Professionally he's my enemy. Lucky this is an amateur podcast! Gavin has been one of the most actively supportive friends of this podcast for a number of years, so it's great to finally have him on. I mean sure, he buggered up the episode structure by adding his songs to the Ever-growing Playlist of Joy before the half way point, but I can forgive it. Gav plays with creativity every single day. Has turned what is considered fun in to successful professional career and some entertaining hobbies, including a new podcast of his own - The Empty Page. I hope this inspires you to dive in to some of your own. Search Kids Love Balloons on Spotify to find the playlist alongside all other episodes!

Kids Love Balloons

Episode 52: Gavin Miller

Adventures in gallivanting! Back for another episode and this one runs deep. I always admire the guts it takes to travel across the seas and chase a dream inside you... taking on all the risks... what if it doesn't work? Passion leads us to incredible places.Tamara (HANSSØN) is an Australian who has now lived in New York for 9 years, busy writing her second album, while navigating this year of pandemic, protests and all sorts of associated change. Family relationships. Work. Travel. All our plans are cooked - how is it affecting your mindset? I love that we spoke meaningfully on these matters, and found tangents in to TV shows Who Dares Wins, Gladiators and The Extraordinary. It sounds like we're lifelong mates having a late night D&M... yet we'd never held a conversation before.It's an episode that makes me feel good about making this podcast. That it's worthwhile and there are stories that are better off shared and listened to. Plus there's some love for Pluto! Planet or not, it still exists and still kicks arse. What makes you happy?Don't forget to check out the Kids Love Balloons playlist on Spotify which matches each episode with its 3 songs chosen for the Ever-growing Playlist of Joy.

Episode 51: Tamara Hanssøn

I took a lot from this. Actor, songwriter and Play School host... Zindzi has the perfect skill set for delving in to a childlike mind-frame and talking joy, creativity and happiness! We hear insights in to the creation of Play School and also the spin off Art Time. "Those kids were not thinking at all. Their imaginations literally had no bounds. It was the best reminder ever, because they came up with the most amazing things..."The art of being in the moment. Taking time to find that. I need to work on clearing my mind and finding presence. Thank you so much Zindzi for sharing so much of your wisdom and experience. "Music is still a space where... I find myself getting more and more free; but I'm not fully free, yet." The song choices are top shelf. I give a chef's kiss which I trust you can visualize. If you smile, learn or discover anything from listening to this, please let me know. Have a great one.

Episode 50: Zindzi Okenyo

Quit your job, run your own business, be your own boss. He dared to dream, took the plunge and backed himself, and I'm so stoked to have watched this guy's journey vicariously for the best part of the decade. Josh even helped me get this podcast up and running when I had no idea what as RSS feed was 6 years ago. One of the good dudes. He's committed his efforts into creating positive memories for people on one of their milestone days - their wedding ceremony. Shattering the rule book, encouraging rebellion, traveling the world doing so. Even though he added Nickelback to the Ever-growing Playlist of Joy, I'll forgive him, because he's followed the other rules of the podcast. Channeling his passions and skills in to something positive for the universe.

Episode 49: Josh Withers

"Why wouldn't I have a space band? And give it a red hot crack?" Zoë's attitude is precisely what I want to learn about with this podcast. She lives her life diving in to the child-like mindset of enjoying herself, channeling happiness, meditating on joy. Being present. It was fascinating spending time on the phone with her and I hope to make regular, positive change from her lessons. The way Zoë switched the mundane chore of balancing spreadsheets in to a detective-like investigation adventure is just magic. The type of magic us adults forget we are capable of. "It's so easy to get stuck on autopilot and then you'll probably like wake up and realize that you've missed your whole life". PLAY is the one word answer. I'm so stoked I had this chat, and here it is for you to listen to. Cheers.

Episode 48: Zoë Fox

The very first song added to the Ever-growing Playlist of Joy was The Chariot by Melbourne, Australia band The Cat Empire. Today's guest is a member of that band. A man integrally responsible for many moments of happiness in my life, and that of hundreds and thousands of others around the world. The episode begins very reflective and sober, then works in to the excitement of songwriting, performing, and the energy between performers and audience that really creates an undeniable feeling. AFL and somehow even cricket get a mention, burnt coffee and a healthy mix of routine with improvisation. Even some Old Fashioned Mayhem! Check out Harry's new song now.

Episode 47: Harry James Angus

We're back again. Kids Love Balloons. Now more than ever I need a regular reminder to look for happiness, and now more than most times, I have the spare time to do it! My first guest is the effervescent Mikey Cahill. There's only one of this guy. DJ, writer, promoter, mascot(!) and so much more. Stoked he said yes and gave me some time to muse over what happiness means to us. The three songs he adds to the Ever-Growing Playlist of Joy are brilliant. What makes you happy?

Episode 46: Mikey Cahill

The single greatest answer to any question I could possibly ask. @TheSongNerd

Episode 45: Andrew W. K.

The OGAE are an organisation with branches around the world for fans of the Eurovision Song Contest. As I explain in the intro of this podcast episode, in their glorious wisdom, welcomed Slavko as their guest of honour to 2018's Australian Eurovision preview parties. Search OGAE to find your local group.Slavko's passion for art is the level it should be. He lives and breathes it. I hope some of his passion for music and connection rubs off on you while you listen to this podcast. I'll say no more. Check out his 3 additions to the Ever-growing Playlist of Joy.https://play.spotify.com/user/thesongnerd/playlist/1PjMUX8R9cwbvl62O0HFpT As always I love hearing your feedback. Subscribe away!

