Take 5

Take 5 is celebrating 20 years, and we're marking the milestone with something special.Zan Rowe is bringing the show to record stores around the country for four intimate, live conversations with some of Australia's most loved artists:The PresetsKate Miller-HeidkeDan SultanJohn ButlerEach guest takes on a theme and chooses five songs that speak to it, and what unfolds is always unexpected.All four live Take 5s will drop right here on the pod throughout November as part of Aus Music Month.PLUS: before those live shows, we've got a couple of extra special conversations coming your way. Kicking off next week, actor Pia Miranda, one of Australia's most accomplished performers, from Looking for Alibrandi to winning Australian Celebrity Survivor, The Masked Singer, Dancing With the Stars, and currently co-hosting ABC TV's Recipe of the Year. And right after that, we bring you one of the most exciting artists of the last decade: Sampa The Great, returning to Take 5 for another chapter in her extraordinary evolution.So hit follow, favourite this podcast, subscribe, do whatever you need to get ready for a season of Take 5 that'll shift your perspective, make you laugh, introduce you to new songs, and maybe even make you cry.And while you wait, there's plenty of great Take 5 episodes to explore, from Paul McCartney and Peaches to Tom Waits and TV on the Radio. Take 5 has been a radio and podcast favourite for 20 years. Let's celebrate.Watch and listen:Take 5 on ABC iview: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-roweOther Take 5 episodes you might like:Paul McCartney Takes 5 - triple jTake 5 with Peaches - ABC listenTom Waits' songs that inspired 'Bad As Me' - ABC listenTake 5 with TV On The Radio - ABC listen

Genesis Owusu is one of Australia's most thrilling new artists.Born Kofi Owusu-Ansah, he immigrated to Canberra with his family when he was just two years old. Almost immediately he felt like an odd one out. And he used that feeling to get weird.20 odd years later, his music, visuals, and storytelling has resonated with millions. He's won the ARIA for Album of the Year twice (first for Smiling with No Teeth in 2021, and then with Struggler in 2023), and leads the nominations again this year for his third album, Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge. All across the world people sing his praises. Barack Obama has a Genesis song on his summer playlist ('Gold Chains'). And he's done it all, his way.Genesis Owusu's song choices: Cibo Matto - 'Birthday Cake'N.E.R.D. - 'Rock Star'Lupe Fiasco - 'American Terrorist [Ft. Matthew Santos]'Prince - 'All the Critics Love U in New York'Tyler, The Creator - 'I Think'00:00 Introduction: From Ghana to ARIA Award-Winning Musician02:06 Early Life: Family, Music, and Immigrating to Canberra04:50 First song: Cibo Matto, 'Birthday Cake' & Jet Set Radio Future06:35 "Ugly Was Also to Be Appreciated": Why Every Album Opens Abrasive07:23 The Biggest Creative Influence: Jet Set Radio Future & Video Game Soundtracks09:29 First Ever Favorite Song: Wu Tang Clan, 'Gravel Pit' (via the Original Xbox)11:35 Second song: N.E.R.D, 'Rock Star' & Finding His Identity20:08 The Tree Dream: A One-Man Band Playing to All the School Kids21:34 First Rap: The Ansah Brothers & Parents' Reaction25:35 Third song: Lupe Fiasco, 'American Terrorist' & Political Awakening35:33 Fourth song: Prince, 'All the Critics Love U in New York' & Making Smiling With No Teeth41:47 Winning the ARIA for Album of the Year46:14 Side Quests: Learning New Skills Beyond Music49:41 Fifth song: Tyler, The Creator, 'I Think' & The Power of the Album51:32 Solange's Unsung Influence on Music Videos54:59 Fear of Stagnation & Staying True to the 10-Year-Old's Mission57:55 Wrap-Up & Next Episode Preview of Vika & Linda BullThis episode was filmed for Season 5 of Take 5 with Zan Rowe on ABC TV and ABC iview. You can stream the whole season on ABC iview now.Watch this episode of Take 5 on ABC iview https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-roweTake 5: live in record storesThis November, we're heading into record stores with some very special guests - and we want you to come along.Zan Rowe will visit four record stores in New South Wales and Victoria to record rare, intimate live episodes of the Take 5 podcast, which celebrates 20 years in 2026.She's pulled out the Rolodex for this one, convincing Aussie legends The Presets, Dan Sultan, Kate Miller-Heidke, and her old mate John Butler to come along for the ride.Find out all the details here.

