Aussie music legend, Archie Roach will releaseThe Songs Of Charcoal Lane and new recordings of the 10 songs from his award-winning album Charcoal Lane on Friday 13 November 2020. This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the iconic Charcoal Lane and we are pumped for the re-imagined release that was recorded at his home during lockdown.
Ahead of the November release, Roach has re-launched his acclaimed heart-wrenching single ‘Took The Children Away’ along with a video for it’s thirtieth year anniversary.
If you aren’t familiar with Archie Roach, you should get familiar. He is a Stolen Generations survivor and musician that has a plethora of accolades under his belt. He has five ARIA’s, a Human Rights Achievement Award, has been named 2020 Victorian Australian Of The Year and has been making music since 1990, sharing the stage with legends such as Patti Smith, Paul Simon, Rodriguez and the late Leonard Cohen.
Roach says it has been a “great experience” recording the classic songs of Charcoal Lane at home on Gunditjmara lands on his mother’s country. “I have been so much more relaxed sitting here at my kitchen table with a cup of tea, looking out at my yard, recording the songs, maybe doing two to three takes. When we listen back to the recordings you can sense that there’s a different feel, a more relaxed approach to the songs, it’s more earthy.”
It’s been a busy time for Archie Roach, who this week launched ‘The Archie Roach Stolen Generation Educational Resources’ which is freely available on ABC Education. It explores the themes of Stolen Generations, cultural identity and healing through story and the arts.
The Songs Of Charcoal Lane re-recorded album is out on Friday 13 November 2020 through Bloodlines and is available to pre-order here.