The Big Note

18/12/2025

As the Sun begins to set on another year (or as the Earth continues to turn as it orbits the Sun), for 2025's last episode [ #121] of The Big Note on 3MDR 97.1 FM on Wednesday the 10th of December, I wrap up the year by revisiting some of the topics we covered and as usual, play some excellent & eclectic music along the way! Thanks for listening in 2025!
I'm on a Summer Break until the New Year now. I hope everyone stays safe, healthy and happy until I catch up with you all again in 2026. Be kind to yourselves and others.

Playlist:
* Wake Up - SaharaCyberstars [14-11-25] Sahara Music Record Label
* All We Can Be - Rebma Rose [03-12-25]
* New Dreams - Dub Machine [05-12-25]
* Grown - Warataah [03-12-25]
* Insect Drummers I: Inside the Mosquito's Brain - David Rothenberg - “Bug Music” [2013]
* Tide - Not Drowning, Waving from “The Little Desert” [1985]
* Concede/Defy - Spacegoat [04-04-25]
* 9/8 Objects - Frank Zappa from "Everything Is Healing Nicely" [21-12-1999]
* Njurunj by Yirinda from “Yirinda” [2024]
* Higher Than The Sun - Visions of a Nomad [07-11-25]
* Bruise - Greeble [12-05-25] triple j unearthed
* You Got Me Feeling - Parcels from “LOVED” [12-09-25]
* Love Balloon - Ocean Alley from “Love Balloon” [19-09-25] Independent
* Shoulder to Shoulder - Ullah [15-08-25]
* Santa Dog ’78 - The Residents from “Nibbles” [1979]

Episode Image: Sunset Clouds in the Dandenong Ranges (photo by C. J. Stephen)

16/12/2025

Dear groovers. Apologies - I haven't even updated last week's playlist (edit - I have now attended to this, please see post below) 😁
Just letting you know The Big Note is now officially on a Summer Break until the New Year. Stay well, stay safe and be kind to yourselves and others.

09/12/2025

Good morning all! I'm in the studios of 3MDR 97.1 FM for the last Big Note of the year. There's a prize for anyone who can guess what the ONE & ONLY Silly Season song I am going to play this morning. Listen in & I'll give a few clues. Stay brilliant!

05/12/2025

Jane the Great says: OK Groovers, do you know what time it is? That's right! It's BANDCAMP FRIDAY! Go on, get down with your good self and support some hard working musicians!
Ok, It's now me saying that if you liked my playlist from Wednesday's show, Essendon Airport band have a repress of their new album MOR up, but in very limited quantities, so be quick! Also, most of the excellent artists I play on The Big Note have their music & merch on Bandcamp, just saying! Don't give pricks like Ek your hard earned dollars, give it to the artists!!

03/12/2025

For episode #120 of The Big Note 3MDR 97.1 FM we spin some new music for you on this sunny (yay!) Wednesday morning! We'll also talk about experimental, out-there music & culture and the concept of "scenius" touching on the Naarm/Melbourne "Scen[ius]" and some of it's roots tracing back to the 1970's University of California San Diego Music Department. Thanks to David Chesworth for the inspiration for this week's topic with a recent post of his.

Links to things I mention today:
Clifton Hill Community Centre Archives - https://www.listeningtothearchive.com/
The Signal Path - https://thesignalpath.net/
The Alien Territories Archives - https://nyahhrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-alien-territory-archives-a-collection-of-radical-experimental-irrelevant-music-from-1970s-san-diego

