News
28 January 2008 PAIN AND FORTITUDE ON THE ROAD TO RECONCILIATION
By Tony Hiller
Kev Carmody excepted, no singer-songwriter in the country comes within cooee of Archie Roach in expressing the suffering of Aboriginal Australia. Journey pauses for reflection on past injustice while continuing the uphill path towards reconciliation. The author of seminal songs such as Took The Children Away tacitly acknowledges Afro-American struggles of yore, encasing his songs in classic blues, country and spiritual coverings. Shane Howard accompanies Roach throughout his journey, as producer and session contributor. Another champion of Aboriginal music, Paul Kelly, stops by to duet on Jack Davis's emotive poem set to music, John Pat, inspired by the man whose death triggered the royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody. Troy Cassar-Daley lends a hand on Travellin' Bones, a song that criticises the practice of indigenous remains being spirited to overseas museums and celebrates the return of some of these relics. Little Sisters (Special Place) relates to the tragic death of Louis Johnson, an adopted Aboriginal youth who was the victim of a racist attack in Perth in 1992, and his subsequent burial at his ancestral home outside Alice Springs. Lighthouse, another intensley moving song, urges Johnson's birth mother and adoptive mother to look for their son inside of joy rather than pain. Emotion drips from all these pieces, fuelled by Roach's carefully chosen words, his heartfelt delivery and beautiful vibrato. Liyarn Ngarn, also the title of a documentary DVD linked to the album that Roach made with British actor Pete Postlethwaite and Aboriginal leader Patrick Dodson, stands as an eloquent anthem for reconciliation: "We are all born of different skin / but it doesn't matter if we can begin / to celebrate life and all that means / and we must not be afraid to live our dreams / come together everyone / where the moon meets the sun."
Tony Hiller
Journey - Archie Roach - Liberation - 4 stars
Kev Carmody excepted, no singer-songwriter in the country comes within cooee of Archie Roach in expressing the suffering of Aboriginal Australia. Journey pauses for reflection on past injustice while continuing the uphill path towards reconciliation. The author of seminal songs such as Took The Children Away tacitly acknowledges Afro-American struggles of yore, encasing his songs in classic blues, country and spiritual coverings. Shane Howard accompanies Roach throughout his journey, as producer and session contributor. Another champion of Aboriginal music, Paul Kelly, stops by to duet on Jack Davis's emotive poem set to music, John Pat, inspired by the man whose death triggered the royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody. Troy Cassar-Daley lends a hand on Travellin' Bones, a song that criticises the practice of indigenous remains being spirited to overseas museums and celebrates the return of some of these relics. Little Sisters (Special Place) relates to the tragic death of Louis Johnson, an adopted Aboriginal youth who was the victim of a racist attack in Perth in 1992, and his subsequent burial at his ancestral home outside Alice Springs. Lighthouse, another intensley moving song, urges Johnson's birth mother and adoptive mother to look for their son inside of joy rather than pain. Emotion drips from all these pieces, fuelled by Roach's carefully chosen words, his heartfelt delivery and beautiful vibrato. Liyarn Ngarn, also the title of a documentary DVD linked to the album that Roach made with British actor Pete Postlethwaite and Aboriginal leader Patrick Dodson, stands as an eloquent anthem for reconciliation: "We are all born of different skin / but it doesn't matter if we can begin / to celebrate life and all that means / and we must not be afraid to live our dreams / come together everyone / where the moon meets the sun."
Tony Hiller
Journey - Archie Roach - Liberation - 4 stars
28 January 2008 NEW ALBUM PUTS ROACH ON THE ROAD TO WOODFORD, WOMADELAIDE AND BEYOND.
By TONY HILLIER
It might have been purely coincidental that Archie Roach was out on the road last month promoting what is arguably his most political and powerful work to date while the protagonists in the most protracted federal election campaign in history were on the hustings.
But the irony of the situation was not lost on a man who has lent a robust voice to Aboriginal Australia’s trials and tribulations over the past 20 years.
Archie’s adamant the clash wasn’t premeditated: “Yes it’s strange how that worked out, but we didn’t intend it, that’s for sure,” he says about the release of his fifth album.
Adding further irony to the timing, the launch of Journey came when the media was chockablock of reports of the Federal Government’s intervention in the Northern Territory.
When the government of the day snatched a young Archie from his parents half a century ago and put him into foster care, they said it was for his own “protection”. Now he sees it all happening again. “I just thought what’s all this! — it gave me a sense of deja vu.”
The plight of the stolen generation and Roach's personal experience was, of course, articulated perfectly in ‘Took the Children Away’, the song that launched his career and earned him two ARIA awards and an international Human Rights Achievement Award.
Now the documentary that stands as a companion piece to his new album, has been shortlisted for a United Nations Human Rights Medal in the Television/Media category — somewhat surprisingly observes Archie since no TV station had agreed to broadcast it at the time of nomination. He’s hoping it’ll get a cinema release down the track. If not, he’s sure it’ll be screened on the teev eventually.
