In a time when so many are disconnected, Underground Love has remained a constant reminder of the importance of creating community connections, both within the music scene of Melbourne and further outwards. This is something that is at the very core of what Jordan believes in as an active member of the Melbourne music community, playing in Pinch Points, being involved in behind the scenes operations and especially in his role as a radio announcer on PBS FM.

Airing every Tuesday, Underground Love plays a vital role in connecting music communities locally, but also explores diverse music communities across the globe. In this chat, we explored some of those ideas, and how we can learn from others in order to grow. It’s a very exciting milestone for the show and one that truly solidifies Underground Love as an institution for the Melbourne music community. Dig into this chat and enjoy the celebratory tunes on tomorrow’s show at 3pm.

TJ: How did Underground Love originally start?

JO: I’ll have to go back a few years to put it in context. It was a pretty big moment for me when I started to feel like I was part of a music community. For the first time ever, sharing the experience of live music with people felt like this really nourishing thing, and I wanted to be more and more involved with it. 

I think the reason the community had a big impact on me was because I’d been having a pretty hard time fitting in while studying jazz at Monash. Obviously I was very privileged to have a tertiary education at a great university, but looking back, the environment was so hierarchical and competitive. People would often feel shame if they didn’t practice their instrument for hours each day, and the golden boys from the southeast private schools would be battling it out to see who could rip off Coltrane the most. It made me feel pretty worthless as a musician. But then, I’d leave class on a Friday and go to a punk show - to see a band like Jarrow or Rhysics, and what I saw was a completely different way of experiencing music. It was about having fun and connecting with others, with less importance placed on individual success. The beauty was in the whole community in its chaotic glory. This radically changed my way of thinking about music.

From then on, all I wanted was to be an active member of the local music community. Creating a radio show where I could highlight the bands that were part of this kind of community felt like the logical next step.

What inspired you to get into radio?

Radio presenting just seemed so fulfilling. I really looked up to announcers such as Tim Shiel, Fee B-Squared and Nick Brown. Their ways of communicating to the listener why their selections were great and important, plus their mix of casual but knowledgeable presenting styles really excited me!

I also loved the experience of presenting a show. It felt so satisfying. Radio presenting is a way of engaging with music at quite a deep level and enjoying it in the moment. In a time where there’s so much music everywhere, it can be really meditative to just sit in the studio and have two hours dedicated to the enjoyment and sharing of music.

Why do you think it’s so important to promote underground/DIY music?

In this age of Bandcamp and DIY recording setups, there’s a complete over-saturation of new music. The more that music media adapts to this, the more unique sounds and stories will be shared amongst listeners. There are great community stations around the world, organisations such as TJ, and there are creative programmers and bookers. But we still have big gatekeepers such as Spotify, major labels, and stations such as our national youth broadcaster, who either don’t engage whatsoever with underground and DIY music, or they exploit them for their own gain. The more support we can put behind little-heard music, the more we can legitimise these forms of creative expression, and then more people can have a deeper and more equal connection to music. I don’t know. Maybe that’s too idealistic.

A theme that runs throughout your interviews has been the connection to the music community especially in a time when we are so disconnected. I think your show does a great job of that. Why is that idea so important to you?

If it wasn’t already clear, connection to community is what drives me. You know, feeling like you’re a part of this bigger movement. Not to get too philosophical, but arguably all of us are seeking things such as connection, belonging, and meaning. Being part of an underground music community can help us to discover these things, and often they are really nice and welcoming spaces to be in as well. I’m really drawn to that, and I suppose my show can be a good gateway or invitation for listeners.

Compared to other radio shows, you do a lot of interviews. Why is this such an important part of what you do with the show?

There are just so many people doing cool stuff that I want to talk to! I’ve also found it to be a really nice way to meet new people in the community during a time where that’s been really difficult. It’s a really nice thing getting to form friendships around actively going to shows but there’s been practically none of that for almost two years. Getting to hear other people’s stories and points of view helps me (and hopefully my listeners) think about the world in new ways, and especially in terms of listening to music. I learn so much from others in the community, and for others to be listening to me learning from someone, live-on-air... I think that’s really special.

