The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement
Barry Divola

Barry Divola

Barry Divola is a journalist and author who specialises in music, popular culture, the arts, podcasts and travel.

Here and Nighy: “I’ve never listened to a podcast, so I don’t know what the appeal of the show is,” the actor says.

Bill Nighy didn’t want to make a podcast. But now it’s a surprise hit

He’s supposed to be dealing with listeners’ quandaries but on Ill-Advised by Bill Nighy we learn a lot about the English actor himself. 

  • Barry Divola

Latest

Brothers in arms: Jeff and Steve McDonald of Redd Kross.

Their mythical story was wild enough to be a movie, and now it is

Over four decades since forming as kids in Los Angeles, Redd Kross reflect on their strange journey to cult status.

  • Barry Divola
Artists like Ninajirachi, Boy Soda, Brazen Barbie. Folk Bitch Trio and Rageflower made 2025 a great year for Aussie music.

The 25 best new Aussie artists of 2025

These local musicians – some with long-awaited breakthroughs, others with stunning introductions – made us take notice this year. 

  • Robert Moran, Jules LeFevre, Tom W. Clarke, Nick Buckley and Barry Divola
Patrons of Melbourne’s Waxflower “listening bar” can have a chat while being treated to some vinyl magic.

The rise of bars where no one wants you to talk

Listening bars started in Japan. Now they’ve inspired Australian venues.

  • Barry Divola
The Wythe Hotel.

The rapidly evolving hipster neighbourhood that’s New York on steroids

Williamsburg once felt like an entirely different city to Manhattan. Now it is the epicentre of everything hot in New York.

  • Barry Divola
Cameron Winter (right) with band Geese.

He’s been called Gen Z’s Bob Dylan and praised by Nick Cave. But is Cameron Winter for real?

The frontman of fast-rising indie band Geese tells tall tales, both in his songs and in person. Some of them might even be true.

  • Barry Divola
Advertisement
The Gnomes –  Ethan Robins (front), and (left to right at back) Olly Katsianis, Ned Capp, Jay Millar.

‘They sound really punk’: How The Beatles inspired these Gen Z rockers

Led by a 19-year-old 1960s music-obsessed wunderkind, rising Aussie band The Gnomes is ready for take-off.

  • Barry Divola
Wednesday features former couple, guitarist MJ Lenderman (top right) and singer-songwriter Karly Hartzman (front).

They broke up before their new album was finished. But this isn’t an indie Fleetwood Mac

Karly Hartzman and MJ Lenderman let the music do the talking on Wednesday’s new album.

  • Barry Divola
New York fashion expert Anna Estrin shows off some chaotic customistation on her pink Miu Miu bag.

Those OTT charms colonising Gen Z handbags? They’re a ‘joyful rebellion’

Likely the stuff of Marie Kondo’s nightmares, the trend for personalised clutter on accessories offers a form of “affordable expression” in an uncertain world.

  • Barry Divola
Liz Stokes of The Beth: I was at a point where I couldn’t seem to write songs... I was struggling with numbness.”

She was touring her band’s hit album. Then her body started breaking down

Liz Stokes of The Beths had to do battle with both body and mind to finish the band’s new album.

  • Barry Divola