duggup

For such a small country, population wise, Australia has more than it’s fair share of great songwriters. Add to that the 26th of January is Australia Day and you have a recipe for interesting times.

Australia Day is a National public holiday during which we are all encouraged to chuck prawns on the barbie and whack a small red leather covered cork ball with a paddle shaped length of willow. This is considered, by some, to be fun.

Since neither past-time appeals I shall instead concentrate on illuminating you about one of Australia’s most gifted, albeit now defunct band – the indigenous Warumpi Band; and while no post about the Warumpis would ever be complete with out the contribution of their token white dude – Neil Murray, but since he is a talent in his own right – I’ll leave him for another day.

With a career that spanned nearly twenty years and ended in 2000, the Warumpis originated in the Northern Territory Aboriginal settlement of Papunya. They played a brand of vibrant and raucous rock and roll in both their native aboriginal language and English. Their music took them from desert outback obscurity and their fame took them around the world.

Founded by Sammy and Gordon Butcher, Neil Murray and George Rrurrambu they recorded and toured extensively. The recent years have seen the members move onto solo projects.

Some samples of the Warumpi Band can be heard at www.neilmurray.com.au/wb_sounds.html.

Artist: Warumpi Band
Website: www.neilmurray.com.au/about_wb.htm
Track Name: samples
Playback: mp3
Download?: Yes

jools is a graphic designer who used to front a band on vocals and bass. All evidence of which have mercifully been obliterated or otherwise lost.
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