It’s a sad indictment on the lack of progress that 15 years after the release of his stunning debut album, Charcoal Lane, Archie Roach still has so much to write and sing about in the realm of indigenous affairs in this country.
Journey and the aforementioned DVD/documentary, Liyarn Ngarn, explores the impact of racism towards Aboriginal people. It was partly motivated by the tragic story of Louis Johnson, an adopted Aboriginal kid who was brutally murdered in a racially motivated attack in Perth in 1992.
It was the boy’s foster father, Bill Johnson, who backed the album, and that led to the doco. “He decided it would be good to do a film with an old mate of his from England, Pete Postlethwaite [the actor who starred in movies like Brass Off and In the Name of the Father] and Patrick Dodson, who came up with the concept.” The film features the singer, the indigenous leader and the thespian travelling from Western Australia to Roach's home country in south-west Victoria; from the spiritual Ngurrarra paintings near Fitzroy Crossing to Fremantle jails, where Aboriginal prisoners have died in custody. It was jointly funded by Bill Johnson and the Lingiari Foundation. “The story wrote itself, more or less,” observes Archie.
Roach reports that most of the songs were written before they actually made the doco. But he adds that a few songs came out of the filmmaking process.
‘Litter Sisters (Special Place)’ is about the late Louis Johnson, who was buried in his ancestral home outside Alice Springs. “I visited his grave and it was sort of like closure for me to write the song.” In another track, ‘Lighthouse’, Roach urges the boy’s birth mother and adopted mother not to look for their son “inside pain”.
In ‘Travellin Bones’, he decries the practice of indigenous remains being taken to overseas’ museums and celebrates the belated return of some of these precious remains. Written in the style of a classic country song, the track is a duet with Troy Cassar-Daley. “That was the first time I’ve done anything with him — I was rapt that he agreed to sing on the track.”
‘John Pat’, a poem set to music on which Archie duets with long-time collaborator Paul Kelly, was written by Jack Davis, whose death was the catalyst for the demands of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. “That poem’s pretty special to me,” he says, explaining, “I sang ‘John Pat’ to old Jack in Fremantle Hospital not long before he died.” Kevin Gilbert’s ‘Never Blood’, another poem set to music on Journey, parallels eyewitness accounts of a death in custody.
But Journey and Liyarn Ngarn are essentially about reconciliation. “I remain optimistic about reconciliation,” says Archie: “I think Australians are looking for a new direction in that process. I certainly see it [the album/film] as a culmination in the push for reconciliation. Through the years we’ve had the Bringing Them Home report, the Royal Commission into Deaths In Custody but really there’s not been much progress. I have a sense of people really wanting a change, and wanting a good country that we can all be proud of. I’m always looking towards the light. I’ve always seen the good in people.”
In the song ‘Liyarn Ngarn’, which could become as anthemic as ‘Took the Children Away’, Archie sings poetically: “We are all born of different skin / but it doesn’t matter if we can begin / to celebrate life and all that means / and we must not be afraid to live our dreams / come together everyone / where the moon meets the sun.”
‘Too Many Bridges’, a full-bodied blues, emphasises the need for progress in the reconciliation process: “We crossed too many bridges, been to too many sorry days,” he sings. “I love blues — I’ve always thought about doing a blues album or something along that line. Someone I was talking to recently said: ‘If there’s any blues music coming out of Australia it would be from you’. I thought about it and replied: ‘yeh’. As downtrodden as the negroes were in America they had music, spiritual music that became the blues.”
It’s highly appropriate that Shane Howard should have produced Archie’s latest and arguably greatest album (see side panel) since he too is a songman from the lands of the Gunditjmara around Warrnambool, and has championed Aboriginal Australia since the release of Goanna’s debut album, Spirit of Place (a title that Archie has resurrected for another song on Journey.)
Roach found Howard easy to work with: “We can sit down and talk for hours. I’ve always wanted to work with him. We’ve crossed paths at shows and festivals around the country for years. It’s been a hoot and a pleasure to have done this with him.”
As a producer, Archie says Howard’s got a totally different style from Paul Kelly, who produced several of his earlier albums. “Shane’s more relaxed and laidback. Paul doesn’t like sloppy language; he insists on proper use of English. He’s like a grammar teacher sometimes. They’re two different people, but both have a great understanding and a feel for other people’s songs.”
Talking about the upcoming Black Arm Band/Murundak shows, which will see him reunite with Howard, he says: “Most of the artists that are on it, come and sing one song. I sing ‘Took The Children Away’, of course.”
Archie’s had a few health problems in recent years. As with Kev Carmody, he says the travelling’s taken its toll. “It’s time to slow down a bit and take things a bit easier. I’m not a young bloke any more. I pretty much do a show and go back to the hotel to bed these days.”
Despite the hiccups, Roach’s velvety, vibrato-laden singing sounds better than ever: “I suppose the old voice has worn a bit, but I’m more comfortable with it than I was.”
