PAST NEWS

Martin Flanagan's speech at Native Born book launch - download pdf 15kb

Lake Bolac Eel Festival Over for Another Year

Each year the festival takes place and Neil has been a regular performer at the event. For more information see www.eelfestival.org.au

Following are some reviews and information about Neil's involvement with previous events.

Read the EEL FESTIVAL Review by Tonchi Mcintosh

Fiery Creek Healing Walk 2006

Lake Bolac Eel Festival forum speech delivered by Neil Murray on 21/4/06

Read the transcript of Neil's speech.
A healing walk - essay (download) pdf - 23Kb

Recent Gigs

Neil Murray visited Alice Springs where he performed a stunning solo show at the Araluen theatre on September 20th and caught up with old Warumpi Band partner Sammy Butcher.

Together they did five days mentoring of bush bands - Thunderboys, North Tanimi Band, Tjupi Band, Sunshine Reggae Band, and bands from Tennant Creek.

Neil Murray has a list of up coming performances. We hope to you see you there at one of the gigs or events.

2 songmen - "Live in Darwin" CD Released

A couple of years ago I was driving back from Adelaide with Shane and Neil. A federal election was underway and there were lots of John Howard posters and there was what my dear old mother would call little Johnny and the big words: John Howard For A Stronger Australia. We were coming through a town near the South Australian border when Shane spotted one which had been amended to read : John Howard – For A Stranger Australia. He’s certainly delivered on that promise. It’s strange and getting stranger.

Those two songs became something lots of Australians knew even if they didn’t know the two men who wrote them, and they kept walking ever more solitary paths, then Shane was discovered in Ireland, and all sorts of bridges were made, new songlines forged between that country and this, between indigenous Ireland and indigenous Australia, and a new idea of indigenous was born; meantime, Neil wrote a book called “Sing For Me Countryman”, and I don’t want to embarrass him by saying it again, but you gotta believe me, it’s the best book on Aboriginal culture by a contemporary whitefeller I’ve read.

It’s like that big rock in the desert – nothing can erode it even if only a few people can see it and it’ll still be there in 100 years time. And they both took what they had learned in northern Australia back to western Victoria where they were from and made albums about it and they both wrote songs about what happens in the mid-40s when the life we’ve lived appears to hold less and less connection to the life we’d hoped for, and still they kept walking, out there out of sight, writing songs about hope and loss, about love and reconciliation, another word for peace, something we may need plenty of in this country before too long, and all of it was born of experiences which would have broken many another but somehow they kept going.

Ladies and gentlemen – it’s my privilege and honour to introduce two of the heroes of the Australia fighting to be born, Shane Howard and Neil Murray.

Martin Flanagan
The Corner Hotel, Richmond, Melbourne
Sunday August 6 2006

Catching up with Neil Murray

Hi there,

Straight after the G. R Burarrawanga memorial concert held in Darwin on August 25^th, which was an emotionally powerful yet serenely satisfying event, I found myself on a plane bound for the US.

Among other things I visited New York for the first time and I can report it certainly is a buzz. It truly is a world city that never sleeps. If money was no object and I was a big city person one might be tempted to live there for a spell. I found myself wandering around the streets, avenues, parks and squares thinking of all the songs I'd ever heard about New York. I thought about the beat writers and poets, the folk singers, the artists and jazz musicians that had come to the big apple. Innovative and ground breaking music, writing and art can be found anywhere in the world, its just that if it happens in New York the world gets to hear about it quicker. Its like New York is one gigantic all powerful radio transmitter.

I suppose a lot of people are attracted to New York and the US generally with an idea of making it on the big stage. I don't suffer that particular affliction. As an ambition, it seems somehow flawed to me, just as fixation on a destination can undermine the journey. I can only write from the life and times I was born into. That's enough for me to do.

Apart from a couple of gigs I did at "aussie" bars in Manhattan, I spent the time visiting galleries and museums and taking in the colourful street life. And yes I had a sobering walk around Ground Zero. I also caught up with Fred Myers, the head of the anthropology department at NYU. I'd first encountered Fred in the early 80's at Papunya. He'd been doing his research in the western desert since the mid seventies. We spent a couple of evenings pontificating on the impact that western desert Aboriginal culture had made to our lives. (We must have been the only 2 people to have ever had that conversation in New York).

I went on to Nashville and wrote several songs with writers there and did a couple of show case performances at cafes. It's nigh impossible to get paid for a gig in Nashville as the place is overloaded with music. I also did a house concert in Atlanta for Jill Sweetapple, who must be my number one fan in the US just about, well at least in Georgia.

