Show Notes
You’re about to learn a whole lot more about Kevin Bacon. The prolific actor has been on our screens for more than 40 years. It was his breakthrough part as Ren in Footloose that got him attention, but he was just getting started. Acclaimed roles in Apollo 13, A Few Good Men, The River Wild, and Mystic River would follow. In fact his filmography and range is so broad he literally had a game made up about him – Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon – where you could connect any Hollywood actor to him in six or less steps, he’s worked with that many stars. But bubbling away in the background, Kevin has always loved music. He played and wrote songs as a kid, joined his brother’s band and formed The Bacon Brothers in ’95, and shares his love of songs on the regular, across his social media. It was this thread I wanted to pull at, when I asked him to Take 5. But what emerged was a greater sense of the man himself. Deeply empathetic, very grounded, and with his heart in all the right places. Kevin Bacon's song choices: Earth, Wind & Fire – 'Happy Feelin' Spin Doctors – 'Little Miss Can't Be Wrong' John Prine & Iris DeMent – 'In Spite of Ourselves' Frank Ocean – 'Thinkin Bout You' Brandi Carlile – 'The Joke' 00:00 Introduction to Kevin Bacon's Musical Journey 01:00 Kevin Bacon's Love for Music 02:19 Kevin Bacon's Acting and Music Synergy 04:11 SONG 1: Earth, Wind & Fire – 'Happy Feelin' 05:59 The Influence of Philadelphia's Music Scene 09:59 Kevin Bacon's Acting Aspirations and Early Career 14:38 SONG 2: Spin Doctors – 'Little Miss Can't Be Wrong' 18:02 The Bacon Brothers and Overcoming Stage Fright 22:53 SONG 3: John Prine & Iris DeMent – 'In Spite of Ourselves' 23:28 Marriage to Kyra Sedgwick and singing together 30:32 SONG 4: Frank Ocean – 'Thinkin Bout You' 35:21 Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon and Philanthropy 39:51 SONG 5: Brandi Carlile – 'The Joke' 44:28 Kevin Bacon's Musical Journey 45:57 Upcoming Episodes and Podcast Details 46:29 Double J Radio Highlights Watch Take 5 on ABC iview: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe
More from Take 5
Pia Miranda is joy personified. From her first TV gig on Neighbours, where her character Karen dated Toadie and made a dramatic final exit from the show holding a pavlova, to her breakthrough turn as Josie in Looking for Alibrandi, she has been one of Australia's most beloved screen actors for 25 years. But it's her second act that's surprised everyone, including herself: winning Australian Survivor in a unanimous vote, singing in a thong costume (the footwear kind) on The Masked Singer, and now co-hosting ABC TV's Recipe of the Year. Growing up Irish-Italian Australian in Melbourne, Pia trained as a ballet dancer and dreamed of being Judy Garland. She studied performance art at university, imagined a future in avant-garde dance, and instead became the unofficial ambassador for a generation's coming-of-age experience. Looking for Alibrandi wasn't just a film, it became a cultural touchstone. Her north star is simple: if something brings joy, she says yes. She is warm, funny, and completely herself, a quality she credits, in part, to an encounter with R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe on Melbourne's Chapel Street in 1995. Pia Miranda's 'joie de vivre' songs: Pulp - 'This is Hardcore' Judy Garland - 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' R.E.M. - 'It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)' Cat Stevens - 'Miles from Nowhere' Umberto Tozzi - 'Gloria' 00:00 Introduction: Pia Miranda, Joy Personified 01:15 Saying Yes: "Something Scares Me, But I'll Do It Anyway" 04:12 First Song: Pulp, 'This is Hardcore' 04:26 Jarvis Cocker: The Hall Pass and a Life-Changing Live Show 09:51 1998: CDs, Share Houses and Peak '90s 10:42 Neighbours: Karen, Toadie and the Pavlova Exit 14:14 Looking for Alibrandi: "We're Really Good in That" 19:34 Second Song: Judy Garland, 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' 19:55 The Wizard of Oz: "It's Pia's Night" 24:20 Recipe of the Year: The CWA and the Joy of Food 28:44 Third Song: R.E.M., 'It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)' 29:04 Free Tickets and Chapel Street: When R.E.M. Came to Town 34:47 Australian Survivor: "I Actually Won" 40:13 The Masked Singer: Playing Thong 42:45 Fourth Song: Cat Stevens, 'Miles from Nowhere' 42:57 Freedom and Travel: The Walkman Dream 48:30 Origin Odyssey: Italian Identity and "Cousins Everywhere" 53:53 Final Song: Umberto Tozzi, 'Gloria' 56:53 Zan's Wrap-Up: 20 Years of Take 5 Watch Recipe of the Year on ABC iview: Recipe of the Year - ABC iview
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 Presets Kate Miller-Heidke Dan Sultan John Butler Each 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-rowe Other Take 5 episodes you might like: Paul McCartney Takes 5 - triple j Take 5 with Peaches - ABC listen Tom Waits' songs that inspired 'Bad As Me' - ABC listen Take 5 with TV On The Radio - ABC listen
