Editing Midnight Oil (section)

==== ''[[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" />