There are a lot of bands who have had long
and respectable careers based on principle and evolution. When asked
who my ideal template is for a band's career, the one that always stands
out most is the Australian monolith, Midnight Oil.
Why?
When
The Oils (as they're affectionately called by their fans) started out
in the late '70s, they hit the Australian club circuit hard, opened for
the Ramones, and developed a strong cult following. The Oils quickly
developed a reputation for being a no-bullshit punk rock act,
notoriously (and heroically) stopping performances mid-set to announce
that the promoter had not paid them and they would not play another note
until the matter was resolved. Fearing riot from the packed-full room
of young punks in the audience, promoters always made good on their end
of the deal.
Eventually (and almost inevitably), major labels
started sniffing around. The Oils, led by singer Peter Garrett and his
recently-acquired law degree, tore up every contract that came their
way, feeling the terms offered were not artist-friendly on a financial
or creative level. Their first three records were released independently
as a result. When The Oils ultimately did sign with a major label, it
was on the conditions of: you don't tell us what to do, you don't tell
us when to do things, and you don't tell us how to do it.
With
the leverage of a dedicated fan base and the bargaining power of the
education of the band itself, The Oils got exactly what they wanted and
began to mount an international campaign to become of the most respected
and exciting live attractions in the world. Not only that, they never
shied away from political subject matter, and delivered it in a way
that, in their own words, didn't exploit the victimization of the people
they were helping give voice to.
And The Oils weren't just
about singing about it; they held strongly that they should also act
upon it, no exceptions. When the Exxon-Valdez spill happened in 1990,
The Oils embarked on a covert operation to set up a stage in front of
Exxon headquarters in New York. Next thing they knew, 20,000 people were
there ready to rock, as the band erected a sign saying "Midnight Oil
Makes You Dance, Exxon Oil Makes You Sick."
When the Sydney
Olympics had their closing ceremonies in 2000, The Oils, as Australia's
Beatles, were invited to perform. Having a long-standing history of
working with the Aboriginal community in Australia, and recognizing that
the Sydney Olympics were taking place on traditional Aboriginal land,
The Oils hatched a plan: without telling anyone, at the last possible
second, to a global-wide broadcast audience, they stripped into black
outfits with the word "SORRY" across their chests, and blasted out "Beds
Are Burning," an anthem denouncing colonialism.
The
Oils commanded respect, and seemed to have no trouble maintaining it
across the board. Strangely, unlike many other successful artists who
are often told to "shut up and sing" when they infuse politics into
their music, no such cries were ever made to The Oils. They were, and
still are, held in the highest esteem and regard as artists, activists,
and global citizens.
In 2002, The Oils released, in my opinion, their best album,
Capricornia.
It was supported by an international tour. The album, and tour, would
prove to be their last, as Peter Garrett stepped down from the band to
run for the Australian Labour Party. He won in 2004, and would
eventually be appointed Minister for the Environment, Heritage, and The
Arts. For the next eight years, Peter Garrett brought a refreshing sense
of purpose and forward-thinking ethic to the high office.
Garrett resigned in 2013, expressing no intention to seek re-election (which he could have easily gotten had he decided to run).
This
past week, it was announced to the surprise of the world, that the
Great Circle Tour 2017 would see The Oils making their return to the
global stage. Needless to say, I'll be front and centre when they come
to Toronto in May.
I can't think of a more noble and
respectable career than the ones The Oils have had. I suspect many would
be hard-pressed to find otherwise.
