John Schumann & The Vagabond Crew

Thanks again to everyone who joined us on most recent eastern states guerilla raid. We really appreciate your support and we don't take it for granted.
To our friends and families, sorry we didn't get a chance to catch up. It was a very exhausting 4 days: late nights, early mornings, lots of kilometres and not a lot of time to do anything other than check into our hotels (not the Hyatt!!), sound-check, grab something to eat, do the gig and then do the load-out.
I can't believe I used to do this stuff 6 nights a week for 3 months on the trot! Thanks again, everybody.
Melbourne in May, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast in August.
For those of you who missed out on a T-shirt, look out for a post advising the next mail-out round. Deep sigh.

Concourse Theatre, Chatswood (Little Shanghai) last night (Sat 17/2) and Lizottes this afternoon (18/2). So delighted and humbled, that so many people - friends and fans - travelled so far to see the band. Thank you all so much. It’s a bit hard at the moment. What with interest rates, Coles and Woolworths gouging the crap out of everybody and, of course, Tay-Tay hoovering up every spare dollar, it’s hard out on the road for everyone. So we appreciate your support more than you know. Thank you. See you again soon. Love youse all heaps - including our sound tech, Deano and our manager, Ivan. Couldn’t - wouldn’t - do this stuff without them.

Thanks so much to Ken Behrens (Canberrans) who filled the Street Theatre last night to see Backtracks - in between watching F*ck Knuckle (aka Rohan) tune his 12-string. We love youse all! Youse were grouse! (Photo courtesy Canberra’s CityNews - which features a lovely review this morning.)

"Break in, stake out, tell it in code
Everything is legal, anything goes..."

Redgum got a mention on the front page of that impartial journal of record, The Weekend Australian! Apparently, Redgum and that other incorrigible red-ragger, Slim Dusty, were much loved by the top Russian spy, Lev Koshlyakoy, listening to us back at home in Moscow, pining for his life in Australia.
As the Russians are colonising Bali at the moment, if he were to be in Sydney next Saturday night at the Concourse Theatre in Chatswood, we'd get him up to play balalaika on "I've Been to Bali too".

Mark Woodforde and yours truly at the Australian Open. I taught Mark at Marion High in the late 70s. Great to see him - a lovely bloke. When he was an international tennis star with Todd, I remember being really moved by the fact that he always took the time to catch up with his close school friends and made sure they got tickets etc etc - even when he was right up there. Fame can take you far away - if you let it - Mark never did. Knowing him helped me when Michael (Atkinson) and I wrote “Another Moment on Your Own” about a tennis player back in 1985. https://youtu.be/p1KzLSZteZA?si=T7lFQoNKt4YVmpAe

Dear Mum.
Well, we're not good enough to play at Womad - but we are good enough to play at the Australian Open, Rod Laver Arena, January 26 around 7.00 to 7.15 PM AEST (as per the new run sheet!) You can watch us on the telly.
Tell the family.
Love, John
PS - I'll wear the new T-shirt you gave me for Christmas.

John Schumann & The Vagabond Crew

Ladies and gents,
Longish story. We were booked to headline at the Gulgong Folk Festival on Saturday Jan 13 at the wonderful Prince of Wales Opera House. Sadly, the festival couldn’t go ahead but we’ll be playing nonetheless. See c.o.m.m.e.n.t.s. for the ticket link. (We’ll be playing a few songs from the Lawson album in Harry’s honour - along with others of course!) Gulgong - beautiful heritage town steeped in the legend that is Lawson - worth the trip on its own!!

Thanks so much to everyone who came to either (or both) of our sold out shows this weekend at the beautiful little black box theatre that is the Murray Delta Juke Joint. Thanks to Dave and Greg particularly who made it all so easy - and a pleasure - for us. Extra thanks to Dave for the loan of his saw so Bollard could show off a bit more. I have the best band in Australia. Of that I am sure!! # # #

May 2024 - mainly Melbourne & Main Ridge! (Note the clever alliteration.) Unplugged and seated acoustic concert at the Pig and Whistle on Thursday 2nd. Then the whole catastrophe on Saturday night (May 4th) and a Sunday matinee (May 5th) at Memo Music Hall St Kilda. All links to dates, details and tickets on my website - URL in the c.o.m.m.e.n.t.s because Zuckerberg and his mates hate links in posts.

“Our echoes roll from soul to soul.” (Tennyson) This is Huddy, our youngest fan, singing carols at the school concert in his “Redgum Years” t-shirt. Awwww. Bless him.

http://abc.net.au/news/i-was-only-19-re-recorded-40-years-on/103199898

I was only 19 remains a powerful anthem for Australian soldiers as it turns 40 The iconic song by John Schumann, the lead singer/songwriter of Redgum, has been re-recorded with The Waifs 40 years after it was first released in 1983.

