On the Record with Poppy Reid

In this episode, Joel Birch of Amity Affliction opens up in one of his most raw and vulnerable conversations yet. What starts as a discussion about the 10 year anniversary of the seminal album This Could Be Heartbreak turns into a powerful conversation about addiction, living with bipolar disorder, grief, identity, family trauma, and learning how to keep moving when everything feels like it’s falling apart.
Joel reflects on what he calls “the worst 18 months” of his life navigating public backlash, personal loss, online judgment,and nearly walking away from the band entirely. He speaks honestly about a period where alcohol controlled his life, and later realising how much addiction had shapedhis behaviour.
The conversation explores Joel’s mental health journey, how understanding his patterns changed the way he approaches life, and the complicated reality of getting sober while finallyconfronting emotions that had been buried for years.
One of the most emotional parts of the episode focuses on childhood, memory, and family. Joel talks about remembering almost nothing from ages 4–18, unpacking painful familydynamics, and how the loss of his mother forced him to question everything he thought he understood about his upbringing.
Along with host Poppy Reid, they also dive into his songwriting as catharsis, why Joel chooses to be brutallyhonest in his lyrics, the responsibility he feels toward fans, and how music became both survival and self-discovery.
Topics discussed:
• Addiction and getting sober
• This could be heartbreak 10 years after it was released
• Living with bipolar disorder
• Public criticism and identity
• Childhood trauma and memory
• Family relationships and grief
• Writing music as catharsis
• The pressure of being a frontman
• The exit of band member Ahren Stringer
• Nearly quitting the band• Healing, growth, and rebuilding life
If this episoderesonates with you, let us know your thoughts in the comments and subscribe for more conversations like this.
CONTENTWARNING
This episode contains open and honest discussion of addiction, grief, family abuse, trauma, mental health, and suicidal ideation.
Please take care while listening.
If this brings anything up for you, support is available.
Lifeline Australia
13 11 14 lifeline.org.au
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Over the past decade, Morgan Evans has quietly built one of the most globally successful careers in Australian country music from Newcastle to Nashville, with chart-topping hits, over a billion streams, and sold-out tours across the world.

In this episode of On The Record, Morgan revisits a defining chapter of his journey: his 2018 album Things to Drink To.

The record marked a turning point debuting at #1 in Australia, breaking into the US Billboard 200, and featuring standout tracks like Kiss Somebody and Day Drunk. But behind the success, Morgan was navigating something far deeper.

Written in the aftermath of losing his longtime manager and mentor, Morgan opens up about the grief, pressure, and personal challenges that shaped the music and how the album carried a kind of “stubborn optimism” even as life was unravelling.

With distance and perspective, this conversation explores:
What that album really meant at the time
What wasn’t possible to say back then
The reality behind success, fame, and creative pressure
And how Morgan sees that chapter of his life today

If you’re new here, I’m Poppy Reid, and this is On The Record where we revisit pivotal releases with the artists who lived them.

This is Morgan Evans. On The Record.

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Emotion. Connection. Creation.

In this powerful conversation, Danish duo Roya open up about what it really takes to turn raw emotion into music that connects with millions. They also take us behind the scenes into just how their hit song “Cruise” was created. This is not just a story about songs. This is a story about feeling.

From their first meeting that felt like “the missing part” of their lives, to the moment they realised they couldn’t give their music to anyone else, Roya share how vulnerability, instinct, and trust shaped their journey.

They speak candidly about:
• The moment Roya was born; and why there was “no turning back”
• Turning heartbreak into music in real time
• Why being an artist feels like “walking around the world with one layer less skin”
• Creating songs that hurt… but also heal
• Overthinking vs trusting the process
• How letting go led to their biggest breakthrough
• Building a deep creative and emotional connection

This episode goes beyond music. It’s about emotion, identity, and creating from a place of truth.

Watch till the end; because what they reveal about where their songs come from will change the way you listen to music.

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From pub gigs in Dublin… to sharing stages with Ed Sheeran and Lewis Capaldi.

In this episode, Aaron Rowe opens up about the moments that changed everything; from a chance encounter in a bar to finding his voice as an artist in a global industry.

This is a conversation about more than music. It’s about identity, honesty, and what it really takes to be heard.

Aaron speaks candidly about:
● The night that led to meeting Lewis Capaldi
● How a single introduction connected him to Ed Sheeran
● Why authenticity matters more than making “perfect” songs
● Turning real conversations into music
● Writing from emotion vs discipline
● Growing up in Dublin and hiding his passion for music
● Irish identity and its influence on his sound
● Friendship, humility, and staying grounded in the industry

This is not just a story about success. It’s about finding your voice, and having the courage to use it.

Watch til the end as one question reveals what kind of career he truly wants.

Poppy Reid is dressed by American Apparel.
Shop the looks at https://www.americanapparel.com.au/

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Reinvention. Tenacity. Joy.

In this powerful conversation, Marcia Hines opens up about what it really takes to survive and thrive in the music industry for five decades.

From litigation battles and career pauses, to creative risks, artistic instinct, and trusting the unknown; to the emotional weight of storytelling and what it truly means to stand on stage and give joy.

She speaks candidly about:
Why “reinvention is everything”

The truth about how hard the music industry really is

Talent vs tenacity

Creative risk and longevity

Grief, resilience, and singing through heartbreak

Mentoring young artists in the age of fame

The real meaning of being a storyteller

This is not a nostalgia interview. This is about evolution, purpose, and staying present.

Watch till the end as the final question changes everything.

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