I went home via several days in LA, where I played a gig at the Genghis Cohen and wrote a couple of songs with Stephen Rowe (originally from Broken Hill) and Henry Fenton (another aussie from Sydney). Both of these guys have been in the US for a long time and are pursuing their music there.

I can also report that I'm very pleased the ABC have got behind my new album Overnighter and I'm looking forward to the Spiegeltent show with Shane Howard on October 31st, the Tarerer festival on November 10^th& 11th and particularly the shows with Sara Storer at the Harp in Sydney on November 30th and the Heritage Hotel in Bulli on December 1st. I heard a sneak preview of some tracks from Sara's new album recently and I was very impressed.

Also I want to thank David Nicholson for the superb job he has done in cobbling together a film clip for "Lights of Hay" from my Overnighter album. You can see by clicking here to play the video

Anyway people, think green, plant trees, save whales and be kind to all creatures including your own families.

That should give you enough to do before I see you next.
Neil Murray

2007 Season's Greetings

"I'd like to thank all of you out there who have supported my music, especially getting behind my new album "Overnighter" and requesting the "Lights of Hay" filmclip on CMC and Rage. Im looking forward to exciting and new opportunities for 2008. Have a safe and merry Christmas and a happy new year and I'll see you at a gig sometime soon"

Remembrance
Remembrance screened at 11am on Remembrance Day 2007 on
http://www.historychannel.com.au/november2007highlights.aspx
Special segments narrated by Neil, were also screened during the day including his reading of former POW Gordon Nelson's haunting poem, "The Men of The Line"...

East coast Overnighter tour is now done and dusted
The East coast Overnighter tour is now done and dusted. Thanks to all who supported this run which saw Neil and band play venues from Eumundi to Warracknabeal. If you did go along to the show you had the chance to pick up a copy of Neil 's new CD "Overnighter". The new CD is available to purchase on line as is Neil's "Spoken" a collection of spoken word readings written and recorded by Neil Murray. Neil will now take a month or so off before once again heading to the US. On the itinerary this time around is LA, Austin, Nashville and NYC - Click here to purchase the New Album "Overnighter"

New Album "Spoken" - Compilation of Spoken Word Performances
New spoken word album "Spoken" has been released and is available to purchase online - features 27 tracks of spoken word readings written and recorded by Neil Murray. "Warning - This album contains no music" - Click here to purchase the Album

2 Songmen Performed
2 Songmen (Neil Murray and Shane Howard) embarked on an Australian Tour during April and May. Click here for the Press Release released at that time

Recording
Neil has put the finishing touches to a new album with Siiri Metsar co-producing and engineering. Mixing is now completed and an even dozen new songs will be on the new CD titled "Overnighter". Expect a release in May and an east coast tour to coincide. Also a spoken word album has been mastered and will be made available in time for the 2 Songmen tour in April. Neil is scheduled to revisit the US from late July to the end of September to pursue co-writing and performing opportunities.
Shows
Neil performed 2 shows in late 2006 in Victoria at The Rose in Torquay and Don't Tell Tom in Brunswick. Both shows featured a band comprising of Matt Earl on drums, Steve Temple on bass, Don Farrel on guitar and Stephen "stretch" Teakle on keys and accordion. Support for both shows was Rachel Taylor and Tonchi was an additional support at the show on December 9th.

Neil Headlined Yungaburra Festival
The Summer festival season has kicked off in Australia and Neil recently headlined the Yungaburra festival www.yungaburrafolkfestival.org and performed a show at the Tanks centre in Cairns. See some photos here

2 Songmen
A quick thanks to all of you who supported the recent 2 Songmen tour. The national tour run was a resounding success with rave reviews around the country. The run was cut short due to Shane Howard's appearances on the National Countdown tour and Neil's US trip. Stand by for further news re the Songmen appearances.

Landcare Australia
Neil Recently appeared at the National Landcare Awards in Melbourne. Neil performed a very unique version of the song "My Island Home" with a band put together especially for this prestigious event.
Neil Murray supports Landcare Australia

Neil Murray successful appearances in America
On Sept 11th 2006 Neil left Australia for the US to appear at the Australian Festival in Nashville TN.
Other Aussies on the bill included Men At Work frontman Colin Hay, James Blundell and the Bushwackers. Check out www.australianfestival.org for further info.

By all accounts Neil was well received and the performances enabled his music to touch a new audience and provide them with a real taste of Australian song and verse through his unique folk rock style. Presented in amongst this prestigious Australian music lineup his music help present the true depth of Australia's native talent. Plans are already under way to return to the states in the new year so for those O.S. come back and see us here for more info or also look out for news at www.MySpace.com/NeilMurrayMusic

While in Nashville Neil took part in the Americana music conference with a few other shows on the run including a whistle stop for a Heads up visit to LA. Thanks to our great friend John Lomax 111.