PLAYLIST:
* Brand New Man - Tex Perkins & The Fat Rubber Band from “Other World” [10-02-23] Source Music
* Lisa Jean - Luke Watt [20-11-24]
* papercuts - Sebastion Haysman [28-11-25]
* The Winding Stair - Eimhin [19-11-25] Independent
* 18oh4 - The Orphaned Bee & Solkyri [14-11-25] Bird's Robe Records
* Kalinka - Rita Bass from “Reimagining” [22-05-25] Night Shop Records
* Flux - ghost and machine [20-09-24]
* Insecta - Robert Turman [1977] from “The Alien Territory Archives: A Collection of Radical, Experimental, & Irrelevant Music from 1970s San Diego”
* Seven - Essendon Airport band from “MOR” [24-10-25] Chapter Music
* The Silver Pepper of Stars - Ollie Olsen, Andrew Duffield, Bill McDonald from “Last Recordings” [13-12-25] Eternal Music Projects
* Minimalism is Real - Robin Fox from “Replica” [13-12-2018]
* Anomaly - Chiara Kickdrum [26-03-2018]
* Chimera - VANESSA (VESSA) [24-11-23] Ditto Music
* Wiser by Mr. Rachele [Age Rachele] from Wiser [09-03-24] Zipnil Global
* In A World - Nat Grant from “Folding” [15-11-24] Eternal Music Projects

Episode Image: Mr. Rachele playing a hardware set live at Howler, Brunswick. 25-11-25

26/11/2025

This morning on 3MDR 97.1 FM for the 4th week of Oz Music Month I wax lyrical about some great artists I have seen play live recently as well as some I haven't but will if I get the chance!
I speak in particular about Liz Stringer's wonderful gig at The Corner last Friday night and Liz's efforts to raise awareness of homelessness in Australia and try and help those organisations that are helping others. Please check it out here: https://www.lizstringer.com/ and help out if you can.

PLAYLIST:

* To Survive - Liz Stringer from “The Second High” [28-03-25] Dot Dash recordings
* My Brother’s Name - KYARNA [08-10-25]
* Where I Stand - Maeve Grieve Music from “Midnight Commute” [13-11-24]
* Sleep - Flower Children of the Apocalypse [01-09-25]
* Fig Tree - sleepazoid [13-11-25] surreal sound
* For What? - Nat Vazer [21-11-25] Community Music
* Dance as One - Better Than The Wizards from “Everything Fades Away” [14-11-25]
* Big Dreams - Amyl & The Sniffers from “Cartoon Darkness” [28-10-24] Virgin Music Australia
* I Like Beer - Cosmic Psychos from “I Really Like Beer” [07-11-25]
* Quarter Life Crisis - Bec Jean from “Quarter Life Crisis” [15-10-21]
* Don’t Call My Name - Milly Strange [08-08-25]
* Oxytocin - SoSo from “So Much For Second Chances” [21-11-25]
* C**a Beach - Porcus vs Equus [20-11-25]
* Criminal - Liz Stringer from “The Second High” [28-03-25] Dot Dash recordings
* (Not) Getting Better - LACHLAN from “‘You’re Not Yourself When You’re Hungry” [26-11-25]
* Mercy Town - Way Dynamic from “Massive Shoe” [22-08-25] Spoilsport records
* Middle Somewhere - Faith [31-10-25]
* Shadowland - Bad//Dreems [29-10-25] Gutto Records
* Sweet Dreams - Maeve Grieve from “Midnight Commute” [13-11-24]
* Catch The Breeze - All India Radio Band from “The Unified Field” [31-10-25]

Episode Image: Currently getting heavy rotation on my turntable: Liz Stringer's latest Album, "The Second High" ❤️

19/11/2025

It's week 3 of Oz Music month & today on The Big Note 3MDR 97.1 FM I'm in the mood to play some (all Australian) Psychedelia, Shoegaze & related music today. I talk a bit about the history of these genres as well.

