Midnight Oil

[Powderworks] future??

David Quirk davidquirkoils@hotmail.com
Fri, 06 Jun 2003 11:12:34 -0400


I seem to remember an interview wiht the band where they described their 
basic songwriting process as typically Jim or Rob would come forward with a 
song and then Peter (or Jim or Rob) would add a few touches to it, probably 
mainly lyrics but who exactly knows.

I also believe that in the Initmate and Interactive show they did 10 years 
ago, Peter introduces the band to the audience and for Jim and Rob, 
specifically mentions them as songwriters. I think that it is quite clear 
that Jim and Rob are the main songwriters for the band, with Peter adding 
his touches where necessary.

Certainly Jim and Rob are responsible for most of the music, but I think 
they write more of the lyrics than most people think. Because Peter is the 
frontman of the group and very outwardly political (running for the senate 
etc) I think that the perception is that the group is echoing his feelings 
and views but certainly the other bandmembers are just as passionate about 
the band's causes (disarmament, environment, indigenous rights etc). I can 
understand Rob's frustration with the band being seen by some as being 
Peter's band when all of them in varying ways have put their stamp upon it. 
This is an unfortunate fact though with all bands - the singer normally is 
the focus of the band and when they leave they are tougher to replace.

In response to your general question about songwriting credits, from the 
songwriters I have spoken to it is not at all an exact science. When you see 
a credit as e.g "Moginie/Garrett" there is no way of telling who did what on 
the song, although based on the order of credits, this would imply Jim had a 
larger contribution in this case. I think it is up to the songwriter as to 
how the credit is handed out. If you had a song and the bass player added a 
really cool bassline, or a guitarist had a great solo, he MIGHT get credit 
for this but in many cases, probably not.

David


>From: "rick" <rickysan@speedlink.com.au>
>To: "Randy Van Vliet" <bigdaddyrv@yahoo.com>, <sweetapj@bellsouth.net>,   
><powderworks@cs.colorado.edu>
>Subject: Re: [Powderworks] future??
>Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2003 13:07:50 +1000
>
>            I'd have to agree with that too.
>
>
>        I've been particularly interested how Rob has said a few times that
>"the songwriters are still in the band".
>
>      I think that over the years Pete has had more songwriting credits 
>than
>Rob.Maybe Rob is referring to the fact that Pete hasn't written any of the
>music???I don't know.
>
>          Whenever i saw Pete's name on a song i pretty much assumed that 
>he
>wrote the bulk of the lyrics and Jim and Rob came up with the music and
>maybe the chorus.
>
>          I've always wondered that about songwriting credits.How much do 
>you
>have to contribute to get a credit? 1 line,3 lines, a verse?
>
>        For example,i've always wondered if when a songwriter brings a song
>to his band,does he have the bass lines and the drum beat worked out too.I
>guess it varies, but sometimes the bass or the drums can be the main hook 
>of
>the song and i sometimes think if that bassist or drummer came up with that
>themselves then their name should be on the song.
>
>            I'm not sure if Rob's bitter about Pete leaving or it's because
>he is aware of the fact that, to some ignorant people, Midnight Oil *IS*
>Peter Garrett and he is probably trying to dispel that myth.
>
>
>                        RICK
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Randy Van Vliet" <bigdaddyrv@yahoo.com>
>To: <sweetapj@bellsouth.net>; <powderworks@cs.colorado.edu>
>Sent: Friday, June 06, 2003 9:36 AM
>Subject: Re: [Powderworks] future??
>
>
> > Does it seem that Rob is, how to say, less than
> > pleased with Pete's departure from the band.  I don't
> > have anything to base it on except for trying to read
> > between the lines of Rob's various interviews from his
> > book tour that he kind of resents the fact that
> > everyone seems to assume that PG WAS the band and that
> > since he split, that the band would die.  Also he
> > seems to be very loud about reminding us that the
> > *music* talent hasn't gone anywhere.  Makes me wonder
> > if he and PG may have had a falling out?
> > Just wondering.
> >
> > Randy
> >
> > --- sweetapj@bellsouth.net wrote:
> > > Got this from Tom Spencer, who is temporarily
> > > unsubscribed due to exams!
> > >
> > >
> > > > Brisbane News   4/6/03, p.24
> > > >
> > > > In an interesting interview with Rob re: his book
> > > > (which I won't transcribe in full due to exam
> > > > pressures) :
> > > >
> > > > .For fans of Midnight Oil, however, the news isn't
> > > all
> > > > bad. They may have lost one of rock's most
> > > charismatic
> > > > and recognisable frontmen in Peter Garrett, but
> > > the
> > > > other band members plan to record together again.
> > > >
> > > > It will be under a different name, with bass
> > > player
> > > > Bones Hillman on vocals, and the guys haven't even
> > > > decided what sort of music it will be, or whether
> > > > they'll tour. The only definite is that the band
> > > will
> > > > live on.
> > > >
> > > > 'I'm going to get together with Jim, Martin
> > > (Rotsey)
> > > > and Bones in the next few weeks and start working
> > > > towards some new songs', Rob says.
> > > >
> > > > 'The singers are still in Midnight Oil, we've
> > > still
> > > > got strong vocalists, and the songwriters are
> > > still in
> > > > Midnight Oil, and we've got this shared history.
> > > I'm
> > > > looking forward to doing that.'
> > > >
> > > > The political issues that defined Midnight Oil
> > > will
> > > > also still have a strong presence. Rob says those
> > > > issues have never been more important to him, and
> > > > expressing his opinions through music has always
> > > been
> > > > his way.
> > > >
> > > > 'We've always just made our music and put it out
> > > there
> > > > and joined the chorus of disapproval'.
> > >
> > > Thanks to Tom in Brissie!!
> > >
> > > Jill in Atlant
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > > Powderworks@cs.colorado.edu
> > >
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> >
> >
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