Midnight Oil first started in late 1976, when lead singer Peter Garrett and guitarist Martin Rotsey joined drummer Rob Hirst, guitar and keyboards player Jim Moginie and bass player Andrew "Bear" James to form a band. The group started playing small gigs around the northern beaches of Sydney in 1977 and early in 1978 the started taking their music to a larger audience, playing inner city venues. In a very short time, Midnight Oil, or 'the Oils' as they became know to their fans, had built up a huge reputation as one of Sydney's most exciting live bands.

In June 1978 the Oils made their first album, which took only 10 days to record. It was on their own independent label, Powerworks, and was simply called Midnight Oil, released November 1, 1978.

1978 also saw Midnight Oil play their first anti-uranium mining benefit show. In the following months the band played benefits for save the whales, Greenpeace and many other causes, forming a link between their music and their politics which is still very evident today.

1979 was the year that they recorded and released their second album Head Injuries with English musician/producer Les Karski. Head Injuries was received well by the public, with the single "Cold, Cold Change" receiving a small amount of airplay and the album going gold, with sales in excess of 20,000.

They did even better with their 1980 EP Bird Noises, with its instrumental "Wedding Cake Island" giving them their first widespread radio airplay. Bassist Andrew James also departed the band in 1980, and was replaced with former Facts bass player Peter Gifford.

Their next album, Place Without A Postcard, was recorded in London in 1981 and gave the Oils their first real hit, with the single "Armistice Day" reaching the Australian top 20. London was also the place where their album 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 was recorded. With classic tracks such as "U.S. Forces" and "Power and the Passion", it was a huge hit in Australia. In fact, it remained in the Top 40 for the next two years.

In 1984 the band was ready to record again, and the resulting album Red Sails in the Sunset is regarded as one of the Oils' best and most political albums ever. It did well commercially despite not having many singles on it that the radio wanted to use. Throughout 1985 the band played many benefits for conservation groups, but also found time to record the EP Species Deceases, released in the tail end of 1985.

Midnight Oil didn't release another album until Diesel and Dust in 1987. With tracks such as "Bullroarer," "Dreamworld," "Put Down That Weapon," "Beds Are Burning" and "[The] Dead Heart," it was an international success, thrusting the band onto the world stage. The major world tour that followed Diesel and Dust saw bassist Peter Gifford depart due to the rigors of touring. His replacement was New Zealander "Bones" Hillman, formally of The Swingers.

Blue Sky Mining was their next album, released in 1989, and it too received worldwide acclaim, sparking yet another world tour. With classic songs such as "Blue Sky Mine," "Forgotten Years" and "King of the Mountain," it is still very popular today. After the 1989/90 world tour, Midnight Oil announced they were taking 1991 off. They came back towards the end of 1991 for the compilation and mixing of their live LP Scream In Blue. 1993 was the year the next album came out, called Earth and Sun and Moon, which was once again received well worldwide.

In 1996 the album Breathe was released to critical acclaim which said that it was more varied than previous albums, with "triumphant anthems alongside stunningly basic, acoustic folk songs" (Rolling Stone Magazine Nov. 28, 1996).

1997 found the release of another album, the best of Midnight Oil compilation, 20,000 Watt RSL which charted very well all over Australia. Now in 1998 the scene is set for a new album. Called Redneck Wonderland it is due for release through Sony Music Australia on the 6th of July, with the single, also called "Redneck Wonderland" in stores around Australia now, having been released on the 15th of June. The album is packed with great songs, in particular, "Redneck Wonderland," "Blot" and "Seeing Is Believing." An Australia wide tour has also been planned for July/August, and as usual, Midnight Oil promise to thrill audiences of all ages all over the world.

From Suite 101, by Helen Lilley

(Note: this article has not been approved for reproduction.)