Melbourne based media personality Jane Gazzo has worked extensively and internationally in radio, TV and print. Let’s call her the music media version of Broadway’s Triple Threat. It’s perhaps serendipitous that in 2019, Jane was chosen to DJ for Hugh Jackman’s ‘Greatest Showman’ concert spectacular at the Rod Laver Arena. Although, before we get too over the top about her achievements, we’ve yet to see her dance!
As her showreel so colourfully demonstrates, Jane Gazzo is the face of music television. Some of her Australian telly gigs have included; Foxtel’s Channel [V] and Max Sessions, ARIA Red Carpet, The Sound and of course Recovery with Dylan Lewis. In London she hosted various TV shows for the BBC, ITV and MTV UK. Radio wise, she started at 3RRR before moving onto Triple J and Triple M. Internationally Jane worked for London radio station X-FM, working alongside Ricky Gervais and Russell Brand. She later joined parent radio station Capital FM, and in 2003, moved to the BBC to host ‘Jane Gazzo’s Dream Ticket’ on respected station BBC 6Music.
Interview wise, she’s chatted to the odd famous geezer too … Noel Gallagher, Johnny Marr, Slash, Lionel Richie, Elton John and hundreds more. Then there’s Jane’s involvement in the acclaimed Long Play Series for the Australian Music Vault, which documents Australian music history so brilliantly on YouTube. Plus, she’s a successful author, having penned John Farnham – The Untold Story, Sound as Ever – A Celebration of the Greatest Decade in Australian Music 1990- 1999, and is soon to release her third book, I Hear Motion: Bands that soundtracked our lives 1980–89.
Jane Gazzo sat down with Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips as our guest for Episode 5 of The Scribes, our series of chats with prominent music journalists.
JANE GAZZO – THE OFFICIAL BIO
Jane Gazzo’s broadcasting career began at Melbourne radio station 3RRR-FM in her mid-teens. She has since gone on to present nationally on Triple J and Triple M in Australia as well as BBC 6 Music, Capital FM and XFM in the UK. She is well-known as the co-host of 90s cult TV show Recovery (ABC), THE SOUND (ABC), Play Loud (BBC), and The Metal Hammer Awards (ITV).
In 2007 she joined the FOXTEL network and hosted full time for Channel [V] (2007-2012). This included reporting from the ARIA Red Carpet, Future Music Festival, Soundwave, Big Day Out, Splendour in the Grass as well as interviewing some of the biggest names in the music industry.
In 2011 and 2012 she was nominated for an ASTRA Award for Favourite Female TV Personality on subscription television and in 2018 and 2019, Jane was nominated for an ACRA Award (Australian Commercial Radio Awards) for Best Syndicated Show for Triple M’s My Generation. 2019 , 2021 & 2023 also saw Jane nominated for the Music Journalist Award at the Australian Women in Music Awards (AWMAs)
In 2019, Jane was chosen to DJ for Hugh Jackman’s ‘Greatest Showman’ concert spectacular at the Rod Laver Arena. In 2020, Jane hosted ABC-TV’s new flagship music show THE SOUND, under the production tutelage of the late, great Michael Gudinski. THE SOUND showcased new and established artists and sharing the screen with the likes of Russell Crowe, Bryan Brown, Deborah Mailman, Kylie Minogue and Christine Anu. The Australian newspaper voted THE SOUND as the ‘Best TV show of 2020’.
Jane Gazzo is also an in-demand MC and guest speaker, hosting various events and awards for an array of diverse clients. She regularly appears as a guest on 3AW, ABC local radio and The Project.
Jane’s latest book, ‘I HEAR MOTION’ celebrates the synth-pop and rock of the 1980s Australian music scene featuring Models, Machinations, Boom Crash Opera, Koo De Tah, Venetians, Do Re Mi, Uncanny X-Men, Real Life, Pseudo Echo, Kids in the Kitchen, Beargarden, Max Q, Eurogliders and so much more! With never before told stories and photos of the much-loved era. Publish Date: Sept 4, 2024.