Oils may release first new material in 19 years

Midnight Oil might be releasing new music in 2020, their first round of fresh recorded product in 19 years.

Drummer and songwriter Rob Hirst confirms that the plan is for the legendary band to go into the studios after it rounds off its European dates.

“We’ve been talking about recording again for years but The Great Circle Tour in 2017 was such a positive experience that it made us even hungrier to get back to making new music together,” he said.

“It’s a bit early to know what might come out of it yet –  we’re just looking forward to getting back into that creative mode.”

They last released new music in 2001.

The Oils have announced two more Australian shows, in addition to their headliner set at the remote The Big Red Bash festival near Birdsville on July 18.

They’ll do two extra theatre dates, at Anita’s in Wollongong on Thursday, May 23 (with Wollongong experimental pop band Shining Bird) and Canberra’s Royal Theatre on Monday, May 27 with Darwin singer-songwriter Leah Flanagan opening.

The Canberra show sees the long-term First Nations peoples advocates play on Reconciliation Day, a public holiday in the ACT.

“Meaningful steps towards reconciliation are long overdue, including a whole of government response to the Uluru Declaration, so it will be good to be in Canberra on this important date to kick up a fuss and help get the issue back on track,” said Peter Garrett.

Immediately after the Australian shows, the Oils head back overseas again.

They play 17 festival and clubs show between Sunday, June 9 and Saturday, July 13.

Major festival appearances include:

Festi’neuch Openair, Neuchatel, Switzerland; Zeltfestival | Mannheim, Germany; Rock the Ring | Hinwil, Switzerland; Les Nuits De Fourviere, Lyon, France; Tollwood, Munich, Germany; Rock Zottegem, Zottegem, Belgium; and Guitare en Scene Festival | Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, France.