Written by: Alex Green
Midnight Oil are set to call it a day on touring.
Over the course of their career, the legendary Sydney outfit have sold over 20 million albums worldwide and chiseled out a reputation for being one of the most riveting live acts on the planet. Elected to the AIRA Hall of Fame in 2006, the band’s last full-length effort was 2002’s Capricornia before they dissolved as a unit for the first time.
After a series of reunion gigs over the years, in 2016 they returned to road life for “The Great Circle” tour, which found them playing close to 80 shows in 16 countries.
In 2020 they put out The Makarrata Project album and now, just two years later, they’re adding to their winning discography with what will be their valedictory effort: Resist.
The band will tour Australia and New Zealand in 2022 to support the ecologically focused album and say farewell to their fans.
Guitarist Jim Moginie added: “These will be sad and beautiful gigs but luckily we’re still capable of blowing the roof off any stage, and that’s what we intend to do…We stand as one, dependent on each other and grateful in all the important ways that make great bands great.”
Fellow guitarist Martin Rotsey added: “A huge thank you to all our fans around the world. We’ve shared so much together from the swelter of Sydney pubs to magical nights under starry skies. Your energy took us further than we could ever have dreamed.”
Although the news is indeed a bummer, fans of the band will be heartened to hear that just because Midnight Oil are done touring, it doesn’t mean the music will stop.
The official statement from Midnight Oil confirmed the music could very well continue: “Each of the members will continue their own projects over the years ahead. They remain very open to recording new music together in future and supporting causes in which they believe.”
It should also be noted that the work of late bassist Bones Hillman, who passed away in 2020, will appear on Resist.
Midnight Oil, ‘Resist’ Track Listing
1. “Rising Seas”
2. “The Barka-Darling River”
3. “Tarkine”
4. “At the Time of Writing”
5. “Nobody’s Child”
6. “To the Ends of the Earth”
7. “Reef”
8. “We Resist”
9. “Lost At Sea”
10. “Undercover”
11. “We Art Not Afraid”
12. “Last Frontier”
