Music from the red heart

Wednesday, October 7, 1992 - 10:00

By Karen Fredericks

SYDNEY — Central Australian band Amunda launched Larrikin Records' release of their second album, Civilised World, at the Rose Shamrock and Thistle Hotel on September 30. Despite a slow start, foldback problems and some initial nervous tension, the band soon settled into a powerful, unique and stylish set of originals and covers.

Rachael Perkins' lead vocals were standout "deadly" live, as they are on disk. She has a rich tone and accomplished technique which ranges from Sade-style croon to from-the-diaphragm rock, and provides much of the Amunda feel.

The band has four other permanent members: Paul Ah Chee vocals/guitar, Stanley Satour vocals/bass guitar, Gerry Laughton vocals/lead guitar, Nick Guggisberg vocals/drums. At the launch they were joined on stage by a sax player whose name I didn't catch, but whose contribution to the overall sound was, I thought, quite important.

The prominence of women in Amunda was refreshing after the male performer-dominated Stompin Ground '92, at which the presence and role of women was powerfully felt but predominantly from behind the scenes.

This trip to Sydney is Amunda's first, although they have played most towns from Adelaide to Darwin. To date they have produced two albums, two video clips (including for "Roll The Wind", off the Civilised World album, which receives regular airplay on the ABC's rock video show Rage) and have contributed to five compilation albums.

Civilised World was originally released as a cassette by CAAMA (Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association) in 1991, and has been one of CAAMA's biggest sellers.

The title song reflects Amunda's concern to articulate Aboriginal values so as to make them relevant to all people in Australia. Civilised World questions the motives for US intervention in the Gulf, the escalation of the Gulf War and the senseless killing and destruction caused by that war.

Amunda recently received a band development grant from the Aboriginal Arts Committee of the Australia Council and, as a result, will be returning to Sydney in early 1993 to work with producer Jim Hilbun on new recordings.