Roots & Branches, Australia

24/11/2025

This week, SIMON BASEY ex-(though occasionally still in) The Timbers will be coming in to talk about the upcoming live debut of his new duo with Ben Roberts (similarly ex-Timbers) and play a solo song or two live to air as well.

CASTLE BATS are described on their page as, "Creating a fresh and captivating sonic landscape with drones, rhythms and loops that spawn darkly atmospheric artist arrangements of new original music." The instrumentation is interesting too as can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/castlebatsband

The duo's debut takes place on Sunday at the Grace Emily.

Castle Bats is a new duo by Simon Basey and Benjamin Roberts, the original founders of The Timbers. Creating a fresh and captivating sonic landscape with drones, rhythms and loops that spawn darkly atmospheric artist arrangements of new original music.

20/11/2025

PLAYLIST, NOVEMBER 20 2025

EMMA LUKER etc
Hunter's Revenge
theme, exclusive AUST local

CARUS THOMPSON
Blindsided
'When Everything Was New' AUST

Feature rarity: RAINBOW FFOLLY
1 Sun Sing
2 No
3 Sighing Game
4 Come On Go
'Sallies Fforth' England 1968

DUEL NATIVE
Biophilicall (Live)
single AUST

CHARM OF FINCHES
Meteor
single AUST

SIGNAL CHAIN
Spring
'Often Spring' AUST

THE DISTANCE
The Belly Of The Beast
'Deep Down Underground' AUST

ALLY ROW
There I Go Again
single AUST

THE AVETT BROTHERS + MIKE PATTON
To Be Known
'AVTT/PTTN'

YE VAGABONDS
On Sitric Road
single

ESTELLE CONLEY
There You Go Again (Do Not Welcome)
single AUST

SIAMAURA
Lagan Drift
'Siamaura' AUST

TRENT WORLEY
It's Not What You Say
'Now, When?' AUST local

AXE & THE IVORY
Canyon Heart
single AUST local

RICHARD TONKIN
Calvary Calypso
demo AUST local

FEELING OF FALL
Beware The Colour Changers
'Beware The Colour Changers' AUST local

STURT AVENUE
Passenger Side
single AUST local

CRESCENT MOON
Dash
single AUST

JETHRO TULL
Double Violin Concerto by Johann Sebastian Bach
'Live in Berlin 1985'

BEE SAHATJI
The Seeker
'Knotted Orbits'

VERONIQUE CHALOT
L'Empoisonneuse
'J'ai Vu Le Loup - Ritmi E Canti Tradizionali Bretoni E Occitanici'

Provided to YouTube by Ditto MusicIt's Not What You Say · Trent WorleyIt's Not What You Say℗ Shea RobertsReleased on: 2025-11-12Lead Vocals: Trent WorleyProd...

15/11/2025

This was one of the exclusive pieces of music written for the anniversary, by English band The Collective.

It's based on the Grateful Dead song Ripple, and its final title is probably “Still Rippling After 40 Years”

Dez Allenby on bouzouki, Peter Oak on percussion, Andy Dolman on ukulele and Dez’s granddaughter, Livvie, reading the message at the end.

We had a chat with Dez back in 2021 about his music career, going back to late 60s psych folk band Forest. Video here by Andy Dolman. Thanks to all!

15/11/2025

If you can see these pictures from Thursday night, it means FB have finally let them be uploaded after several attempts over several days!

13/11/2025

PLAYLIST, NOVEMBER 13 2025
40th anniversary special

THE FIDDLE CHICKS
Hunter's Revenge (theme)
live to air AUST local

FAIRPORT CONVENTION
1 Happy Birthday
exclusive
2 Cider Rain
'Off The Desk 2020'

TIN TOWN
Easy Prey
live to air AUST local

MICK THOMAS & SQUEEZEBOX WALLY
message
exclusive AUST

MICK THOMAS' ROVING COMMISSION
First Step In A Homeward Direction
'GoComeBack' AUST

JEN LUSH & WINSTON ROBINSON
Black Wing
live to air AUST local

CROOKED FIDDLE BAND
1 message with exclusive music
2 A Cold Wind Blows
single

KAURNA CRONIN
1 Good Old Days
2 Pavlova
live to air AUST local

GRAEME TAYLOR
message
exclusive

HOME SERVICE
Bromley
'A Live Transmission'

NICK VULTURE & Chorus
Pasadena
live to air AUST local

NICK VULTURE
Basingstoke
live to air AUST local

CHIMEHOURS
1 message
exclusive
2 Run
'Underneath The Earth'

THE COLLECTIVE
Ripples (adapted for the occasion)
exclusive

MARK CURTIS
1 Water Near A Bridge
2 Sugar Jar
live to air AUST local

MICHAEL PLATER
message / instrumental
exclusive

MAARTIN ALLCOCK
Nonesuch Electronica
exclusive

OSCAR ELLERY (SONS OF ZOKU)
interview
AUST local

SONS OF ZOKU
Hoo
single AUST local



Video excerpts - Kaurna Cronin / Nick Vulture & chorus / Mark Curtis.

