Editing Midnight Oil (section)

=== International success and activism: 1985–2002 ===
==== ''[[Diesel and Dust]]'' ====
In December 1985 the four-track EP ''[[Species Deceases]]'' produced with [[Francois Kevorkian]] was released by CBS/Columbia;<ref name="ARDb" /> it peaked at No.&nbsp;1 on the Australian singles charts for six weeks.<ref name="McF" /><ref name="Kent" /> ''Species Deceases'', featuring the track "Hercules", featured a return to their pub rock sound with hard hitting firepower.<ref name="McF" /> Midnight Oil spent several months in 1986 on the Blackfella/Whitefella tour of [[outback]] Australia with indigenous groups [[Warumpi Band]] and [[Gondwanaland (band)|Gondwanaland]], playing to remote Aboriginal communities and seeing first hand the seriousness of the issues in health and living standards.<ref name="McF" /> The tour was criticised by some journalists for being a one-off event instead of a long-term attempt to build bridges between communities.<ref name="Vellutini">{{cite web |url=http://www.api-network.com/main/index.php?apply=scholars&webpage=default&flexedit=&flex_password=&menu_label=&menuID=62&menubox=&scholar=76 |last=Vellutini |first=Laetitia |publisher=The Australian Public Intellectual Network |year=2004 |editor=Richard Nile |title=Rezoning Australia: Journal of Australian Studies |access-date=22 October 2008 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113034827/http://www.api-network.com/main/index.php?apply=scholars&webpage=default&flexedit=&flex_password=&menu_label=&menuID=62&menubox=&scholar=76 |archive-date=13 January 2009 }}</ref> The band was galvanised by the experiences and made them the basis of ''[[Diesel and Dust]]'', released in 1987 and produced by [[Warne Livesey]].<ref name="ARDb" /> The album focused on the need for recognition by white Australia of past injustices involving the Aboriginal nations and the need for [[Reconciliation in Australia]]. Peter Gifford left the band before the album's release due to extensive touring schedules,<ref name="Howl" /> and was replaced by [[Bones Hillman]], formerly of [[The Swingers]].<ref name="ARDb" />

''Diesel and Dust'' peaked at No.&nbsp;1 on the Australian albums charts for six weeks,<ref name="Kent" /> No.&nbsp;21 on the ''[[Billboard 200]] charts'' in 1988,<ref name="BillA" /> and No.&nbsp;19 on the UK albums charts.<ref name="UKCharts">{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artists/ |title=The Official Charts Company Midnight Oil |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |access-date=22 October 2008 }}</ref> "[[Beds Are Burning]]" was their biggest international hit single, peaking at No.&nbsp;6 in Australia,<ref name="Kent" /> and No.&nbsp;17 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]],<ref name="BillS">{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4911|pure_url=yes}} |title=Midnight Oil – Charts & Awards – ''Billboard'' Albums |work=Allmusic |access-date=22 October 2008 }}</ref> No.&nbsp;6 on the UK singles charts.<ref name="UKCharts" /> "The Dead Heart" peaked at No.&nbsp;6 in Australia,<ref name="Kent" /> and charted on the Hot 100<ref name="BillS" /> and in the UK.<ref name="UKCharts" /> "Put Down that Weapon" also charted in Australia,<ref name="Kent" /> while "Dreamworld" charted on ''Billboard''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Mainstream Rock Tracks]] and at No.&nbsp;16 on its [[Modern Rock Tracks]].<ref name="BillS" />

At the [[Australian Recording Industry Association]] (ARIA) [[ARIA Music Awards of 1988|1988 Awards]] ceremony, Midnight Oil won "[[ARIA Award for Best Cover Art|Best Cover Art]] " for ''Diesel and Dust'' and both "[[ARIA Award for Single of the Year|Best Single]]" and "[[ARIA Award for Song of the Year|Best Song]]" for "[[Beds Are Burning]]".<ref name=aria1988>{{cite web|url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=1988 |title=ARIA Awards 2008: History: Winners by Year search result for 1988 |publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) |access-date=24 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926235720/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=1988 |archive-date=26 September 2007 }}</ref> A fracas developed between Morris, accepting awards for Midnight Oil, and former ''Countdown'' compere Ian Meldrum who was presenting: Meldrum objected to Morris making political commentary from the podium.<ref name=aria1988 />

