F
rontman Peter Garrett, who
quit music for 15 years to
become a minister in the
Australian Government, discusses
the rejuvenation of his band.The press release for these
shows calls Midnight Oil
“legendary Australian rock band
and agitators” – we like that.
We wear that term like a badge
of honour. I sometimes think the
education comes first and the music
afterwards. We can’t help ourselves.How would you sum up the era
of your life in public off ice?
Oh gee, I think I’m still in recovery.
Some good things were done but
it was a needlessly adversarial
journey. I have no regrets, but in
equal measure I’m astonished that
I can come back out onto a stage
and make music again.Here in Britain the public feels
sold down the river by the
self-interests of our elected
representatives. Without opening
the can of worms marked ‘Brexit’,
do you sympathise?
To a degree, yes, but I also believe
we get the politicians we deserve- mostly. Underline ‘mostly’.
Democracy isn’t suited to the
internet age. When an Australian
politician used to come to negotiate
with the British Empire, they had
six weeks of preparation on a boat.
Now everything is supercharged.
Imperfections are obvious.Are there any parallels between
rock’n’roll and politics?
There are very few, other than the
occasional acts of shameless self-
promotion that infect them both.Your signature hit, Beds Are
Burning, proposed returningland to Australia’s indigenous
people of the Pintupi who have
gradually returned home over
the past decades. Can Midnight
Oil claim any credit for the fact?
Yeah, maybe it opened a window. I’m
very proud that a song about such
a topic would end up becoming such
a mainstream phenomenon.Beds Are Burning has been
covered by artists as diverse as
Klaus Meine of the Scorpions,
Lily Allen, Bob Geldof and
Simon Le Bon. Are you familiar
with any of those covers?
Some, and there are others you
haven’t mentioned. That song is
keeping us in Vegemite [laughs].After performing seventy-seven
concerts in sixteen countries
on a reunion tour that began in
2017, will there be a new album?
The essence of what we want
to do and say as artists is still
very important to us. It’s really
a question of motivation and soul,
and it feels to me like there are
plenty of those things around. The
ideas have begun to f low.Yo u r f a mo u s l y z e a l o u s
on-stage movements were even
mimicked in parliament. Has
there been a call from Dancing
With The Stars Australia?
The answer is no [chuckles]. And,
mindful of the short careers of
those contestants, I’d turn down
any such offers. DLMidnight Oil play Manchester
June 9 and London June 13.“Our song Beds
Are Burning
is keeping us
in Vegemite.”
Midnight Oil
With a reunion tour now behind them, a new album is in the pipeline.
100 CLASSICROCKMAGAZINE.COM
F
ollowing the success of 2018’s
inaugural package event that
starred Mascot Records artists
Eric Gales, Quinn Sullivan, Gary Hoey
and Lance Lopez, the Grammy-winning
American blues guitarist previews
Rockin’ The Blues 2.0.Presumably you think that pulling
together like-minded artists into one
value-for-money package is a great idea?
Definitely. For people who like blues and
rock, it’s going to be really cool night out.How well do you know your co-stars
Walter Trout and Kris Barras?
I got to hang out with Walter and we did a
show together, but I’m not that familiar with
Kris so I’m looking forward to changing that.Given his brush with the grim reaper and
subsequent career reinvention, Walter is
a bit of an inspiration, isn’t he?
Oh absolutely. It’s so neat when somebody
can cheat death and then come back
stronger, doing what they love with an
increased vigour. He sounds great.Last year there were four acts. Fewer
artists must mean longer sets?
We haven’t gotten into any of that stuff.
Sometimes we find out those details with
fifteen minutes to spare, but it should be fun.And one big ol’ jam session at the end.
Is that something you relish?
Oh yeah, I love doing that. Sharing music –
playing music – with others is why I do this.It’s been two years since your seventh
album. When will we hear a follow-up?
As soon as I know, I’ll pass it on [laughs].
I have started writing for the next one but
there’s no recording schedule as yet.Will we hear new tunes on these dates?
There may be a sprinkling of as-yet unheard
songs, but nothing that I would guarantee
will be on my next record.Imagine the boss of Mascot invites you
to pick three artists for the bill for Rockin’
The Blues 2020. Who gets the nod?
Oh man, that’s a hard one. Let’s go with
Buddy Guy, Doyle Bramhall II and Samantha
Fish [All good, except that Sam is on Ruf
Records – Ed.] DLRockin’ The Blues is at London the Forum
on June 4.Rockin’ The Blues is back with
a bang, says the guitarist.Jonny Lang
LIVE!LIVE!
MID
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