LE BOOM on Immersive Shows, Irish Identity & Community (#294)
The XS Noize Podcast
LE BOOM’s Christy Leech joins Mark Millar on the XS Noize Podcast ahead of the duo’s 360° immersive floor show at Limelight 1, Belfast. Christy explains how secret raves and unconventional venues inspired LE BOOM to perform in the middle of the audience, removing the separation between the band and the crowd. He also recalls an unforgettable show on a boat in Sydney Harbour and discusses the community that has developed around LE BOOM’s live performances. The conversation explores Christy’s creative partnership with his brother Andy, combining electronic music with spoken word, and...
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Danny O’Donoghue on The Script’s New Album, Songwriting & Being Human (#293)
The XS Noize Podcast
The Script’s Danny O’Donoghue joins Mark Millar on the XS Noize Podcast to discuss the ideas, stories and songwriting behind the band’s new album, "The User’s Guide to Being Human." Danny reveals how an unusual moment in Los Angeles inspired the album’s title, why he returned to the studio within a week of finishing the Satellites tour, and how sobriety has changed his approach to making music. He also discusses reuniting with longtime collaborators Andrew Frampton, Steve Kipner and Jimbo Barry, carrying Mark Sheehan’s influence forward, and why a great lyric remains at the heart...
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Tim Wheeler on Ash’s 1977 at 30, Girl From Mars & Coming of Age at 19 (#292)
The XS Noize Podcast
Tim Wheeler joins Mark Millar on the XS Noize Podcast to discuss Ash’s landmark debut album 1977, its 30th Anniversary Edition, “Girl From Mars,” “Goldfinger,” Owen Morris, young fame, Northern Ireland and taking the album back out on the road. Originally released in 1996, 1977 turned Ash from teenage upstarts from Downpatrick into one of the defining guitar bands of the era. Featuring “Girl From Mars,” “Goldfinger,” “Kung Fu,” “Oh Yeah,” “Angel Interceptor” and “Lose Control,” the album captured a young band moving at full speed — melodic, noisy, chaotic...
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Tony Visconti on David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Thin Lizzy & Blackstar (#291)
The XS Noize Podcast
Tony Visconti joins Mark Millar on the XS Noize Podcast to discuss David Bowie, Marc Bolan, T. Rex, Thin Lizzy, Phil Lynott, Blackstar, Scary Monsters, Holy Holy and the art of producing timeless records. Best known as one of the most celebrated producers in music history, Tony played on Bowie’s early records and went on to produce some of the most important albums of David Bowie’s career. He also worked closely with Marc Bolan and T. Rex, worked on classic Thin Lizzy records, and remains a vital part of Bowie’s musical legacy through Holy Holy. In this conversation, Tony discusses Holy...
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Rosa Walton on ‘Tell Me It’s A Dream,’ Let’s Eat Grandma and Cyberpunk 2077 (#290)
The XS Noize Podcast
Rosa Walton joins Mark Millar on the XS Noize Podcast to discuss her debut solo album, Tell Me It’s A Dream, out now via Transgressive Records. Best known as one half of Let’s Eat Grandma alongside Jenny Hollingworth, Rosa steps into a bold new chapter with her most personal and expansive work to date — a record full of light, colour, open skies, friendship, dreams and emotional honesty. In this conversation, Rosa talks about why Tell Me It’s A Dream did not feel like a solo project made to prove a point, but rather a natural space to explore songs that did not quite fit inside Let’s...
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Dea Matrona on ‘Hate That I Care,’ Self-Producing and Creative Independence (#289)
The XS Noize Podcast
Belfast rock duo Dea Matrona join Mark Millar on the XS Noize Podcast to discuss their second album, Hate That I Care — a bold, more personal and self-assured new chapter for Mollie McGinn and Orláith Forsythe. Written, recorded and produced entirely by the band, Hate That I Care finds Dea Matrona leaning further into alt-rock while exploring vulnerability, identity, pressure, friendship, self-production and the feeling of not fitting neatly into other people’s expectations. In this conversation, Mollie and Orláith look back on what they learned from their debut album, For Your Sins, how...
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Embrace’s Danny McNamara on The Good Will Out, Avalanche and 30 Years of the Band (#288)
The XS Noize Podcast
Danny McNamara from Embrace joins Mark Millar on the XS Noize Podcast to discuss the band’s new album Avalanche, 30 years of Embrace, and why he feels more inspired now than ever. In this conversation, Danny reflects on the band’s landmark debut The Good Will Out, the huge comeback with Out Of Nothing, and why new music — not nostalgia — is still what drives him. Danny also talks about the life lesson running through Avalanche: life doesn’t wait for you to be ready. He discusses marriage, fatherhood, learning to live in the moment, and how those changes have reshaped his songwriting....
