Don't Give Up
Don’t Give Up is a podcast series hosted by kiwi musician Danny McCrum.
The idea of this podcast is to give people an insight into the real lives and careers of creative professionals, with a focus on problem solving and finding solutions in the arts, in our lives and in these unpredictable times.
Welcome to the conversation. Welcome to Don’t Give Up.
Episodes
167 episodes
167. Ben Jurisich
Next year, Danny and Ben will have known each other for forty years. Their friendship as has been quite the adventure, that’s included the Masters Of The Universe, G.I. Joe, skateboarding, fist fights, forming their first band together at...
•
Season 9
•
Episode 167
•
2:19:01
166. Chris Bourke
Twenty-six years ago, Danny bought Chris Bourke’s book Something So Strong, which tells the highly entertaining and informative story of Crowded House. So much about the book stayed with Danny and gave him some very important tips about h...
•
1:27:19
165. Chris Melville
Danny met Chris Melville twenty five years ago when they were both regularly performing at The Temple Bar in Auckland’s CBD. Chris didn’t realise he was playing an important role in Danny’s career, giving Danny lots of great advice about ...
•
Season 9
•
Episode 165
•
1:41:25
164. Thabani Gapara
Saxophonist Thabani Gapara grew up Zimbabwe and eventually moved to South Africa to further his studies. While he was studying, his parents had been living and working in the UK, but despite much effort, Thabani was unable to secure a vis...
•
Season 9
•
Episode 164
•
1:51:42
163. Jenni Smith
Danny first met Jenni Smith when he was tutoring guitar at Auckland University. Jenni was a first-year student on the Popular Music course and years later, Jenni is now celebrating a recent chart placement and is working hard promoting he...
•
1:18:12
162. Mike Baker
Mike Baker is a songwriter who was involved with the Flying Nun scene in the late 80s (primarily with the band Not Really Anything) before relocating to Sydney to manage bands and create a career as a chef, including cooking for White Stripes, ...
•
1:15:42
161. Joanne Cole
Originally from Canada, Joanne currently holds the position of Director, Artistic Planning & Participation, at New Zealand Opera in Auckland, New Zealand where she has been a department head since 2014. On this episode the two musicia...
•
1:06:48
160. Graham Reid
Graham Reid has been an important part of the fabric of the New Zealand music scene for several decades. He’s a journalist, an author, a writer and a music reviewer who has consistently delivered intelligent and well-considered perspectiv...
•
1:20:27
159. Noise Play
Danny sits down with bandmates Jasper de Roos and Dan Antunovich to discuss how The Beatles and Covid initiated the creation of their band Noise Play and how they produced their new album Junk. They discuss the success and failure of thei...
•
Season 9
•
Episode 159
•
1:10:45
158. Jody Garrett
In a past life Jody Garrett managed record stores. Now he’s the General Manager of DRM (Digital Rights Managers), New Zealand’s go to aggregator for digital music releases. We have an in-depth conversation about the streaming platfo...
•
Season 9
•
Episode 158
•
1:05:11
157. Bobby Kennedy
Podcast cofounder and Opshop drummer Bobby Kennedy is back to talk about the rebranding of the podcast, grieving his music career, societal divisions and Indiana Jones. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ueh8rYaE9cQ<...
•
Season 9
•
Episode 157
•
1:06:22
156. Scott Parker, The Boondocks
Scott Parker from The Boondocks travels in from the sticks to talk about moustaches, kids’ toys, vocal techniques, surviving with no money, living with Tourette’s, Tall Poppy syndrome and 1980s TV Shows.
•
Season 8
•
Episode 156
•
1:24:43
155. Rodney Fisher
I recently sat down with Rodney Fisher and chatted about the beginnings of Goodshirt, getting bottled at his first Auckland gig, how Goodshirt recorded their albums themselves before everyone else was doing it, the making of their iconic music ...
•
Season 8
•
Episode 155
•
1:18:53
154. Rajneel Singh
Episode #154 is now available! Rajneel Singh is a director who has worked on short films, music videos and TV commercials and as an editor for television dramas and documentaries. He helped create the oldest active torrent, the pre-...
•
Season 8
•
Episode 154
•
1:25:52
153. Dixon Nacey
Dixon Nacey is a highly respected guitarist, music director and tutor, who has worked with a long list of great people and has racked up a wealth of experience. We sit down for a wide-reaching conversation about guitar playing, gigging wa...
•
Season 9
•
Episode 153
•
1:38:04
152. (Shorty #1) Brother Sister
Dave Thomson from Brother Sister joins us to talk about being in a band of siblings, how they created their fantastic music videos, his work as a videographer and his involvement in the Smokefree Rockquest.
•
Season 8
•
Episode 152
•
35:50
151. Monique Bradley
Monique Bradley is an incredibly inspiring person with an unstoppable attitude. Monique and her partner Pete Ward, provide training, coaching and consulting services through their company We Do Famous Ltd. Monique is also the CEO of...
•
Season 8
•
Episode 151
•
1:13:23
150. Fiona McDonald / Strawpeople
On our 150th episode, Fiona McDonald joins me to talk about the new Strawpeople album Knucklebones - their first release in nineteen years! We also discus writing lyrics, the innovative approach of both the Headless Chickens and Strawpeop...
•
Season 8
•
Episode 150
•
1:18:41
149. Lorenzo Hazelwood
Lorenzo Hazelwood is a young singer who fronts the band Silcrow and is in the full swing of trying to establish his career. With a new single out and an upcoming move to London, Lorenzo dropped by to chat about the highs and lows of being...
•
Season 8
•
Episode 149
•
1:09:59
148. Marmalade
Jemilah and Koen from up-and-coming band Marmalade, stop by to talk about their thoughts and experiences as they work to get their band off the ground, progress their careers and navigate their way through the music industry. We also lear...
•
Season 8
•
Episode 148
•
1:00:13
147. Mark Moldre
Australian songwriter, musician and guitar tutor Mark Moldre, joins us to talk about his new album Nambucca Fables. We discuss song-writing, the story of the lost 1940s Tex Morton guitar, the trappings of genre and branding and much more....
•
Season 8
•
Episode 147
•
56:55
146. Andrew Rooney
Drummer and fellow podcaster Andrew Rooney joins Danny for a wide ranging conversation about all things music. The conversation swings from Toto to Ringo, the Dunning–Kruger effect to making money, and Andrew gives Danny a pep talk. ...
•
Season 8
•
Episode 146
•
1:26:05
145. Tracey Collins
Tracey Collins is a professional accordionist with a wealth of experience. We discuss her work touring with Operatunity, meeting her husband in Venice, her early gigs on K’ Road as a young teenager, building a restaurant in a tree and her...
•
Season 8
•
Episode 145
•
1:12:36
144. Damien Binder
Songwriter Damien Binder joins us to chat about his new album Bright Side. We talk about song writing, gigging, lyrics, production and much more. Great album, great guy, great chats!
•
Season 8
•
Episode 144
•
1:16:19
143. Caitlin Smith Returns
In September 2022 renowned vocalist Caitlin Smith, returned to our podcast studio with more to say about her latest thoughts and musings. On this second instalment she talks about anxiety and addiction, musical identity, navigating the mu...
•
Season 8
•
Episode 143
•
1:04:29
