Bleak Squad: a supergroup with DNA from Magic Dirt, the Bad Seeds and Dirty Three; and a striking conversation with percussionist Steven Schick

Adalita and Marty Brown join Andy to talk about their new supergroup with Mick Harvey and Mick Taylor - they're called Bleak Squad and with a history of playing with Magic Dirt, the Bad Seeds, Dirty Three as well as with artists like PJ Harvey and Clare Bowditch, it's a quartet with some serious power. A moody, charismatic guitar band - the likes of which you don't hear that much these days - Adalita and Marty join Andy to report that the kids are, in fact, listening to guitars, and explain how four big personalities have unified so well. American percussionist Steven Schick returns to The Music Show, and to Australia: he's here to play a series of concerts and masterclasses at the Australian National Academy of Music. He's been playing professionally for about fifty years and he talks to Andy about the repertoire that he's helped expand in that time, and his second career as a conductor.Plus Laura Bowler gives us her pick for the Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. Vote for yours at the Radio National website!

Bleak Squad are playing in Sydney, Queenstown and Melbourne in October. Find the details on their website. Their debut album Strange Love is out now. 

Music in this program:Title: RebondsArtist: Steven SchickComposer: Iannis XenakisAlbum: Percussion WorksLabel: ModeTitle: Lost My HeadArtist: Bleak SquadComposer: AdalitaAlbum: Strange LoveLabel: Poison City RecordsTitle: Blue SignsArtist: Bleak SquadComposer: Adalita (lyrics), Marty Brown (music)Album: Strange LoveLabel: Poison City Records

Title: Safe as HousesArtist: Bleak SquadComposer: AdalitaAlbum: Strange LoveLabel: Poison City Records

Title: Bone AlphabetArtist: Steven SchickComposer: Brian FerneyhoughAlbum: Born To Be WildLabel: Newport Classic

Title: AequilibriaArtist: Steven Schick, International Contemporary EnsembleComposer: Anna ThorvaldsdottirAlbum: AequaLabel: Sono LuminusThe Music Show is made on Gadigal and Gundungurra Country

Technical production by Ann-Marie Debettencor