In Partnership with Shure
Over the last few months, our ‘Behind the Rolling Stone Cover’ podcast series brought fans closer than ever to the artists who have shaped music history, both in Australia and beyond.
In partnership with Shure, each episode went beyond the polished persona shown in glossy magazine pages to reveal the challenges, iconic moments, and personal memories that make these artists who they are today.
From hilarious mess ups to big career milestones and advice for other performers, here’s a look back at some of the most memorable, thought-provoking moments from each artist we spoke to.
Here’s our official wrap-up.
1. Michelle Williams on her “I’ve made it” moment
In her episode of the series, Michelle Williams shared an especially emotional moment in her journey to stardom as one third of Destiny’s Child: the day she told her father she’d made the May 2021 cover of Rolling Stone.
“Dad, I’m on the cover of Rolling Stone,” she recalled. For Williams, whose father was a music lover with milk crates full of vinyl, the cover symbolised a milestone, not just in her career but in her family’s love for music. “I felt like I’d really made it,” she said, reflecting on what that moment meant not only for her but for her father, who passed away in 2020.
“That cover, the outfit is one of my favourites – I have that cover framed.”
2. Cold Chisel on their unconventional American debut
Cold Chisel’s attempt to break into the American market was as dramatic as it was short-lived. The band shared the hilariously weird memory of the time their American promoter, Marty Schwartz, sent their first single “My Baby” off to debut on American radio stations (literally) wrapped in baby diapers.
At a later show, Jimmy Barnes also shares the time the promoter “pulled out a vial of cocaine and says, ‘Here, have some of this. Don’t tell the other guys.’ This is the guy who’s handling our career. What a dropkick!” Turns out, Barnes dumped the vial and threw it back at him, feeling it was “the last nail in the coffin” of their American career.
If there’s one thing we learn from Cold Chisel’s episode, it’s that they know how to tell a good story.
3. Tash Sultana on being a Pride Ambassador for the Australian Open
Speaking to Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Tash Sultana remembered their appointment as Pride Ambassador for the Australian Open was taken by some as a shocking and controversial choice. They recalled the mixed reactions from a largely conservative audience: “It shook people up a lot, like ‘why the fuck do we need you? Why do we need a Pride ambassador? Why don’t we have a straight ambassador?”. Sultana’s response to these criticisms highlighted their commitment to representation and the courage it takes to be different. “You’ve had straight ambassadors the whole fucking time,” they said.
4. Tones and I on spending millions and staying humble
Tones and I, who rose to fame after busking on the streets of Byron Bay, offered a candid look at her relationship with fame and wealth. When asked about how she spends her millions in her ‘Behind the Rolling Stone Cover’ episode, she laughed, “These pants and this jacket were both from the Salvos. They don’t match completely, but that’s the risk you take. Comfort is still key.”
Fashion aside, the “Dance Monkey” singer revealed some bigger purchases she has been excited to make. “I just got my nana a place close by,” she shared, adding that “my papa just passed away and it’s the luxury of being able to do that for your family.”
5. Kate Ceberano on her favourite Kurt Cobain quote
Australian icon, Kate Ceberano, shared her favourite quote from Kurt Cobain on her episode of the podcast series: “Better to be hated for who you are, than loved for who you are not.”
For Ceberano, embracing her uniqueness has been essential in her career, and she encouraged others hoping to break into the entertainment industry to do the same.
“If you’re going into this business, you better desire to be strange,” she said. “Just the sheer act of doing what you’re doing is so uniquely extreme. You won’t become a normal person, that’s marked by the fact of you having chosen to do this and you will be an outsider.” After all, being different is nothing to be afraid of.
6.Eric Nam on the secret behind K-Pop stars’ success
Speaking about his Rolling Stone India cover, singer-songwriter, Eric Nam, offered a glimpse into why K-Pop has become a global phenomenon. “There’s a reason these artists perform at the calibre they do,” Nam explained, describing the meticulous training and dedication that goes into every aspect of a K-Pop performance.
“In the West, you’re not seeing groups of young incredibly talented individuals, doing the most intricate dance moves while doing a spin and singing with somebody flying through the sky,” he says definitively, well, “with the exception of P!nk”. His episode is a fascinating look into how an American singer with a proud Korean background became a K-Pop sensation.
This series may be wrapped, but you can continue to read and watch the episodes to hear each artist’s story here.
‘Behind the Rolling Stone Cover’ is sponsored by Shure, the premier choice for affordable, durable, and exceptional-sounding microphones. With a history of audio innovation spanning for almost a century, Shure has turned a passion for making great microphones into an unparalleled legacy of audio innovation.
Not only is Shure already the brand of choice for musicians everywhere, their reliable and durable microphones also make the perfect choice for podcasters and streamers. You can expect nothing short of superior sound quality that won’t let you down in those crucial moments.
Check out all of Shure’s industry-leading microphones here.
