Painters And Dockers To Release New Song For Yes

Melbourne rock band Painters And Dockers are just “days away” from releasing a new song for Yes. The group join an abundance of artists showing their support for the Yes vote to the Voice referendum, including GANGgajang, Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins, Spiderbait, Emma Donovan, John Butler, Dan Sultan, Peter Garrett, and many more.

Sharing a photo of bassist Dali Platt in the iconic Abbey Road Studios on Facebook yesterday (15 September), the band wrote:

“The Painters And Dockers are only days away from releasing our YES song ADVANCE AUSTRALIA WHERE 23 which we recorded on the desk used by The Beatles at Abbey Road London. Here Dockers bass player Dali Platt sits in front of the famed piece of recording equipment.”

Painters And Dockers releasing Advance Australia Where 23 follows GANGgajang and Paul Kelly releasing new songs supporting the Yes campaign.

On the 1st of September, Paul Kelly released his song for Yes, If Not Now. A pointed track, the song shows disappointment about “a reckoning that’s due” and asks, “If not now, then when? If not us, then who?”

Kelly later sings, “It’s a simple proposition to join the new and old/A chance to make our country larger in its soul/It’s an invitation offered to set our course anew”.

Set to Kelly’s trusted acoustic guitar and a noodling electric guitar, If Not Now is a classic tune from one of Australia’s favourite songwriters. 

In a statement about why he’s voting Yes, Kelly explained, “Recognition is not achieved with fine-sounding words and feel-good statements but by promising to listen.

“There is a huge and stubborn gap in health, education and opportunities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.”

In August, GANGgajang – the band behind This Is Australia – revealed that they were voting Yes and dropped a new single.

“This video features paintings from the 'Deserts' series by Geoffrey Stapleton as the backdrop to our song Speak To Me,” GANGgajang wrote in a statement Speak To Me. “We say Yes to the Voice from the heart, and soul, of Australia. To a Voice calling all of us to a better future.”

Speak To Me is likely one of the best, most essential tracks GANGgajang have ever released, and one the entire country needs to hear. Led by William Barton’s didgeridoo, bass and electric guitars and a singalong vocal, Speak To Me is ready for radio and to lead the Yes campaign. 

Numerous Australian artists are contributing to Yes23’s Walk For Yes events this weekend. The performances come in tandem with the launch of Music For The Voice, a campaign encouraging Australian music fans to support the Indigenous Voice to Parliament (aka The Voice). 

The Australian Indigenous Voice Referendum will be held on Saturday, 14 October.

If successful, The Voice will be an independent and permanent advisory body led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who will advise the Australian Parliament and Governments on issues that directly face their communities.

The Voice body will be chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with the wishes of their communities represented.