Silly Talks by Silly McWiggles: Recent Episodes
Silly McWiggles
A podcast about all things Aussie music-related from an opinionated non-Aussie blogger girl.
Join the host, Saba from the sillymcwiggles.blog, as she speaks to people who do something seriously “non-silly” (pun intended) in the Australian music community. Discussions about broader industry topics + more personal chats with the invited guests about what they do, how they do and why they even bother.
P.S. Contact Saba at sabatheexperiencedesigner@gmail.com for collab/chat proposals.
Here are a few controversial statements:
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Music is still heavily male-dominated.
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The perception of women over 40, in life or in music, is neither true nor fair.
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Local, emerging artists are notoriously struggling to make their careers sustainable.
All the above led, in some way, to establishing Feminista Vinyl (FV) - a record shop located in Melbourne’s suburb of Coburg. It celebrates female-led, trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming inclusive bands and artists from all cultures. It is a non-profit run by 6 fabulous founders, who are musicians, social workers or teachers themselves.
Two of them, Trish Hayes and Clare O’Rourke, chat to me about the night the idea was born, their most unusual piece of merch (spoiler alert, it’s not a rare vinyl), their version of a mini music festival and heaps of other things behind their DIY project.
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Check out Feminista Vinyl’s page.
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Listen to FV playlists:
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NAIDOC @ Feminista Vinyl
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1800 Indie Punk Anthems
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Learn more about the Typical Girls programme.
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Get tix for the FV Fundraising Dance Party.
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Browse more content like this on my other Silly McWiggles channels.
Venice Qin lives on a musical planet built from contradictions — East meets West, Erhu meets hyper-pop, heartbreak meets turbo BPM.
Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, she now lives in Sydney, but her parents come from Mainland China. So, she has always navigated the limbo between different cultures, in life and in her creative pursuits.
The rising star is also classically trained, almost became an opera singer and was into musical theatre for a good while. But it's the pop scene that she's ultimately embraced.
Venice Qin's debut album, 奔月 MOONLANDING, is an intriguing musical combination of her roots, stories about transformation and learning how to feel.
Hear the artist talk about the Chinese mythology that inspired this record, her take on people's perception of pop music and some behind-the-scenes details related to shooting music videos.
And then:
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Listen to Venice Qin's new album, 奔月 MOONLANDING.
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Follow Venice Qin on her channels.
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Check out the intriguing video to "Angel" (landing on September 26, 2025).
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Browse more content like this on my other Silly McWiggles channels.
A lot has happened for bella amor since she burst onto the Aussie music scene in 2022. Signing to Sony, working with Mushroom, performing at Groovin' The Moo and BIGSOUND, and supporting King Stingray, Lime Cordiale and Benson Boone (yep, that somersault -loving American singer) - it’s been quite a ride.
But now, with the release of her debut EP, this is where i’m at, the Gold Coast-based indie singer feels like she’s “shedding her old self” and looking forward to the next chapter of her music industry career.
Join me in chatting to bella amor about her fave (and least fave) aspects of being an artist, her take on lip-syncing videos and challenging the perception of Gen Z. I promise - it will be fun!
- Follow bella amor on her socials.
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Check out the artist’s vodcast on YT.
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Find out about bella's music heroes and inspirations from her "aussie legends" playlist.
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Browse more content like this on my other Silly McWiggles channels.
Jimmy Kyle grew up in the screamo era in Australia. So naturally, his first band was a new metal outfit. But with the Chasing Ghosts project, he's also made acoustic and punk troubadour-y records. And on the new, "shiny" album, as he dubs 'Therapy', he posed the question again, "Where to next, sonically?"
In this chat, he walks me through that unusual journey, the complex themes threaded through the new album, and how he fulfils the responsibility he feels towards his Fist Nations community.
-> Listen to new album 'Therapy' wherever you get your music and visit Chasing Ghosts website.
-> Read Jimmy's article from the Indigenous X platform: "My white privilege comes at a price."
-> Learn more about NAIDOC Week in Australia.
-> Follow my @SillyMcWiggles channels.
The music in this episode is courtesy of Chasing Ghosts.
