RocKwiz Season 12

While The Easybeats had Friday on their mind, RocKwiz have Monday on theirs when the new season launches on Monday March 24 with a special episode saluting Australian songwriters Harry Vanda and George Young. Joining the delightful Julia Zemiro, charismatic showman Brian Nankervis, beloved human scoreboard Dugald and the RocKwiz Orkestra, are a cavalcade of stars including Doc Neeson (The Angels), Isabella Manfredi (The Preatures), The Basics (the band featuring Wally De Backer aka Gotye), Steve Kilbey, and Gossling to name just a few.

The delightful Julia Zemiro, showman Brian Nankervis and the RocKwiz Orkestra are ready to get everyone's week off to a cracking start with a tight mix of music trivia and live music. Fresh from a supporting Bruce Springsteen and recording a new album in Nashville, Dan Sultan joins Ella Thompson, one of the featured vocalists with The Bamboos, in a funny and fast paced episode. Brooke Addamo (aka Owl Eyes performs the title track from her 2013 album, 'Nightswim' and Dan and Ella close the show with 'Simon Says', a song recorded by the Isley Brothers, The Platters and, in 1967, Australia's The Groove.

Juanita Stein, lead singer with London based, Australian band, The Howling Bells joins Steve Smyth, a singer songwriter originally from NSW but now travelling the world with his guitar and powerful voice. Ross Wilson and Eric McCusker join the RocKwiz Orkestra's James Black for a great version of the 4 Mondo Rock classic 'Summer Of 81' and the show comes to a stunning climax with Steve and Juanita performing the 1974 hit for The Hollies, 'The Air That I Breathe'. Hosted by Julia Zemiro and Brian Nankervis, with the help of beloved human scoreboard Dugald and the RocKwiz Orkestra.

Isabella Manfredi and Stephen Cummings, with Georgi Kay - Isabella's band, The Preatures, scored a top 10 placing on the Triple J 2013 Hottest 100 with their song 'Is This How You Feel?' and she performs an extremely hot version with The RocKwiz Orkestra. Singer songwriter, novelist, man about town and former lead singer with The Sports Stephen Cummings, sings one of their signature songs, 'Reckless'. Perth based singer/songwriter and actress in the television miniseries, 'Top of the Lake', Georgi Kay, performs and then Stephen and Isabella close the show with a Badfinger's 'Baby Blue'.

In 2013, Ms Murphy made all four red chairs turn on The Voice'. In 2014, she raises the roof at The Gershwin Room, performing 'Ritual Union' with the Rockwiz Orchestra and our trusty horn players, Paul Williamson and Ross Irwin. Former leader of The Dynamic Hepnotics, 'Continental' Robert Susz, lays down some tasty harmonica and had the room rocking to 'The Hepno Beat'. Lead singer of The Baby Animals, Suze DeMarchi performs a new song and Robert and Ms Murphy finishes up with a slice of sweet Southern Soul called 'I Can't Stand It'.

Olivia Bartley (aka Olympia) performs her single 'Atlantis' before revealing she once bought a keyboard owned by Led Zeppelin and Ray Charles. Lead singer of British India, Declan Melia, charms the room with his great stories, incredible knowledge and cheeky smile. Not to mention his opening song, 'Blinded'. Melbourne duo Sweet Jean perform their debut album, 'Dear Departures' and this extremely uplifting episode comes to a close with Declan, Olivia, the Saskwatch Horns (and Dugald on tambourine) performing the Paul McCartney hit, 'Coming Up'.

Tonight, American guitarist and cult hero, Kurt Vile - who toured Australia in February shows off his charisma and talent at The Gershwin Room alongside Phoebe Baker from ARIA nominated Sydney band Alpine. Phoebe and her fellow lead singer, Lou James, sing 'Gasoline', while Kurt performs a song from his latest album, 'Wakin On a Pretty Daze'. Then, Iva Davies makes a surprise appearance from behind the red curtain to perform an Icehouse classic, 'We Can Get Together', before having a more in-depth chat with host Julia Zemiro. Kurt and Phoebe close the show with a moving version of the Neil Young song from his 1975 album 'Tonight's The Night', 'Albuquerque'.

