Redgum

:"For the eucalyptus species, see River Red Gum; or for the deciduous tree see American Sweetgum."Infobox Musical artist
Name = Redgum


Img_capt = "Caught in the Act" (1983)
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = Adelaide, Australia
Genre = Folk, Rock
Years_active = 1975 - 1990
Label = Larrikin, Epic, CBS, Columbia
Associated_acts = Gordon Franklin & The Wilderness Ensemble, John Schumann, Vagabond Crew, Crossroads
URL =
Current_members =
Past_members = Michael Atkinson
John Schumann
Verity Truman
Chris Timms
Gordon McLean
Tom Stehlik
Russell Coleman
Dave Flett
Hugh McDonald
Stephen Cooney
Brian Czempinski
Michael Spicer

Redgum were an Australian folk and political music group formed in Adelaide in 1975. They are most famous for their protest songs exploring the impact of war ("I Was Only Nineteen (A Walk in the Light Green)", 1983) and Australian consumer influences on surrounding nations ("I've Been To Bali Too", 1984). Diamantina Drover, written by Hugh McDonald is an endearing Australian bush classic.

History

Redgum were formed in 1975 when three students at Flinders University, John Schumann, Michael Atkinson (not the future Labor politician of the same name) and Verity Truman, collaborated for a musical assessment piece for their Politics and Art course. The trio quickly gained fame around the University community for their forthright songs, and by 1976 had been joined by violinist Chris Timms (also attended Flinders University). The group were soon in demand for parties, pubs and rallies throughout South Australia and Victoria. Initially a part-time band, performing weekends and school holidays (two members were teachers), it was only after they released their second album, "Virgin Ground" (late 1980), to strong sales and critical acclaim, that the group became full-time and started touring nationally.

Music

On the first album, "If You Don't Fight You Lose" (1978) Redgum showed it was one of the few Australian bands prepared to tackle domestic politics and culture. "One More Boring Night in Adelaide" for some will remain, despite some of its dated references, a classic analysis of Australian provincial parochialism.

The group's success continued to grow with the release of their next three albums, "Virgin Ground", "Brown Rice and Kerosine" (1981) and the EP "Cut to the Quick" (September 1982), and they weathered several line-up changes (the addition of a didgeridoo and the replacement of Timms with Hugh McDonald, among others). They released a songbook "The Redgum Songbook: Stubborn Words, Flagrant Vices" (1981).

Collaboration with influential Australian folk producer Trevor Lucas (from UK folk group Fairport Convention) brought the high-point of their career - the live LP "Caught in the Act" was released in 1983 and "I Was Only Nineteen" aka "A Walk in the Light Green" (March 1983) hit number one on the Australian singles chart. The song precipitated a Royal Commission into the use and effects of chemical agents in the Vietnam War by the Australian military. The album included "The Diamantina Drover" and "The Last Frontier" which are indicative of their folk music style.

The band released their next LP, "Frontline" (August 1984) with its single "I've Been to Bali Too", and started touring folk venues in the UK and Europe with some success. In 1986, however, Schumann shocked the group by announcing he had signed a solo deal with CBS Records and would be quitting. Redgum released one more album of new material, "Midnight Sun" (1986), a last single "Roll it on Robbie" (1987) after which Atkinson left. The remaining members performed until 1990 before breaking up for good.cite web |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/r/redgum.html |title=Australian Rock Database Redgum entry|publisher=Magnus Holmgren |accessdate=2007-11-03 ]