The song snippets are (in the order they appear in the episode):
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Flowers (00:48)
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IWPTEK (13:08)
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Chamomile Tea (20:23)
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My Bingayi (22:45)
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Hurting Years (25:30)
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Amnesia Everybody (30:08)
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Ten Feet Tall (36: 09)
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Trick or Treaty (42:38)
Brisbane-based Suitcase Records has been pressing beautiful vinyl for around three years. And it's been quite a journey!
They're a family-run business with a down-to-earth yet inspiring origin story. Spoiler alert: neither owner had anything to do with music professionally.
Kathy Wilson tells me about running the company day-to-day, the Suitcase Records' values, and how they're striving to support Australian music.
To learn more about vinyl pressing, check out Suitcase Records' resources:
https://suitcaserecords.com.au/pages/pressing-records
Watch Kathy explain the sustainable part of their business:
https://tinyurl.com/sustainable-vinyl-pressing
Watch my review of Phebe Starr's album "Dirt":
https://suitcaserecords.com.au/pages/i-just-heard-a-new-album
Browse more Silly McWiggles content:
https://linktr.ee/SillyMcWiggles
Here's a mind-blowing fact: There are only three vinyl pressing plants in Australia.
Suitcase Records is one of them.
And it turns out that manufacturing the legendary disc is a pretty complex process. Kathy Wilson, the co-owner of the Brisbane-based business, walks me through its different parts:
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Why is vinyl back?
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Is pressing it completely automated?
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What is Suitcase Records' production capacity?
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And what do artists need to consider when commissioning a batch for their next release?
Find out from this episode.
Visit Suitcase records here:
https://suitcaserecords.com.au/
Watch Kathy explain the sustainable part of their business:
https://tinyurl.com/sustainable-vinyl-pressing
Browse more Silly McWiggles content:
https://linktr.ee/SillyMcWiggles
Independent Aussie musos - rejoice!
COMMUNITY MUSIC is a new distribution alternative, a platform designed to help artists from the Land Down Under take their careers to the global stage. It's all about empowering artists by combining the music industry insights, tech expertise and artist management experience.
UNIFIED Music Group has thrown its support behind the project. Find out about its ins and outs from the platform's main developer, Will Cuming, aka electronic artist LANKS.
Visit COMMUNITY MUSIC: https://www.communitymusic.net/
Browse UNIFIED Music Group's website: https://unifiedmusicgroup.com/
Learn more about LANKS and his music projects:
https://www.lanksmusic.com/
More Silly McWiggles channels this way:
https://linktr.ee/SillyMcWiggles
This is the second episode in the special 'Silly Talks Music' Aussie hip-hop edition.
DEVAURA is a Kiwi-born, Western Sydney-based singer/rapper who calls herself “a good citizen with bad habits”.
Her background is in singing, but she never really had any formal education in music. That didn’t stop her from making waves in the Aussie hip-hop scene.
Except for the dope beats, her rising popularity has everything to do with her lyrics and the relatable, authentic stories she tells in her rhymes.
But does she think she’s a better rapper than a singer?
Find out from this episode.
Check out DEVAURA's channels:
https://linktr.ee/DEVAURA
Browse more Silly McWiggles content:
https://linktr.ee/SillyMcWiggles
This is the first episode in the special 'Silly Talks Music' Aussie hip-hop edition.
Emerging singer/rapper DEVAURAburst onto the Aussie music scene in 2023… and she’s already stirred things up considerably in the hip-hop realm.
Despite being named one of Triple J Unearthed 2024 Draft Picks and knocking two showcases at BIGSOUND out of the park, she still humbly calls herself “a student of rap.”
Find out how crossing paths with other amazing creatives from Western Sydney encouraged her to pursue a new avenue in music. She also breaks down passionately why storytelling and world-building are key to engaging listeners.
Check out DEVAURA's channels:
https://linktr.ee/DEVAURA
Browse more Silly McWiggles content:
https://linktr.ee/SillyMcWiggles
Silly McWiggles is back with a new theme, new guests, and a new attitude.
Check out some format changes introduced this season, and stay tuned for the first chat coming in November 2024.
Browse more Silly McWiggles content:
https://linktr.ee/SillyMcWiggles
Welcome to a new segment on the pod!
This time, I'm shining a light on different regions of the Land Down Under through the eyes of a local act.
Newgate Crowd might be a young, up-and-coming alt-rock band. But they know the Adelaide scene inside out.