PLAYLIST:

* Meteor - Charm of Finches [14-11-25]
* Everything That Exists Anywhere - All India Radio Band from “The Unified Field” [31-10-25]
* Expanding Blue - GUM [30-10-25] p(doom) Records
* Blue Room - Nigella Screaming from “Secrets” [24-10-25]
* Peace Of The Void - Lunar Dirt from “Chapter Two” [29-08-25] Scope Creep
* Br0ken Do1L - Jennifers Last Name [10-10-25]
* hellraiser - skybelly from “Silverado” [31-10-25] Homespun PR
* I Am Not Here - Beige Walls and No Roof from “Dual Liquid Hands” [03-10-25] Shore Dive Records
* Bugs [Slow Version] - Izzy Skinner [29-08-25]
* I Hear A Sound - Purdy from “Hundreds & Thousands” [18-10-25] Soft Records
* Headphones - Cold Ghost [05-09-25] Tonal Gap
* The Next Set of Lights - - Ollie Olsen, Andrew Duffield, Bill McDonald from “Last Recordings” [13-12-25] Eternal Music Projects
* My Brain Thinks Your Brain is OK - Superluminal Objects from “Superluminal Objects” [19-09-25]
* Landlocked - Relay Tapes from “Gazed and Bemused: Hazy Sounds from the Meanjin Underground” [21-09-25] 4000 Records
* Memory Slip - Big Dead from “Memory Slip” [16-07-25]
* From Music to Music - Heinous Crimes from “Japan Bonus Tracks” [18-10-24]
* A Dog Named Sam Bottle Rockets [31-01-25]
* The Less I Know The Better - Tame Impala from “Currents” [17-07-2015]
* Elation (Bonus track) - All India Radio + Josh Roydhouse from “R E A L M” [26-03-2020]

Episode Image: Mark Wendt, Ben Sims & Martin Kennedy of All India Radio Band, live at Thornbury Social Club, November 15th 2025. [Photos: C. J. Stephen]

12/11/2025

For the first half hour of The Big Note on 3MDR 97.1 FM today I have a lovely guest; Jane (the Great) who used to co-host "The Friendly Femmes" on 3MDR from 2016 to 2023. She calls herself the appoggiatura for this show (an appoggiatura is a form of "grace note" in musical terminology, there's also the acciacatura but let's not go into that now). We are in the second week of Aus Music Month, so as I try to do for this month, all Australian bands & artists are featured. We also have a bit of a discussion around live music and live music venues in Melbourne.
Episode Image: L: Jane (the great) R: Cam (not as great as Jane)

PLAYLIST:
* Nick Barker - (Sure Beats) Going To Pieces [1989]
* Short Note - Matt Finish from "Short Note" [1981]
* Apollo - Memory Hotel [27-06-25]
* George - Ant Gallery [27-07-25]
* Thin - Kate Fairlie [10-10-25]
* Big Dream Baby - Justine Eltakchi [10-10-25]
* Amnesia - Dead Can Dance from “In Concert” [15-04-2013] Liberator Music
* Sweet Apple Pie - Surely Shirley from “Patchwork Palace” [07-11-25] G.Y.R.O.
* Plastic - Mat Ward [25-07-25]
* Closer To Rain - Belle Chen from “An Evening on Köpenicker Straße” [07-11-25] Eito Music Ltd
* Nothing - Mal Webb & Kylie Morrigan from “Note & Noisy” [2024]
* electro buoy - Williebrandt from “Blissfully” [06-06-25]
* Wherever You Go - The Avalanches from “We Will Always Love You” [2020]
* Simple Thing - New Thieves from “Simple Thing” [01-11-25] Madhouse Music
* Halfway To Weeping - C.O.M.F.O.R.T.A.B.L.E. [07-11-25]
* Trouble Every Day - Tumbleweeds [1993]
* The Red Room - All India Radio Band from “The Unified Field” [31-10-25]

04/11/2025

Here I am in the studios of 3MDR 97.1 FM playing Australian music for Aus Music Month. There was a fair bit of talking last week, what with having not one but two wonderful guests to interview, so this week, I'll try and have more music, less talk! 😁