Redgum post-Redgum

After leaving the band, Schumann released two solo albums before pursuing a career with the Australian Democrats, standing for the South Australian seat of Mayo in the 1998 Federal election and only losing by a small margin. He left the Democrats in 2000 and returned to further solo works. Schumann toured Australia in 2007 with the Vagabond Crew (includes McDonald) and a new album is due early 2008. [cite web |url=http://www.schumann.com.au/john/news.html |title=John Schumann Official website Latest News |accessdate=2007-11-03 ] Other members of Redgum continue to work in the Australian music scene. Atkinson has worked in film and television. [cite web |url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0040771 |title=Internet Movie Database entry on Michael Atkinson |publisher=IMDb |accessdate=2007-11-03 ] He composed the music for many critically acclaimed films including "Heaven's Burning" (1997), starring Russell Crowe. Truman's talents can still be heard around Adelaide. She has been a long time member of the local Adelaide cabaret band Crossroads, and those lucky enough to see the band will be treated to her continuing vocal and instrumental talents.In 2005, Redgum were again brought to attention through the recording of an acoustic / hip hop cover of "I Was Only 19" by Australian group The Herd with Schumann. The song received high rotation on popular national radio station Triple J.Woodford Folk Festival, Woodford, Qld, enabled John Schumann & the Vagabond Crew to rock the mainly 40+ crowd to their soggy toes. The crowd thrilled to old favourites, reworked crowd pleasers and new works. At the Port Fairy Fold Festival the band preceded the popular Sunday singalong.

Discography

tudio albums

*"If You Don't Fight You Lose" (1978)
*"Virgin Ground" (November, 1980)
*"Brown Rice and Kerosine" (1981)
*"Cut to the Quick" (1982 EP)
*"Frontline" (August, 1984)
*"Everything's Legal, Anything Goes" (1985 compilation)
*"Midnight Sun" (November 1986)
*"4 Play Vol 19" (EP, March 1988)
*"Against the Grain" (2004 compilation)

Live albums

*"Caught in the Act" (June, 1983)

ingles

*"Long Run" (Schumann) / "Little Hampton's Calling Me" (Atkinson, McDonald, Truman, Schumann) (January, 1981) Re-released August 1983 with B side "Fabulon" (McDonald, Truman, Atkinson, Schumann)
*"100 Years On" (Schumann)cite web |url=http://www.apra.com.au/cms/worksearch/worksearch.srvlt?action=workSearch&switchDet=Y |title=Australasian Performing Right Association |publisher=APRA |accessdate=2007-11-06 ] / "Nuclear Cop" (Schumann, Atkinson, Truman, Timms) (November, 1981)
*"Working Girls" (Schumann) (1982)
*"Caught in the Act" (Schumann, Atkinson, Truman, Timms) / "Stewie" (Schumann) / "Lear Jets Over Kulgera" (Atkinson) (1983 EP, also released with LP of same name)
*"I Was Only Nineteen" (Schumann) / "Yarralumla Wine" (Atkinson) (March 1983)
*"A.S.I.O." (Atkinson) / "Hira" (Schumann, Cooney) (1984)
*"Friday Night" (Atkinson) / "Last Frontier" (Schumann) (1984)
*"I've Been to Bali Too" (Schumann) / "Still Life" (Truman, McDonald) (February, 1984)
*"Just Another Moment on Your Own" (Atkinson, Schumann) / "Kerang (Moon Over Water)" (McDonald) (1985)
*"The Drover's Dog" (Schumann, Atkinson) / "It Doesn't Matter to Me" (Schumann, Atkinson) (1985)
*"Running With the Hurricane" (Atkinson, McDonald) / "Street to Die" (McDonald) (November, 1986)
*"Roll it on Robbie" (McDonald, Spicer) / "Empty Page" (Truman, Spicer) (May, 1987)

Video

"On the Frontline" (1990, Hoyts / Polygram) [cite web |first=Chris |last=Spencer |coauthors=Thomas Hurst, Bob Bolton, Wendy Lowenstein |date=2000-06-08 |title="Australian Folk Songs Discography M-Z" |publisher=Australian Folk Songs |url=http://folkstream.com/data/AFS_M-Z.html |accessdate=2007-11-08 ]

References

External links

* [http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/r/redgum.html Australian Rock Database's Redgum discography]
* [http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/redgum Rate Your Music's Redgum discography]
* [http://www.hughmcdonald.com Hugh McDonald's web site]
* [http://www.schumann.com.au/john/john.html John Schumann's official site]
* [http://www.bmusic.com.au/links/whatsnew/newsletters/archives/newsno102.html#where bMusic.com.au newsletter no. 102 (January 11th - January 17th 2004 ) - "Redgum: Where Are They Now?"]
* [http://www.bmusic.com.au/links/whatsnew/newsletters/archives/newsno216.html#where bMusic.com.au newsletter no. 216 (May 2nd - May 8th 2006 ) - "Redgum: Where Are They Now? - UPDATED"]