we haven't done that in many, many years. So that's got me nervous, more than the record coming out".Going into In A Perfect World back in 1994, Season To Risk had just finished four years on the road and were understandably more than a little jaded. We ask Steve if this had any effect on the finished product."Yes, I do think we were (jaded)," he nodded. "So a lot of the material from the first record - and it's a cleaner record for sure - we were young, and it was our first material that you take a bunch of years to write. Then you get signed, and then it was delayed forever. We were always trying to challenge ourselves, and we were wanting to be more… it's not like it was incredibly conscious. I mean, we didn't want to sell out, but we were trying to find this heavy thing. We had some road on us, and we had some life experience on us at that point so it was darker and things were a little more fucked up. To be candid, I was a little more fucked up in my head, but that's the experience you go through, right?"In the full interview, Steve focused on the reissue of In A Perfect World, reflecting on the surreal nature of the album's 30-year anniversary. The remastering process was highlighted, with improvements made by guitarist Duane Trower being explained, although digital rights for a remastered version have not been granted by Sony, leaving fans without a digital option for now.The conversation also explored the band's artistic evolution, with Steve discussing their maturation and the incorporation of new elements like synthesizers in their upcoming material. The importance of clarity in lyrics while maintaining a unique sound was emphasized. We spoke about the release of a new album, with the aim for completion by the first quarter of the next year.Steve discussed the natural evolution of Season To Risk and how it has impacted their music and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

11 Joulu 202523min

Backstage chats with COBRA STARSHIP At GOOD THINGS 2025

Backstage chats with COBRA STARSHIP At GOOD THINGS 2025

HEAVY was lucky to again be invited backstage at Good Things 2025 to chat with the bands about their shows and other fun stuff. Today, Angela sits down for an awesome one on one with Cobra Starship.Big thanks to Destroy All Lines and the team at Dallas Does PR for allowing us to share the day with them. Big thanks also to the team - Kyra, Geoffro and Angela as well as our new video team, Grey & Brook.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

10 Joulu 20258min

Backstage chats with WINDWAKER At GOOD THINGS 2025

Backstage chats with WINDWAKER At GOOD THINGS 2025

HEAVY was lucky to again be invited backstage at Good Things 2025 to chat with the bands about their shows and other fun stuff. Today, Kyra gets to know Aussie metal sensations Windwaker.Big thanks to Destroy All Lines and the team at Dallas Does PR for allowing us to share the day with them.Big thanks also to the team - Kyra, Geoffro and Angela as well as our new video team, Grey & Brook.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

10 Joulu 202511min

Bringing The Discovery Down Under With CAMERON LOSCH From BORN OF OSIRIS

Bringing The Discovery Down Under With CAMERON LOSCH From BORN OF OSIRIS

Interview by Angela CroudaceAfter years of anticipation, Born of Osiris are finally set to return to Australia this coming March and for drummer Cameron Losch, the excitement is doubled. While the band last toured the country six years ago, Cameron himself hasn’t performed on Australian soil for roughly a decade due to an injury during their previous run. “I am just so excited. It’s been way too long,” he says, reflecting on how much he loved every visit in the past.Some of his clearest memories include being pranked about “drop bears” moments after landing, and wandering through bushland stunned by wild kangaroos an experience far removed from his Midwest home. This time, he’s hoping for more of those uniquely Australian moments, plus a chance to reconnect with fans face-to-face, something he’s grown to treasure deeply on recent tours.Australia will also be among the first to witness a major milestone: the 15-year anniversary celebration of The Discovery. The band is performing eight tracks from the beloved album, reworked with fresh flair. Cameron promises surprises, intensity, and some of the most challenging drumming of his career.Sharing the bill with the crushing Signs of the Swarm, Born of Osiris’ March run is shaping up to be an unmissable blend of nostalgia, evolution, and explosive energy. Australia, get ready, they’re coming back stronger than ever.BORN OF OSIRIS and SIGNS OF THE SWARM 2026 Australian Tour DatesWednesday 18th March ADELAIDE, Lion Arts FactoryThursday 19th March MELBOURNE, Max WattsFriday 20th March BRISBANE, Brightside OutdoorsSaturday 21st March SYDNEY, Manning BarTickets From: https://thephoenix.au/born-of-osiris-2026/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

10 Joulu 202526min

Backstage chats with LORNA SHORE At GOOD THINGS 2025

Backstage chats with LORNA SHORE At GOOD THINGS 2025

HEAVY was lucky to again be invited backstage at Good Things 2025 to chat with the bands about their shows and other fun stuff. Today, Kyra and Angela chat with the most brutal band on the bill, Lorna Shore. Big thanks to Destroy All Lines and the team at Dallas Does PR for allowing us to share the day with them.Big thanks also to the team - Kyra, Geoffro and Angela as well as our new video team, Grey & Brook.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

10 Joulu 202515min

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