Jacinda Ardern is a history-maker.As Prime Minister of New Zealand at 37, she became only the second woman in the world to give birth while in office. But it was her leadership style that defined her time at the top, leading with empathy and kindness in the face of back-to-back tragedies, and showing the strength of coming together.From growing up in small-town New Zealand singing country and western duets with her sister at the local community hall, to raging to Smashing Pumpkins in her first car with a discman plugged into the cassette deck, Ardern's musical taste has always been eclectic and deeply personal. She's the teenager who loved alternative music and heavy metal while being a dedicated student rep raised in the Mormon faith, and the world leader who chose a drum and bass track as her walk-on song.Her career path was never straightforward. She ran from the possibility of becoming a politician, buying a one-way ticket to New York to escape the suggestion she should run for office. But a sense of responsibility (what she calls her "oversized sense of duty"), kept pulling her back. In 2017, everything changed in a single year: a by-election, deputy leadership, then the top job itself, all while secretly pregnant. She led her country through the Christchurch mosque shootings, the Whakaari White Island eruption, and a global pandemic, all while insisting that being human is not a weakness.This episode was filmed for Season 5 of Take 5 with Zan Rowe at the Australian Chamber Orchestra's studios on Sydney Harbour. Jacinda caught the ferry to the location, rolling up without any entourage, proving just how down-to-earth she is. She was candid, emotional, and generous in exploring her extraordinary life across five songs. The theme that emerged was clear: optimism as a courageous act, and the enduring power of being useful.Jacinda Ardern's song choices: Smashing Pumpkins - 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings'Fat Freddy's Drop - 'Wandering Eye'Cat Stevens - 'Peace Train'The Mountain Goats - 'This Year'Shapeshifter - 'Stars'00:00 Introduction: Jacinda Ardern Made History00:54 "They Are Us": Leading with Empathy and Kindness05:11 Song One: Smashing Pumpkins, 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings'08:01 Teenage Angst: Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, Pantera, Nine Inch Nails15:04 Song Two: Fat Freddy's Drop, 'Wandering Eye'15:46 Sworn In as PM: Fat Freddy's Drop Playing on Parliament Steps21:25 Cognitive Dissonance: Progressive Politics and the Church22:02 Leaving the Church: "Something Had to Give"25:39 Secretly Pregnant During Coalition Negotiations27:49 Song Three: Cat Stevens, 'Peace Train'28:55 Yusuf Islam Coming to New Zealand After the March 15 Terror Attack33:13 The Christchurch Mosque Shootings: Finding Out in Bits34:47 "Simply a Human Response": Why Emotion Isn't Weakness37:25 "A Sadness I'll Carry for the Rest of My Life"38:21 Song Four: The Mountain Goats, 'This Year'41:19 Christchurch, Whakaari, COVID: "It Was Relentless"45:43 "Nothing Left in the Tank"46:54 "I Am Human. Politicians Are Human."49:10 Song Five: Shapeshifter, 'Stars'52:06 The Coffee Date with Clarke: Surprising Each Other56:10 "15-Year-Old Jacinda Would Be Very Surprised. But I Think She'd Be Proud."58:29 Zan's Wrap-Up: The Only World Leader with Drum and Bass as a Walk-On Song58:44 Filmed at the ACO Studios on Sydney Harbour59:10 Next Time: Lainey Wilson59:55 Season 5 of Take 5 with Zan Rowe. Stream on ABC iviewThis episode was filmed for Season 5 of Take 5 with Zan Rowe on ABC TV and ABC iview. You can stream the whole season on ABC iview now.Watch this episode of Take 5 on ABC iviewhttps://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe

This month, Gotye's breakthrough album Like Drawing Blood, turns 20. It was the record that took him from bedroom producer to Hottest 100 favourite, showcasing his incredible talent at sewing sounds. The man behind Gotye, Wally De Backer, has been keeping a low profile for a while. But back in 2007, after a huge year following this album's release, he joined Zan Rowe to Take 5. This is one of the very first episodes of Take 5, and the first time it's ever appeared on the podcast.So jump in the time machine and travel back to this mid 2000's moment. It was before Gotye released his worldwide smash "Somebody That I Used to Know", Homebake Festival still existed, MySpace was king, and Wally was at a precipice; head spinning from a wild year but with no idea of what was ahead.His theme? His top 5 moments of the last 12 months. His songs, all Australian. Gotye's song choices:Josh Pyke - Fill You In Karnivool - Shutterspeed Faux Pas - For The Trees Emily Ulman - Upping The AnteThe Presets - Are You The One?00:17 Gotye introduction and 20th Anniversary of 'Like Drawing Blood'02:30 The songs that soundtracked Gotye's 2006 breakthrough02:58 Josh Pyke -'Fill You In'04:55 Gotye and his love of heavy and progressive music06:08 Karnivool 'Shutterspeed'07:52 Bringing Gotye's songs to live with a band11:59 Drummers who sing14:28 Faux Pas - 'For The Trees'17:24 Buying your first iPod18:39 Emily Ulman - 'Upping The Ante'20:30 What Gotye was about to embark on in 200724:15 The Presets - 'Are You The One?'26:13 Next weeks guests!

In the fifteen years since Emma Louise wowed us with her debut single 'Jungle', she’s shown all sides of herself, singing her story with vulnerability and reflection.Last year, Emma released the collaborative album Dumb with producer Flume. But it’s been 8 years since her last solo album, the daring and romantic Lilac Everything. This week, she returns with Sunshine for Happiness, an album that was actually recorded in 2019. Emma Louise joined Zan to talk more about the changes in her life between recording and release and to share her song selections in the theme of 'Before and After'.Emma Louise's song choices:Paul Simon – Still Crazy After All These YearsNick Drake – Pink MoonBruno Mars – Versace on the FloorDijon – The DressAlice Coltrane – Govinda Jai Jai00:51 Introduction to Emma Louise05:27 The theme of Before and After10:15 Paul Simon - 'Still Crazy After All These Years'11:30 Mexico holiday and Nick Drake14:35 Nick Drake - 'Pink Moon'15:45 New album and longlining for things21:55 How a pricey ride home led to discovering Bruno Mars25:26 Bruno Mars - 'Versace on the Floor'27:02 Sneak peak of Djion29:33 Djion - 'The Dress'30:45 Suffering, redemption and recognising the good times37:15 Alice Coltrane – 'Govinda Jai Jai'38:20 Wrap-up and next weeks guestShow notes:If you need someone to talk to, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.Edited by Craig Schuftan.

Alexei Toliopoulos is a lifelong cinephile. Known for his excellent podcasts including The Last Video Store, he’s a writer, comedian, filmmaker and loves talking about the movies that made us who we are today. The way he speaks about cinema invites everyone into the conversation. But what are the songs that soundtrack his life? And why?Dig into a joyful convo that will have you curating a playlist of songs and movies, for your weekend.Alexei Toliopoulos' song choices:Stewart Copeland - Don’t Box Me In George Dalaras - Mi Mou Thimonis Matia MouMikis Theodorakis - Theme from Serpico Buena Vista Social Club - Dos GardeniasGrace Jones - La Vie En Rose00:26 Alexei Toliopoulos introduction01:38 When did Alexei fall in love with movies?05:29 Francis Ford Coppola deep cuts13:54 Stewart Copeland - 'Don’t Box Me In'15:40 Coming of Age and George Dalaras 21:40 George Dalaras - 'Mi Mou Thimonis Matia Mou'24:05 Mikis and the hero of Greek music 30:02 Mikis Theodorakis - 'Theme from Serpico'31:15 Seeing the world through cinema 36:41 Buena Vista Social Club - 'Dos Gardenias'37:36 How cinema helped Alexei with communication45:20 Grace Jones - 'La Vie En Rose'47:32 Show notes and next weeks guest!Check out Alexei's podcast and live show details, via his Instagram.