There were concerns about ''Diesel and Dust'' and Midnight Oil's attempts to express [[Indigenous Australians|indigenous issues]] to [[white people|white]] urban audiences – namely, the question "who holds the power to tell whose history?"<ref name="Vellutini" /> The lyrics of "The Dead Heart" tell the story of [[colonisation]] from an indigenous [[Point of view (literature)|point of view]] but some critics felt they reinforced the "primitive" [[stereotype]].<ref name="Vellutini" /> Use of the [[bullroarer (music)|bullroarer]] was criticised as belonging to sacred rituals and therefore not appropriate for rock songs.<ref name="Vellutini" /> "The Dead Heart" had been written in response to a request by organisers of the 1985 ceremony to return control of [[Uluru]] to its indigenous [[Property caretaker|caretakers]]; Midnight Oil had originally resisted, arguing it would be more appropriate for an indigenous band to release the single. However, the organisers insisted, arguing that the band would reach a wider audience within the predominantly [[white people|Caucasian]] urban centres.{{Citation needed|date=January 2018}} Midnight Oil requested that all [[royalties]] from the song go to [[Indigenous Australians|indigenous communities]].<ref name="MemTV" /> In addition, two indigenous groups, Warumpi Band and Gondwanaland, toured with them.

Following the 1988 American tour in support of ''Diesel and Dust'' with Australian band [[Yothu Yindi]], Midnight Oil launched the ''[https://www.discogs.com/Various-Building-Bridges-Australia-Has-A-Black-History/master/811978 Building Bridges – Australia Has A Black History]'' album with various artists contributing, including [[Paul Kelly (Australian musician)|Paul Kelly]], [[Scrap Metal (band)|Scrap Metal]], Coloured Stone, [[Hunters & Collectors]], [[James Reyne]], [[The Saints (Australian band)|The Saints]], [[Crowded House]], [[INXS]] and Yothu Yindi.<ref name="McF" /> All sales proceeds were donated to the National Coalition of Aboriginal Organisations.<ref name="McF" />

During 1989–1993 and 1998–2002 Garrett was the President of the [[Australian Conservation Foundation]], whilst during 1993–1998 he was on the International Board of [[Greenpeace]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/longway/artist_index/midnightoil.htm |title=''Long Way to the Top'' Peter Garrett entry |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) |year=2001 |access-date=24 October 2008 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010914043142/http://www.abc.net.au/longway/artist_index/midnightoil.htm |archive-date=14 September 2001 }}</ref> In 1990 Midnight Oil played an impromptu lunchtime set in front of [[Exxon]] headquarters in New York with a banner reading, "Midnight Oil Makes You Dance, Exxon Oil Makes Us Sick," protesting the [[Exxon Valdez oil spill]] the previous year.<ref name="Howl" />

==== ''Blue Sky Mining'' ====
In February 1990, ''[[Blue Sky Mining]]'', produced by [[Warne Livesey|Livesey]], was released by CBS/Columbia.<ref name="ARDb" /> It peaked at No.&nbsp;1 on the [[Australian Recording Industry Association]] (ARIA) albums charts.<ref name="AusCharts" /> It stayed at No.&nbsp;1 for two weeks in Australia and had Top 5 chart success in Sweden, Switzerland and Norway.<ref name="BlueSkyA">{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?key=1005&cat=a|title=''Blue Sky Mining'' album charting |publisher=Australian Charts Portal |access-date=23 October 2008 }}</ref> It peaked at No.&nbsp;20 on the ''Billboard'' 200<ref name="BillA" /> and No.&nbsp;28 on the UK charts.<ref name="UKCharts" /> The album was more defiant and outspoken;<ref name="McF" /> the single "Blue Sky Mine" describes asbestos exposure in the [[CSR Limited#Wittenoom controversy|Wittenoom mine tragedy]].<ref name="McF" /> The single peaked at No.&nbsp;8 on the ARIA singles charts,<ref name="AusCharts" /> top 15 in Norway and Switzerland,<ref name="BlueSkyS">{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Midnight+Oil&titel=Blue+Sky+Mine&cat=s|title="Blue Sky Mine" single charting |publisher=Australian Charts Portal |access-date=23 October 2008 }}</ref> No.&nbsp;47 on ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No.&nbsp;1 on both their Mainstream and Modern Rock Tracks charts,<ref name="BillS" /> and appeared on the UK charts.<ref name="UKCharts" /> The second single, "Forgotten Years", was more moderately successful, reaching No.&nbsp;26 on the ARIA singles chart, No.&nbsp;97 in the UK, No.&nbsp;11 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks, and No.&nbsp;1 on the Modern Rock Tracks.

