Music Sound

Aboriginal rock is a rather nebulous term for a style of music which mixes traditional rock music elements (guitar, drums, bass etc) with the instrumentation of Indigenous Australians (Didjeridu, clap-sticks etc). Performed almost exclusively by Indigenous bands - although some Anglo-Australians feature in some bands - the resulting sound is both hard-edged and eerily timeless.

Musical groups, Us Mob and No Fixed Address through their participation in the movie Wrong Side of the Road (there was a Soundtrack 1981) gave wide public profile to Indigenous disadvantage in urban Australia.

By far the most famous band in this style is Yothu Yindi. Featuring vocals by Mandawuy Yunupingu, Yothu Yindi demonstrate the other important by-product of the Aboriginal rock mix - politicised lyrics. Major hits like 1993's "Treaty" unequivocally speak out on political issues relevant to Aboriginal people, while other songs relate more generally to Aboriginal culture.

Another major band has been the Warumpi Band, with whom Australia's Midnight Oil has toured frequently. The Warumpi Band focus more on the Aboriginal aspects of the music, rather than the rock sound of Yothu Yindi.

More recently, Aboriginal bands have adapted other styles such as rap metal (NoKTuRNL).

See also

• Indigenous Australian music