20,000 Watt R.S.L.

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Allmusic [1]

20,000 Watt R.S.L. is a compilation album by Australian rock band Midnight Oil released in October 1997 on their own label Sprint Music.[2][3] The word "Collection" appears on the front of the CD along the hinge in the same type face as the title and the name of the band and may have been intended as part of the album's title; however, it does not appear on the spine. The release has also been distributed inside a cardboard sleeve which adds "Midnight Oil: The Hits" to the album art, distinguishing it as a compilation album.

The compilation covers the majority of Midnight Oil's career, starting with their 1979 album Head Injuries, and includes tracks from all their major studio releases (and one EP), even including two songs from Redneck Wonderland, which was released after the compilation in 1998.[3] The liner notes contain an essay on the band by Australian author Tim Winton.

The album peaked at #1 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) album charts,[4] and achieved 4×Platinum sales,[5] it also peaked at #18 in New Zealand.[6] The R.S.L. in the title refers to the Returned and Services League of Australia.

In 2006, Midnight Oil released a second compilation album, Flat Chat, a collection of the band's heavier rock songs (although there is some overlap between the two compilations, as four of the eighteen songs on Flat Chat also appear on 20,000 Watt R.S.L.).

2012 saw the release of Midnight Oil's most comprehensive compilation album to date, the double-disc Essential Oils. "What Goes On" is the only 20,000 Watt R.S.L track not present on Essential Oils.

Background

Midnight Oil was an Australian rock band from Sydney formed in 1976 with vocalist Peter Garrett, drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboardist/lead guitarist Jim Moginie,[2][3] Guitarist Martin Rotsey joined in 1977[3] and Midnight Oil established their own record label Powderworks,[3] they released their second album Head Injuries on this label in October 1979.[3] Founding bass guitarist James left due to illness in 1980, he was replaced by Peter Gifford, Gifford was himself replaced by Bones Hillman in 1987.[2][3]

Australian Top Ten singles were "Power and the Passion", "The Dead Heart", "Beds Are Burning" and "Blue Sky Mine".[4] Aside from chart success both "Power and the Passion" and "Beds Are Burning" were listed by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) in the Top 30 best Australian songs of all time in 2001.[7] Through a long and distinguished career, the band became known for its driving hard-rock sound, intense live performances and political activism, particularly in aid of anti-nuclear, environmentalist and indigenous causes.[8]

Track listing

Songwriters according to Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA):[9]

  1. "What Goes On" (Garrett, Hillman, Hirst, Moginie, Rotsey)
  2. "Power and the Passion" (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie)
  3. "Dreamworld" (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie)
  4. "White Skin Black Heart" (Garrett, Hillman, Hirst, Moginie, Rotsey)
  5. "Kosciusko" (Hirst, Moginie)
  6. "The Dead Heart" (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie)
  7. "Blue Sky Mine" (Garrett, Hillman, Hirst, Moginie, Rotsey)
  8. "US Forces" (Garrett, Moginie)
  9. "Beds Are Burning" (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie)
  10. "One Country" (Garrett, Moginie)
  11. "Best of Both Worlds" (Hirst, Moginie)
  12. "Truganini" (Hirst, Moginie)
  13. "King of the Mountain" (Hirst, Moginie)
  14. "Hercules" (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie)
  15. "Surf's Up Tonight" (Garrett, Hillman, Hirst, Moginie, Rotsey)
  16. "Back on the Borderline" (Garrett, Hirst, James)
  17. "Don't Wanna Be the One" (Garrett, Hirst, Moginie, Rotsey)
  18. "Forgotten Years" (Hirst, Moginie)

Chart positions

Year Chart Position
1997 Australian ARIA Albums Chart 1
New Zealand RIANZ Albums Chart 18

Year-end charts

Chart (1997) Position
Australian Albums Chart[10] 28

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[11] 5× Platinum 350,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

Midnight Oil
Additional personnel

References

  1. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine (1997-11-04). "20,000 Watt R.S.L.: Greatest Hits - Midnight Oil | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  2. ^ a b c McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Midnight Oil'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Midnight Oil discography". Australian Rock Database. Magnus Holmgren. Archived from the original on 2012-09-27. Retrieved 2008-10-20. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b "Midnight Oil discography". Australian Charts Portal. Retrieved 2008-10-20.
  5. ^ "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2008 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 2008-01-18.
  6. ^ ""20,000 Watt R.S.L" album charting". Australian Charts Portal. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
  7. ^ Kruger, Debbie (2001-05-02). "The songs that resonate through the years" (PDF). Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 2008-10-20.
  8. ^ Fricke, David (2004). "Midnight Oil Biography". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 2008-10-21. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ "APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA). Retrieved 2008-08-20. Note: requires user to input song title e.g. WHAT GOES ON
  10. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums1997". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  11. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 31 December 2014.

External links

Preceded by
Anthology 1: Greatest Hits 1987-1997
by John Farnham
 Australian ARIA Albums Chart number-one album
26 October – 1 November 1997 		Succeeded by
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