Doug Wallen, Journalist

On touring with Airbourne, Mammoth Mammoth drummer Frank Trobbiani tells Doug Wallen, “It introduced us to a lot of bogans, which we appreciated. We like them.”

“Really, it’s like a cheating way of playing banjo,” Dan Lethbridge confesses to Doug Wallen of the six-string banjo he favours, as does Neil Young.

He had acted as last-minute soundman at a gig for the band, and afterwards he offered his services and said he could get them a great sound. As he’s someone Sayes calls both a shredder and guitar nerd, it made perfect sense.

“We haven’t recorded it yet. So who knows what’s gonna be on it? I’m just gonna play what I want, which is usually playing new stuff. People wanna hear older stuff, but if you only play older stuff, then you are a nostalgia act and I consider nostalgia a toxin.”

Musical development happens in circles for Michael Rother, but you’d have to point out to him the influence he’s had on modern music, as Doug Wallen discovers.