NEW VIDEO - Tom Wills Would
One of many peoples favourite Neil Murray songs is the classic Tom Wills Would. A video has been put together for this track, many, many thanks to David Nicholson. The video is on rotation at Foxtel's Country Music Channel, has received a spin on Rage and will surface really soon on Melb's Nu Country via Channel 31 If you get a chance please contact these shows and request to see the video.

Question:
What do you get when the writer of “Solid Rock” meets the writer of “My Island Home ?”
Answer: The heart and soul of Australia.

Shane Howard (founding member of Goanna) and Neil Murray (founding member of the Warumpi Band) are a couple of weathered songmen, who despite the passing trends and decades, still stand tall in this country. Each has contributed some of the finest songs to Australian music. In their songs we glimpse a vision of Australia as an independent, compassionate, free thinking country, where its indigenous heritage and environment are protected and respected to form the foundation of a unique national identity.

Now for the first time, Shane Howard and Neil Murray touried the nation together.
To download the press release click here.

Martin Flanagans' glowing introduction speech for the 2 Songmen at a recent Corner Hotel gig in Melbourne

When I think of where we are in Australia today, I think of the old Credence Clearwater line: Long as I can see the light. The light I see in the two songmen is how long they’ve held the line, given all the things that have worked against them, like the vast indifference of Australian people to Aboriginal people, how they’ve walked on like true explorers, how they walked so far they disappeared from sight from mainstream Australia, and still they kept walking because they’d seen something and they knew it was true, and that was the spirit of Aboriginal Australia, the spirit of the land, the thing that however assaulted and injured has survived Christ knows how many thousands of years, and one wrote a song called Solid Rock and the other wrote My Island Home, and those songs became something lots of Australians knew even if they didn’t know the two men who wrote them, and they kept walking ever more solitary paths, then Shane was discovered in Ireland, and all sorts of bridges were made, new songlines forged between that country and this, between indigenous Ireland and indigenous Australia, and a new idea of indigenous was born; meantime, Neil wrote a book called “Sing For Me Countryman”, and I don’t want to embarrass him by saying it again, but you gotta believe me, it’s the best book on Aboriginal culture by a contemporary whitefeller I’ve read. It’s like that big rock in the desert – nothing can erode it even if only a few people can see it and it’ll still be there in 100 years time. And they both took what they had learned in northern Australia back to western Victoria where they were from and made albums about it and they both wrote songs about what happens in the mid-40s when the life we’ve lived appears to hold less and less connection to the life we’d hoped for, and still they kept walking, out there out of sight, writing songs about hope and loss, about love and reconciliation, another word for peace, something we may need plenty of in this country before too long, and all of it was born of experiences which would have broken many another but somehow they kept going.

I look at Neil and Shane and see what it takes to create truly Australian culture. I see two songmen who walked to the spiritual centre of this country, found themselves alone and kept walking I see two artistic paths that may not be much appreciated or understood today but will have a life and importance beyond this poor bewildered era. Ladies and gentlemen – it’s my privilege and honour to introduce two of the heroes of the Australia fighting to be born, Shane Howard and Neil Murray.

Martin Flanagan
The Corner Hotel, Richmond, Melbourne
Sunday August 6 2006

Neil was in Sydney as a special guest of Landcare Australia. Neil was invited along as a judge for the Landcare indigenous awards ceremony.

Neil relationship continues with Landcare later this year as he will be appearing at the National Landcare awards ceremony on October 10.

Neil will not only be a judge at these prestigious awards but will also be performing.

Fiery Creek Healing Walk 2006
Lake Bolac Eel festival forum speech delivered by Neil Murray on 21/4/06
To read the transcript of Neil's speech click here

Review: EEL FESTIVAL by Tonchi Mcintosh

What else has been happening this year

After a huge start to the new year Neil is now back home and having a well deserved break. Over the 2005 Xmas/New year period Neil played 3 shows at the Woodford Folk festival, managed to squeeze in a couple of shows in Tassie and then headed off to the Tamworth country music festival.On the way back from Tamworth 2 shows in NSW rounded off a hectic 5-6 weeks on the road. I've heard from many fans who caught Neil at these shows, great to hear from you all.

If you would like to send me a review of the show you attended we could post on the site and share your experience with other fans.

As always thanks for supporting Neil Murray.

