mcbain@latcs1.OZ.AU (Michael McBain) (09/22/86)
There's been some interest in this newsgroup in music related to
Aboriginal culture, particuarly because of `Pull of the Bush'
(which I've never heard ;-).
There are several white and Aboriginal bands playing music related to
the Dreamtime and to white occupation over the past 200 years. L-H
readers in the USA might be interested in trying to get some of them.
This is merely a selection:
1. Midnight Oil. White band with charismatic lead singer Peter Garrett.
Committed to Aboriginal land rights and Australian
music and anti-big business and U-mining. Main single charting in
Australia at present is 'Dead Heart', concerned with Aboriginal
land rights, but other good albums are '10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1', which
contains two tracks relating to nuclear war; 'When the Generals Talk'
and 'US Forces'. 'Place without a Postcard' is a good 12'' single,
while 'Red Sails in the Sunset' is a moderately accesible
album about the arms race. Garrett was a founding member of the
Australian Nuclear Disarmament Party, and the newer albums are
noted for their social comment. The band did a big tour of central
Australia, visiting many Aboriginal settlements, out of which came
'Dead Heart'.
2. Warumpi Band. Black central Aussie band, with slight C&W flavour, but
radical/political in emphasis. A lot of angry music tinged with big-city
cynicism. Guitars and drums.
3. Gondwanaland Project. Three-piece band (guitar, keyboards, didgeridoo).
Charlie on the didgeridoo can make sounds that are hard to believe. He
has lost one hand, so supports the instrument on a hook. Inspiration
comes from the fact that they all spend time with aborigines in central
Australia. The nearest thing to authentic Aboriginal music on vinyl.
4. Goanna. [a goanna is an Australian lizard, like an iguana]. Southern
white band. Best albums are 'Spirit of Place' and 'Goanna'. Lyrically
not very intense, usually being sort of liberal city angry.
5. Ayers Rock. A now defunct city band, who started the trend to
aboriginal-inspired 'atmosphere music'. A jazz ethic, but the ability
to create the feeling of the outback. Best albums: 'Beyond' and 'Big
Red Rock'.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike McBain
School of Physical Sciences
La Trobe University,
Bundoora, Victoria, Australia 3083
ARPA : mcbain%latcs1.oz@seismo.css.gov
UUCP : ...!{seismo,mcvax,ucb-vision,uks}!munnari!latcs1.oz!mcbainmorris@NAVAJO.STANFORD.EDU (Kathy Morris) (09/30/86)
In article <8609290543.AA26435@seismo.CSS.GOV> mcbain@latcs1.OZ.AU (Michael McBain) writes: >1. Midnight Oil. White band with charismatic lead singer Peter Garrett. > Committed to Aboriginal land rights and Australian > music and anti-big business and U-mining. Main single charting in > Australia at present is 'Dead Heart', concerned with Aboriginal > land rights, but other good albums are '10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1', which > contains two tracks relating to nuclear war; 'When the Generals Talk' > and 'US Forces'. 'Place without a Postcard' is a good 12'' single, > while 'Red Sails in the Sunset' is a moderately accesible > album about the arms race. 'Place without a Postcard' is actually an album, containing the song of the same name. '10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1' and 'Red Sails in the Sunset' are fairly easy to find here in the US; I haven't seen or heard anything about the new single/EP here yet. Judging by the import rules these days, it could be a while. If you ever get a chance to see the band live, do it! Yet another expatriate Aussie... Kathy Morris (morris@navajo.stanford.edu; or {decwrl | ucbvax | seismo}!glacier!navajo!morris)