Together Michael Barker and Grant Haua form Swamp Thing, a bluesy swamp rock band all the way from New Zealand. Recently they paid a visit to Louisiana through a cultural exchange made possible by Eric Holowacz and the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge. This gave the band an opportunity to visit the region that had substantially influenced their sound.

 Photo credit: Jenn Ocken

While in Louisiana, the band toured the region, played at some popular venues in and near Baton Rouge like The Brickyard, Phil Brady’s, and Teddy’s Juke Joint. They befriended the locals and invited a few of them to play along with them at their shows. During their Louisiana visit, the band even had time to shoot a music video in Baton Rouge. Before heading back to New Zealand, Michael, the band’s singer, drummer, and percussionist, set aside some time to do an interview for The nsavides Podcast.

Among other things, we discuss the rich musical traditions of Louisiana, how to develop an artistic voice, and the strange appeal of swamps.

Listen to the Podcast