Find out about their favourite venues, who has the only vinyl copy of their "Auditory Processing" EP, why they prefer to rehearse in a pilates studio and which character from the Muppet Show inspired one of the members to learn to play an instrument... which he ended up hating.
Give Newgate Crowd some love and watch their latest music vid to "Change of Mood" - the single we talked about in the show.
Also, be sure to check out the playlist with local South Australian acts, started by the band. (A correction here - it's now over 11 hrs long and counting.)
I have the band's permission to use their song in the interview.
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Generally speaking, the heavier music genres don't top music charts these days. And if they do, most of them are all male outfits.
Is Australia different on that front? What does the heavier scene look like in The Land Down Under? And what is it like to be a woman in that broad genre?
All these topics (and more) are the focus of my chat with Sam - the singer of the Sydney alt-metal band Fifth Dawn.
Find more content like this on the sillymcwiggles.blog.
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Despite what you might think, not every musician or band in Australia is from Melbourne or Sydney. BELLA DEER is based in Geelong, Victoria, for a change.
She talks to me about all the great opportunities she's had in the music business so far, including being a finalist in the prestigious Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition.
But everyone knows the music industry is not a bed of roses. So Bella also sheds some light on the challenges independent musos still face, not only in the Land Down Under.
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Hands up if you know any Aussie country artists.
Fanny Lumsden is one of them. And she's taking me on a journey through the country music scene in the Land Down Under. We're also talking about Fanny's breakthrough album and the signature tour she's been running in rural areas for over a decade.
Last but not least, check out this playlist with Australian country artists curated by Fanny.
More content like this on my sillymcwiggles.blog.
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Season 5 opens with a chat with an international guest.
Pilani Bubu is a singer/songwriter from South Africa. Her recent multi-part project, "Folklore", is a selection of stories about her land and a personal journey. Pilani talks about discovering her role in preserving her ancestors' knowledge and wisdom and what it's like to sing in her native languages.
This chat is a great lesson on South Africa's history and current affairs. Hence, here's a list of all the important people, places and events Pilani has mentioned throughout this interview, with a few personal notes from her as well:
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Where she is from: Transkei / Wild Coast / Mpondo People / Eastern Mpondoland
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Where she currently lives: Gauteng / Pretoria (The Capital City) / Johannesburg.
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Activist musicians: Mirriam Makeba / Brenda Fassie Dorothy Masuka Hugh Masekela
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Post-Apartheid Genres: Afropop / Kwaito
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African Renaissance Artists: Malaika / Mafikizolo
*Dance Movements / Post-colonial freedom of expression: Ama Piano / Ggqom / Moonchild Sanelly / Sho Madjozi / Tyla (nominated for Grammy now for Water) / Musa Keys (also nominated)
- The languages she speaks: Xhosa / Sesotho / Setswana / Zulu / Afrikaans / English
P.S. Shakira sang the 2010 World Cup song in collaboration with a group called Freshlyground, with the lead singer Zolani Mahola.
P.S.2 Jazz improv and inspiration for singing in Joburg was a diverse area before the Group Areas Act (A law passed by the Apartheid government to separate us by racial groups in terms of where people could live) called Sophiatown.
More content like this on my sillymcwiggles.blog.
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Silly McWiggles is back on air.
Are you ready for more chats about the (Aussie and beyond) music business?
This is a special March 2024 edition dedicated to females in this tricky industry. #girlpower
Find out why it's taken Silly this long to release another round of interviews and who her amazing guests are this time.
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Between October 2022 and October 2023, I had a creative stint on Radio 614 from Columbus, Ohio. I produced 13 episodes, on different music-related topics, for a show called Cultural Popcorn. This is one of those episodes dedicated to a Melbourne-based art-rock band, Peak Park, whose career I've been following for over three years now. We previously caught up on this podcast in May 2022.
Check out Cultural Popcorn's Mixcloud page with all archived episodes here:
https://www.mixcloud.com/Cultural_Popcorn/
And listen to Radio 614 here:
https://radio614.org/
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Between October 2022 and October 2023, I had a creative stint on Radio 614 from Columbus, Ohio. I produced 13 episodes, on different music-related topics, for a show called Cultural Popcorn. This is one of those episodes dedicated to the Indigenous artists from Australia. It's also a glimpse at the Aboriginal history and legacy.