Vika and Linda Bull are national treasures. From their early days singing backing vocals with Joe Camilleri and The Black Sorrows to breaking out on their own with acclaimed records, they're part of the very fabric of Australian music, and they do it all in harmony. Their voices have soundtracked decades of Australian life, but it's the story behind those voices that makes them extraordinary. Growing up in the Melbourne suburb of Doncaster, they lived between two worlds: ordinary suburban school life during the week, and the rich, Tongan culture of their mother's homeland every Sunday at church. It was there, surrounded by four-hour services of soaring Tongan choral singing, that they learned harmony, not through formal lessons, but by feeling the floor vibrate beneath them. Their mother, a Tongan nurse who married an Australian man, taught them their parts at age five: Vika the high, Linda the low. A split that would define their sound for the next four decades. Their career path was never straightforward. They started in their own band before taking a deliberate side step to join The Black Sorrows as backing vocalists; a six-year apprenticeship under Joe Camilleri that taught them everything from studio technique to stagecraft. It was Vika's voice on "Chained to the Wheel" that transformed the song, and the band's fortunes. But eventually, the pull to tell their own stories became too strong. A difficult conversation with Joe, encouragement from Paul Kelly to try writing, and a year of Thursday afternoon songwriting sessions set them on a new path. This year, they released an incredibly personal new album reflecting on identity, culture, and mid-life (Where Do You Come From?). They were also inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, an honour that still bewilders two women who started as "a couple of backing singers." This episode was filmed for Season 5 of Take 5 with Zan Rowe at Bakehouse Studios in Melbourne, a rehearsal room the Bull sisters know intimately. They were warm, funny, and deeply emotional in exploring their extraordinary life across five songs. Vika and Linda Bull's song choices: The Maopa Choir and Band - 'Halleluia Chorus (from The Messiah)' The Rolling Stones - 'Gimme Shelter' Bob Marley and The Wailers - 'Could You Be Loved' The Finn Brothers - 'Edible Flowers' The Staple Singers - 'Respect Yourself' 00:00 Introduction: Vika and Linda Bull, National Treasures 01:55 Childhood in Doncaster: Singing at Church at Five Years Old 04:15 First Song: The Maopa Choir and Band, 'Halleluia Chorus (from The Messiah)' 07:11 Two Worlds: Suburban Doncaster and Tongan Culture 14:15 Visiting Tonga: "One of the Best Times of My Life" 15:51 Second Song: The Rolling Stones, 'Gimme Shelter' 20:58 Chained to the Wheel: Stepping Up in The Black Sorrows 23:21 Leaving The Black Sorrows: "We Gotta Give It a Crack" 27:44 Third Song: Bob Marley and The Wailers, 'Could You Be Loved' 30:48 Paul Kelly: "You Should Try Writing Songs" 35:21 The New Album: "Not Scared Anymore" 37:18 The Memoir: Finding the Confidence to Tell Their Story 38:46 The Punk and the Prefect: "Sisters First, Singer Second" 41:15 Fourth Song: The Finn Brothers, 'Edible Flowers' 45:06 Tim and Neil Finn: Sibling Harmony and Songwriting Lessons 47:23 Final Song: The Staple Singers, 'Respect Yourself' 51:38 ARIA Hall of Fame: "We Never Thought That Would Happen" 54:29 Zan's Wrap-Up: Season 5 Finale This 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-rowe
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 Musician 02:06 Early Life: Family, Music, and Immigrating to Canberra 04:50 First song: Cibo Matto, 'Birthday Cake' & Jet Set Radio Future 06:35 "Ugly Was Also to Be Appreciated": Why Every Album Opens Abrasive 07:23 The Biggest Creative Influence: Jet Set Radio Future & Video Game Soundtracks 09:29 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 Identity 20:08 The Tree Dream: A One-Man Band Playing to All the School Kids 21:34 First Rap: The Ansah Brothers & Parents' Reaction 25:35 Third song: Lupe Fiasco, 'American Terrorist' & Political Awakening 35:33 Fourth song: Prince, 'All the Critics Love U in New York' & Making Smiling With No Teeth 41:47 Winning the ARIA for Album of the Year 46:14 Side Quests: Learning New Skills Beyond Music 49:41 Fifth song: Tyler, The Creator, 'I Think' & The Power of the Album 51:32 Solange's Unsung Influence on Music Videos 54:59 Fear of Stagnation & Staying True to the 10-Year-Old's Mission 57:55 Wrap-Up & Next Episode Preview of Vika & Linda Bull This 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 stores This 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.