What are some highlights of doing the show?

Oh, there are lots! As Zoom became more normalised, I’m glad I pushed myself to interview some international artists. It’s really remarkable hearing everyone’s stories and ideas. When you’re interviewing someone, you’re both taking 15 minutes to be in the moment, and I get the opportunity to ask all sorts of questions about their world. For example, I remember Mohammed from Crack Cloud telling me about the diverse communities in Vancouver and the ways in which the band actually has quite radical ideas of how a community can operate and extend beyond only musical experiences.

Or there was the time recently when I had Dan Pash from Reality Instructors on the show. Learning from him about his approach to playing music as his hearing was degrading, and about his recent choice to get a cochlear implant in order to allow him to communicate a lot easier, despite that marking an end to his experience of music as he knew it. I’m incredibly grateful that running a radio show has afforded me these kinds of experiences.

And lastly, meeting people who listen to the show! Broadcasting from a lonely studio doing phone interviews can sometimes feel a bit disconnected. I forget that people out there are listening and enjoying what I’m playing. Getting to meet some of those people at pubs has just been really special, and reminded me that community radio can be a great vehicle for real life connection.

On interviewing international artists, what do you think this brings to the show and to your listeners? Rather than purely focusing on local artists?

I haven't chatted to too many overseas artists, but one of the big things I value from those chats is all the different perspectives people have. This could be perspectives on songwriting, music culture more broadly, ideas about arts communities, or anything to be honest! We live in a world where music consumption transcends borders, and in the age of Zoom it's actually quite easy to get on the line with all sorts of cool people. There's always more we can learn from each other!

With 100 shows down, what’s the biggest thing you’ve learned through this?

When I started, I thought I was pretty in touch with the underground scenes in Melbourne, but I think I underestimated just how many people were involved in music in this city. It’s ginormous. But I’m also learning and growing in small ways all the time. After each show I’ll have ideas about what worked and what didn’t. I’ve also recently learned that I no longer have time to reply to all my emails, haha.

How do you typically prepare for a show? Has this changed over time?

I’m always curious about how different presenters prepare for their radio shows. Also, like, full-time radio people who have producers and stuff? It’s a fascinating world and TBH I barely know that much about it. I just have a big fun session on my day off where I explore the web, go through my inbox, and put down a chaotic list of songs I like broken down into a few different genres. Then I spend the next few days coming back to it and refining it, sorting songs into brackets, writing notes that aren’t too boring, and then doing a final pass of the transitions between each song. Eg. If there’s a fade-out in one song, I’ll try and put it at the end of a bracket and talk over it. 

Maybe my method doesn’t leave much up to chance, but the more prepared I am, the less nervous I am. Some people go into the studio and do the selections on the fly, which I love the idea of, but I just feel like I owe it to the listeners to try and have a distilled, curated, and planned-out show.

What can we expect in the future from Underground Love, especially as PBS moves into Collingwood Yards?

Live interviews! Having touring bands in to chat! I feel like my interviewing style has grown and improved over the past year or so, but that’s purely been phone chats - in person will be so exciting. I probably won’t be able to stare at my notes as much. I’ll get to hang out with some cool people in the studio though! Someone could come in and do an acoustic set! So many possibilities. 

Also, the social connection. As we start to move away from lockdowns and such, I can’t wait for Collingwood Yards to start buzzing with people. There are so many great folks at PBS that I have barely seen recently and I miss them! It’s time for the community to come together again and heal because, to be honest, we’re hurting.

Lastly, what do you look forward to most about doing the show each week?

It just feels great. It's like playing a gig. There's this feeling of flow or something. But more broadly: inviting people into my musical world for two hours a week is just such a special thing for me, as well as being able to actively share the experience of being part of the music community with others.