29 June 2004

Indigenous music students at Charles Darwin University will be benefiting from the skills of music legend, Mick Thomas - leader and songwriter of former Australian band Weddings, Parties, Anything, and a growing list of other musical luminaries.

Arriving in Darwin tonight, Mr Thomas will be involved in the University’s Remote Indigenous Music Program. As part of this he will be providing mentoring and industry based music training for Indigenous artists who are currently students at Charles Darwin University.

Mr Thomas’ involvement arises from the growing industry recognition of the Remote Indigenous Music Program that is coordinated by Stephen Teakle.

“Part of the Program offers a Certificate Four in Contemporary music that includes industry level mentorships. Mick Thomas’ involvement follows on from Paul Grabowsky’s ongoing participation in the Program announced earlier this year. He joins a couple of other well respected artists who have also come on board,” said Mr Teakle, University Lecturer and Program Coordinator.

“The basis of these high profile people being involved in the Program is to keep abreast of what is happening in the music industry. We are continually trying to interest the top level of industry professionals in taking part in the great stuff we are doing here.

“The musical and cultural value of what the University’s Indigenous students have to offer is at a level that these industry people are jumping over each other to get up here and be involved.

“A broader aim is to hopefully realise further commercial recordings of the music being produced at some time in the future that is respected and received by all areas of the contemporary music industry, not just the local scene and their region.”

As part of his mentoring role, Mr Thomas will be involved with three Indigenous Certificate Four students: Rupert and Renfred Manmurulu, a duo who are singer/songwriter and accordion and harmony accompaniment respectively as well as Jeffrey Gurakbuy who is singer/songwriter.

Mr Thomas, who heads up a new band The Sure Thing and produces for his own record label Croxton Records will be performing at the Groove Café, Nightcliff, from 8pm Friday 2 July with support from his Charles Darwin University students.

Other industry-respected artists currently involved in the University’s Program are groove/reggae improvising trombone player Ben Gillespie who is mentoring with the Ngukurr based band T-Lynx. Respected turntable artist and producer, DJ Dexter, is working with Goulbourn Island band Matter of Soul. Rapper and creative wordsmith, Nfamas, from the band 1200 techniques will be joining DJ Dexter at Goulbourn Island where the two artists will work together for the first time.

The Remote Indigenous Music Program will present ‘Black Music Bright Future’ on 24 August as part of the Darwin Festival. The event will feature the four NT music outfits currently involved in the mentoring program. A continuing participant in the University’s Remote Indigenous Music Program, the Yugul Band and Chris Wilson, will perform at the opening of the Darwin Festival on 12 August.