In Sydney in 1990, while Midnight Oil were taking a break, Hirst joined up with guitarist Andrew Dickson, drummer Dorland Bray of [[Do-Re-Mi (band)|Do-Ré-Mi]], guitarist Leszek Karski (Midnight Oil producer) and bass guitarist [[Richard Grossman (bassist)|Rick Grossman]] of [[Hoodoo Gurus]] to form a side project called [[Ghostwriters (band)|Ghostwriters]].<ref name="ARDbGhost">{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329042458/http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/g/ghostwriters.html |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/g/ghostwriters.html |title=Ghostwriters |last1=Holmgren | first1=Magnus |publisher=Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren) |archive-date=29 March 2012 |url-status=usurped |access-date=12 February 2014 }}</ref> The name refers to the practice of [[ghostwriting]], wherein famous writers contribute under assumed names in order to remain anonymous. Ghostwriters' line-ups – both live and in the studio – changed considerably through the years, with only founders Hirst and Grossman being mainstays. Between successive album releases Hirst and Grossman returned to active involvement with Oils and Gurus respectively. Ghostwriters have released ''Ghostwriters'' (1991), ''Second Skin'' (1996), ''Fibromoon'' (1999) and ''Political Animal'' (2007).<ref name="ARDbGhost" />

At the 1991 [[ARIA Awards]] ceremony, Midnight Oil won '[[ARIA Award for Best Group|Best Group]]' and an 'Outstanding Achievement Award' and '[[ARIA Award for Best Cover Art|Best Cover Artist]]', 'Best Video' and '[[ARIA Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]]' for ''Blue Sky Mining''.<ref name=aria1991>{{cite web|url=http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=1991 |title=ARIA Awards 2008: History: Winners by Year search result for 1991 |publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) |access-date=24 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608063024/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/history-by-year.php?year=1991 |archive-date=8 June 2009 }}</ref> Morris, accepting awards for Midnight Oil, was criticised for a speech lasting 20 minutes.<ref name="Jeff" /><ref name=aria1991 />

''[[Scream in Blue]] (Live)'', their June 1992 live album produced by Keith Walker, contained material from concerts between 1982 and 1990, including "Progress" from their Exxon Valdez protest gig.<ref name="McF" /><ref name="ARDb" /> It peaked at No.&nbsp;3 on the ARIA albums charts;<ref name="AusCharts" /> Top 50 in Austria, Sweden and Switzerland;<ref name="ScreamBlueA">{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?key=1429&cat=a|title=''Scream in Blue – Live'' album charting |publisher=Australian Charts Portal |access-date=24 October 2008 }}</ref> and appeared on the ''Billboard'' 200.<ref name="BillA" />

==== ''Earth and Sun and Moon'' ====
Midnight Oil's '' [[Earth and Sun and Moon]]'' album, produced with Nick Launay, was released in April 1993 and also drew critical acclaim and international success, peaking at No.&nbsp;2 on the ARIA albums charts,<ref name="AusCharts" /> top 20 in Sweden and Switzerland,<ref name="EarthSunA">{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?key=1599&cat=a |title=''Earth and Sun and Moon'' album charting |publisher=Australian Charts Portal |access-date=24 October 2008 }}</ref> Top 50 on ''Billboard'' 200,<ref name="BillA" /> and top thirty in the UK albums chart.<ref name="UKCharts" /> The single "[[Truganini (song)|Truganini]]" referenced multiple issues, including [[Trugernanner|the 'last' Tasmanian Aboriginal person]], the treatment of Aboriginal artist [[Albert Namatjira]], the [[Australian flag debate]], and [[Republicanism in Australia|republicanism]].<ref name="Vellutini" /> Liner notes for the single claimed "Truganini was the sole surviving Tasmanian Aborigine, the last of her race, when she died in 1876."<ref name="Vellutini" /> The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, representing over 7000 contemporary Tasmanians, called for the single to be boycotted as it perpetuated a 'white' myth about the extinction of [[Aboriginal Tasmanians]].<ref name="Vellutini" /> Their Native Title claims hinged upon establishing links with ancestral lands. Morris responded with, "My suggestion to these people is to stop shooting themselves in the foot and let a band like Midnight Oil voice its appeal to White Australia on behalf of Black Australia".<ref name="Vellutini" />

Critics contended that Morris disparaged Indigenous Australians' ability to represent themselves and overestimated Midnight Oil's ambassadorial powers while diminishing their errors, while some indigenous activists saw benefit in Midnight Oil's highlighting of the issues.<ref name="Vellutini" /> Nevertheless, "Truganini" released in March peaked at No.&nbsp;10 on the ARIA singles charts,<ref name="AusCharts" /> No.&nbsp;10 on ''Billboard'' Mainstream Rock Tracks and No.&nbsp;4 on their Modern Rock Tracks charts,<ref name="BillS" /> and top thirty for the UK charts.<ref name="UKCharts" /> Peter Garrett issued an apology for the mistake in the liner notes. The band performed the song along with "My Country" from the album on the American sketch-comedy series ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' during the 8 May 1993 episode hosted by [[Christina Applegate]].<ref name="nbcsnl">{{cite web|url=https://www.onesnladay.com/2019/08/22/may-8-1993-christina-applegate-midnight-oil-s18-e19/ |title=May 8, 1993 – Christina Applegate / Midnight Oil (S18 E19) |date=23 August 2019 |publisher=The 'One SNL a Day' Project |access-date=12 February 2021 }}</ref>

