Midnight Oil this month will release for the first time remastered CDs of the band’s full catalog from 1978 to 1993 — the group’s first eight full-length albums, plus two EPs — and also will finally issue its 1990 VHS release “Black Rain Falls” on DVD and digitally.
The CD remasters and the “Black Rain Falls” DVD are all set for release on June 20 in Australia to coincide with a new exhibit “The Making of Midnight Oil,” which opens the same day at the Manly Art Gallery and Museum, according to an announcement on Midnight Oil’s website.
Remastered editions of the band’s classic catalog were released digitally in 2008 to coincide with the expanded CD reissue of 1987’s Diesel and Dust. The new release will mark the first time on CD for remastered editions of Midnight Oil (1978), Head Injuries (1979), Place Without a Postcard (1981), 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 (1982), Red Sails in the Sunset (1984), Blue Sky Mining (1990) and Earth and Sun and Moon (1993), plus the Bird Noises (1980) and Species Deceases (1985) EPs.
It’s not known if those titles will receive CD releases outside of Australia.
As for “Black Rain Falls,” it captures the events of May 30, 1990, when the Aussie rockers — who were in New York to play three nights at Radio City Music Hall during the Blue Sky Mining tour — pulled up in front of Exxon’s Sixth Avenue headquarters on a flatbed truck, unfurled a banner that read “Midnight Oil makes you dance, Exxon oil makes us sick” and proceeded to play a 30-minute lunch-hour set in protest of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. (“I love it when the suits clap,” frontman Peter Garrett famously said.)
The DVD will be Region 0, meaning it can be played worldwide, according to the Oils’ Facebook page. An international release is expected in July. Below, check out a trailer for the DVD release.
The new archival releases come as talk of Midnight Oil reunion continues to heat up, with drummer Rob Hirst recently telling Faster Louder that the band’s waiting for former government minister Garrett — who recently hopped onstage with Hunters & Collectors — to finish writing his autobiography.
He said:
“Peter’s writing his memoirs at the moment so that might take a while, but I think everyone’s up for it. Bonesy’s (Bones Hillman, bass) living in Nashville, and by all accounts playing better than ever – the callouses on his fingers must be enormous by now! And of course Martin (Rotsey), Jim (Moginie) and I all play in The Break, so everyone’s around. We’ll just see down the track. Hopefully it won’t be so long that we won’t be able to put on the sort of show that we’d like to put on.”
Below, check out the trailer and tracklist for “Black Rain Falls.”
Tracklist: Midnight Oil, “Black Rain Falls”
1. “Progress” (Live)
2. “Sometimes” (Live)
3. “Dreamworld” (Live)
4. “Blue Sky Mine” (Live)
5. “River Runs Red” (Live)
6. “Instant Karma” (Live)
7. “King of the Mountain” (Music Video)
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS:
- Video: Midnight Oil’s Peter Garrett, Jim Moginie join Hunters & Collectors onstage
- Midnight Oil quashes reunion talk as band’s longtime manager Gary Morris quits
- Midnight Oil’s Peter Garrett resigns Australian ministry post, won’t seek re-election
- Midnight Oil’s ‘Essential Oils’ 2CD best-of set to receive U.S. release next month
- Midnight Oil preps career-spanning 2CD ‘Essential Oils’ compilation for fall release
Yes!!!
I’m excited. Never purchased Australian imports before. I hope they’re not too pricy.
The original Columbia pressings on those discs sound so weak, so a sonic upgrade is long overdue.
Bonus songs on those discs would sweeten the deal, but I don’t think the band recorded a lot of additional material outside of the albums. Hopefully news of extra tracks in the form of demos or live recordings will be announced.
Sure would love to see them live!!!!
By far, one of my all time favorite bands. Political and great music. Fortunately I got to see them live in the 90s and they were phenomenal. I really hope this reunion happens!
Please give all of this a US relase!
Help! Where can I buy them? I can’t seem to find them anywhere?