Episode 44: Slavko Kalezić

Provider of the greatest "Hey Mum!" in Australian history, Tania Doko is a songwriting powerhouse. In songwriting partnership with James Roche, Bachelor Girl had 3 top 50 singles, 5 ARIA nominations and a Songwriter of the Year award over 1998 and 1999. This freaks me out but we're approaching the twentieth anniversary of this period. Crazy.So after years of writing songs based in Stockholm, I've managed to catch Tania during a three week Melbourne trip, where she's creating a new Bachelor Girl album with James to mark this occasion. We discuss the move overseas, the challenges involved with creating with such strict time pressures, the joy of performing, differences between Sweden and Australia, how success affected her social life and attitudes... all through the prism of "what make you happy?" and the Kids Love Balloons vibe.We could've gone on for hours and hours - Tania was fascinating to speak with and got right in the zone. For more of an understanding of what she's been up to since the Bachelor Girl days, check out taniadoko.comThe music that makes her happy is soulful, uplifting and fun - you can see her 3 additions right at the top of the updated Ever-growing Playlist of Joy.https://play.spotify.com/user/thesongnerd/playlist/1PjMUX8R9cwbvl62O0HFpT Please share your thoughts and comments!

Episode 43: Tania Doko

Author of five published books with more on the way, a podcast which has been picked up by newspaper and radio entities, teaching masterclasses; Nicole Hayes is a creative guru and won't slow down any time soon. After our chat I believe her extreme creative output has plenty to do with how happy she is on a regular basis. That happiness becomes positive energy shared with those around her, and the world is a better place. This episode of Kids Love Balloons is one big "HELL YEAH" to being creative. If there's an idea somewhere in the back of your mind, do yourself some justice and make some time to play with it.We each look forward to the AFLW season starting this week! Her podcast The Outer Sanctum made enormous waves in Melbourne and the footy community in 2017 and promises to do so again. Get around it - the team of women behind that is something special.Pearl Jam, Sublime and Bruce Springsteen add positions to the Ever-growing Playlist of Joy which takes it to the next level of elite! Discussing this music helped me feel fantastic afterwards. I hope you enjoy listening to this, take a little inspiration somehow, and please leave your feedback by rating, commenting or subscribing.Thanks very much.Nicole's website is nicolehayesauthor.com

Episode 42: Nicole Hayes

Belinda Kirwan is an actor, screenwriter, producer, teacher and dead set legend! Recently she's been co-creating a TV series HActresses, which has become a web series of seven episodes you can watch on YouTube right after you listen to this podcast. You'll recognise many popular Australian personalities including bloody champion Jo Stanley (who features on episode 22 of Kids Love Balloons!).We discuss how tough it can be to achieve your career and creative goals, the struggles you have to persist through, that you may have to take detours and twists and turns to progress, and how to put a smile on your face while you're enduring it all.If you ever experience self-doubt or aren't sure if what you're doing is right or wondering if it's just you finding things so hard - know that you're not alone. Belinda's been there, I'm there regularly, and the characters in this show certainly feel that way.Thanks for listening.Say g'day or say get stuffed @ TheSongNerd

Episode 41: Belinda Kirwan

It's been a while! But here we are, finally a new episode. Mike Mills is a brilliant all-round musician from Melbourne. He's involved in a multitude of musical projects but is perhaps best known for his work "as" Toehider. (that's where you can find him on Twitter). We had a chat right after the release of Toehider's latest album, titled "Good". As I explain in this podcast, it's better than good.We discuss overcoming mental demons, the weight of expectation, balancing emotions, and how happiness can feel like it comes at a cost. Three more songs added to the Ever-growing Playlist of Joy, which I dare suggest will probably surprise you. Thanks for listening.

Episode 40: Mike Mills (Toehider)

Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss, 1990. For Patrick and everyone else.

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Alan Brough has demonstrated his vast music knowledge & passion for years, most famously as team captain in Spicks & Specks. Name me someone more qualified to select three songs for our Ever-growing Playlist of Joy! I'll wait...More recently, Alan has turned his hand to writing books for children aged roughly 10-12. Charlie and the War Against the Grannies was released last year; the next in the series, Charlie and the Karaoke Cockroaches, is released on June 27th. I'm fascinated with the advice he received while learning to write this style: to find your inner 12 year old. The ability to channel your younger self is something I hold in high regard and is potentially the key to creating a smile, a song, or in Alan's case, a series of novels!Alan still listens to new music on a very regular basis and you may be surprised with the songs and artists he mentions. He certainly is a Song Nerd and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time discussing various music, the smell of old record stores and how to earn respect of the staff, the benefits of persistence when listening to music you may not like, the attitude of punk... we cover plenty. It was also great to get an insight in to what it was like to work on Spicks & Specks, and surprising to hear that at times he and ABC staff didn't think he was qualified to perform the role he did so successfully.Join us as we ramble through any manner of things that make he and I happy. I'd love to know which nuggets of info or inspiration you enjoy or learn.Have an awesome day.Hit me up @ TheSongNerd

Episode 39: Alan Brough

What makes you happy? The Song Nerd asks a new guest each episode, also searching for music to add to the Ever-growing Playlist of Joy.

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Kids Love Balloons

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