PLAYLIST:
* Soufflé - Mighty Horse from “Road Movie Dream” [20-03-25]
* Under The Milky Way - Jimmy Little from “Messenger “ [2000]
* Forgiveness - Nakai Ni Wortawor - Bortier Okoe [22-11-24]
* The Unified Field - All India Radio Band from “THE UNIFIED FIELD” [31-10-25]
* Test Pattern - Ollie Olsen, Andrew Duffield, Bill McDonald from “Last Recordings” [13-12-25] Eternal Music Projects
* Final Girl - effe [02-09-25]
* Good Times - Royel Otis from “hickey” [22-08-25]
* Streets of your Town - The Go Betweens from “16 Lovers Lane” [1988]
* Acheron - Three Wise Monkeys from “Pseudomonarchia Daemonum” [07-11-24] CERCA TROVA
* When You Go Home - Light Burst from “Light Burst” [07-11-24] Eternal Music Projects
* Orb - Glass Beams from “Mahal” [22-03-24]
* She Knows - Enli [24-10-25]
* Time will Tell - Mornz from “Time Will Tell” [05-09-25] HVProductions
* As They Are - Dub Machine [02-11-25]
* LeSnack - Playlunch from “Sex Ed” [19-09-25] ABC Music
* Mental and Dental Affirmations for Mouth and Mind 432hz - S.Miles from “Mouth Mantras - Healing Frequencies for Mouth & Mind 432hz” [06-08-25]
* Through The Rhythm Glass - Crunchtime Music from “Glass Half Full” [27-08-23] Smartsonics Studio

30/10/2025

Elgar, Stravinski & Zappa OH MY!! (& more of course)!! In case you missed it, I chatted with Carl, Squawkestra's conductor in the last hour of Wednesday's The Big Note - you can listen back here: https://omny.fm/shows/the-big-note-3mdr/the-big-note-podcast-2025-10-29

Coming up!
Sunday Nov 9th!

30/10/2025

If you are in or near Woodford, get along and see this! Not only incredible fun & great music from these two lovely, extremely talented people but also very educational!! Love it!

We're performing Notey and Noisy: A Sound Science Mathemusical at Woodford!

29/10/2025

For episode 115 of The Big Note on 3MDR 97.1 FM, I am lucky enough to chat with two wonderful Naarm musicians today from opposite sides of town but united by their love of music and in particular Frank Zappa!
First up I chat with Michael Avanitakis, a teacher. musician and hills local - we play some of his latest compositions as well as playing and talking about music he has chosen that has influenced & inspired him.
Michael has an upcoming gig on the afternoon of Sunday, 9th of November at Nevedya, Upwey with where he will be accompanying his friend Jordan in their project Alchemy Duo first along with playing his latest music.
In the second hour I have a conversation with Carl Polke, Naarm/Melbourne based composer/sound designer and musician/performer. We chat about his projects past and present and in particular Squawkestra a community of orchestral instrument playing individuals of varying experience, of which he is the current conductor. We also play and briefly discuss music that he has chosen that has influenced & inspired him. Squawkestra have a concert coming up on Sunday November 9th at Preston Town Hall from 2:30pm!

Playlist:

* Bridge Over Babylon Bay - Michael Arvanitakis [2025]
* Cheepnis - Frank Zappa & The Mothers from “Roxy & Elsewhere” [1974]
* Hyacinth House - The Doors from “L.A. Woman” [1971]
* Have You Ever Been to Electric Lady Land? - Jimi Hendrix (Track 2) from Electric Ladyland [1968]
* Dragonfly Odyssey - Michael Arvanitakis [2025]
* She Said, She Said - The Beatles (Track 7) from “Revolver” [1966]
* Woomaa Joo - One Spirit Africa from “Africa” [2008]
* String Quartet No 5: III. Scherzo: Alla Bulgarese - Juilliard String Quartet from “Bartok: String Quartets (Complete)” [1982]
* Gyae Su - Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band from “Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band” [15-06-2015]
* Sofa - Frank Zappa from “Zappa In New York [Live]” [1977]
* Movement 1 (feat London Symphony Orchestra) - Floating Points and Pharoah Sanders from “Promises” [26-03-2021]
Episode Image: Carl Polke and Squawkesra (Image courtesy of the Squawkestra blog)