Tell Craig Your Story

Thomas Cleary - England - Author of the short book "Kelsey Left Her Mark"

Today on Tell Craig Your Story, I’m joined by Thomas Cleary — a writer, poet, comic creator, and radio storyteller whose journey has taken him from hospital radio and community airwaves in the UK to a creative life here in Shanghai.
After losing his father during lockdown, Thomas began revaluating his life, which led him to write and self-publish a deeply personal short book titled Kelsey Left A Mark — a reflective piece about gratitude, memory, and the lasting impact of a childhood friendship.
Writing Kelsey Left A Mark became a turning point, lifting a weight he’d carried for years and giving him the push to close old chapters and open new ones. Now living abroad, performing poetry, writing comics purely for the love of it, and lending his voice to an upcoming game promo, Thomas’s story is about creativity, grief, closure, and moving forward.
This is Thomas Cleary… and this is his story.”

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👉 Listen here:
🎧 Podbean: https://tellcraigyourstory.podbean.com
🌐 Linktree: https://www.linktr.ee/tellcraigyourstory
▶️ YouTube: @tellcraigyourstory

📱 Connect with Thomas Cleary:
💬 WeChat: @THOMASCLEARY
📸 Instagram: @doubting_thomas88

#TellCraigYourStory #ThomasCleary #KelseyLeftAMark #Podcast #Storytelling #Poetry #CreativeJourney #LifeStories #ShanghaiCreatives

Part 2 - Clint Lovering - Australia - Lead Vocals / Guitarist of Damage Inc

🎙️ Tell Craig Your Story – Episode 181 (Part 2)

In Part 2 of my chat with Clint Lovering — front man of Damage Inc. (@damageincmetallica) — we get into the roots of Australia’s ultimate Metallica tribute band.

Clint talks about how Damage Inc. was formed, the ups and downs of booking shows in the early days, and what it really takes to step into the shoes of James Hetfield. We dive into how the band carved their place in the Sydney music scene, how they finally landed on their name, and the Metallica songs Clint loves most to play live.

He also shares his love and respect for his bandmates, and answers a big question: will Damage Inc. ever release an original song in the future?

👉 Listen here:
🎧 Podbean: https://tellcraigyourstory.podbean.com
🌐 Linktree: https://www.linktr.ee/tellcraigyourstory
▶️ YouTube: @tellcraigyourstory

Follow Clint on Instagram: @dadzbod
And follow the band: @damageincmetallica

#DamageInc #MetallicaTribute #TellCraigYourStory #Metallica #ClintLovering #AUSAETERNATour #HeavyMetal #MetallicaFans #ThrashMetal #MetalCommunity #LiveMusic #MetalHeads #PodcastInterview #RockPodcast #MetalPodcast #JamesHetfield #LarsUlrich #HowardStern #MasterOfPuppets

Part 1 - Clint Lovering - Australia - Lead Vocals / Guitarist of Damage Inc

🎙️ Episode 180 – Part 1

“Today on Tell Craig Your Story, I’m thrilled to welcome Clint Lovering — front man of Damage Inc, Australia’s ultimate Metallica tribute band.

For over 20 years, Clint and the band have brought Metallica’s music to life with passion and precision. Along the way, they’ve shared the stage with the Sydney Symphony, performed the Last Post on ANZAC Day, and even received a shout-out from Lars Ulrich on the Howard Stern Show.

Damage Inc. is headlining the Official Night Before Party as a part of Metallica’s Australia and New Zealand M72 Tour this November — with shows across Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, and Auckland.

This is Part 1 of my conversation with Clint — a story about dedication, tribute, and keeping the flame of Metallica and heavy metal alive.”

👉 Listen here:
🎧 Podbean: https://tellcraigyourstory.podbean.com
🌐 Linktree: https://www.linktr.ee/tellcraigyourstory
▶️ YouTube: @tellcraigyourstory

Follow Clint on Instagram: @dadzbod
And follow the band: @damageincmetallica

#DamageInc #MetallicaTribute #TellCraigYourStory #Metallica #ClintLovering #AUSAETERNATour #HeavyMetal #MetallicaFans #ThrashMetal #MetalCommunity #LiveMusic #MetalHeads #PodcastInterview #RockPodcast #MetalPodcast #LarsUlrich #JamesHetfield #MasterOfPuppets #Meatloaf #HowardStern

Billie Blue Blackstone - Malaysian/ American - Singer / Song Writer

Episode 179 – Tell Craig Your Story Podcast | Billie Blue Blackstone

In this episode, I sit down with the incredibly talented Billie Blue Blackstone, a Malaysian-American singer-songwriter who first rose to prominence as the frontwoman of Billie Blue & The Nowhere Men before stepping out on her own as a solo artist.

We talk about her brand-new single “Persimmon Tree,” the creative process of recording in the studio, her pre-show rituals, and her unforgettable tours across India and Japan. Her decision to go solo. Billie also talks about seeing Green Day

This is a conversation about reinvention, artistry, and the journey of a musician finding her own voice.

🔗 Follow Billie Blue Blackstone on Instagram: @billieazelea

👉 Listen here:
🎧 Podbean: https://tellcraigyourstory.podbean.com
🌐 Linktree: https://www.linktr.ee/tellcraigyourstory
▶️ YouTube: @tellcraigyourstory

#BillieBlueBlackstone #TellCraigYourStory #PersimmonTree #IndieMusic #SingerSongwriter #JapanMusicScene #WomenInMusic #MusicPodcast #IndieArtist #LiveMusic #AkitaJapan #TourLife #BehindTheMusic #NewMusic2025 #PodcastInterview #GreenDay #KualaLumpur #Singapore #Malaysia

Hayley Zhao - China - English Editor & Writer at The World of Chinese.

