Bradley R. Weissenberger wrote:
They were a great live band, too.

I will second this. I didn't expect that much of their live show, and perhaps that helped, but they were louder, angrier, and edgier than 95% of bands that might be dismissive of them.

And Peter Garrett is, I think, a really great man.

listening to this band really makes me hurt...

You know what? I gotta say "not crap." Replaying the songs in my head, I imagine the records sound incredibly dated. This band had a weakness for studio silliness--especially from the drummer, who, if I remember correctly, was sort of the band's musical director and main songwriter. I remember thinking it was funny that (as I read in "Musician," which used to flog Midnight Oil nonstop--in fact, I think one coverline was "we're going to keep talking about this band until you buy their albums") the drummer always recorded his cymbals seperately.

But "Power and the Passion" is amazing. Not even that biarre "drum solo" can ruin it. I don't get a lot of the Aussie references, but the song still signifies as a great alienation lament. (Dorky 14-year-old that I was, I was really into saying "it's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.) With its dance-rock-rap hybrid, it would fit in nicely--and kick that ass of most of the song on--"Combat Rock."

The first song on "10, 9, 8..." (I can't remember the name) went something like "When I'm stuck in my room / I just want to scream / Now I know what they mean / One more day of eating and sleeping..." And what's great about those lines is that they could refer to a political prisoner or a bored adolescent, a neat trick for a piece of agit-prop.

I would say that "10, 9, 8..." was the firsty "proto-alternative" album I ever bought, after R.E.M.'s "Reckoning."

robert thefamilyghost wrote:listening to this band really makes me hurt...

For the earth? For miners? For the aboriginal peoples of Australia? That's so sweet.

As is so often the case, Midnight Oil's best-known album, Diesel and Dust is a bit on the lame side, and I don't blame anyone for dissing that "Beds are Burning" thing, but 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 ,3, 2, 1 and Red Sails In The Sunset are both brilliant records, full of fractured tunes and walloping drums, and they were one of the few "political" bands of that era whose social/geopolitical message was not only intelligent but had something to do with the real world. If Bono were half as smart and well-informed as Peter Garrett, I might have some respect for him.

Not Crap.

LAD wrote:For the earth? For miners? For the aboriginal peoples of Australia? That's so sweet.

no, it's more somewhere in the head and/or intestinal region...as well as a pronounced pain in the ear canal...

I did not, previous to this thread, realise that Midnight Oil had any records/songs/qualities worth defending. Well, maybe aside from making me, as a young boy, aware of Aboriginal plight. 'Beds Are Burning' is how I learned about the Aborigines being fucked over. That's worth something, I suppose.

But 'Beds Are Burning' is the only song I know by this band. And I hate this song so much it frightens me. This song makes me feel like I have fingernails growing under my fingernails. So no vote from me, but a big "yuk" for 'Beds Are Burning'.

I'm not sure how interested anybody is about this, but I believe Bradley may like to know, if no one else: Midnight Oil are reforming for one date only. They play Sydney Cricket Ground on the 29th of January as part of a tsunami benefit gig.

I'm not bothered myself; just passing on the info. I expect it isn't much use to any American based fans, but you never know.

Angry_Dragon wrote:They were the "how can you sleep when the beds are burning" or something like that people, right? If so then they are CRAP. Australia is CRAP as well. New Zealand had/has betters bands that make/made better music.

fuck off dick

what bands from new zealand besides the clean & the gordons/bailter space are any good?

midnight oil do suck though........peter garrett is now a politician. he is the local member for one of the richest areas in sydney........

signed
australia

Angry_Dragon wrote:Midnight Oil was a poor version of INXS.

you really are a dummy aren't you!

inxs are/were drug addled pigs

midnight oil are/were a very politically motivated bunch of people.

can you see the difference yet?