Johnno Nutting

Did you manage to catch Neil chatting to ABC Radio's Saturday Night Country host Johnno last Sat Sept 3? If you heard the interview you'll know Neil's song "Menindee" has was short listed for the new album "Saturday Night Country Vol 2" released mid Jan 2006. Check out the Saturday Night Country site, you can tune into the interview via the marvels of technology. Thanks as always to Johnno for his continued support.

Circumstances

Was that Circumstances I heard on the telly? Thanks to Sandra Bourne in Brisbane, Sandra was the first to hear the song "Circumstances" on the telly. The song is the music bed for Channel 7's movie "We Were Soldiers" staring Mel Gibson.
The movie has aired in Qld but not sure if the other states have run the movie yet, still to air in Melbourne that's for sure.

Australian International Music Market
Neil performed 2 shows in Brisbane. The showcase performance for the AIMM at The Spiegel Tent 21/7/05 was a beauty as was the evening performance at the Troubadour, a double bill with Those Bloody Mckennas. Both shows featured a stellar band line up including:
• Matt Earl - Drums (The band who knew 2 much)
• Jim Moginie - Guitars & ukulele (Midnight Oil)
• Shannon Birchall - Bass (John Butler Trio)
Many thanks to the band and for those fans who supported these shows.

Individual Environmental Achievement Award
In an award ceremony wednesday May 25 in Hamilton, Victoria, Neil won an individual environmental achievement award presented by the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority (CMA).
Read the June 7th media release for this award

Acoustic set at the ABC Fresh Air Regional Concert in Rainbow
Neil recently performed an acoustic set of material at the ABC Fresh Air Regional Concert in Rainbow. The event was broadcast live throughout ABC Victoria local radio and will be replayed on Country Hour, Music Deli, and On Demand via DIG, dates TBC.
The location of the Mecca Hall in Rainbow was a great success for all concerned. The concert hosted by Paul Petran and Derek Guille featured Mia Dyson, Abbie Cardwell and Voicepop Foible.
Many thanks to project coordinator Allyson Moore.

Lake Bolac Eel Festival - The hEELing Walk
Neil Murray, along with eleven companions successfully completed an overland "hEEling Walk" from the mouth of the Hopkins River at Warrnambool to Lake Bolac. The group departed at 7am on March 23rd and walked into lake Bolac on March 31st at 10am. The walk promoted indigenous access and connection to country and drew attention to the degradation of waterways and disruption to eel migration. The walk was precursor to the inaugural "Eel Festival" held at Lake Bolac on april 2nd 2005. Approximiately 1000 people attended the event which included stalls and local produce markets, a forum of environmental and indigenous speakers and a concert on the foreshore featuring- a brilliant line up of Tonchi McIntosh, Shane Howard, Kavisha Mazzella, Neil Murray, David Bridie, Andy Alberts, Pat Clarke, Rachel Taylor, Howlin Wind, Lee Morgan and others. It is not known yet whether the eel festival will be an annual or biannual event. Further info can be obtained at www.eelfestival.org.au

READ THIS NEW ARTICLE COURTESY OF THE MELBOURNE TIMES
One man's plan to follow...the journey of the eels
By: SIMONE DALTON
Book Release

The long awaited REPRINT of "Sing For Me Countryman" is NOW AVAILABLE!!!

Available by posting to Neil Murray, P.O Box 66, Lake Bolac, Victoria, 3351, Australia Cost: $30.00 + $6.00 postage and handling * please make cheque payable to Neil Murray. Sing For Me Countryman is also selling well with plenty of mail orders coming in.

Previous reports...
'THESE HANDS', 'DUST', 'THE WONDERING KIND', 'GOING THE DISTANCE' and 'ABOUT TIME... A SONG COLLECTION' are now distributed through Shock Records. Please contact Shock by visiting them at www.shock.com.au

The Warumpi Band with Neil Murray, Sammy Butcher and George Rrurrambu in the line up played a gig in Alice Springs on the 8th of October. The Band were asked to reform for a one off gig for the 25th anniversay of the Central Land Council.
Please visit the Intinerary page for future dates and venue.

Also available, although limited, is the 'Far Away' Cassingle - A COLLECTORS ITEM! - containing the once and only released 'Swagman's Rest' and the original version of 'Menindee'. Only $11 including postage and handling. For purchasing details please click on Discography

You can find Neil Murray's song 'Little One' and poetry on the 'Fatherhood' CD. A powerful compliation album about being or having a father. The CD is available through the Fatherhood website, www.fatherhood-cd.org
For the latest print quality photos for media use please visit Photos/Press page.

Neil Murray's songs are published by Universal Music Publishing. Please direct All enquires for use to Universial Music Publishing by visiting www.umusicpub.com