Episode 178 🎙️
Today on Tell Craig Your Story, I’m excited to welcome Hayley Zhao — editor, writer, and multimedia journalist with The World of Chinese.

Hayley has a passion for bridging cultures through storytelling, whether it’s in print, podcasts, or multimedia projects. A graduate of Columbia Journalism School, her focus includes education, environmental reporting, and investigative journalism.

We first met at the MKW Pro Wrestling Battle of the Decade show in Beijing — an unforgettable night of action, energy, and incredible people. Since then, I’ve followed her work closely, and I’m thrilled to finally have her here to share her journey, experiences in journalism, and insights into life and culture in China.

📸 Instagram: @HayleyYiming

👉 Listen here:
🎧 Podbean: https://tellcraigyourstory.podbean.com
🌐 Linktree: https://www.linktr.ee/tellcraigyourstory
▶️ YouTube: @tellcraigyourstory

#HayleyZhao #TellCraigYourStory #PodcastInterview #TheWorldOfChinese #CulturalStories #ChinaPodcast #JournalismJourney #StorytellingMatters #MKWProWrestling #BeijingLife #GlobalVoices #AdrianGomez

Luke Preece - England - Art Director / Illustrator / Graphic Designer

Today I’m joined by a truly incredible guest Luke Preece—an artist whose work you’ve probably seen even if you didn’t realise it. He’s a UK-based illustrator and art director, celebrated for blending the dark, powerful aesthetics of heavy metal with the imagination of science fiction and fantasy.

Luke’s art has been commissioned by some of the biggest names in music and entertainment—Metallica, Slipknot, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Pearl Jam—as well as video game giants like Gears of War, DOOM, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater.

Described by Kerrang! as one of Britain’s pre-eminent illustrators, he creates everything from limited-edition posters to album artwork and even custom guitars. His unique style—born from a love of comics, sci-fi, and metal—is instantly recognizable and loved by fans worldwide.

It’s an absolute honour to welcome to the podcast… Luke Preece.
👉 @lukepreeceart | www.lukepreece.com

👉 Listen here:
Podbean: https://tellcraigyourstory.podbean.com
Linktree: https://www.linktr.ee/tellcraigyourstory
YouTube: @tellcraigyourstory

#LukePreece #Illustration #PodcastInterview #TellCraigYourStory #DCMarvel #MetalArt #HeavyMetalArt #DigitalArt #AlbumArt #PosterArt #ComicArt #FantasyArt #SciFiArt #MusicArt #Metallica #Slipknot #OzzyOsbourne #PearlJam #Mastodon #AvengedSevenfold #JudasPriest #ArtPodcast

Qin Qin - China - Author of her memoir Model Minority Gone Rogue

🎙️ Episode 176 – Tell Craig Your Story

This week, I’m joined by Qin Qin, author of the memoir Model Minority Gone Rogue. In this powerful and deeply personal story, Qin Qin reflects on navigating identity, cultural expectations, and the journey of breaking free from the “model minority” label.

Born in China, now residing in Canberra Australia, Qin Qin shares her experiences growing up under the shadow of the “Tiger Mother” stereotype — and how she challenged those expectations to discover her true self.

Her memoir is a bold exploration of resilience, self-discovery, and the courage it takes to write your own narrative — and it’s now available at all good bookstores.

👉 Podbean: https://tellcraigyourstory.podbean.com
👉 Linktree: https://www.linktr.ee/tellcraigyourstory
👉 YouTube: @tellcraigyourstory

#TellCraigYourStory #QinQin #ModelMinorityGoneRogue #Memoir #AuthorInterview #BreakingStereotypes #AsianVoices #IdentityMatters #InspiringStories #PodcastLife #HarvardUniversity #lawyer #China #Australia

Hope White - Australia - Sydney Giants / NSW / Australian Netball athlete

🎙️ Episode 175 – Tell Craig Your Story
This week, I’m joined by Hope White, a dynamic midcourter for the Sydney Giants in the Suncorp Super Netball League.

Born in Newcastle, Hope’s journey began at the Newcastle Netball Association before moving to the Central Coast Heart, where she developed under coaches Amber Cross. Her dedication led her to represent NSW and then Australia at U19 and U21 levels, making history as one of the youngest players in Australian netball.

Now a full-time Giant under coach Nerida Stewart, Hope has re-signed with the team through 2026 and continues to inspire young athletes with her passion, agility, and resilience.

🔥 Don’t miss this inspiring chat about her journey, resilience, and passion for the game 📲 Guest: @hopewhhite

*Spoiler Alert- Hope mentions that she will find out about making the Under 21's Australian Netball Team tomorrow, and as we are writing, Hope did make the team, so congratulations to her!!!!!*

🎧 Listen here:

👉 Podbean: https://tellcraigyourstory.podbean.com
👉 Linktree: https://www.linktr.ee/tellcraigyourstory
👉 YouTube: @tellcraigyourstory

#TellCraigYourStory #PodcastGuest #InspiringStories #AthleteJourney #SportsPodcast #HopeWhite #SydneyGiants #GiantsNetball #SuncorpSuperNetball #NSWNetball #AustralianNetball #NetballLife #RisingStar #YoungAthlete #SportsInspiration #WomenInSport