INTERVIEW: Shane Howard

Shane Howard, to put it simply, is a legend of the Australian music scene. After founding Goanna and finding success with the hit single ‘Solid Rock’, Howard went out on his own, honing his craft while connecting with Aboriginal communities throughout Australia with his music and helping the local indigenous people. We had the chance to ask Howard some questions on his musical life and his connection with local Australian’s and where rewarded with an extensive look at Howard’s life and his experiences.

Thanks for taking the time out to answer these questions, Shane. What are you up to at the moment?

2012 is a significant year for me. It’s the 30th anniversary of the release of the song, Solid Rock and the album Spirit Of Place, by Goanna, so there’s been a lot to reflect on as we work toward marking the anniversary in a meaningful way, with a series of concerts and a documentary. We’re also in the middle of an album of new recordings of old material. I went into the studio before Christmas with my band and some special guests, with the hope of recording about a dozen tracks, but things went so well that we recorded about double that number.

We’re looking forward to seeing you perform at WOMAD this year – can you tell me a bit more about the show you’ll be bringing?

Because of the 30th anniversary, we’re keen to celebrate thirty of years of songs and to give Solid Rock its full measure. I wanted to bring some significant elements together, musically. We were going to have Mark Atkins join us on yidaki, (didjeridu) but, sadly, Mark has had to cancel at the last minute to undergo major surgery. We wish him well. He’s a stunning player and a good friend and we’ve worked together around Australia and the world in the Black Arm Band.

There are a handful of outstanding didjeridu players in Australia that I know of. One of those, other than Mark, is Will Barton and Will has agreed to fill in for Mark at short notice. Will and I have also worked together for many years. We first met in Mount Isa, in the early 1990′s when he was a very young man. We also worked together on a few Goanna shows in the late 1990′s and last year at the National Folk Festival. He’s an awe-inspiring talent who is in high demand around the world these days, playing with orchestras from Vienna to New York.

My musical journey took me into Aboriginal Australia back in 1982, which, in turn, made me ask some big questions about my own identity. This inevitably led me back to Ireland and into a deeper exploration of my Irish ancestry. I’ve always been exploring what it means to be an Australian, in an Aboriginal country, of Irish descent, particularly in the 1990′s on my album, Clan. It’s continued to inform my work since then, in subtle ways and since the 1990′s I’ve continued my exploration of traditional Irish and Aboriginal musical forms. At WOMAD we’re bringing some of those elements together with Jack Brennan, who’s a wonderful Uillean piper and whistle player, who’ll be exploring some interesting musical territory with Will Barton.

“Solid Rock” was released thirty years ago. With it being revisited at WOMAD this year, I guess it’ll be as much an educational experience for the younger members of the crowd, as it would be nostalgic for those around at the time of it’s initial release?

The song has grown older with me. It’s not a static thing and it never has been really. I try to ‘give’ myself to it. I’m never really sure quite where it’s heading in any given performance. I can’t half sing it, it asks me for my full attention. It constantly shifts its form. It goes where it will and I try to be creatively brave and follow.

It’s got to be a bit of a buzz to know that your iconic material is still relevant and indeed striking a note with audiences today…

It’s flattering and humbling at one level. Sadly, there is much about the song that is still relevant to another generation, thirty years later. What started out as an angry song thirty years ago has become a sadder song. Many things have gotten worse for Aboriginal Australians. Health and education outcomes haven’t improved in many places.

It’s fair to say that Australian society was in a very different place back when “Solid Rock” was first released. Looking at recent events taking place around the country these days, how would you describe the progression we’ve undergone since?

Personally, I feel as though the past thirty years have been an extraordinary journey into a deeper understanding of Aboriginal Australia and the Australian landscape for me. I think many people have made that journey. But most haven’t. Most Australians are still confused about their relationship with Aboriginal Australia. Most Australians are well meaning but most rarely have contact with Aboriginal people. For them, their relationship is intellectual and not personal. For me, it’s deeply personal. Many of the friendships that I forged back in the early 1980′s have continued for the past thirty years and my awareness and connections have deepened. This has been both inspiring and heart breaking. I often feel like I live on a bridge between Aboriginal and mainstream Australia and sometimes it feels like the distance between those two worlds is too great to create unity. Music is one way to overcome that sense of distance.

How would you describe the state of indigenous music and culture today, in terms of addressing important issues through creative outlets?

One of the things I’m very proud of, in the last six years, was being a founding member of the Black Arm Band and the success that the touring ensemble and the film, Murundak, have had. The success of Gurrumul on the international stage has also added another chapter to the modern story of Aboriginal music and culture. But there should be more Aboriginal artists in the industry. It is still just a handful really who are achieving significant commercial opportunities.

This isn’t the first time you’ve graced the WOMAD stage – what do you enjoy most about the festival?

I’ve played WOMADelaide with the Black Arm Band and with Archie Roach and Neil Murray, as part of the Iconic Songs show in the last few years. Archie and I also played WOMAD in the UK with the Black Arm Band a few years ago. I love the global musical diversity of the WOMAD festivals. There’s a great emphasis on respect for music and musicians and the infrastructure is geared toward the artists and the audience having a quality experience. Because of this, musicians have the utmost respect for the WOMAD ‘brand’, if you like. It’s synonymous with quality and musical excellence. When musicians are treated respectfully, they give their best.

Have you managed to check out the other names you’re going to be performing alongside – anyone you’re particularly keen on checking out?

I love Nano Stern’s youthful vigor and passion and his social conscience. We met a few years ago and have shared the stage together on a few occasions. He carries forward the memory and legacy of great South American artists like Victor Jara. I’m also looking forward to having a sing with Sharon Shannon and her band. I’ve never seen Tinariwen live so I’m looking forward to that. The amazing Eddi Reader, Gurrumul, Baaba Maal – it’s a musical feast really.

The mixing of so many different cultures and identities has always been one of the main draw cards for me, just as a punter. Do you find yourself still being influenced, musically, by these sorts of festivals?

Absolutely. When we were at WOMADelaide a few years ago with the Black Arm Band, I saw Mavis Staples perform. It was inspiring. Last year I got to sing, ‘Eyes On The Prize’, with her in Melbourne and she’s as inspiring in person as she is on stage.

What are your plans for the rest of the year are you doing more shows?

After Goanna finished in the 1980’s, I lived for many years in North Queensland between Kuranda and the Gulf of Carpentaria, so in May, I’m heading back to the Gulf country, to Doomadgee and Burketown, to work with communities there on music and art programs. In July I travel to Canada, Ireland and Scotland to play some dates and festivals there and then onto Wales and England with the Black Arm Band.

In August I return to Uluru for a concert with some very special guests to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Solid Rock. The song was born out there in that country and I want to take it back to the community and to honour the spirit of place and measure the journey of the past 30 years. We’re also planning a major series of concerts in the city centres over the next year, beginning with Melbourne in November.

A few years ago, at the invitation of One Day Hill publishers and in conjunction with Ian Thorpe’s Foundation, I worked with the painter Peter Hudson and the young people from the communities of Mutitjulu, Imanpa and Docker River to produce a children’s book of ‘Solid Rock’. A large percentage of the proceeds from the book flow back to the community for youth oriented programs. I’d like to follow up on these sorts of projects and see opportunities created for emerging musicians, particularly Aboriginal musicians in remote communities, who have such limited opportunities. We have to open doors, create opportunities, and do better. Life can be too tough or too boring in many communities and the alarming youth suicide statistics of recent years remind us that there is still much work to be done.

Sose Fuamoli