UK legend and self-confessed love and justice singer songwriter, Billy Bragg, joins RocKwiz this week. Billy tells some great stories, performs 'Handyman' off his latest album and even treats the Gershwin room to a chorus of 'My Old Man's A Dustman'. Billy is paired with Melbourne based performer Courtney Barnett, who is currently getting great reviews in America and the UK for her distinctive musical styling's. Courtney performs her new song, 'Depreston'. In the guest spot is the incredible Ngaiire, who has been touring her debut album, 'Lamentations' around the country. Honouring the late, great, Lou Reed, Billy and Courtney close the show with the Velvet Underground song, 'Sunday Morning'.

The Gershwin Room audience is spellbound by the pure beauty of the voices of all three performers in this episode. New Zealand country singer Marlon Williams who has just moved to Melbourne dazzles. American singer songwriter Pieta Brown performs the title track of her most recent album, 'Mercury' and joins Marlon for a memorable version of the much loved John Prine song, 'The Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness'. Tina Arena performs 'Reset' and chats with Julia about her upcoming tour...in French, English and Italian.

Queen of Pop in 1972 and 1973, celebrated stage actress and all round Australian legend Colleen Hewett joins the leader of the Black Sea Gentlemen, Mikelangelo, in this exciting episode. Mikelangelo, also known as the Balkan Elvis, and Colleen, with backing vocals by the Wolfgramm Sisters, closes the show with a seventies' classic from The Brotherhood Of Man, 'United We Stand'. One of the regular performers from our 2010 national tour, Megan Washington, is back with a new album and she performs 'Limitless', the second single from that album.

A classic RocKwiz episode where legendary New York singer, Garland Jeffreys, meets a feisty youngster from Newcastle, Kira Puru. Garland sings his signature song, 'Wild In the Streets' and tells of his 50 year friendship with Lou Reed, while Kira sings the theme from 'Redfern Now' and charms the room with her great sense of humour. Sally Seltmann performs a song from her new album, 'Hey Daydreamer', before Garland, Kira and the Wolfgramm Sisters close the show with a smouldering version of a Rolling Stones song from 1978.

A RocKwiz episode for all ages! Tonight's special guests, Sam Margin and Heidi Lenffer, are the lead singers from two of Australia's successful contemporary bands, The Rubens and Cloud Control. Then, in answer to the question, "Who was in the same class as Olivia Newton John, trained as a fitter and turner and eventually sang with a band called Sherbert?", out comes Daryl Braithwaite to perform and be interviewed by Julia. Before Sam and Heidi close the show with an Arctic Monkey's song, there is a moment of RocKwiz chaos when it is revealed that one of Julia's questions is completely misleading! Brian's mistake!

With a 2013 ARIA award and a brand new album under his belt, Russell Morris is proof that you can be a legend in the 1970s and still be a popular and dynamic artist in 2014. Russell performs a song from 'Van Diemen's Land' and is joined in the Gershwin Room by Australian blues singer Fiona Boyes, the first woman and non-American to win the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. 2014 marks 21 years since Frente released their debut LP, 'Marvin The Album'. Founding members Simon Austin and Angie Hart perform 'Ordinary Angels', before Fiona and Russell close the show with a powerful version of the Howling Wolf blues standard, 'Smokestack Lightning'.

This special is an extremely rocking RocKwiz episode, filmed at this year's Byron Bay Bluesfest. Excited and inspired by the celebratory atmosphere of the festival and an amazing line up, Julia, Brian, Dugald and The RocKwiz Orkestra (featuring Vika and Linda Bull) create some unique and unforgettable magic for three thousand happy fans in the Jambalaya tent. Steve Earle performs his 1988 hit 'Copperhead Road' and tells Julia about the first band he ever saw, Vika and Linda raise the canvas roof with a new Paul Kelly song, festival favourites from America, Beth Hart and Grace Potter, sing and answer questions at the desks and there are wonderful cameos from Tim Rogers, Michael Franti, Garland Jeffreys and Henry Wagons.

RocKwiz Backstage at Bluesfest follows Henry Wagons, frontman for the eponymous country blues band Wagons, on his journey to perform as a guest on the last of the three RocKwiz Live shows at Bluesfest. Henry meets some of Byron Bay's colourful characters, chats to politicians and punters at the Bluesfest site, meets some of the legendary performers from past and present, and gains some insight from the man behind the Bluesfest phenomenon, Peter Noble. Henry meets legendary blues performer Charlie Mussellwhite and former Minister of the Arts Tony Burke in an engaging look behind the scenes at this multi-award winning and internationally renowned festival.