Told that his vocal style always brings to mind Aaron Neville, he exclaimed: “I love the Neville Brothers. I was fortunate enough to meet them backstage after a show they did in Melbourne a few years ago. It was goosebump stuff for me because I think the way Aaron uses his voice is just magic.”
Many Australians find Archie Roach equally mesmerising.
Journey is available through Liberation. Archie Roach will be performing at the Woodford Folk Festival (Dec 27-Jan 1) with his 4 piece band, at the Festival of Sydney at the Opera House (Jan 22 & 23) as part of Murundak with the Black Arm Band, at A Day On The Green at the Hunter Valley’s Bimbadgen Estate, with Ruby Hunter, as support to Jimmy Barnes and The Baby Animals (Jan 26), and at Perth International Arts Festival (Feb 23) and Womadelaide (March 7-9), in Murundak.
It might have been purely coincidental that Archie Roach was out on the road last month promoting what is arguably his most political and powerful work to date while the protagonists in the most protracted federal election campaign in history were on the hustings.
But the irony of the situation was not lost on a man who has lent a robust voice to Aboriginal Australia’s trials and tribulations over the past 20 years.
Archie’s adamant the clash wasn’t premeditated: “Yes it’s strange how that worked out, but we didn’t intend it, that’s for sure,” he says about the release of his fifth album.
Adding further irony to the timing, the launch of Journey came when the media was chockablock of reports of the Federal Government’s intervention in the Northern Territory.
When the government of the day snatched a young Archie from his parents half a century ago and put him into foster care, they said it was for his own “protection”. Now he sees it all happening again. “I just thought what’s all this! — it gave me a sense of deja vu.”
The plight of the stolen generation and Roach's personal experience was, of course, articulated perfectly in ‘Took the Children Away’, the song that launched his career and earned him two ARIA awards and an international Human Rights Achievement Award.
Now the documentary that stands as a companion piece to his new album, has been shortlisted for a United Nations Human Rights Medal in the Television/Media category — somewhat surprisingly observes Archie since no TV station had agreed to broadcast it at the time of nomination. He’s hoping it’ll get a cinema release down the track. If not, he’s sure it’ll be screened on the teev eventually.
It’s a sad indictment on the lack of progress that 15 years after the release of his stunning debut album, Charcoal Lane, Archie Roach still has so much to write and sing about in the realm of indigenous affairs in this country.
Journey and the aforementioned DVD/documentary, Liyarn Ngarn, explores the impact of racism towards Aboriginal people. It was partly motivated by the tragic story of Louis Johnson, an adopted Aboriginal kid who was brutally murdered in a racially motivated attack in Perth in 1992.
It was the boy’s foster father, Bill Johnson, who backed the album, and that led to the doco. “He decided it would be good to do a film with an old mate of his from England, Pete Postlethwaite [the actor who starred in movies like Brass Off and In the Name of the Father] and Patrick Dodson, who came up with the concept.” The film features the singer, the indigenous leader and the thespian travelling from Western Australia to Roach's home country in south-west Victoria; from the spiritual Ngurrarra paintings near Fitzroy Crossing to Fremantle jails, where Aboriginal prisoners have died in custody. It was jointly funded by Bill Johnson and the Lingiari Foundation. “The story wrote itself, more or less,” observes Archie.
Roach reports that most of the songs were written before they actually made the doco. But he adds that a few songs came out of the filmmaking process.
‘Litter Sisters (Special Place)’ is about the late Louis Johnson, who was buried in his ancestral home outside Alice Springs. “I visited his grave and it was sort of like closure for me to write the song.” In another track, ‘Lighthouse’, Roach urges the boy’s birth mother and adopted mother not to look for their son “inside pain”.
In ‘Travellin Bones’, he decries the practice of indigenous remains being taken to overseas’ museums and celebrates the belated return of some of these precious remains. Written in the style of a classic country song, the track is a duet with Troy Cassar-Daley. “That was the first time I’ve done anything with him — I was rapt that he agreed to sing on the track.”
‘John Pat’, a poem set to music on which Archie duets with long-time collaborator Paul Kelly, was written by Jack Davis, whose death was the catalyst for the demands of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. “That poem’s pretty special to me,” he says, explaining, “I sang ‘John Pat’ to old Jack in Fremantle Hospital not long before he died.” Kevin Gilbert’s ‘Never Blood’, another poem set to music on Journey, parallels eyewitness accounts of a death in custody.
But Journey and Liyarn Ngarn are essentially about reconciliation. “I remain optimistic about reconciliation,” says Archie: “I think Australians are looking for a new direction in that process. I certainly see it [the album/film] as a culmination in the push for reconciliation. Through the years we’ve had the Bringing Them Home report, the Royal Commission into Deaths In Custody but really there’s not been much progress. I have a sense of people really wanting a change, and wanting a good country that we can all be proud of. I’m always looking towards the light. I’ve always seen the good in people.”
