‘US Forces’, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (1982)Ĭompared to the frenzy of ‘Only the Strong’, ‘US Forces’ is one of the more circumspect tracks on 10-1. It’s a dynamic and over-the-top post-punk song that makes bands like PiL sound conservative by contrast.

Whether the narrator is a prisoner or a lone, frustrated citizen is unclear, but the central point sticks – so much is out of our hands to the point of being paralysing.ġ0-1 was the first in a quadrilogy of front-to-back classic albums from the Oils and ‘Only the Strong’ finds the band firing on all cylinders. ‘Only the Strong’, track two from 1982’s 10-1, is told from the perspective of someone who feels powerless in a world of strongmen. Political themes showed up in the writing of all three, but it’s not all they wrote about. Songwriting duties were split between Hirst, Garrett and guitarist Moginie throughout the band’s career, with Hirst and Moginie being the more prodigious of the trio. Garrett mightn’t be the most technically gifted vocalist, but he was always a charismatic presence out front, which is beautifully amplified in the ‘Back on the Borderline’ recording. They’re on display here courtesy of drummer Rob Hirst’s trademark percussive athleticism. It’s essentially a new wave rock song akin to Elvis Costello or The B-52’s, but the Oils already had a thing for arena rock theatrics. The album’s standout track, ‘Back on the Borderline’, remains a live staple to this day. The label issued their self-titled debut album in 1978, but it wasn’t until the following year’s Head Injuries that the seeds of the band’s greatness would begin to flower. They ditched Farm in favour of Midnight Oil and together with manager Gary Morris formed the label Powderworks. By 1976, they’d decided to take the band seriously. They went through a variety of lineup changes while completing university degrees and finding their footing on the Northern Beaches music scene. Midnight Oil formed in the early 1970s as Farm. ‘Back On the Borderline’, Head Injuries (1979)

Midnight wave lyrics