Check out Cultural Popcorn's Mixcloud page with all archived episodes here:
https://www.mixcloud.com/Cultural_Popcorn/
And listen to Radio 614 here:
https://radio614.org/
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Between October 2022 and October 2023, I had a creative stint on Radio 614 from Columbus, Ohio. I produced 13 episodes, on different music-related topics, for a show called Cultural Popcorn. This is one of those episodes dedicated to the city where it all started for me: Melbourne/Naarm.
Check out Cultural Popcorn's Mixcloud page with all archived episodes here:
https://www.mixcloud.com/Cultural_Popcorn/
And listen to Radio 614 here:
https://radio614.org/
--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
On June 1, 2023, for the first time in history, TikTok live-streamed a concert from an Indigenous Australian community. Over 100k platform users and 2,000 locals from Wadeye in the Northern Territory, where the event took place, watched the rising First Nations hip-hop star J-MILLA deliver his electrifying show. Chryss Carr, who manages the young rapper, was the one who pulled off this collaboration. How did she convince TikTok to enter this risky business in a remote area where the internet could drop out any time? Find out from this episode. Check out AUM (Chryss's company): https://www.aum.net.au/ Get to know J-MILLA: https://www.instagram.com/jmillaofficial/ Watch the news report about the concert: https://www.tiktok.com/@jmillaofficial/video/7241890310966594824 Find more content like this on my page: https://sillymcwiggles.blog/
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Having been in the music business since the 80s, artist manager and former publicist Chryss Carr has probably seen it all. But even she thinks PR has become a much more complex game these days. She also shares her views on women's place in the industry and gives me solid advice on why the music industry is now a labyrinth and how to know “who's who in the zoo”.
Check out AUM (Chryss's company):
https://www.aum.net.au/
Get to know J-MILLA:
https://www.instagram.com/jmillaofficial/
Learn about the "Beneath The Glass Ceiling" movement:
https://linktr.ee/beneaththeglassceiling
Check out Andrew Watt's book "Welcome To The Jungle: Navigating the Music Business in Australia":
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20840836-welcome-to-the-jungle
Find more content like this on my page:
https://sillymcwiggles.blog/
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
She worked with the most commercially successful Aboriginal Australian musician, Gurrumul. Thanks to her, Australia (and the world) heard about Indigenous rapper Baker Boy. She also secured the first global TikTok live-streaming event from a remote territory for another one of her hip-hop artists, J-MILLA. Artist manager and former publicist who can’t help but still dabble with the media, Chryss Carr, speaks to me about her rock'n'roll career in the Australian music industry, falling in love with Darwin and the Northern Territory, and what it takes to break First Nations acts.
Check out AUM (Chryss' company):
https://www.aum.net.au/
Learn more about Gurrumul:
http://www.gurrumul.com/about/
Watch the documentary about Gurrumul:
https://youtu.be/TXa3gw3g4C4
Find out what's on at the Darwin Festival:
https://www.darwinfestival.org.au/
Fall in love with the Northern Territory:
https://northernterritory.com/
Get to know Skinnyfish Records:
https://www.skinnyfishmusic.com.au/
Learn more about the First Nations' "Voice" to Parliament:
https://voice.gov.au/
Find more content like this on my page:
https://sillymcwiggles.blog/
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Many people dream of working in the music space. But being a part of the business also comes with some downsides. Ask any artists touring for extended periods of the year. Ash King is the in-house psychologist for Support Act, the Australian music industry's mental health charity. She walks me through the impact of well-being on the lives of the people working in the music business (and everyone else's, for that matter).
Visit Support Act's page:
https://supportact.org.au/
Support Act's Wellbeing Hotline:
1800 959 500 (24 hours a day, 365 days per year, within Australia only)
Find out why you should support 'Support Act':
http://sillymcwiggles.blog/2021/11/17/why-you-should-support-support-act/
Learn more about 'Sound Minds':
https://supportact.org.au/mental-health/sound-minds-meet-ups-for-the-music-community/
Participate in the Aus Music T-shirt Day:
https://www.ausmusictshirtday.org.au/
Read my article about #ausmusictshirtday:
http://sillymcwiggles.blog/2019/11/13/need-another-reason-to-wear-your-favourite-bands-merchandise-join-ausmusictshirtday/
Watch the interview with Lucas Sutton:
https://youtu.be/axXNMI7N2NI
Find me online as @SillyMcWiggles
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Apart from haka, rugby and Lorde, what else do you know about New Zealand? And how about the Māori culture? Meet Matariki Cultural Foundation's Director, Hinu(rewa) Te Hau, who shares her invaluable insights on the importance of Māori arts and music in New Zealand's society.
