Who are we chatting to? Wendy Tonkin, PBSFM Metal Genesis host.
What is Heavy and Hammered? It’s a gig run by the hard and heavy shows across the PBS program grid to showcase Australian heavy bands. It’s also a benefit gig for PBS to raise money to help us stay on air, and therefore keep airing great bands.
What inspired the first Heavy and Hammered? To promote great Australian bands – world-class bands deserve recognition. Promoting our scene in Melbourne is an opportunity for bands to network, and share touring and recording stories strengthening our heavy music community. H & H also highlights the many PBS heavy shows playing at international level via live radio, digital service, and Radio-on-Demand.
How did you decide the lineup? Each heavy show on PBS is a little different, so we invite a number of bands each to keep it diverse. We ask bands we’d like to see ourselves. Bands love to play with other bands they don’t already know so they’ll be introduced to a new crowd. The bands seem to love the opportunity, and each year more bands ask us to be involved which is great.
What do you find special about the Australian heavy scene? Our scene is a community of relaxed, friendly people who don’t take life too seriously. Fans and bands themselves support their own scene making it what it is. As Manowar says, “It’s more than a religion, it’s the only way to live.”
