[Todd Wulfmeyer]

Chris & or Michelle wrote<<<"Well why the hell
couldn't this have happened for Redneck three years ago, it was soooo
great." He clenched his hands and got a really pained expression on his face
and said "Oh God, I know" and shook his head in frustration. I think he
knows that Redneck would have put them back on the world map if it had been
recognized and promoted at all in north america.>>

I know I felt at the time that Redneck would go gang busters through popular
culture also. I had since put the disappointment of the missed opportunity
to rest but to read the interpretation of Pete's reaction to the situation
makes me feel it all over again. To hear how much he seems to have felt that
the record would go over the top. Obviously the oils had an anomalous spirit
amongst them during that time. The listener can hear in the record, such a
deliberate and primal sincerity in that spirit that might have really cut
through to all the angstful culturally delirious souls looking for some
earthy truth and passions to turn their lives around. As it happened it
merely just swirled round the bowl and sunk.

To some it seemed at the time, that Redneck Wonderland might be interpreted
as the oils last tempertantrum like plea but luckily they have more to give,
and the hope keeps feeding out of the music of Rob, Peter, Martin, Bones and
Jim!

Some thoughts about the fall tour:...There is much to be appreciative of,
the Meet -n- greet, drum sticks and flyers are great ( I am very happy with
my Hirsty banger ) but the most important thing I got from the recent US
gigs, was the affirmation or nudge of hope. For listeners seeking the
pursuits of all the needs of planetary justice along with individualistic
wisdom untethered or influenced by propaganda and the misinformation
capitalist's wakes of fear, Midnight Oil are there.

The tour was a great cascade of energy raining down (much as Pete's sweat
did) from the joyous hope, rhythm, melody, tones, textures, words, poetry,
ideas of a group of gallant unfeigned souls can act as a sort of cure for
the apathy that festers in the rich with opportunity consumer sloths of the
"civilized" world.

We dedicated fans, should really take to heart, as I'm sure many of you do,
and create "blossoms" and lay "seeds" from the inspiration the band gives
us. This, imo, is what Midnight Oil is really about!
It sure ain't just about tokens, beer and groupies.

todd


----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris & Michelle" <saloishall@hotmail.com>
To: <powderworks@cs.colorado.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2001 9:50 PM
Subject: [Powderworks] Some thoughts


> Hi All;
>
> Don't post much, but now that the tour is over I just wanted to kick out a
> couple of things.
>
> First off, had a blast in Toronto, met so many workers that my head was
> spinning. Great to put some faces to the names, James Smith (my ever
patient
> email buddy!), Garrett, Kiri, Indi (the luckiest man I know), so many
> others, and the guy with the glasses. (Gawd I've forgotten your name and
> lost your e-mail address-you know who you are, you need to find the
Outside
> World Instrumental version and I need Redneck Ramblings-please e-mail me
off
> list!)
>
> Here's a tidbit that hasn't been mentioned about a couple of the new
songs.
> For those of you who have played Jeff the Legend's bootlegs of the four
new
> songs over and over, they have definetely evolved.
> I remember Lou talking about the 3 part harmony being gone from Luritja
Way
> and I couldn't figure out what she was talking about since that was the
> "heart" of the song. I now realize that it's Pete who has been dropped
> making it just a Rob and Bones harmony.
> Also the main line "I still remember you" has been changed to "I'm
reaching
> out to you". "i still believe in you" is still there a few times.
>
> One thing that troubled me about the earlier "Golden Age" was it's length.
> It seemed so short, but that has all changed. After Pete's building rant
at
> the end of the earlier version it now jumps back into the chorus and is
them
> followed by a rousing 3 part harmony bit that blew me away! The song is
now
> complete.
>
> I also heard "too much sunshine" and "capricornia". Both of which were
> amazing. Missed out on mozzie march, under the overpass and tone poem.
Where
> there any other new songs played in north america that I did not mention?
>
> I have a notion that this album is going to be so ridiculously good that
it
> may jump to the top of everyone's Oil list. I just hope that the album
> version of Luritja Way keeps the tempo up there.
>
> Had a great chat with the boys and one big thing was that the Backsliders
> have joined the Ghostwriters! Rob seemed pretty excited about that. I
asked
> if we would see the Ghostwriters album in 2002. He said that the album was
> finished but it may not surface until 2003 because next year is so busy
with
> Oily goodness.
>
> I said to Pete; "are you really spending all that time over here next
year?
> " and he said "that's the plan". Then i asked him if all this publicity
with
> Liquid 8 was really going to happen and if they were going to get
1993-type
> exposure. He said that as long as Golden Age takes off then BMG will be
> promoting them heavily. I then threw my hands up and said "Well why the
hell
> couldn't this have happened for Redneck three years ago, it was soooo
> great." He clenched his hands and got a really pained expression on his
face
> and said "Oh God, I know" and shook his head in frustration. I think he
> knows that Redneck would have put them back on the world map if it had
been
> recognized and promoted at all in north america.
>
> I had a really great chat with Pete which made up for my chat in '96.
> Stop laughing evil bastard, i hear you out there! :)
>
> Well i will go back to lurking now, sorry for my long-windedness.
>
> Remember; the album may still be 3 long, cold months away, but don't think
> of it like that. Just keep thinking that the first single is only 8 weeks
> away!
>
> Take care all;
> Chris Hall
>
>
>
>
>
>
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