Wuigada was named and developed by the highly acclaimed indigenous singer songwriter, Kutcha Edwards. Wuigada in Mutti Mutti means 'to sing'.
In this edition of Wuigada we spoke with the Koori King of Country or Black Elvis as he's known in his homeland, First Nations country and western singer, Roger Knox.
Please tell us about any of your new (or upcoming) releases, or what you have been doing recently:
As with most musicians, I have been having time out due to COVID. It's been so busy the last few years; I've enjoyed going steady for a while :). Ongoing negotiations are taking place with The Music Vault in Melbourne as we work through the process of archiving some of my music legacy. I've been touring for NAIDOC through Cully schools and community organisations between November 17 and 21. Then I'm performing at Gundy Hospital, farewell to a great DON, who has really assisted in breaking down barriers between community and hospital staff on November 26, and then Mindle Bygul Community day in Deception Bay on November 28. And maybe, just maybe will be at the Dreaming Awards in Sydney if the border open up for us... Its so deadly to be out in community again!
Putting your own music aside, can you choose a song by a First Nations musician that has had a big impact on you, and can you tell us about your connection to that song?
'Murris Plea' by Eric Craigie. More often than not my people get in trouble and end up in jail "accidentally" - no reggo, driving no license, SPER debts. It's easy to get into jail for no particular reason and for us fullas its shameful. This is what 'Murris Plea' draws our attention to - then we become hardened in that jail and it's a fall-back for a home and a feed. Instead of the focus being on first offenders we need to focus on staying out of trouble. We don't know how to react to police and are often frightened and this leads to anger and then before you know it.... inside.
'Ticket to Nowhere' by Jean Fairbridge. This is a great song. I love the melody and tune. It talks about how our Murri lives can become a downhill run and it's something we need to break away from. I feel the song talks about internalising things like a lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem as an Indigenous people. There comes a time in your life when you know you have to do things for yourself and start believing in yourself. Sometimes we lose all that and it's difficult to move forward without it.
Now we dive into Roger Knox's pick of Wuigada favourites:
Bobby McLeod - 'Wayward Dreams'
Johnny Huckle - 'I Am What I Am'
No audio available. Listen to other Johnny Huckle songs here.
Dave Quinlan - 'Original Aboriginal'
Jack Davis - 'First Born'
Bobby McLeod - 'Friendship Rd'
No audio available.
Jimmy Little - 'Black Tracker'
Mop & The Dropouts - 'Racial Discrimination'
LJ Hill - 'Pretty Bird Tree'
Coloured Stone - 'Dancing in the Moonlight'
Coloured Stone - 'Black Boy'
Warumpi Band - 'Fitzroy Crossing'
Warumpi Band - 'Blackfulla Whitefulla'
Eric Craigie - 'Middle Camp'
Catherine Satour - 'I Am the Desert'
Dougie Young - 'Scobies Dream'
Auriel Andrews - 'Ghost Gums'
No audio available. Listen to other Auriel Andrews songs here.
Apakatjah - 'Desert Highway'
Pigram Brothers - Under The Mango Tree
Mop & The Dropouts - 'Cherbourg Boy'
No audio available. Listen to other Mop and The Dropouts songs here.
Kutcha Edwards - 'Yesterday's Forgotten'
No audio available. Listen to other Kutcha songs here.
Listen to the Wuigada playlist via YouTube now.
More Wuigada stories: Sue Ray, Troy Jungaji Brady, Dave Arden, Shellie Morris, Deline Briscoe, LJ Hill, Selwyn Burns, Roger Knox and Kutcha Edwards.
Artwork by Dixon Patten.