11/11/2025

The show is tomorrow but Nov 12 is the actual date for Michael Hunter's 40th anniversary on the show. So here's a preview of one of the messages that will be aired, but in video form here.

The original appearance in 1985 was to promote a fanzine for pioneering English folk rock band Fairport Convention - and here they are ...

06/11/2025

PLAYLIST, NOVEMBER 6 2025

EMMA LUKER etc
Hunter's Revenge
theme, exclusive AUST local

TIAN QIYI
Dharma
‘Songs For Workers’

Feature rarity: OUGENWEIDE
1 Dy Minne
2 Ein Leis Und Traurig Lied
3 Herzsprung
4 Dansa Joioza
‘Herzsprung’ Germany 2010

ALEIA
Public Humiliation
‘Public Humiliation’ EP AUST

CARUS THOMPSON
I Remember You
single AUST

MOLLY McKEW
Courage Is The Nectar Here
single

DAVE WATKINS AND THE FAIR WEATHERS
Pickpocket
single AUST

JODI MARTIN
Round the Corner
single AUST local

TIN TOWN
Silver Strands
‘Down In The Dirt’ AUST local

KAURNA CRONIN
The Beauty Of The Backroads
‘Jester In A Mess’ AUST local

JEN LUSH & STEVE LENNOX
Persuasion
live to air Nov 22 2018 AUST local

STEPH MILLER
Meteors
‘Ghost Dog Lane’ AUST

ISABEL RUMBLE
Hold Everything Lightly
‘Hold Everything Lightly’ AUST

PATRICK CHUNG
Endless Slumber (Little Brother)
single AUST

MAGPIE DIARIES
Go Anywhere (album version)
‘Some Kind Of View’ AUST

HOME
Bang Bang Bang
‘Long Long Way To Nowhere’ AUST

SAINTSENECA
Infinity Leaf Clover
‘Highwalllow & Supermoon Songs’

LANKUM
Ghost Town
single

DEAF DOULA
2057
single

Stream and pre-order the 12" ‘Ghost Town’: https://lankum.ffm.to/ghosttownFollow Lankumhttps://www.instagram.com/lankumdublin/?hl=enhttps://www.tiktok.com/LA...

30/10/2025

PLAYLIST, OCTOBER 30 2025

EMMA LUKER etc
Hunter's Revenge
theme, exclusive AUST local

SONS OF ZOKU
Hōō
single AUST local

Feature rarity: GUNESH
1 At the Old Creek
2 Kecpelec
'Gunesh Vocal and Instrumental Ensemble' Turkmenistan 1980

KAURNA CRONIN
I Was Once The Wind
'Jester In A Mess' AUST local

ELLA ION
Looking For Nothing
single AUST local

NICK VULTURE
Pasadena
single AUST local

EZEKIEL SNEEZED
Now I Realise
single AUST

3 BIRDS & THE TRUTH
Sit Round The Table
single AUST

SIGNAL CHAIN
Floored
single AUST

JOHN HUNT
The Water Fairies
single B

CHIMEHOURS
Can’t Find Your Way
'Underneath The Earth'

ROBERT PLANT
Everybody’s Song
'Saving Grace'

'Gather in the Mushrooms The British Folk Underground 1969-1975':
1 MIDWINTER
The Skater
2 BARRY DRANSFIELD
The Werewolf
3 COMUS
The Herald

CRYPTIDS
To Be Still
single AUST

LUCAS DAY
Swell
'Daydreaming Fool' AUST local

SOURSOB BOB with LUKER SOUTHERN
It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
live to air Oct 16 2025 AUST local

ALL STRINGS ATTACHED
All Strings Show
'Incantations For Strange Folk' AUST

THE RAMSHACKLE ARMY
Foreign Soil
single AUST

DRAKUM
Wall of Deadly Trolls
'Trollmin' EP

HEKATE
Einarvollsgråen
'Evigheten Forestår'

YASMINE HAMDAN
I Remember I Forget
'I Remember I Forget'

Listen : https://yasminehamdan.ffm.to/irememberiforgetsingleAlbum Pre-order : https://yasminehamdan.ffm.to/irememberiforgetFollow me https://www.facebook...

29/10/2025

November 12 this year marks 40 years since Michael Hunter first appeared on Roots & Branches, or Rambling Folk as it was called at the time. (The show itself first went to air the same week the station did in December 1979, and so is nearly 46 years old.)

