Shane Howard



2 SONGMEN Shane Howard & Neil Murray “Solid Rock” meets “My Island Home” - The heart and soul of Australia On Tour April-May 2 Songmen - Shane Howard and Neil Murray are back on the road in April and May with solo acoustic sets and shared songs and stories, a unique performance concept which thrilled audiences nationally since the tour debut last year. Shane Howard (founding member Goanna) and Neil Murray (founding member Warumpi Band) are weathered songmen who despite the passing trends and decades, still stand tall in this country. In unity, they are an undeniable force in the evolution of our musical traditions. Individually, they have contributed to the sound scape with defining songs of depth and meaning. In their songs we glimpse a vision of Australia as an independent, compassionate, free thinking country, where its indigenous heritage and environment are protected and respected to form the foundation of a unique national identity. In 1982, Goanna was thrown into the limelight following the release of the pro land rights song “Solid Rock” written by Shane. Now an Australian classic, “Solid Rock” remains a landmark rallying call in the history of indigenous protest. Since Goanna, Shane has released eight albums producing songs such as Razor’s Edge, Common Ground, Walk on Fire, Murri Time, Heart of my Country, Flesh and Blood, Talk of the Town, Don’t Say OK, The Rebel Song, The River Knows and Let the Franklin Flow to critical acclaim. In a solo career spanning two decades, the accolades continue with 4 star reviews for his current album ‘Songs of Love and Resistance’. 1n 1995, Neil was awarded the APRA song of the year for the anthemic song of belonging “My Island Home”, originally written for the Warumpi Band in 1985 and re-recorded by Christine Anu in the early nineties. “My Island Home” was a highlight during the closing ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympics and features in APRA’s Top 30 Best Australian Songs of All Time. Since 1989, Neil’s solo career has produced five albums and spawned such songs as Clever Man, Big Truck, Far Away, Calm and Crystal Clear, Broken Song, Spirit, Bulukbara Man, Menindee, This Bliss, Native Born, Good Light in Broome, Long Grass Band and Myall Creek. To celebrate the 2 Songmen Tour, compilation double album collections - Shane’s “Retrospect” and Neil’s “About Time” are offered to concert patrons at any venue for $50. Shane’s “Songs of Love and Resistance” and Neil’s poetry album “Spoken” are also available. Neil’s sixth album “Overnighter” containing new material is scheduled for release this year. “There’s been times when the Australian music landscape has looked pretty bleak but I can always count on a Shane Howard song to make me sit up and say, “Yes that’s it or I’ve felt that too!” He is a gifted songwriter in touch with what matters. Our tracks have met so often we may as well tour together. With the both of us performing on each other’s songs, it gives them a unique focus and brings more weight and reach to what we do” - Neil Murray “Neil Murray’s songs and writings speak to me about Australia, in a way that few other artists can. The loss and longing, the need for those of us, as migrant Australians, to understand this Aboriginal Country and create a new way to belong here. Neil’s never opted for the easy road. The hard edged reality of life on the fringes as well as the poetic grandeur of the landscape are all there in his powerful body of work. – Shane Howard CONTACTS: Interviews/Images: Sue Camilleri Em: soozcam@bigpond.net.au Tel: 08 89 412 512 Mob: 0408 412 512 Bookings: Paul Minshull Em: minshull@bigpond.net.au Tel: 03 9509 1080 Mob: 0417 018 399 www.shanehoward.com.au www.neilmurray.com.au www.myspace.com/neilmurraymusic Shane is also in Sydney earlier for solo performance on Fri 13th April at the Harp Tempe and Sun 15th April at The Clarendon. Gigs
2 Songmen Shane Howard & Neil Murray March, April & May 2007 VIC 31st March Sat Eel Festival Lake Bolac NSW 19th April Thurs The Brass Monkey Cronulla 20th April Fri The Deck Bar Terrigal TBC 21st April Sat The Heritage Hotel Bulli 22nd April Sun Acoustica Festival Balmain Oval
NT
26th April Thurs Diggers Den Katherine
27th April Fri Humpty Doo Hotel Darwin
28th April Sat Nhulunbuy Surf Club Nhulunbuy

Far North Q ueensland
1st May Tues The Shrubbery Mission Beach
2nd May Wed Yungaburra Village Chapel Yungaburra
3rd May Thurs The Clink Theatre Port Douglas
4th May Fri Tanks Art Centre Cairns
VIC
11th May Fri Stones Winery Yarra Valley

Shane Howard and Sara Storer 2005


Peter Denahy, Shane Howard, Hamish Davidson, Troy Cassar-Daley, Luke Austin,
Anne Kirkpatrick, Sara Storer and Damien Whitney


Kasey Chambers, Shane Howard and Hamish Davidson

Print out and have the memories