Writing In The Sand by Matt Garrick (about Yothu Yindi)

I have just finished reading this book about the Arnhem Land band Yothu Yindi who had an international hit with their song ‘Treaty’ in 1990. The unique thing about the band was its eagerness to blend Western rock music with traditional songs, traditional dancing, didgeridoo and clapping sticks. Meanwhile, lyrics were in both English and the Gumatj language of the band’s homeland. From the beginning, the band had two balanda (non-Indigenous) members, but what I didn’t know was that due to various line-up changes the band at one point had two members from Papua New Guinea. Ala Spinal Tap, the band spot that changed most often was drummer and, inexplicably, that position was held down for two years by a New Yorker named Allen Murphy who had once been the drummer for disco band the Village People. How did he get in the picture? Meanwhile, band leader Mandawuy Yunupingu was passionate about seeking reconciliation between black and white Australians. It is not surprising therefore that the book is as much about the persistent Aboriginal struggle for justice as it is about music. The case of Murphy aside, the author has done well to bring to light many curious details about the band and its adventures. Examples include meetings with Little Richard and John Travolta, Yothu Yindu touring with the Grateful Dead as support act, lead singer Mandawuy spending a night on the turps with Tom Jones, learning that Joey Ramone was a big fan of the band, and that ‘Treaty’ was produced by Mark Moffatt, the same person who produced The Saints ground-breaking ‘(I’m) Stranded’ back in 1976.

As an adjunct to the book, I watched the 2015 film Chasing the Music: The Story of the First Guitar Arriving in Arnhem Land. It goes for about 1 hour 12 minutes and takes the story back to the 1950s. Loads of interviews with Aboriginal and some balanda musicians and some great archival film footage. Yothu Yindi are covered in the film, but also the Swamp Jockeys, Warumpi Band, Soft Sands, Black Wizard, Diamond Dogs, Copycats, Dharrwar Band and more.