The nearest Thursday to that date this year is Nov 13th, so there are a few people coming in to help celebrate…

Confirmed, for roughly 10-15 minutes each with a live to air song - if time gets short, we’ll have 2 in at once…

THE FIDDLE CHICKS
TIN TOWN
JEN LUSH
KAURNA CRONIN
NICK VULTURE
MARK CURTIS
SONS OF ZOKU (just a chat with a couple of members)

Pre-recorded greeting messages have already been received from various legends of English folk rock including a couple of specially-recorded pieces / Mick Thomas & Squeezebox Wally (WPA, Roving Commission) / Crooked Fiddle Band (with specially written tune) / Michael Plater and hopefully 1 or 2 more.

How will it all fit into 2 hours? Good question. Find out on Thursday Nov 13, 9-11pm via any of the usual methods.

23/10/2025

PLAYLIST, OCTOBER 23 2025

EMMA LUKER etc
Hunter's Revenge
theme, exclusive AUST local

THE AUTUMN DEFENSE
The Ones
'Here and Nowhere'

Feature rarity: PERERIN
1 Dechrau Y Gan
'Haul Ar Yr Eira'
2 Y Drws
3 Ble'r Wyt Ti'n Myned
'Teithgan' Wales 1980/81

JEN LUSH
Wolf & The Dog
single AUST local

THE DARLINGS FAMILY TRUST
Pristine
single AUST

THE GO TWOS
Days Warm Breeze
single AUST

MARK CAMPBELL & THE RAVENS
Tell Me When You're Close
'Mark Campbell & The Ravens' AUST

RICH DAVIES
Dirt Under My Nails
'Ghosts' AUST

DOG TRUMPET
Waltz Of The Wind
single AUST

'Gather in the Mushrooms The British Folk Underground 1969-1975':
1 FRESH MAGGOTS
Rosemary Hill
2 OBERON
Nottanum Town
3 CHRISTINE QUAYLE
The Seagulls Scream
4 KEITH CHRISTMAS
Forest And The Shore

SOPHIA NOELLE
Knife In My Back
'A Gentle Reminder' EP AUST local

RYAN MARTIN JOHN
Ways To Fall
single AUST local

JEN LUSH
Black Wing
single AUST local

THE OLD CROW ROAD
The Blackest Road
single

LUCAS DAY
No Worries
'Daydreaming Fool' AUST local

MEGAN BERNARD
Bulldozing
single AUST

JUNOON
Zamane Ke Andaz
'Andaz'

LANKUM
Katie Cruel
'The Livelong Day'

Waltz Of The Wind is a cover of a beautiful and relatively obscure song written and recorded by a Wellington folk/blues/jug band called The Windy City Strugg...

16/10/2025

PLAYLIST, OCTOBER 16 2025

EMMA LUKER etc
Hunter’s Revenge
theme, exclusive AUST local

MICK THOMAS’ ROVING COMMISSION
Build This
'GoComeBack' AUST

Feature rarity: STONEFIELD TRAMP
1 Dreaming Again
2 Jaded Jane
3 Factory
'Dreaming Again...' UK 1974

SOURSOB BOB
Ploughing With My Heifer
live to air AUST local

LUKER SOUTHERN
The Sun Shines In The Day
live to air AUST local

SOURSOB BOB / LUKER SOUTHERN
It's Alright Ma
live to air AUST local

LUKER SOUTHERN
Sloe Gin Set
live to air AUST local

SOURSOB BOB / EMMA LUKER
Don't Die Before Your Death
live to air AUST local

GOOD NEWS NOW WE CAN EAT ALL THE VAMPIRES
A Pattern Of Thought
'Everything Is Fine' AUST

JOE ZIFFER
Duplicate Me
'Soap Scum' AUST local

TIN TOWN
The Wolf
'Down In The Dirt' AUST local

MARK CAMPBELL & THE RAVENS
All These Years
'Mark Campbell & The Ravens' AUST

DANA OBERDAN
Thinner
single AUST local

VYVYAN HAMMOND
Hunter Gathered
single AUST

bUkl
Eclipsed
'Blue Ghost In The Memory Machine'

CHIMEHOURS
Run
'Underneath The Earth'

GOOD NEWS NOW WE CAN EAT ALL THE VAMPIRES
Bad Advice Social Club
'Everything Is Fine' AUST

MICK THOMAS’ ROVING COMMISSION
Swallows Of Tullamarine
'GoComeBack' AUST

MATT WALKER
Untitled 5
'Dobro Nada' AUST

LISA GERRARD & PETER BIOURKE
Shadow Magnet
'Duality' AUST