Hi, this is Rael.
I present The Progressive Rock Machine on Phoenix Fm. The show has been running continuously (Apart from 3 weeks when covid first hit and i had to, as they say ‘pivot’ to maintain what I do). The show covers music in all forms including pop/rock/world and so much more. Everything is Progressive to my ears. The show is scripted/recorded/edited and distributed from my home studio and I have to say it takes quite a bit of my time, but I love what I do.
As for the rest of my life – I am now retired, but I also work as a guide (And av/support and a committee member) for the Art Gallery of Ballarat and I write crime novels in my spare time.
On air I adopt the pseudo ‘Rael’ (Based on a character from an album by Genesis) and when I write, I am Digby Stevens – although in the ‘real’ world my name is Fred Spittle.
Listen back
15 Apr 2025 Prog Rock Machine 503 The Cure 1. This week on Phoenixfm. Hi this is Rael and welcome to another progressive rock machine being beamed down to you from aboard the prog mothership orbiting nearly 100 miles above your head. This week is our first look at English band The Cure and we listen to their first two albums – Two Imaginary Boys and Seventeen Seconds – in full So lets get on with the show.
7 Apr 2025 Prog Rock Machine 502 The Smiths 1 Hi this is Rael and welcome to another progressive rock machine being beamed down to you from aboard the prog mothership orbiting nearly 100 miles above your head. This week is the first of our smiths shows and we begin listening to their first two albums in full with information to flesh out the story. Later we will move onto Morrissey and Johnny Marrs solo works.