Lainey Wilson is a force of nature. Raised in the tiny farming town of Baskin, Louisiana (population 170) she grew up between corn fields and country radio, where music wasn't a genre but a way of life. From writing her first song at nine years old to hauling a camper trailer to Nashville at 19, her path to becoming one of country music's biggest stars was anything but overnight. It took a decade of hustle, a Hannah Montana wig, and an unshakable belief that if she could just get one opportunity, she could do the rest. Now she's selling out arenas across the world, winning back-to-back CMA Entertainer of the Year awards, starring in Yellowstone, and counting Dolly Parton as a friend who called her "sister." Through it all, her southern charm and small-town values remain her compass; ride horses, sit on the front porch with your dogs, and never forget who you are. This episode was filmed for Season 5 of Take 5 with Zan Rowe. Lainey was warm, funny, and generous in sharing her extraordinary journey across five songs. The theme that emerged was clear: staying grounded is a choice you make every day, and being yourself is the bravest thing you can do. Lainey Wilson's song choices: Mel McDaniel - 'Louisiana Saturday Night' Lee Ann Womack - 'I Hope You Dance' CCR - 'Lookin' Out My Back Door' Brothers Osborne - 'I'm Not For Everyone' Tim McGraw - 'Humble and Kind' 00:00 If Dolly Parton Believes in Me, Then I'm Fine 00:24 From Yellowstone to CMA Entertainer of the Year: "Cowgirl of the Night" 00:52 Daddy's Wisdom: "If You Tell All Your Business, You Ain't Got None" 02:44 First song: Mel McDaniel, 'Louisiana Saturday Night' 09:24 Nine Years Old in Nashville: "This Feels Like Home" 12:43 The Hannah Montana Impersonator: Five Years of Birthday Parties 14:39 Second song: Lee Ann Womack, 'I Hope You Dance' 19:00 Nashville Is a 10-Year Town and It Was Spot On 20:13 19 Years Old, 2011: A Camper Trailer Hauled to Nashville 23:19 Heart Like a Truck: The Breakthrough Single 25:59 Third song: CCR, 'Looking Out My Back Door' 30:13 Yellowstone, Grammys, and CMA Entertainer of the Year: "Since Taylor Swift" 30:49 "My Mind Is Always Racing": ADHD and the Song 'Can't Sit Still' 33:00 Fourth song: Brothers Osborne, 'I'm Not For Everyone' 37:52 TJ Coming Out as Gay: "Is Country Becoming More Welcoming?" 42:01 Fifth song: Tim McGraw, 'Humble and Kind' 45:09 Writing a Letter to Tim McGraw at 18: "All I Need Is an Opportunity" 47:07 Mama Meeting Dolly: "You're Like My Sister" 49:13 New Album: "Showing a Different Side and Pushing the Boundaries" 50:51 Zan's Wrap-Up: "I Could Listen to Her Speak All Day Long" 51:11 Watch Take 5 With Shania Twain on ABC iview 51:22 Next Time: Genesis Owusu 51:58 From Ghana to Canberra: "We Don't Have Time for the Honey and the Dress-Ups" 52:21 Season 5 of Take 5 With Zan Rowe. Stream on ABC iview This 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-rowe