In the Valley of the Midnight Oil

I’ve always admired Peter Garrett. Other than his great first name, he’s balanced an innovative and consistently strong music career with Midnight Oil, while staying heavily involved in the political and social issues of his native Australia. He ended up leaving Midnight Oil to focus on politics, and is currently a member of the Australian Parliament, serving the federal electorate of Kingsford Smith. At seven feet tall, Peter is a commanding presence on stage and I’m sure on the floor of Parliament. I had the good fortune to see Midnight Oil in 2001. My brother and I sat just a few rows back from the stage. An amazing experience…

So here’s two selections from Midnight Oil, one of my favorites from 1993’s ‘Earth and Sun and Moon’, and the other a more familiar track from 1987’s ‘Diesel and Dust’.

Midnight Oil: In the Valley (from Earth and Sun and Moon

Midnight Oil: The Dead Heart from Diesel and Dust