The UPco team is made up of all sorts of characters, and every one of them has a story. Here’s just one of them.

What’s your name, and your role at UPco?

Sam Fisher, and I’m UPco’s Admin Assistant. (Editor’s note: Sam’s job title should read more like “All-round Legend, Jack of Most Trades, Ad hoc Problem-solver, Human Gig Guide & Sports Scoreboard, and Guitar Geek.” Strangely, all skills relevant to this office).

Are you Melbourne born and bred?

Sure am. I was raised in the outer eastern suburbs. And after years of travelling, I’ve found myself living back there, too. I like the city, but it’s good to be close to my mates and family. And we’re close to the Dandenongs, which is one of my favourite places in Melbourne – I love the 1000 Steps Walk.

You’re kept pretty busy at work, from the sound of it! How do you spend your time off duty?

Well, I love my sport! Playing cricket and basketball takes up most of my weekends during summer (I play for Knox Gardens Cricket Club in the Ferntree Gully & District Association comp). I also love watching cricket – boring as it can seem, I find it interesting! And my other passion would be music. I’ve played guitar most of my life, and am currently kicking around in a cover band which is pretty fun. My dad is an old rocker, so I was lucky to be brought up with the right influences.

Speaking of music, what do you have on high rotation?

Hmmm, it’s usually hard to say! But my last Spotify Wrapped featured (in no particular order) Pink Floyd, the Darkness, Arctic Monkeys, Electric Callboy (they’re a German trance/metal core band – give them a listen!). And Luke Combs is in there too… I once played in a country band, which gave me an appreciation for that genre. Oh, and 70s and 80s rock is a staple in my musical diet.

Do you podcast? Or are you all about the music?

I do podcast! I’m an absolute history fanatic, so I love ‘The Rest is History’, with Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook. Those guys are hilarious. And it works really well because they come at things from two completely different perspectives.

Let’s talk travel. What has been your favourite city to visit?

It has to be Berlin. I spent a bit of time in Germany when I was in Europe – my mum is German, but her people live in the south of Germany, which is the polar opposite to Berlin. When I got to Berlin I just loved the way people live there… the music and the art. It’s a very unconventional city.

What’s your most memorable travel experience?

Funnily enough it involved one of the artists I mentioned before: the Darkness. I was in Las Vegas, and had just seen one of their gigs. It was at the House of Blues – an iconic venue. There was this kind of karaoke bar attached (not karaoke as we know it, but that’s another story…) and I went there for a couple of drinks after the show. I must have gone to the bathroom, because I remember suddenly realising the venue doors were locked… and I’d managed to avoid being kicked out! Then (drumroll) the Darkness come in, together with Vinnie Paul (the drummer from Pantera). I got to have a drink with them all and hang out for the night – it was surreal.

And what’s left on your bucket list?

Well, I want to go on an Ashes Cricket Tour of England. But first, maybe a trip doing the European music festival circuit. Glastonbury and Download Festival in Britain, Graspop in Belgium, Rock am Ring and Rock im Park in Nuremburg… it’d be very cool to check all those out.

Finally, what’s one surprising fact about you?

Well, I love watching Jeopardy. I like quiz shows in general, but Jeopardy in particular. I find it fast-paced but weirdly relaxing. And the good thing is, there’s an endless supply of it!

View all articles