In 1993, the band also participated in the [[Another Roadside Attraction (festival)|Another Roadside Attraction]] tour in Canada and collaborated with [[The Tragically Hip]], [[Crash Vegas]], [[Hothouse Flowers]] and [[Daniel Lanois]] on the one-off single "[[Land (song)|Land]]" to protest forest [[clearcutting|clearing]] in British Columbia.

==== ''Breathe'' to ''Capricornia'' ====
''[[Breathe (Midnight Oil album)|Breathe]]'' was released in 1996. It was produced by [[Malcolm Burn]] and had a loose, raw style with almost a low-key sound.<ref name="McF" /> It peaked at No.&nbsp;3 on the ARIA albums chart,<ref name="AusCharts" /> and had Top 40 success in New Zealand and Switzerland.<ref name="BreatheA">{{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?key=2407&cat=a|title=''Breathe'' album charting |publisher=Australian Charts Portal |access-date=24 October 2008 }}</ref> They returned to No.&nbsp;1 on the ARIA albums charts<ref name="AusCharts" /> with the [[compilation album|compilation]] ''[[20,000 Watt R.S.L.]]'' in 1997 on [[Sony Records]], which achieved 4×Platinum sales.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/httpwww.aria.com.aupageshttpwww.aria.com.aupagesARIACharts-Accreditations-2008Albums.htm|title=ARIA Charts – Accreditations 2008 Albums|publisher=ARIA|access-date=19 January 2009}}</ref> Later album releases include the electro tinged hard rock ''[[Redneck Wonderland]]'' in 1998, live album ''[[The Real Thing (Midnight Oil album)|The Real Thing]]'' in 2000 and the more stripped back ''[[Capricornia (album)|Capricornia]]'' in 2002 again renuniting with producer [[Warne Livesey]], all charted into the ARIA Top Ten.<ref name="AusCharts" />

==== Sydney 2000 Olympic Games performance ====
Midnight Oil again brought the politics of [[Reconciliation in Australia|Reconciliation]] to the fore during their performance at the [[2000 Summer Olympics closing ceremony|closing ceremony]] of the [[2000 Summer Olympics|Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics]]. Then Prime Minister [[John Howard]] had triggered controversy that year with his refusal to embrace symbolic reconciliation and apologise to Indigenous Australians and members of the [[Stolen Generations]].{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} But he had also said their reconciliation-themed single "[[Beds Are Burning]]" was his favourite Midnight Oil song. Midnight Oil performed the song at the ceremony with the word [[National Sorry Day|SORRY]] conspicuously printed on their clothes as a form of apology to Indigenous people for their suffering under white settlement and to highlight the issue to Howard, who was in the audience at the Olympic stadium as an estimated one billion people watched on television.<ref name="Vellutini" /> Midnight Oil had consulted with tour mates Yothu Yindi and other Indigenous activists, so that their performance would bring popular protest to the world arena.<ref name="Vellutini" />

In 2001, when [[Australasian Performing Right Association]] (APRA) surveyed 100 music industry people for their Top 10 Best Australian songs of all time, "Beds Are Burning" was voted No.&nbsp;3 behind [[The Easybeats]]' "[[Friday on My Mind]]" and [[Daddy Cool (band)|Daddy Cool]]'s "[[Eagle Rock (song)|Eagle Rock]]".<ref name="APRA10">{{cite web|url=http://www.apra.com.au/awards/music/2001_topten.asp |title=The final list: APRA'S Ten best Australian Songs |last=Culnane |first=Paul |publisher=[[Australasian Performing Right Association]] |date=28 May 2001 |access-date=20 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308150930/http://www.apra.com.au/awards/music/2001_topten.asp |archive-date=8 March 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> At the 2001 [[APRA Awards (Australia)|APRA Awards]] ceremony "Beds are Burning" was shown on video and introduced by [[Australian Democrats]] [[Aden Ridgeway|Senator Aden Ridgeway]] as an [[Indigenous Australians|Indigenous]] spokesperson on Reconciliation.<ref name="APRA10" /> "Power and the Passion" was also listed in APRA's [[APRA Top 30 Australian songs|Top 30 best Australian songs]].<ref name=apra01 />