Warumpi Band

The Warumpi Band is an Australian band from the bush, coming from Papunya, Northern Territory, Australia. The band was formed in 1981.

Principal members
George Rrurrambu; vocals
Neil Murray; guitar, songwriter
Sammy Butcher; bass
Gordon Butcher, drums

History
The band toured the Northern Territory and Kimberly region playing to communities, outback stations, and isolated townships, developing their unique sound and writing much of their material on the road. The Warumpi Band wrote, recorded and released the first rock song in an Aboriginal language "Jailanguru Pakarnu" ( Luritja: "Out From Jail") in 1983. In 1984, their debut album Big Name No Blankets was released with its tracks "Blackfella/Whitefella", "Breadline" and "Fitzroy Crossing" receiving national airplay.

In 1985, Warumpi Band toured Australia and overseas (Papua New Guinea , Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu) to promote the album which was gaining much critical acclaim.

They inspired and accompanied Midnight Oil on a month-long tour of Aboriginal communities in 1986 and recorded Go Bush on their return. The album includes the tracks "From The Bush" and the original version of the indigenous anthem "My Island Home". More touring followed to promote the album. On their return to the Northern Territory, band members took time out to pursue other goals. Sammy Butcher, his brother Gordon Butcher, and George Rrurrambu honoured family and tribal commitments.

Neil Murray launched his solo career in 1989 with the album Calm and Crystal Clear and has since released three more albums: These Hands, Dust, and The Wondering Kind. In 1995, he was awarded the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) Song of the Year Award for "My Island Home" after it became a national hit for Christine Anu.

That same year, the Warumpi Band was back on the road, completing a highly successful tour of Germany, France, Poland, Switzerland, Italy and the United Kingdom. They signed with CAAMA Music and released Too Much Humbug which includes the track "Stompin Ground" which received widespread national airplay on Triple J and was inspired by the Stompem Ground Festival in Broome.

Associated musicians
Some of the people who have played in the Warumpi Band:

Amos Anderson
Ian Anderson
Murray Cook
Alvin Duffin
Edgar Ellis (dancer)
Peter Gifford
Bill Heckenberg
Bill Jacobi
Bob Jones
Andy Kiwatt
Buddy Knox
Gene Knox
Buna Lawrie
Ernesta Mazzoni
Denis Minor
Jim Moginie
Alan Murphey
Stan Satour
Kenny Smith
Di Spence
Freddie Tallis
Stephen Teakle
Tjakapurra
Elkin Tjapaltjarri
Bart Willoughby
Hilary Wirrie

Discography
Big Name No Blankets (1986)
Go Bush (1988)
Too Much Humbug (1996); recorded at CAAMA
includes a remake of the long-famous "Blackfella, Whitefella"

Prominent songs
"Black Fella, White Fella"
"My Island Home" - made famous by Christine Anu
"Jailanguru Pakarnu" ("Out from Jail"), the first rock and roll song recorded in an aboriginal language (Luritja dialect)

See also
Warumpi Band on Neil Murray's website
Warumpi Band at Skinnyfish Music
Band entry at Swedish site
Blackfella/Whitefella: The Warumpi Band from the blog Aboriginal Art and Culture: an American eye (Credit: Wikipedia)

Websites

Neil Murray official website