In the song ‘Liyarn Ngarn’, which could become as anthemic as ‘Took the Children Away’, Archie sings poetically: “We are all born of different skin / but it doesn’t matter if we can begin / to celebrate life and all that means / and we must not be afraid to live our dreams / come together everyone / where the moon meets the sun.”
‘Too Many Bridges’, a full-bodied blues, emphasises the need for progress in the reconciliation process: “We crossed too many bridges, been to too many sorry days,” he sings. “I love blues — I’ve always thought about doing a blues album or something along that line. Someone I was talking to recently said: ‘If there’s any blues music coming out of Australia it would be from you’. I thought about it and replied: ‘yeh’. As downtrodden as the negroes were in America they had music, spiritual music that became the blues.”
It’s highly appropriate that Shane Howard should have produced Archie’s latest and arguably greatest album (see side panel) since he too is a songman from the lands of the Gunditjmara around Warrnambool, and has championed Aboriginal Australia since the release of Goanna’s debut album, Spirit of Place (a title that Archie has resurrected for another song on Journey.)
Roach found Howard easy to work with: “We can sit down and talk for hours. I’ve always wanted to work with him. We’ve crossed paths at shows and festivals around the country for years. It’s been a hoot and a pleasure to have done this with him.”
As a producer, Archie says Howard’s got a totally different style from Paul Kelly, who produced several of his earlier albums. “Shane’s more relaxed and laidback. Paul doesn’t like sloppy language; he insists on proper use of English. He’s like a grammar teacher sometimes. They’re two different people, but both have a great understanding and a feel for other people’s songs.”
Talking about the upcoming Black Arm Band/Murundak shows, which will see him reunite with Howard, he says: “Most of the artists that are on it, come and sing one song. I sing ‘Took The Children Away’, of course.”
Archie’s had a few health problems in recent years. As with Kev Carmody, he says the travelling’s taken its toll. “It’s time to slow down a bit and take things a bit easier. I’m not a young bloke any more. I pretty much do a show and go back to the hotel to bed these days.”
Despite the hiccups, Roach’s velvety, vibrato-laden singing sounds better than ever: “I suppose the old voice has worn a bit, but I’m more comfortable with it than I was.”
Told that his vocal style always brings to mind Aaron Neville, he exclaimed: “I love the Neville Brothers. I was fortunate enough to meet them backstage after a show they did in Melbourne a few years ago. It was goosebump stuff for me because I think the way Aaron uses his voice is just magic.”
Many Australians find Archie Roach equally mesmerising.
Journey is available through Liberation. Archie Roach will be performing at the Woodford Folk Festival (Dec 27-Jan 1) with his 4 piece band, at the Festival of Sydney at the Opera House (Jan 22 & 23) as part of Murundak with the Black Arm Band, at A Day On The Green at the Hunter Valley’s Bimbadgen Estate, with Ruby Hunter, as support to Jimmy Barnes and The Baby Animals (Jan 26), and at Perth International Arts Festival (Feb 23) and Womadelaide (March 7-9), in Murundak.
21 January 2008 Press Release: New Shows Announced
Press Release
An Evening with Songman, Archie Roach.
ARCHIE ROACH is arguably one of the best voices of the world and his latest album, Journey, has been hailed by the critics as his masterwork.
Described as his most political and powerful work to date, Journey, Roach’s long-awaited fifth album, firmly cements his place as one of Australia’s most important singer/songwriters.
Following sell out shows launching Journey late last year, Roach returns to the Corner Hotel on Wed 6th February and to the Peninsula Lounge on Friday 8th February to share the songs and stories from Journey; songs he describes as “a reaffirmation of identity, country, beliefs and spirit”.
Roach will be joined on stage by a powerful ensemble including Ruby Hunter, Amos Roach, Dave Arden, Ewan Baker, Amy Saunders and Sally Dastey (formerly of Tiddas).
In a rare public performance since the internationally renowned trio, Tiddas disbanded nearly eight years ago Amy and Sally will join forces to open the show over both nights.
This will be followed by Roach’s special guest from Tasmania, Dewayne, a young Aboriginal singer/songwriter whose audition for Australian idol last year brought Mark Holden to tears whilst Marcia Hines described his voice as one of the most beautiful she’d heard in years.
Both nights promise to showcase a spiritually profound collection of songs and stories.
Writes one reviewer, Roach is a wonderful storyteller who takes on serious subjects and lances taboos. Another describes Journey as an Australian album of the highest order.
Tickets for both shows are $27.00 + $3.00 b/f or $30.00 at the door.
For the Corner Hotel show on Wednesday 6th February tickets are on-sale at the Corner Box Office (57 Swan St Richmond 12-8 Mon-Sat), phone bookings on 9427 9198, online bookings www.cornerhotel.com Please note: limited seating is available for the Corner Hotel show, be early. Doors 8.00pm,
For the Peninsula Lounge show tickets are on sale through the Box Office - 475 Moorooduc Hwy (Cnr Eramosa Rd), Moorooduc.
