Blue Sky Mining
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Blue Sky Mining is the seventh studio album by Australian rock band Midnight Oil, released on 9 February 1990 under the Columbia Records label. It received high ratings from critics. In March of that year, the album peaked at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart for two weeks. A limited release of the record featured clear blue vinyl. This was the band's first studio album with bassist and backing vocalist Bones Hillman, who would remain in the group until his death in 2020.
Background
[edit]Blue Sky Mining, produced by Warne Livesey, was released by CBS/Columbia on 9 February 1990.<ref name="ARDb">Template:Cite web</ref> It peaked at number one on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) albums chart.<ref name="AusCharts">Template:Cite web</ref> It stayed at number one for two weeks in Australia and had Top 5 chart success in Sweden, Switzerland and Norway.<ref name="BlueSkyA">Template:Cite web</ref> It peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200<ref name="BillA">Template:Cite web</ref> and number 28 on the UK charts.<ref name="UKCharts">Template:Cite web</ref> The album was "more defiant and outspoken" than their previous work;<ref name="McF">Template:Cite book</ref> the single "Blue Sky Mine" describes asbestos exposure in the Wittenoom mine tragedy.<ref name="McF"/> The lead single peaked at number eight on the ARIA singles charts,<ref name="AusCharts"/> top 15 in Norway and Switzerland,<ref name="BlueSkyS">Template:Cite web</ref> number 47 on Billboard Hot 100 and number one on both their Mainstream and Modern Rock Tracks charts,<ref name="BillS">Template:Cite web</ref> and appeared on the UK charts.<ref name="UKCharts"/> The second single, "Forgotten Years", was more moderately successful, reaching number 26 on the ARIA singles chart, number 97 in the UK, number 11 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks, and number one on the Modern Rock Tracks.
At the ARIA Music Awards of 1991, Midnight Oil won 'Best Group' and an 'Outstanding Achievement Award', and were awarded 'Best Cover Art', 'Best Video' and 'Album of the Year' for Blue Sky Mining.<ref name=arialist>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref name=aria1991>Template:Cite web</ref> Manager Gary Morris, accepting awards for Midnight Oil, was criticised for a speech lasting 20 minutes.<ref name=aria1991/><ref name="Jeff">Template:Cite book</ref>
Hirst later said, "Warne's whole thing was to get as close to aural perfection as you possibly could, or as close as we were ever going to get- and Rhino the sort of place to do it. It was indulgent, excessive, and it was the kind of luxury that's afforded to bands with a hit album, which we had." Moginie added, "I didn't realise that we were making a commercial record and we certainty never set out to. We ended up going for good songs and lots of acoustic guitars, and it worked."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Track listing
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- Some early Australian copies included the track "You May Not Be Released" - it was the B-side to a 12-inch issue of "Forgotten Years," and it is believed that this only appeared on the first 1,000 LP copies. It also appeared on early cassette copies<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Personal memory. I went to the record store on release day and bought a cassette copy which included this "bonus rough mix track"</ref> and CDs.<ref>Physical CD media from 1990 release</ref>
Charts
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Weekly charts
[edit]| Chart (1990–1991) | Peak position |
|---|
Year-end charts
[edit]| Chart (1990) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 3 |
| Canadian Albums (RPM)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 28 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 19 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 8 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 12 |
| US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 67 |
Certifications
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Personnel
[edit]Midnight Oil
- Peter Garrett - lead vocals, harmonica
- Bones Hillman - bass, vocals
- Robert Hirst - drums, vocals
- Jim Moginie - guitars, keyboards, vocals
- Martin Rotsey - guitars
Additional personnel
- Warne Livesey - additional keyboards
- Jeremy Smith - French horn
- Phillip Hartl - String Leader
- Glad and Carl - Horn Swells
References
[edit]External links
[edit]Template:Midnight Oil Template:ARIA Award for Album of the Year 1990s