Bad//Dreems have shared their latest single, the First Nations-focused ‘Jack’. The band have described it as a song about “truth telling”. The Adelaide outfit have also announced the launch of their Hoo-Ha! podcast, which is focused on “listening” to Indigenous stories.
Set to appear on Bad//Dreems’ upcoming fourth album, ‘Jack’ reflects on Australia’s history, emphasising the importance of First Nations people and their cultures, and white Australia’s systemic ignorance. “Like many others we were not taught the true history of Australia at school,” guitarist Alex Cameron said in a statement.
Bad//Dreems – ‘Jack’
“We were not taught about the original custodians of this land and their civilisation, the oldest on Earth,” Cameron continued. “We were not taught the truth about the 234 years since colonisation. We were not taught about Aboriginal Resistance, Frontier Wars and centuries of mistreatment of Aboriginal people.
“Neither were we taught about the remarkable ancient culture that surrounds us all, nor the remarkable story of its survival and evolution.”
The track was created with both advice and feedback from a number of the band’s First Nations friends. Cameron points out the track arrives at a salient moment, with Indigenous figures like Truganini, Bennelong, and Jundamurra being overlooked in favour of “a distant monarch”. Meanwhile, the behaviour of certain AFL clubs and the inquest into Kumanji Walker’s death reveal that “entrenched racism towards Aboriginal people” prevails in contemporary Australia.
“If the truth is going to be told, then white Australia will have to listen,” said Cameron.
The release of ‘Jack’ coincides with the launch of the band’s Hoo-Ha! podcast, which centres on the stories of a number of First Nations figures. The first episode features Richie Guymala of Black Rock Band, while the second is a discussion with former Port Adelaide AFL player and musician Marlon Motlop (of Marlon X Rulla).
Bad//Dreems will release ‘Jack’ as a limited edition 7″ single, with the B-side featuring their Like A Version cover of Warumpi Band’s ‘Blackfella/Whitefella’, which was recorded in 2019 with Midnight Oil’s Peter Garrett, Emily Wurramara and Mambali.
Further Reading
Bad//Dreems Announce East Coast Spring Tour Dates
Pavement, Spiderbait & More to Play Tent Pole, Geelong’s Musical Jamboree
Love Letter To A Record: Bad//Dreems On Eddy Current Suppression Ring’s Self-Titled Debut