Ph (03) 59788955 and online at www.peninsulalounge.com.au
For further information check out Archie Roach’s website
www.archieroach.com.au and www.myspace.com/archieroach.
For any media inquiries contact 0414 556728.
An Evening with Songman, Archie Roach.
ARCHIE ROACH is arguably one of the best voices of the world and his latest album, Journey, has been hailed by the critics as his masterwork.
Described as his most political and powerful work to date, Journey, Roach’s long-awaited fifth album, firmly cements his place as one of Australia’s most important singer/songwriters.
Following sell out shows launching Journey late last year, Roach returns to the Corner Hotel on Wed 6th February and to the Peninsula Lounge on Friday 8th February to share the songs and stories from Journey; songs he describes as “a reaffirmation of identity, country, beliefs and spirit”.
Roach will be joined on stage by a powerful ensemble including Ruby Hunter, Amos Roach, Dave Arden, Ewan Baker, Amy Saunders and Sally Dastey (formerly of Tiddas).
In a rare public performance since the internationally renowned trio, Tiddas disbanded nearly eight years ago Amy and Sally will join forces to open the show over both nights.
This will be followed by Roach’s special guest from Tasmania, Dewayne, a young Aboriginal singer/songwriter whose audition for Australian idol last year brought Mark Holden to tears whilst Marcia Hines described his voice as one of the most beautiful she’d heard in years.
Both nights promise to showcase a spiritually profound collection of songs and stories.
Writes one reviewer, Roach is a wonderful storyteller who takes on serious subjects and lances taboos. Another describes Journey as an Australian album of the highest order.
Tickets for both shows are $27.00 + $3.00 b/f or $30.00 at the door.
For the Corner Hotel show on Wednesday 6th February tickets are on-sale at the Corner Box Office (57 Swan St Richmond 12-8 Mon-Sat), phone bookings on 9427 9198, online bookings www.cornerhotel.com Please note: limited seating is available for the Corner Hotel show, be early. Doors 8.00pm,
For the Peninsula Lounge show tickets are on sale through the Box Office - 475 Moorooduc Hwy (Cnr Eramosa Rd), Moorooduc.
Ph (03) 59788955 and online at www.peninsulalounge.com.au
For further information check out Archie Roach’s website
www.archieroach.com.au and www.myspace.com/archieroach.
For any media inquiries contact 0414 556728.
20 January 2008 X Press review
When Archie Roach penned Took The Children Away, it became one of the most important songs in Australia’s contemporary history. With his new album, Journey, Roach knows as well as anyone else that now is the time for him to share more tales of the native Australian plight.
This LP documents both a physical and spiritual journey as Roach and some peers travelled through Australia in the hope of reawakening discussion of indigenous issues and reconciliation. The stories captured within Journey are what Roach calls a reaffirmation of identity, country, beliefs and spirit.
The calibre of people contributing to Journey is testament to the strength of Roach’s tales in this collection. Troy Cassar-Daley adds vocals to Travellin’ Bones, Paul Kelly’s familiar timbre adorns John Pat, with David Bridie, Shane Howard and the Pigrim Brothers turning up at other stages during the effort - but it is Roach’s voice that is shown to be such an underrated beauty throughout.
Roach’s return has come just at the right time. Don’t waste your time with all the smoke and mirrors, these are the real stories that Australians should be embracing.
_CHRIS HAVERCROFT
(X Press – Perth’s leading street press)
This LP documents both a physical and spiritual journey as Roach and some peers travelled through Australia in the hope of reawakening discussion of indigenous issues and reconciliation. The stories captured within Journey are what Roach calls a reaffirmation of identity, country, beliefs and spirit.
The calibre of people contributing to Journey is testament to the strength of Roach’s tales in this collection. Troy Cassar-Daley adds vocals to Travellin’ Bones, Paul Kelly’s familiar timbre adorns John Pat, with David Bridie, Shane Howard and the Pigrim Brothers turning up at other stages during the effort - but it is Roach’s voice that is shown to be such an underrated beauty throughout.
Roach’s return has come just at the right time. Don’t waste your time with all the smoke and mirrors, these are the real stories that Australians should be embracing.