Browse some Maori vocabulary here:
https://tereomaori.tki.org.nz/Teacher-tools/Te-Whakaipurangi-Rauemi/High-frequency-word-lists
Get to know some Maori artists:
https://www.last.fm/tag/maori/artists
Learn about Taonga pūoro - Māori musical instruments:
https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/maori/maori-musical-instruments
Find out more about the traditional dance, kapa haka:
https://www.newzealand.com/int/feature/kapa-haka-maori-performance/
Learn about The Treaty of Waitangi:
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/treaty/the-treaty-in-brief
More resources about Mātauranga Māori – Māori knowledge:
https://www.takai.nz/find-resources/articles/matauranga-maori/
Visit Matariki Cultural Foundation:
https://www.puoronz.com/
See what Creative New Zealand has to offer:
https://www.creativenz.govt.nz/
Check out Māori Language Commission:
https://en.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/
Visit NZ Music Commission:
https://nzmusic.org.nz/
and its division, Outward Sound:
https://nzmusic.org.nz/international/
Listen to Iwi Radio Stations:
http://www.irirangi.net/iwi-stations.aspx
And finally, connect with me on my channels:
Silly McWiggles
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
The chat about diversity, inclusion and access with Morwenna Collett - a disability consultant in the arts industry in Australia - inspired me to make my online channels more suitable for different audiences. So I thought providing transcripts on the platforms where my podcast is available would be a good way to start. But I ran into some unexpected obstacles...
Find the subtitled version of this special episode here:
https://youtu.be/q8_isYfp_Dc
Check out Otter for your transcripts:
https://otter.ai/home
Find Morwenna's page here:
https://www.morwennacollett.com/
DM me on socials @SillyMcWiggles with your thoughts
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Wheelchair-accessible venues, quiet spaces for neurodiverse people at festivals or sign language interpreting at concerts are no longer just nice-to-haves. Yet, there's still much room for improvement to make the music business more diverse, accessible and inclusive. How's Australia doing on that front? Morwenna Collett, an accomplished facilitator passionate about increasing accessibility within the music industry, is talking me through some of her findings and her own lived experience as a musician with a disability.
Find the subtitled chat here on YT:
https://youtu.be/txTx0LqW45U
Visit Morwenna's website:
https://www.morwennacollett.com/
The article about Beyoncé's and Lizzo's ableist lyrics is here:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/01/when-beyonce-dropped-the-same-ableist-slur-as-lizzo-on-her-new-album-my-heart-sank
Watch this video of Auslan interpreters rocking out at a gig:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2369978963293765
Amber Galloway (American sign languages interpreter)'s website:
https://www.ambergproductions.com/
Check out Ability Fest:
https://www.abilityfest.com.au/
and my blog post about it:
http://sillymcwiggles.blog/2021/11/24/is-ability-fest-the-most-accessible-music-festival-in-australia/
Learn about Arts Access Australia's mission:
https://artsaccessaustralia.org/
Meet Morwenna's peer and disability advocate, Eliza Hull:
https://www.elizahull.com/
Find out more about Hack Sounds:
https://hacksounds.com/
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Dino Lupelli is an entrepreneur who creates opportunities for innovation in the music sector, especially the live side of it. He's based in Milan, Italy, but the projects he spearheads, like Linecheck and the Music Innovation Hub, have had a global impact. A big part of his work is related to the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) aspects of culture. So I picked his brain about the "green" side of concerts and festivals, including ideas to become more sustainable, the cost of the transition and how the topic is perceived by different parties within the music business, in general.
