Episode Twenty-Three - Josh and Babz Collins

Happy New Year Tiki Talk Show family! Ryley and Ellie kick off 2026 with a chat spanning 10,000 miles. We were joined by Australia’s resident tiki power couple, Josh & Babz Collins. Originally from London, U.K., these two have left an indelible mark on tiki and vintage subcultures wherever they’ve gone.

Music drew both Josh and Babz to the wide world of vintage, mod, tiki, and more, and it has certainly been an integral part of their passion and recipe for success ever since. What started out as regularly hosting bands and club nights at some of London’s best underground clubs and venues eventually led to multi-day music festivals to highlight garage, surf, rockabilly, mod, ska, and more. These events not only promised amazing music but intricate decor, costuming, and theming thanks to Josh’s background in theatrical production and Babz’s passion for vintage fashion. Eventually, the Collinses were looking to spread their wings and make a change, a decision that would take them half-way around the world. A journey through several of the South Pacific’s islands provided a deeper insight and appreciation for all things tiki, tropical, and exotic. It also provided several great carvings and other genuine artifacts that the couple still holds dear. That journey around the pacific culminated in their move to the west coast of Australia. Here, they let their imaginations run wild with dreams of a theme park, The Zombie Zoo, which unfortunately never saw the light of day. However, they did open the Hula Bula Bar, a tropical paradise in an area unaccustomed to such intricate, escapist surroundings. From there, the Devilles Pad brought forth images of a 1960s Las Vegas cocktail bar, owned by the devil himself. Lastly, their bar, The LuWow, highlighted a technicolor, exotic dreamscape introducing tropical cocktails to a new audience. Beyond the bars, Josh and Babz also make “camp & colorful trash cinema” reminiscent of B-movies from the 50s and 60s. Josh & Babz truly understand the two most important parts of the tiki revival period: how to be artistic and build something new, and how to bring people together to have a great time. Their influence on the international tiki revival scene has been instrumental.

You can find Josh and Babz on Instagram @theluwow or at theluwow.com and thezombiezoo.com.

And here’s a link to buy their book, The Lore of the LuWow: https://a.co/d/6OAP9e1

Thank you for joining us on this week’s episode of The Tiki Talk Show. If you’re interested in being interviewed, send us an email at thetikitalkshow@gmail.com. Click the link below to see our link tree and find us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also fill out our Google Form to get on our postcard mailing list.

It’s been good talking to you and we’re looking forward to a great new year with you!

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-Ryley and Ellie