_CHRIS HAVERCROFT
(X Press – Perth’s leading street press)
20 January 2008 Archie Roach Journey review
FEATURE CD
ROOTS
Journey
Archie Roach
Liberation
****
KEV Carmody excepted, no singer-songwriter in the country comes within cooee of Archie Roach in expressing the suffering of Aboriginal Australia. Journey pauses for reflection on past injustice while continuing the inexorable, if uphill, path towards reconciliation. En-route, the author of such seminal songs as Took the Children Away tacitly acknowledges Afro-American struggles of yore, encasing his songs in classic blues and spiritual coverings (not to mention classic country). Appositely, Shane Howard accompanies Roach throughout his journey, as producer and session contributor. Another champion of Aboriginal music, Paul Kelly, stops by to duet on Jack Davis’ emotive poem set to music John Pat, inspired by the man whose death triggered the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Troy Cassar-Daley lends a similar hand on Travellin’ Bones, a song that berates the practice of Indigenous remains being spirited to overseas’ museums and celebrates the return of some of these relics. Little Sisters (Special Place) relates to the tragic death of Louis Johnson, an adopted Aboriginal youth who was the victim of a racist attack in Perth in 1992, and his subsequent burial at his ancestral home outside of Alice Springs. Lighthouse, another intensely moving song, urges Louis’s birth mother and adopted mother to look for their son inside of joy rather than pain. Emotion drips from all these pieces, fuelled by Archie’s carefully chosen words, his heart-felt delivery and beautiful vibrato. Liyarn Ngarn, also the title of a documentary/DVD linked to the album that Roach made with British actor Pete Postlethwaite and Aboriginal leader Patrick Dodson, stands as an eloquent anthem for reconcilation: “We are all born of different skin / but it doesn’t matter if we can begin / to celebrate life and all that means / and we must not be afraid to live our dreams / come together everyone / where the moon meets the sun.” Those words should resonate with all Australians — whatever their colour or creed.
Tony Hillier
ROOTS
Journey
Archie Roach
Liberation
****
KEV Carmody excepted, no singer-songwriter in the country comes within cooee of Archie Roach in expressing the suffering of Aboriginal Australia. Journey pauses for reflection on past injustice while continuing the inexorable, if uphill, path towards reconciliation. En-route, the author of such seminal songs as Took the Children Away tacitly acknowledges Afro-American struggles of yore, encasing his songs in classic blues and spiritual coverings (not to mention classic country). Appositely, Shane Howard accompanies Roach throughout his journey, as producer and session contributor. Another champion of Aboriginal music, Paul Kelly, stops by to duet on Jack Davis’ emotive poem set to music John Pat, inspired by the man whose death triggered the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Troy Cassar-Daley lends a similar hand on Travellin’ Bones, a song that berates the practice of Indigenous remains being spirited to overseas’ museums and celebrates the return of some of these relics. Little Sisters (Special Place) relates to the tragic death of Louis Johnson, an adopted Aboriginal youth who was the victim of a racist attack in Perth in 1992, and his subsequent burial at his ancestral home outside of Alice Springs. Lighthouse, another intensely moving song, urges Louis’s birth mother and adopted mother to look for their son inside of joy rather than pain. Emotion drips from all these pieces, fuelled by Archie’s carefully chosen words, his heart-felt delivery and beautiful vibrato. Liyarn Ngarn, also the title of a documentary/DVD linked to the album that Roach made with British actor Pete Postlethwaite and Aboriginal leader Patrick Dodson, stands as an eloquent anthem for reconcilation: “We are all born of different skin / but it doesn’t matter if we can begin / to celebrate life and all that means / and we must not be afraid to live our dreams / come together everyone / where the moon meets the sun.” Those words should resonate with all Australians — whatever their colour or creed.
Tony Hillier
20 January 2008 Interview with Shane Howard
SHANE HOWARD talks about
ARCHIE ROACH, THE MAKING OF ‘JOURNEY’ AND MURUNDAK
“Archie’s got one of the great voices of the world — he’s our Ray Charles and so much more. He’s a songwriter as well. He’s an extraordinary talent.
“Archie’s the philosopher king and Journey is a beautiful marriage of western philosophy and Aboriginal cosmology.
“I think it’s a beautiful gift to the whole country in a way. It certainly was a wonderful project to work on. Something like this comes along maybe once in your life.
“Archie had the songs written when he came to me and was pretty solid about what he wanted to do, so we sat in my shed earlier in the year and we just put the songs down very basically and then had a talk about how to approach the album, the kind of instrumentation we wanted.
“We got Nash Chambers involved. He was great because he felt that Archie should stay true to the folk roots, stay away from drum kits. So we were all on the same wavelength.
“Journey was recorded pretty much live. We put the tracks down in the studio over four days. It was really lovely to do it like that rather than do a lot of overdubbing.
“Apart from doing a track together back in the early ‘90s on a compilation put together by the Earth Music Trust, this was the first time that we had worked together.
“We were caught up in our own projects, though we were constantly crossing paths. It was great to finally to get work together. We’re the same age and were born in the same town.
“I’m playing with Archie at the Woodford Festival and we’ll be working together again in the Murundak show with the Black Arm Band, of which I’m musical director.
“Stephen Richardson, the artistic producer, originally approached me to put together an Aboriginal orchestra. We talked about the possibility of taking songs of significance in Aboriginal Australia over the past 30 years and putting that on stage. It really grew from there.
“Murundak was first performed at the Melbourne Festival last year. We did two nights at the Melbourne Concert Hall. I don’t think anyone really knew what it was until it went on stage … Murundak was such a triumph. It was one of the most successful shows at the Melbourne Festival. It had glowing reviews.
“Now it’s going to be performed at the Festival of Sydney at the Opera House, the Perth International Arts Festival, Womadelaide, and at the Brisbane Festival. And the Festival of London is on the cards mid-year.
