photo by Poppy Danis at the Leard Forest Listen Up
it's hard to categoriseLet's call it protest punk or hard rock indie music for lack of a definition. With quieter lyrical interludes. Sometimes a touch of reggae or the blues, or a rolling shanty. It's all original and made in Bathurst.
There are some things we feel strongly about: social injustice, especially for the original Australians and for our newest arrivals seeking our protection; the bulldozing of forests and shooting of wildlife; mining and climate change; political opportunism and the spun line; and shonky environmental consultants. Sometimes it just has to be put in a song of sorts, powered with high energy fury - or laid back irony and fun. Our music is strongly informed and influenced by politics, environment and social issues, history and colonisation - and is highly collaborative. 10th Man has been jamming in the dungeon every week for years now, where anyone is welcome to bring their instrument, a riff or a rhythm, and away we go. |
Miscarriage of Justice - the album Artwork: Dana Sibera
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leard forest
In March 2013 the beginnings of 10th Man travelled with friends to Leard Forest Listen Up for a day and night of community and music opposing the bulldozing of the old growth Leard State Forest for the 3 coal mines there. Fantastic food & company, and music played well into the night. Then when the music was over and the last strumming of the mandolin fell silent in the early hours, the night sounds of a forest could be heard. Rustlings, frog calls, the dark breeze - and the 24/7 grinding of the mine chewing its way into the earth.
4,000 hectares of the 7,500 hectare old growth forest is being bulldozed for Maules Creek, Boggabri & Tarrawonga coal mines. This includes 34 threatened species including koalas, and several Endangered Ecological Communities.
The mines will create enough emissions comparable to the total emissions of an OECD country. Some entire first world countries contribute less carbon pollution than these mines.
The environmental consultants' reports reassure this is not a significant impact.
4,000 hectares of the 7,500 hectare old growth forest is being bulldozed for Maules Creek, Boggabri & Tarrawonga coal mines. This includes 34 threatened species including koalas, and several Endangered Ecological Communities.
The mines will create enough emissions comparable to the total emissions of an OECD country. Some entire first world countries contribute less carbon pollution than these mines.
The environmental consultants' reports reassure this is not a significant impact.
Image: Tim Bergen (at Leard State Forest 2013)
no significant impact
Environmental/ecologist consultants are responsible for most environmental harm in Australia and elsewhere. They are the "experts" paid by the proponent to write the Environmental Impact Statements that give the go-ahead to massive environmental harm, including destruction of habitat and the flora and fauna dependent on that environment. This includes threatened species.
All the contracted scientists need conclude is "no significant impact" in their impressive looking scientific reports, and it's a done deal. Dig beneath methodologies and language use, and you'll find alot of weasle words and dodgy science. There's alot of money to be made in environmental consulting and destruction.
All the contracted scientists need conclude is "no significant impact" in their impressive looking scientific reports, and it's a done deal. Dig beneath methodologies and language use, and you'll find alot of weasle words and dodgy science. There's alot of money to be made in environmental consulting and destruction.
No significant impact - written & performed by Paul McIlwraith (all instruments & sound engineered, main vocals) guest vocals by Ray, who is an ecologist.
the galilee basin
In 2013 the Queensland and Australian federal governments approved Waratah Coal’s massive coal mine and development, owned by billionaire and now-federal Member of Parliament, Clive Palmer. Some 40 mega-tonnes of coal pa bound for China will be transported on a yet-to-be-built 468km rail line up to Abbot Point, a development that will dredge and dump in the Great Barrier Reef.
In the Galilee Basin, at least half of the 8,000 hectare remnant Bimblebox Nature Reserve will be destroyed for Palmer’s ‘China First’ mine – renamed the ‘Galilee Coal Project’. The Bimblebox is home to innumerable wildlife and plant species. The photos in the clip below are a selection of some of the birds and animals found in the Bimblebox woodland.
In the Galilee Basin, at least half of the 8,000 hectare remnant Bimblebox Nature Reserve will be destroyed for Palmer’s ‘China First’ mine – renamed the ‘Galilee Coal Project’. The Bimblebox is home to innumerable wildlife and plant species. The photos in the clip below are a selection of some of the birds and animals found in the Bimblebox woodland.
wog boy
The fuel-guzzling international Bathurst car races at the Mount Panorama racetrack attract up to 200,000 racegoers each year, in a mostly-male celebration of fossil fuels, speed, alcohol and often trouble. This song was inspired by the self-identified self-named "Wog Boy" racegoers camped on the Mount for one such race - and a nod to some of the band members' fathers who post-WWII were called "wogs" by a very WASP Australia.
Vision captured by Mbaye Kante at the Leard Forest Listen Up Concert in March 2013.
Warning: Live & grungy. Best heard loud & through speakers
Warning: Live & grungy. Best heard loud & through speakers
COALition
Australia's former Coalition Prime Ministers Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull wrote the lyrics for this song.