Learn more about Dino on his website:
http://www.dinolupelli.com/
Visit the Music Innovation Hub:
https://musicinnovationhub.org/home-en/
Browse useful resources provided by these sustainability-focused music organisations:
Julie's Bicycle -> https://juliesbicycle.com/
Music Declares Emergency -> https://musicdeclares.net/
Green Music Australia -> https://www.greenmusic.org.au/
Find me on socials as @SillyMcWiggles, and check out my sillymcwiggles.blog for more music-related topics.
Feel free to drop me an email at: sabatheexperiencedesigner@gmail.com as well.
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Who’s keen for more “Silly Talks” with Saba from the Silly McWiggles project?
This season, we’re going international. And the chats are centred around topics like sustainability, working with First Nations artists, accessibility and mental health.
Stoked to be back! Speak soon!
Collab proposals are welcome.
Find me online: sillymcwiggles.blog or
Drop me an email at sabatheexperiencedesigner@gmail.com or
DM me @SillyMcWiggles on socials.
Podcast credits:
Concept, recording, production & artwork design - Saba from the Silly McWiggles project
Music Theme from iMovie
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
In my humble view, some jobs in the music business are totally underestimated. Sound engineering is one of them. The truth is, you only notice the sound techs when something goes wrong at a gig. So I asked Dan Nash, an Aussie professional with over 20 years of experience in the field, to explain what goes into this challenging, yet fascinating profession.
You can find Dan on IG: https://www.instagram.com/dannashthings/
Learn some audio terminology from this online glossary:
https://www.musicianonamission.com/audio-terms-by-subject/
Check out two audio technology companies Dan mentions in the chat:
DiGiCo: https://digico.biz/
Avid: https://www.avid.com/
Find me on socials as @SillyMcWiggles, and check out my sillymcwiggles.blog for more Aussie music-related topics.
Feel free to drop me an email at: sabatheexperiencedesigner@gmail.com as well.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Have you heard of Big Sand yet? It's a virtual science fiction band, "Australia's Answer to Gorillaz", that debuted in April 2022. Sally Coleman, the project's creator and "manager" talks me through how she came up with the idea, the tech that made it possible, and her adventures in the world of animation and motion capture - totally new to her.
Check out the Big Sand's website: https://www.bigsand.band/
I also wrote about it on my blog: https://sillymcwiggles.blog/2022/05/04/theres-a-virtual-science-fiction-band-in-australia-and-it-dropped-its-first-single-last-week/
Connect with Sally on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sally-coleman-777801134/?originalSubdomain=au
And here are some companies and initiatives that helped Sally make the project happen:
CDW Animation - https://cdwanimation.com/
Artbreeder - https://www.artbreeder.com/
Unreal Engine - https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US
Digital Futures Initiative - https://australiacouncil.gov.au/investment-and-development/partnerships-and-co-investing-with-us/apra-amcos-digital-futures/
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Wouldn't it be great if touring musos could save on some costs generated by life on the road, by receiving free food, accommodation or transport, for example? Pixie Weyand, the founder of Feed Music, is convinced this can be done. I'm sold on this idea already, but Pixie is currently on the journey to convince brands and music fans about it, too. Find out how the concept works from this episode.
Check out Feed Music's website: https://www.feedmusic.org/
Connect with Pixie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pixieweyand/?originalSubdomain=au
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
A flight from Sydney to New York is about 22 hours, from Perth to London - approximately 16 hours, and from Melbourne to Singapore - more or less 8 hours. So it's not easy or cheap for an average Aussie act to tour overseas. Nevertheless, the world is finally embracing the potential of the artists from the Land Down Under. So I've invited Larry Heath, the Associate Producer for Sounds Australia - the Australian Music Export Office, to take me through all the ups and downs of exporting Aussie music abroad.
Get to know Larry's company, Heath Media:
https://www.heathmedia.com.au/
Learn more about Sounds Australia on their website:
https://soundsaustralia.com.au/welcome-2/
Read about the Aussie BBQ in London in May 2022:
http://sillymcwiggles.blog/2022/05/25/the-2022-aussie-bbq-was-heaps-good-hey-my-takeaways-from-the-event/
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
I often get the question, "Who is your music journalist role model?" Well, here is me talking to one. Sosefina Fuamoli has worked with Rolling Stone Australia, the ARIA Awards, or BIGSOUND music conference, for instance. And I'm quizzing her on the "definition" of Australian music, some grassroots organisations championing local music Down Under, and the vital aspects of the business that still need to be addressed urgently.