“It’s a really powerful showcase with all that incredible Aboriginal talent together. All up Murundak features 35 artists, including a 4-piece brass section, 4-piece string section and a full band, including an absolutely brilliant pianist, Aaron Choulai.”
ARCHIE ROACH, THE MAKING OF ‘JOURNEY’ AND MURUNDAK
“Archie’s got one of the great voices of the world — he’s our Ray Charles and so much more. He’s a songwriter as well. He’s an extraordinary talent.
“Archie’s the philosopher king and Journey is a beautiful marriage of western philosophy and Aboriginal cosmology.
“I think it’s a beautiful gift to the whole country in a way. It certainly was a wonderful project to work on. Something like this comes along maybe once in your life.
“Archie had the songs written when he came to me and was pretty solid about what he wanted to do, so we sat in my shed earlier in the year and we just put the songs down very basically and then had a talk about how to approach the album, the kind of instrumentation we wanted.
“We got Nash Chambers involved. He was great because he felt that Archie should stay true to the folk roots, stay away from drum kits. So we were all on the same wavelength.
“Journey was recorded pretty much live. We put the tracks down in the studio over four days. It was really lovely to do it like that rather than do a lot of overdubbing.
“Apart from doing a track together back in the early ‘90s on a compilation put together by the Earth Music Trust, this was the first time that we had worked together.
“We were caught up in our own projects, though we were constantly crossing paths. It was great to finally to get work together. We’re the same age and were born in the same town.
“I’m playing with Archie at the Woodford Festival and we’ll be working together again in the Murundak show with the Black Arm Band, of which I’m musical director.
“Stephen Richardson, the artistic producer, originally approached me to put together an Aboriginal orchestra. We talked about the possibility of taking songs of significance in Aboriginal Australia over the past 30 years and putting that on stage. It really grew from there.
“Murundak was first performed at the Melbourne Festival last year. We did two nights at the Melbourne Concert Hall. I don’t think anyone really knew what it was until it went on stage … Murundak was such a triumph. It was one of the most successful shows at the Melbourne Festival. It had glowing reviews.
“Now it’s going to be performed at the Festival of Sydney at the Opera House, the Perth International Arts Festival, Womadelaide, and at the Brisbane Festival. And the Festival of London is on the cards mid-year.
“It’s a really powerful showcase with all that incredible Aboriginal talent together. All up Murundak features 35 artists, including a 4-piece brass section, 4-piece string section and a full band, including an absolutely brilliant pianist, Aaron Choulai.”
19 November 2007 Brisbane Powerhouse review
Sounds: An Evening with Archie Roach and His Mates
Posted on Monday, 19 November 2007 @ 18:43:50 by tim milfull
Reviewed by Carolyn Stubbin
Archie Roach and his talented supporting band played to a sold-out audience last night at Brisbane’s Powerhouse, where they sang songs from his new album, Journey. The songs were inspired during the journey Roach made in the footsteps of Louis Johnson, a young Indigenous man who went in search of his birth family. Tragically, Louis died as a result of a racially-motivated bashing on his 19th-birthday, shortly before he was able to realise his dream. Archie describes the songs on Journey as a reaffirmation of identity, country, beliefs and spirit. The album is a companion piece to the documentary, Liyarn Ngarn, which features Pete Postlethwaite, Patrick Dodson, and Archie Roach.
Archie, his son Amos, Shane Howard of Goanna and Indigenous singer-songwriter David Arden, are four inspired men who spoke to their audience through song about the issues and injustices that continue to affect Indigenous Australians. Little Sisters spoke of how, through death, Louis Johnson’s spirit finally came home to a very special place near the town camp of Little Sisters. Archie wrote Lighthouse for both Louis’s adoptive mother Pauline Johnson, and his birth mother Dawna Braeden, whom Louis never met. He hoped to help them through their darkness and pain. Archie shared with the audience the thoughts of Pauline Johnson, “I thought we were saving him from the misery of his people, but I couldn’t save him from the misery of mine.” __As part of his journey, Archie spent time with traditional owners traveling from Fitzroy crossing to Lumpu Lumpu. In Old People Singing, he brought to life for the audience the old people singing their country, asking, “Do you belong to a place or does a place belong to you?” Archie explained that a songline is a map – it’s not a piece of paper that you put in your pocket, but it will look after you if you listen, and guide you to where you need to go. The land is the ‘Great Reference’.__Travellin’ Bones is about another journey; the repatriation of ancestral bones to their rightful home. Archie spoke of respect and never disturbing human remains ever again; later in two adaptations, he brought the poignant stories of Aboriginal death in custody to song in the poems John Pat by Jack Davis and Never Blood by Kevin Gilbert.__When Archie sang Your Old Ones, it was easy to think that perhaps this song was written partly for his son Amos: that everything he does for him, and what all elders do for their young ones, is done through love and wisdom. Liyarn Ngarn, in the language of the Yawuru people, although difficult to translate directly, means a ‘coming together of the spirit’ Through this song, Archie expressed the need for healing and reconciliation in order to “celebrate life and all it means.” __Archie Roach wrote the song Too Many Bridges out of an intense sense of frustration. An election looms within days, so with his incredible ability to reach out and open people’s hearts, let’s hope that with all those bridges that have been crossed, and Sorry Days that have been held, we can move towards a lasting and meaningful Liyarn Ngarn.___Archie Roach: Journey_appearing at Brisbane Powerhouse Arts_18th-19th November 2007
Posted on Monday, 19 November 2007 @ 18:43:50 by tim milfull
Reviewed by Carolyn Stubbin
Archie Roach and his talented supporting band played to a sold-out audience last night at Brisbane’s Powerhouse, where they sang songs from his new album, Journey. The songs were inspired during the journey Roach made in the footsteps of Louis Johnson, a young Indigenous man who went in search of his birth family. Tragically, Louis died as a result of a racially-motivated bashing on his 19th-birthday, shortly before he was able to realise his dream. Archie describes the songs on Journey as a reaffirmation of identity, country, beliefs and spirit. The album is a companion piece to the documentary, Liyarn Ngarn, which features Pete Postlethwaite, Patrick Dodson, and Archie Roach.