OK, you lot. "The Redgum Years" T-shirt orders close 6 PM ACST Friday 8/12/23. See the earlier post for sizes, prices and how to order. Some of you have sent emails to Ivan without any other details. At the risk of being harsh, that's not very helpful. We need your size/s, your postal address and the funds. For my part, I'm very keen to get these boxes of T-shirts out of my office!😔😔😔

Redgum Years T-shirts. How to get yours.
Good quality from NZ (not the usual place).
Approximate width (across front) in cm M–50, L-55, XL–58, 2XL–61
$50 each - plus $11.00 postage and packaging. Maybe a bit more for multiple t-shirts.
Order at the email address in c.o.m.m.e.n.t.s.
(You might need to scroll.)
Email us your name, address, number of t-shirts and sizes.
We’ll reply with EFT details.
Once details and funds are received, we’ll pack and post.
Orders close COB 8/12/23. We have reasonable stock but once they’re gone, they’re gone! First in, best dressed.
Allow 10-14 days for delivery. (It’s Xmas!)
Any issues, come to a gig and embarrass us with a placard reading “I didn’t get my Redgum Years T-shirt!”

Redgum Years t-shirts - a quick heads up.
Watch for a post in the next day or 2 about how to get your Redgum Years T-shirt. (Quick and easy Christmas presents)
It'll be a simple process starting with an email address in the comments (otherwise Facebook's algorithms will hide the post from everybody bar 22 random people).
There will be also close off date. Neither Ivan nor I have any wish to get into the rag trade.
Merry Christmas!

Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle - last chance!
(See c.o.m.m.e.n.t.s below for the JS homepage with all all ticket links in the one place!)
If you missed The Redgum Years at Sydney or Newcastle last year – or you’ve been whingeing about no concert in Wollongong - this is your last shot.
Thursday February 15, Centro CBD Wollongong
Friday, February 17, Concourse Theatre Chatswood
Sunday, February 18, Lizottes Newcastle (afternoon)
(PS Nice photo of us, hey?)

South Australia’s blue family is grieving tonight. Funny how a rabid lefty - a bit older- has good mates who are coppers. I love them all and they are hurting tonight. There’s the bloke in the SE and a couple of other private departures recently as well. And families too. All of them “waiting for the call to the thin blue line …..”
A small personal tribute from all of us in the Vagabond Crew….

"Graduation Day" (Official Music Video) “GRADUATION DAY”Music & lyrics John Schumann © Universal Music Publishing. Performed by John Schumann & the Vagabond Crew, featuring Taasha Coates.Clip conce...

I’ve been saving, for Remembrance Day, the video clip of version of “19” the Waifs and I recorded recently.  Some amazing Super8 footage from John Neervoort, some differently amazing footage generously provided by the producers of “ Danger Close”. Brilliantly edited by Scot McCann of Digihed Media. Scroll through the c.o.m.m.e.n.t.s. to find the l.in.k
The intro by Warwick McFadyen is worthy of reflection. It took a long while, but we Australians finally got our Vietnam veterans home.

Profound respect and admiration for my friend and brother-in-arms Shane Howard for returning his Australia Medal (AM) - awarded for a lifetime of service to music and First Nations people. You don’t do that lightly.
Talking today with Shane I said “It’s like the Aboriginal family down the street asked us over for a meal and to share some stories. And we said no.”

PS 9.35 ACST 19/10 - I respect that there are good-hearted, intelligent people who voted NO.  I simply ask that people keep their comments civil and respectful. There has been more than enough division recently.

This is not the outcome that many of us hoped and worked for.
To my First Nation brothers and sisters who wanted the referendum to succeed, I am deeply and genuinely sorry. My heart breaks for you.

But it is what it is. Now let’s all of us- both YES and NO voters - put aside the hurtful division of the past weeks and accept this is not the end of the journey.

Let’s all re-commit to a Reconciliation based on truth, understanding and working towards the changes that all of us with good hearts know is absolutely necessary.

By now, everybody will be clear that I am voting YES in the referendum. For those who might be wavering still, I remind you that First Nations people have served Australia with honour and distinction in every war from the Boer War to Iraq. When they came back, they found their country had been taken from them, divided up into Soldier Settler blocks and handed out to their whitefella comrades. That's on top of not being allowed to join the RSL.

So, it's ok for them to put their lives on the line for the country - but not okay for them to have a mechanism for advising Parliament on policy and legislation?

John Schumann - On Every Anzac Day (Official Music Video) The song, 'On Every Anzac Day', was launched at the Australian War Memorial during a performance by the song’s creator (John Schumann OAM) who wrote the reno...

Why I am voting YES

This is a long read. It’s not a reel or a meme. It will require a little bit of time and a little bit of attention. I posted this as a link from the original online publication, “The Pineapple” a few days ago. But we all know how Facebook suppresses posts with links in them.

I acknowledge that there are intelligent, goodhearted Australians who hold an opposing view and they will be moved to comment. I simply ask that comments are respectful. I won’t comment myself. My life is too short for keyboard warfare. Now read on.

I’m sick to my heart at the divisive, angry politicisation by some people on both sides of this referendum debate. Stress “some people”. Australia is not Trumpian America. We are smarter than that.