Don’t forget to tune into the Silly Encore with Sosefina after this one. We’ll talk about some of her fave Aussie acts.
Find out more about Sosefina on her website:
https://www.sosefinafuamoli.com/
And here are links to some projects we mention throughout the episode:
NEWPRINT (supporting young artists of colour living in outer urban and regional areas):
https://mav.org.au/projects/newprint/
Music In Exile (not-for-profit record label for artists from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds):
https://musicinexile.com.au/
BIGSOUND (Australian music business conference and showcase):
https://www.bigsound.org.au/
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
We’re back to talk more "silly" stuff with serious Aussie music industry peeps. This time round, they’re (mostly) not musicians themselves.
Housekeeping: no more video from this season onwards, just my sexy international accent and my esteemed guests in audio format.
Sooooooo keen. Hope you are, too!
Saba from the sillymcwiggles.blog
Collab proposals welcome! Drop me an email at sabatheexperiencedesigner@gmail.com or DM @SillyMcWiggles on socials.
Podcast credits:
Concept, recording, production & artwork design - Saba from the Silly McWiggles blog
Music Theme from iMovie
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
To close this season of the podcast, here are some bits and pieces from the chats with all four guests on some totally silly and some completely serious aspects of the music business, with a few insights from Down Under.
You'll hear again from:
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cellist Anita Quayle: https://www.anitaquayle.com/
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the gents from the art-rock band Peak Park: https://www.thisispeakpark.com/
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Fight The Sun's frontman: https://fightthesun.com/
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and the R&B powerhouse Caiti Baker: http://caitibaker.com/about
Follow
https://sillymcwiggles.blog/
for more news and topics related to Australian music.
You can email me at:
sabatheexperiencedesigner@gmail.com
with any collaboration proposals.
And stay tuned for more seasons of Silly Talks in the future!
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
I wanted to speak to Caiti Baker since the very first time I saw her at the St Kilda Fest in Melbourne in 2018. The Darwin-based singer/songwriter has such a magnetic vibe about her on stage that it's impossible to forget her shows. So when we finally connected on Instagram last year, I was super stoked to hear about her story so far and how a completely new chapter in her music adventure is about to get started.
Find out more about Caiti Baker on her website:
http://caitibaker.com/about
Here is a link to her Sietta project on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1qZEYie7YNe5V7D1nmXOrd?si=5JZopyR0R7u6mFUuu9Mkpg
Check out the 'Birds Eye View' podcast as well:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1dWFGsh89LWWit0qgV4aeg?si=a77fdc2ddc584f73
You might want to learn more about Kuya James:
https://www.instagram.com/kuyajamesmusic/?hl=en
Also, visit my blog:
https://sillymcwiggles.blog/
And finally, consider supporting me on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/SillyMcWiggles?fan_landing=true
See you in the next episode which is entirely dedicated to Caiti Baker’s new album, 'Under Our Galaxy'.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
You’d be surprised, but although I cover heaps of music genres, rock and the heavier sound are my kind of vibe. So when Fight The Sun pitched their music to me on Groover, I invited their frontman, Adrian, for an in-depth chat. And we ventured into many different topics, like navigating social media and rock music marketing.
Find out more about Fight The Sun on their website:
https://fightthesun.com/
Check out Adrian’s “Riffs of the Day” On TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@fightthesun
If you want to submit your music to me on Groover, contact me here:
https://groover.co/en/influencer/profile/0.silly-mcwiggles/
Also, visit Shihad, the Kiwi band Adrian mentioned in the conversation:
https://shihad.com/
See you in the next episode where I’ll speak to Adrian about Fight The Sun’s new music and their plans for the future.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Being a DIY band has its ups and downs: you learn heaps as you go, but it can get pretty hectic sometimes. The two Melbourne pandemic lockdowns were a huge blow to Peak Park’s plans as well. Yet, they’ve managed to come out stronger on the other end, both as bandmates and mates in general.
