Gala Mill
Encyclopedia
Gala Mill is the fourth album from The Drones
, released in September 2006. The album peaked at #66 in the Australian album charts
Recorded in a mill on an isolated 10000 acres (40.5 km²) farm on Tasmania
’s east coast, Gala Mill is an album full of extremes - moments of stark, ghostly beauty are set against outbursts of the dark, intense noise for which the band is renowned. The album’s sense of place is palpable - barking dogs and birdsong are heard between tracks, and the island’s history and atmosphere resonate through the songs.
Vocalist Gareth Liddiard says,
Like its setting, Gala Mill is unmistakably Australian - not in a sense of flag-waving patriotism, but rather in that it is unafraid to address Australian history and mythology. Liddiard says,
The song "Words From The Executioner To Alexander Pearce" is based on Alexander Pearce a convict who escaped Sarah Island's penal settlement on Tasmania's west coast with seven fellow convicts in 1822. He was recaptured two months later alone. In 1823 he re-escaped with a fellow convict, Thomas Cox and again was returned alone. He was executed later having eaten six men during his escape attempts.
The first verse of "Sixteen Straws" is lifted from the traditional song "Moreton Bay". To avoid damnation by suicide, groups of catholic convicts would draw straws, the long and the short decided the deceased and his killer. The killer would then repent. The group would assume joint responsibility and be sentenced to death.
The album was nominated for the 2006 Australian Music Prize
, the second year in a row that the band had been nominated, with Wait Long By The River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By
winning the previous year. The prize was won by Augie March
for their album Moo, You Bloody Choir
. In October 2010, Gala Mill was listed in the top 30 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums
.
The Drones
The Drones are an Australian rock group who rose to prominence during the early 2000s. They are influenced by a variety of bands and soloists including Neil Young, The Velvet Underground, Bad Brains, Suicide, Green on Red, The Birthday Party, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan and Nina Simone.- The Sound...
, released in September 2006. The album peaked at #66 in the Australian album charts
Recorded in a mill on an isolated 10000 acres (40.5 km²) farm on Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
’s east coast, Gala Mill is an album full of extremes - moments of stark, ghostly beauty are set against outbursts of the dark, intense noise for which the band is renowned. The album’s sense of place is palpable - barking dogs and birdsong are heard between tracks, and the island’s history and atmosphere resonate through the songs.
Vocalist Gareth Liddiard says,
"We just wanted to go somewhere interesting, to steer clear of the boring old studio. Studios can feel like hospitals for sick bands. And acoustically, recording the album where we did played a huge part in how it ended up sounding."Bassist Fiona Kitschin explains,
"The family who owns the farm and the mill have been there since the 1840s. It’s beautiful. There are all these orchards around it, a creek near there you can swim in... and it’s meant to be haunted. A woman apparently comes upstairs into the bedroom and cries. Although, we never saw anything. It’d probably be a better story if we had."
Like its setting, Gala Mill is unmistakably Australian - not in a sense of flag-waving patriotism, but rather in that it is unafraid to address Australian history and mythology. Liddiard says,
"That was a conscious thing. To make an Australian sounding record is something that’s been frowned upon over the years - it’s not cool. But cool is not cool, you know? You should just be what you are, it’s sad watching Australians trying to be Americans and Americans trying to be English and the English trying to be Americans."
The song "Words From The Executioner To Alexander Pearce" is based on Alexander Pearce a convict who escaped Sarah Island's penal settlement on Tasmania's west coast with seven fellow convicts in 1822. He was recaptured two months later alone. In 1823 he re-escaped with a fellow convict, Thomas Cox and again was returned alone. He was executed later having eaten six men during his escape attempts.
The first verse of "Sixteen Straws" is lifted from the traditional song "Moreton Bay". To avoid damnation by suicide, groups of catholic convicts would draw straws, the long and the short decided the deceased and his killer. The killer would then repent. The group would assume joint responsibility and be sentenced to death.
The album was nominated for the 2006 Australian Music Prize
Australian Music Prize
The Australian Music Prize is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The award made by Australian Music Prize Ltd, a sole-purpose entity sponsored by a variety of music industry figures and...
, the second year in a row that the band had been nominated, with Wait Long By The River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By
Wait Long by the River...
Wait Long By The River and the Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float By is the second album released by The Drones, a band formed in Perth and based in Melbourne....
winning the previous year. The prize was won by Augie March
Augie March
Augie March are an Australian indie/pop rock band. Formed in 1996 in Shepparton, Victoria, the band currently consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Glenn Richards, lead guitarist Adam Donovan, bassist Edmondo Ammendola, drummer David Williams, and keyboardist Kiernan Box...
for their album Moo, You Bloody Choir
Moo, You Bloody Choir
Moo, You Bloody Choir is the third studio album by the Australian indie rock band Augie March. It was released in 2006 in Australia by BMG. It entered the ARIA album charts at #10 and was nominated for Album of the Year at the ARIA Music Awards of 2006, losing to Tea & Sympathy by Bernard Fanning...
. In October 2010, Gala Mill was listed in the top 30 in the book, 100 Best Australian Albums
100 Best Australian Albums
100 Best Australian Albums is a compendium of rock and pop albums of the past 50 years as compiled by music journalists Toby Creswell, Craig Mathieson and John O'Donnell. The book was published on 25 October 2010 by Hardie Grant Books...
.
Track listing
- "Jezebel" – 7:51
- "Dog Eared" – 4:53
- "I'm Here Now" – 7:45
- "Words From The Executioner To Alexander Pearce" – 5:15
- "I Don't Ever Want To Change" – 3:59
- "Work For Me" – 5:38
- "I Looked Down The Line And I Wondered" – 5:29
- "Are You Leaving For The Country" – 4:26
- "Sixteen Straws" – 9:35