Josh Pyke on Panic Attacks, Parenting and the Future of Australian Music

In this episode of Better Than Yesterday, Osher Gunsberg sits down with acclaimed Australian musician, author and father Josh Pyke for a wide-ranging conversation about anxiety, parenting, creativity, technology and the future of music.

Josh opens up about his experience with anxiety, including the moment he had to walk off stage in the middle of a panic attack. He shares what he has learned about changing his relationship with anxiety, rather than constantly trying to fight or escape it.

The conversation also explores raising children in an increasingly overwhelming digital world, and Josh explains why he and his wife have chosen to keep social media out of their children's lives, and why protecting curiosity, imagination and genuine connection matters more than ever.

As chair of the PPCA, Josh also offers a fascinating perspective on the changing music industry, from streaming and royalties to the rise of AI-generated music. He discusses the importance of ensuring artists are properly compensated and their work is used with consent, while questioning what could happen to Australian music and culture if human creativity becomes harder to discover and support.

Along the way, Josh reflects on songwriting, children's books, collaboration and the mysterious magic that happens when creativity clicks. It's an honest and thoughtful conversation about anxiety, fatherhood, technology, art and what we might lose if we stop making space for distinctly human creativity.

LINKS

Josh's latest album 'Kingdom Within' is available now Follow Josh on Instagram Josh's website Sign up to the Better Than Yesterday newsletter Watch episodes of Better Than Yesterday on YouTube Watch full stories recorded live at Story Club on YouTube Listen to the Story Club podcast Get tickets for our next Story Club show Get Osher's latest books here Send a pic of what you're looking at to sendosheremail@gmail.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.