A couple of days ago I saw a row of stobie poles bearing YES campaign posters over which someone had spray-painted NO. The posters were up fairly high, so it was scarcely opportunistic: it required a bit of logistical planning. Later the same day, in the supermarket, I watched a young First Nations kid in a Crows footy jumper - maybe 14 or 15 - shopping with his parents. I wondered how they will feel on October 15 should the NO vote get up.

I suspect that the majority of people who intend to vote NO on October 14 haven’t had very much to do with First Nations people.
I hadn’t either until 2008 when I joined a small team helping to restructure an Aboriginal corporation delivering municipal services to 12 remote communities. The Governing Committee of the organisation comprised elders and senior men.

It was the first time that I’d worked closely with First Australians. Once trust was established, the Governing Committee and our small team worked together with energy, intelligence and boundless humour. The Governing Committee readily acknowledged the dysfunctions, inefficiencies and greed on the part of some. Working together, we went about fixing things.

Our small team hadn’t worked in Indigenous Affairs before but we quickly realised there was plenty of dysfunction, inefficiency and greed on the whitefella side of the equation too. Over and above some contractors riding the gravy train, there were public servants and politicians who resisted change and the diminution of their control with a grim, flint-eyed determination.

Resplendent in brand-new moleskins and clutching mobile phones and iPads, these politicians, advisers and the inevitable gaggle of public servants would drive from community to community in Toyota LandCruisers from Avis, dispensing funds and whitefella instructions.

As part of the organisational restructure, we worked with the Governing Committee to prioritise each community’s needs and wants. I distinctly remember one community’s request that a strong fence be erected around the water plant to protect it from the camels that wandered through every night. However, the bureaucrats decided what the community really needed was a long fence strung across one side of town to stop the papers blowing. True story.

Another time, in a desperate attempt to instil some sense into the Department of Premier and Cabinet which had responsibility for Indigenous Affairs, we met in Alice Springs with a bureaucrat/political advisor from the Premier’s office. Despite his abysmal ignorance about pretty well everything, this arrogant little dick conducted himself in the meeting like he was the Premier. While I manfully resisted the temptation to throttle this kid, I watched one of the senior men, Kunmunara Burton. Sitting on the other side of the table, he was quietly gathering all the beer coasters and stacking them on his knee.

When it was his turn to speak, Kunmunara Burton slowly pulled one beer coaster after another out from under the table and laid them out on the tablecloth like a poker hand.
“Tell me,” he said, “why you mob always deal the cards from under the table?”

Working with the Governing Committee, we rewrote the Constitution and we set up a Community Chairpersons’ Council to drive the cost-efficient delivery of services to the communities. We developed a rort-free mechanism for the management of funding and we set up a training regime with an RTO so young people from the communities could learn how to deliver the municipal services themselves. In a very short time, we had 6 trainees and apprentices in place and we’d secured funding for 30 more. Over and above all that, we’d identified about $440,000 worth of recurrent savings. The fact is that this organisational restructure and realignment was very much informed by the elders and senior men. They knew what was wrong and they told us how to fix it.

Nonetheless, politicians and bureaucrats (both state and federal) went about discrediting and unwinding 9 month’s work. I remember their names.This was my experience. It still rankles and will do so until the day I die.

If there had been a Voice of sorts back then, all that work would be in place still. Chances are the model we built would have been replicated across Australia by now.

The Voice is an advisory body FFS - nothing more. It will answer to the National Anti-Corruption Commission and it will have a separate, independent ethics council for transparency and accountability. Would that the banks, Qantas and Price Waterhouse Coopers could say the same.

The Minerals Council of Australia, Australian Medical Association, Universities Australia, National Farmers Federation, Business Council of Australia: all these peak bodies - and many more - have been set to advise Parliament about matters which concern them. And then there’s News Corp - an organisation that feels obligated to offer shrill advice to our elected representatives. Can someone explain to me how an advisory body for First Nations people is any different?
How many of us are aware that advisory bodies exist for first Nations people in Fiji, Canada, New Zealand, Taiwan, Finland and Scandinavia - just to name a few? Do we really think that these countries are flawed, divided democracies because their constitutions mandate asking First Nations people for their opinions before making laws about them? Really?

I read the Uluru Statement from the Heart as a warm-hearted invitation from indigenous Australians to walk with them so that we can really become one mob under the Southern Cross. Details? We can work out them later. If we let our elected representatives sort out our industrial relations, taxation and health systems, we can let them sort out the Voice too.

Our divided nation needs to heal. I want Australia to fix this. I want First Nations people - my fellow Australians - to have their voices heard in a way that future governments can’t ignore or wind back.

This is why I am voting YES.

I wrote this piece for The Pineapple, an online publication devoted to making the world a better place. I recognise that many people will have a different opinion. That’s fine. I just ask that we all refrain from unpleasantness. We are Australians - and we are better than that.

Iconic Australian John Schumann: Why I am voting Yes - Pineapple WARNING: This article contains mention of Aboriginal people who have died.