No Fixed Address (band)

No Fixed Address
Origin Adelaide, South Australia
Genres Reggae rock[1][2]
Years active 1979–1985, 1987–1988, 2008
Labels Rough Diamond
Astor
PolyGram
Mushroom
Associated acts Mixed Relations
Coloured Stone
Yothu Yindi
Blackfire
Past members see Members list

No Fixed Address is an Australian Aboriginal reggae rock group formed in 1979. The band was led by Bart Willoughby (lead vocals and drums) Pitjanjatjara from Koonibba Mission near Ceduna in the far south west of South Australia, together with Ricky Harrison (rhythm guitarist and principal songwriter) Kurnai from Morwell in Victoria, Leslie Lovegrove Freeman (lead guitarist), Ngarrindjeri from Murray Bridge in South Australia, John Miller (bass) from Port Lincoln in South Australia and Veronica Rankine (tenor saxophone), Ngarrindjeri from the south east of South Australia. Many members were related through family ties, Willoughby, Miller and Freeman were cousins. Freeman, related to Harrison through marriage, recruited him from Victoria and they all met and formed the band at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music (CASM) in North Adelaide, South Australia.

Biography

The band members were students at CASM and there first heard reggae music from Jamaica. The band were a very popular pub rock outfit among students and the alternative music scene, especially supported by community radio station 5MMM. In 1979, the band played its first large concert at the National Aboriginal Day held at Taperoo, South Australia.[3] In 1980 the band made a movie "Wrong Side of the Road" with another CASM band, Us Mob. The movie dealt with the trials and joys of touring and the contrasting receptions they received in Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. With the recording of the soundtrack, No Fixed Address and Us Mob became the first contemporary aboriginal bands to be recorded.[4] On the strength of their live performances and airplay of their demo recordings on 5MMM they were the cover story on the August 1980 edition of national rock magazine Roadrunner.[5]

In 1982 the band were contracted to Rough Diamond Records, a subsidiary of Polygram Records and released their debut mini album From My Eyes. The album was launched at the Hilton Hotel by the Australian Prime Minister, Bob Hawke. The video for the single, "From My Eyes" was filmed at Hanging Rock, Victoria and the Old Melbourne Gaol. The band toured Australia in 1982, in support of Peter Tosh. Following the success of the Peter Tosh tour, the band became the first Aboriginal band to travel overseas, touring Great Britain, playing at nine cities including London, Bristol, Leeds, Plymouth and Manchester.[6]

Didgeridoo player, Billy Inda, made a guest appearance, Joe Geia played the introduction didgeridoo on folk rock band Goanna's single "Solid Rock" from their 1982 album, Spirit of Place – it peaked at No. 3 in October on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart – it is the first charting rock song to feature the didgeridoo.[7][8] The 1984 video for "We Have Survived" was filmed at Palm Beach and Botany Bay in Sydney. The song has become an unofficial anthem for many of Australia's indigenous peoples.[9] Returning to Australia Willoughby joined his cousin (Bunna Lawrie)'s band, Coloured Stone in 1984.

In 1987 Willoughby reformed the band and they toured Europe, including a number of eastern bloc countries, appearing at the East Berlin Festival.[10] In late 1988 Willoughby joined Yothu Yindi and as result the group disbanded again.

In 2008 the band reformed and played at the Dreaming Festival & Tarerer Festival in Woodford, Queensland, where they released a limited edition CD copy of From My Eyes. Also in 2008 the band's song "We Have Survived" was added to the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia registry.[11]

In August 2011 No Fixed Address, along with Coloured Stone, were inducted into the Hall of Fame at the inaugural National Indigenous Music Awards.[12][13]

On 29 September 2016 the band performed at the Lomond Hotel in Brunswick East, Melbourne. At the event Willoughby mentioned that the band may be doing further shows.

Members

  • Bart Willoughby – drums, vocals, guitar, didgeridoo (1979–1985, 1987–1988, 2008–current)
  • Selwyn Burns – guitar
  • Joe Geia – vocals, percussion, didgeridoo (1982–1983)
  • Les Graham – guitar (1979–1983)
  • Ricky Harrison – guitar (1979–1985 2008-current)
  • Joe Hayes – bass (1982)
  • Billy Inda – percussion, didgeridoo (1982)
  • Chris Jones – guitar (1982–1985)
  • Les Lovegrove – guitar (1987–1988, 2008-current)
  • Rick Lovegrove – guitar (1987–1988,)
  • Louis McManus – guitar (1984–1985)
  • John 'John' Miller – bass (1979–1985, 1987–1988, 2008-current)
  • Nicky Moffatt – bass (1983–1985)
  • Veronica Rankine – vocals, saxophone, flute (1979–1985)
  • Peter Meredith – guitar (1983–1984)
  • Billy Gorham – bass (1982 -1983)

- Donald 'Ducky' Taylor (1982-1983)

Discography

Albums

  • Wrong Side of the Road (Soundtrack with Us Mob) – Black Australia/EMI (1981) AUS No. 67[8]
  • From My Eyes – Rough Diamond/Astor/PolyGram (RDM 8804) (1982)AUS No. 77[8]

Singles

  • "From My Eyes"/"We Have Survived" – Rough Diamond (RDS 3511) (1982)

References

  1. ↑ Garofalo, Reebee (1992). Rockin' the Boat: Mass Music and Mass Movements. South End Press. p. 161. ISBN 0-89608-427-2.
  2. ↑ Hawker, Philippa (5 February 2014). "Bart Willoughby is an organ donor, note by note, on the Melbourne Town Hall organ". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  3. ↑ Thomas G. Donovan; Brody T. Lorraine (2002). Media Ethics, an Aboriginal Film and the Australian Film Commission. iUniverse. p. 16. ISBN 978-05952526-6-4.
  4. ↑ Dwyer, Michael (20 October 2006). "History wars, the musical". The Age. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  5. ↑ http://roadrunnertwice.com.au/2015/03/no-fixed-address-young-black-and-proud/
  6. ↑ Tatoulis, John. "No Fixed Address on Tour". Creative Spirits. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  7. ↑ McFarlane 'Goanna' entry. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  8. 1 2 3 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) created their own charts in mid-1988. In 1992, Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970–1974.
  9. ↑ Clough, Brent (2003). "Jamming Down-Under: Bob Marley's Legacy and Reggae Culture in Australia and New Zealand". In Eleanor Wint, Carolyn Cooper. Bob Marley: The Man and His Music : a Selection of Papers Presented at the Conference Marley's Music, Reggae, Rastafari, and Jamaican Culture, Held at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, 5–6 February 1995. Arawak publications. p. 30. ISBN 976-95047-9-3. "We Have Survived" has become an unofficial anthem of black pride and resilience.
  10. ↑ Patrice Ann Power; Brody T. Lorraine (2008). Bardoo Mai & Other Indigenous Things. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-18479958-3-4.
  11. ↑ "Sounds of Australia Registry". National Film and Sound Archive. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011.
  12. ↑ "Gurrumul dominates NIMAs". Deadly Vibe. Vibe Australia. 22 August 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  13. ↑ O'Toole, Kate (20 September 2011). "Bunna Lawrie and Coloured Stone perform at the NIMAs". ABC Radio. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  • McFarlane, Ian (1999). Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2.
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