Plans for a career-spanning box set from Australian rockers Midnight Oil — which guitarist Jim Moginie last year promised “is going to be amazing in its depth and presentation of the band’s career, with rare recordings and so far unseen and unheard film and music” — apparently are “back on hold” as the band re-evaluates the release.
In a message passed on to the Powderworks listserv this week, a Midnight Oil rep writes:
“I bring unwelcome news. The box set is back on hold. Could you please let the list know and also tell them that I am really sorry — I do realise this is going to be a big disappointment as everyone was hoping for something new to listen to — but of course it’s the band’s call and they figure there will be a better time for a box set further down the track. Maybe that will be a good thing — who knows… We will have the website up and running by August 1st. News of any other projects will be available August/September.”
In April 2011, a Midnight Oil representative informed the Powderworks list that “we have now officially started work on the Oils box set,” with a released planned for September/October of last year. Last summer, an update revealed the “Oils box set release has been rescheduled for March (2012).” Then, in October, Moginie referenced the box set on his own website, noting “work continues on Midnight Oil’s boxed set.”
No actual details or tracklist of the planned box set have been released, although it was expected to include the Oils’ remastered albums, the bulk of which were only re-released digitally following the 2008 reissue of Diesel and Dust in an expanded CD/DVD edition.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS:
- Midnight Oil prepping career-spanning box set with ‘unseen and unheard film and music’
- Vintage Video: Watch Midnight Oil’s complete ‘Oils on the Water’ concert from 1985
- Video: Midnight Oil rocks Exxon building in Valdez protest 20 years ago
- Midnight Oil’s Peter Garrett demoted by Australian PM over insulation scandal
- Midnight Oil, Violent Femmes members form surf-rock band The Break
- Peter Garrett rejoins Midnight Oil for Australian bushfire benefit
- Midnight Oil reunites for Australian bushfire benefit, warm-up gigs
Major bummer. Was really looking forward to this.