Archie, his son Amos, Shane Howard of Goanna and Indigenous singer-songwriter David Arden, are four inspired men who spoke to their audience through song about the issues and injustices that continue to affect Indigenous Australians. Little Sisters spoke of how, through death, Louis Johnson’s spirit finally came home to a very special place near the town camp of Little Sisters. Archie wrote Lighthouse for both Louis’s adoptive mother Pauline Johnson, and his birth mother Dawna Braeden, whom Louis never met. He hoped to help them through their darkness and pain. Archie shared with the audience the thoughts of Pauline Johnson, “I thought we were saving him from the misery of his people, but I couldn’t save him from the misery of mine.” __As part of his journey, Archie spent time with traditional owners traveling from Fitzroy crossing to Lumpu Lumpu. In Old People Singing, he brought to life for the audience the old people singing their country, asking, “Do you belong to a place or does a place belong to you?” Archie explained that a songline is a map – it’s not a piece of paper that you put in your pocket, but it will look after you if you listen, and guide you to where you need to go. The land is the ‘Great Reference’.__Travellin’ Bones is about another journey; the repatriation of ancestral bones to their rightful home. Archie spoke of respect and never disturbing human remains ever again; later in two adaptations, he brought the poignant stories of Aboriginal death in custody to song in the poems John Pat by Jack Davis and Never Blood by Kevin Gilbert.__When Archie sang Your Old Ones, it was easy to think that perhaps this song was written partly for his son Amos: that everything he does for him, and what all elders do for their young ones, is done through love and wisdom. Liyarn Ngarn, in the language of the Yawuru people, although difficult to translate directly, means a ‘coming together of the spirit’ Through this song, Archie expressed the need for healing and reconciliation in order to “celebrate life and all it means.” __Archie Roach wrote the song Too Many Bridges out of an intense sense of frustration. An election looms within days, so with his incredible ability to reach out and open people’s hearts, let’s hope that with all those bridges that have been crossed, and Sorry Days that have been held, we can move towards a lasting and meaningful Liyarn Ngarn.___Archie Roach: Journey_appearing at Brisbane Powerhouse Arts_18th-19th November 2007
19 October 2007 Journey Tour 2007
After a long absence Archie Roach returns with a sublime but powerful new album JOURNEY and a series of shows along the east coast to share the songs he describes as a reaffirmation of country, beliefs and spirit. The tour " An Evening with Songman, Archie Roach" starts on Wednesday 24th October, with shows at both metropolitan and regional venues in NSW, ACT, QLD and VIC. Special guest performer is Shane Howard, who co-produced JOURNEY with Nash Chambers. Archie is also joined on stage by Dave Arden and Amos Roach.
See TOUR section for dates and ticketing information
See TOUR section for dates and ticketing information
19 October 2007 NEW ALBUM
The new album, Journey, due for release in November 2007, soars. It also stills you in the eternal moment of dreaming. Songs of pain, loss, racism, redemption and hope. These 10 songs are a marriage of Aboriginal and Western philosophy from the heart and mind of an extraordinary writer and singer. An elder statesman of Aboriginal music, Archie takes us on a journey of epic dimension but the music and the message are absolutely clear and uncomplicated. For a limited time JOURNEY contains a bonus DVD of the Liyarn Ngarn film.
17 October 2007 Liyarn Ngarn DVD
Many of the songs on the album were inspired during a filmed journey that Archie took with English actor, Pete Postlethwaite (In the Name of the Father, Brassed Off) and indigenous leader and Yawuru man, Patrick Dodson. The documentary called Liyarn Ngarn, which in the Yawuru language means 'coming together of the spirit', is a compelling tale of racism and a plea for a new future in black/white relations in Australia. For a limited time Archie's new album JOURNEY contains a bonus DVD of the Liyarn Ngarn film.