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The Hoosiers on New Album ‘Compassion,’ Toxicity & Finding Joy Again (#287)
The XS Noize Podcast
In this episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Irwin Sparkes and Alan Sharland from The Hoosiers to discuss their new album Compassion, the toxicity that inspired it, and how the band found joy, self-belief and purpose again. The band first broke through in 2007 with their debut album The Trick to Life, featuring huge singles including “Worried About Ray” and “Goodbye Mr A.” But this conversation is not just about looking back. It is about where The Hoosiers are now — creatively, personally and emotionally. Irwin and Alan talk about making Compassion, the ideas...
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Robert Arkins on The Commitments, Jimmy Rabbitte and Life After the Film (#286)
The XS Noize Podcast
In this episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Robert Arkins, best known to millions as Jimmy Rabbitte in Alan Parker’s classic 1991 film The Commitments. Robert looks back on life before the film, his musical roots, fronting his own band Housebroken, and how his sister first introduced him to Roddy Doyle’s book. He reflects on why he initially saw The Commitments as a possible distraction from his music, before becoming the face and voice of one of the most beloved music films ever made. In this warm and honest conversation, Robert talks about working with Alan Parker,...
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Nerina Pallot on 25 Years of Music and Why Hope Still Matters (#285)
The XS Noize Podcast
Nerina Pallot joins Mark Millar on the XS Noize Podcast to discuss 25 years of music, her new career-spanning collection Fire Escape Symphonies: The Best of Nerina Pallot, and the songs, fans and experiences that have shaped her journey. In this episode, Nerina reflects on looking back across her catalogue, the emotional weight of “Everybody’s Gone To War,” taking an anti-war song onto Top of the Pops, and why she now hears some of her early songs differently after years of distance. She also talks about not fitting neatly into pop or indie, trusting her instincts, writing for Kylie...
info_outlineIn this episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar sits down with Dani Larkin to talk about Next Of Kin — a deeply emotive record shaped by time, patience, and a renewed sense of creative clarity.
Released on 23 January 2026, Next Of Kin marks a bold progression in Larkin’s sound and vision. Co-produced with Ruth O’Mahony Brady, the album expands her acclaimed storytelling into a cinematic, emotionally rich landscape that explores life’s most universal milestones — from birth and coming of age to love, loss, and acceptance.
Structured as a trilogy, the record moves through distinct phases. Part I traces a journey from darkness toward revelation and youth. Part II sits in the complexity of adulthood, weaving love, fear, doubt, courage, and hope through expansive orchestral arrangements and intimate songwriting. Part III closes with a sense of resolution and homecoming, culminating in the poignant farewell Danny Boy.
In this conversation, Larkin reflects on how releasing her debut Notes For A Maiden Warrior during the COVID era shaped her outlook, and why Next Of Kin feels like a true arrival moment. She talks about patience, self-acceptance, and the importance of creating space — both personally and creatively — between records.
She also discusses the album’s lead single End Of It All, a striking and urgent track that blends industrial drum beats, raw guitar, and a haunting reimagining of Row, Row, Row Your Boat — capturing the contradictions, anxiety, and fragile hope of modern life.
About The XS Noize Podcast
With over 250 episodes, the XS Noize Podcast has become a trusted home for music’s legends, innovators, and trailblazers — a place where real conversations meet real stories.
Hosted by Mark Millar, the show has featured an extraordinary lineup including Sleaford Mods, The Charlatans, Gary “Mani” Mounfield, Glen Matlock, Miles Kane, Matt Berninger, Saint Etienne, D:Ream, Gavin Rossdale, The Farm, Snow Patrol, John Lydon, Will Sergeant, Ocean Colour Scene, Gary Kemp, Doves, Gavin Friday, David Gray, Anton Newcombe, Peter Hook, Razorlight, Sananda Maitreya, James, Crowded House, Elbow, Cast, Kula Shaker, Shed Seven, Future Islands, Peter Frampton, Bernard Butler, Steven Wilson, Travis, New Order, The Killers, Tito Jackson, Simple Minds, The Divine Comedy, Shaun Ryder, Gary Numan, and Michael Head — among many more.
Explore the complete XS Noize Podcast archive here.