Find out more about Peak Park on their website:
https://www.thisispeakpark.com/
The interview with Peak Park from two years ago is here on my YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzrlxCkdyxY&list=PLHp5-7Ybvkr6vmAjoj5H8928Heqs_vNII
Follow my blog here:
https://sillymcwiggles.blog/
Don’t miss the next episode, the Silly Encore with Peak Park, where we’ll chat more about the band’s new EP, “How To Be”.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Classical instrument players are rarely guests on my show, and it’s time to change it. So today, I’m speaking to Anita Quayle - a Melbourne-based cellist and composer with 25 years of experience in the music business. She does so many cool, modern things with her traditionally classical instrument that I think I’m going to start taking cello lessons myself :)
Come back on Thursday to hear more about Anita and her journey to becoming a cellist.
Find out more about Anita here:
https://www.anitaquayle.com/
If you’re in or around Melbourne this week, catch Anita with her Beyond The Lake project at The Toff In Town on Thursday, 28 April 2022. Get tix here:
https://thetoff.com.au/gigs/beyond-the-lake-coming-home-album-launch/
The best way to support Beyond The Lake is through Bandcamp:
https://beyondthelake.bandcamp.com/music
Links to some other resources/artists mentioned in the episode are below.
Anita demonstrates the electric cello and its effects on the Australian Musician podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BcQxKLlgKw
Guzheng Player Mindy Meng Wang:
http://mindymengwang.com/
Violinist Xani Kolac:
https://www.xanikolac.com/
MAS (Melbourne Amplified Strings):
https://www.xanikolac.com/projects/#mas
The SPIRE project:
https://www.xanikolac.com/projects/#spire
The 13:12 project:
https://www.1312.com.au/about
Canadian cellist Zoë Keating:
https://www.zoekeating.com/
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Silly McWiggles is back to talk more "silly" stuff with serious Aussie music industry peeps.
Housekeeping: this time the episodes are dropping every Tuesday and Thursday. Stay tuned for the first one!
I'm keen. Are you? ;)
Saba from the sillymcwiggles.blog
Check out my new ventures below.
Silly McWiggles on Groover:
https://groover.co/en/influencer/profile/0.silly-mcwiggles/
Silly McWiggles on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/SillyMcWiggles
Podcast credits:
Concept, recording, production & artwork design - Saba from the Silly McWiggles blog
Music Theme from iMovie
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Who’s better qualified to launch an artist coaching company than an artist herself? Kate Westwood, a singer-songwriter from Melbourne, decided to use her experience in the music business to support the indie music community. In this Silly Talk, she explains how Westwood Management supports indie artists with heaps of different resources.
Find out more about Westwood Management on their website: www.westwoodmgmt.com.au
Why not join the waitlist for the 2022 Indie Musician Summit run by them as well? Register here: www.indiemusiciansummit.com
And don’t forget to tune into the Silly Encore with Kate. We’ll talk about her unusual career path in music.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
If you’ve lived overseas for a bit longer, then you’ll know that it has its ups and downs. So does Prita Grealy. She has a unique perspective of a musician who has performed and toured both in Europe and Australia. The Perth-based muso also shares heaps of useful tips for emerging artists in terms of managing finances, booking gigs and learning things by doing in the music biz.
Find out more about Prita on her website: https://prita.com.au/ or Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prita_grealy/
Tune into the Silly Encore with the artist to hear about Prita’s musical inspirations and why hip hop is one of her go-to music genres, despite being a singer-songwriter.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
Interviewing female musos is my fave thing, hands down. Here are some topics I've discussed with DZirè - a Melbs-based artist and producer - in this inaugural episode of Silly Talks:
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Does working with a musician who’s also a family member help or disturb?
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Can bedroom-made music be refined for the market?
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What doesn’t she like doing when it comes to promoting her art?
If you’re keen on collaborating with DZirè, contact her at desiree@dziremusic.com or slide into her DMs on Instagram: https://instagram.com/dzire_____
And tune back into Silly Encore to explore the artist's creative approach in more depth.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message
This is a trailer, not a spoiler :) It gives away some info but not too much.
You'll just have to tune in on Sunday and Thursday evenings to find out for yourself. But I promise there'll always be (a) guest(s) and we'll talk about the Aussie music biz, in all its shapes and forms.
So see you soon, I hope?
Saba from the sillymcwiggles.blog
Credits:
Concept, recording, production & artwork design - Saba from the Silly McWiggles blog
Music Theme from iMovie
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silly-mcwiggles-blog/message