Are you ready for some incredible stories? Take 5 always gifts us with some cracking yarns, but this week’s episode takes the cake. In fact, I’ve had more responses to Ed Le Brocq’s Take 5 than any other, in ages.Ed used to be Eddie Ayers, a legendary ABC Classic FM broadcaster who has shared his life of adventure with us over the past two decades. Ed is a cellist, viola, and violin player, and has gifted his talents to others; teaching school kids in Afghanistan, and playing for Uyghurs in the remote deserts of China.We’ll get to those stories soon… but this might give you a sense of why I asked Ed to Take 5. Across four books, Ed has shared his stories of travel and self-discovery with us, and music has always been at his centre. From Joni Mitchell to shredding violas to Ry Cooder, this is an extraordinary conversation about the power of love, self-belief, adventure and of course, music. Ed Le Brocq's song choices:Joni Mitchell – A Case of YouMaria Theresia von Paradis – SicilienneElton John – Your SongPaul Hindemith - Viola Sonata, Op. 25, No. 1: IV. Rasendes ZeitmassRy Cooder and V. M. Bhatt – Isa Lei00:33 Ed Le Brocq introduction01:52 Having a restless spirit04:55 Memories of the seventies and Joni Mitchell07:21 Joni Mitchell - 'A Case of You'07:55 Ed's love of the Cello14:30 Travelling the world with music17:59 Maria Theresia von Paradis – 'Sicilienne'18:50 Interpreting music in your way20:20 Listening to music as a musician28:10 Elton John - 'Your Song'29:10 Music as the universal language32:30 Classic music with an edge35:42 Paul Hindemith - 'Viola Sonata, Op. 25, No. 1: IV. Rasendes Zeitmass'36:45 Classic FM audience and shredding42:30 Depression and "the cover of grey silt"44:08 Ry Cooder and V. M. Bhatt – 'Isa Lei'44:06 Show notes and next weeks guests!Show notes:If you need someone to talk to, call Lifeline on 13 11 14

Comedian Lizzy Hoo has been everywhere the past few years. When she’s not doing stand up, she’s popping up on Have You Been Paying Attention?, and hosting her own podcast The Lizzy Hoo Show.Lizzy has made travel shows, and is even the voice of an airline. She's one of those people who says YES to life. She also has also got a razor sharp wit, and more than a few adventurous tales which is why I invited her to Take 5. I didn't realise it'd become a beautiful lesson in how to live.Lizzy Hoo's song choices:Arctic Monkeys — 'Dancing Shoes'Journey — 'Don’t Stop Believin’The Lemons — 'Monad'Snoop Dogg — 'Who Am I (What’s My Name)?'Camille — 'Ta Douleur'00:34 Lizzy Hoo introduction and Take 5 prep02:40 Music's role in Lizzy's life 04:53 North America adventures in a $500 car09:23 Arctic Monkeys — 'Dancing Shoes'10:45 The Hoo's as a family13:30 Karaoke in Japan ski towns16:40 Journey — 'Don’t Stop Believin’18:13 Music and comedy in Lizzys world19:50 Moving to Mongolia 26:30 The Lemons — 'Monad'29:13 Lizzy's many careers & falling into comedy37:48 Snoop Dogg — 'Who Am I (What’s My Name)?'39:50 Lizzy's life update and having broad shoulders43:06 Turning travel into career 48:10 Camille — 'Ta Douleur'49:50 Conclusion + next week's guest!Show NotesTo see Lizzy perform live on her national tour, check out her dates here: https://www.lizzyhoo.com/