Nabarlek Band Downloads

Nabarlek Band come from a tiny community in central Arnhem Land (Manmoyi), Australia, where for 15 years they have been rehearsing and practicing for the moment that they could produce their first album. Now they present both their first and second albums for your interest and enjoyment. In... Learn More »

Nabarlek Band come from a tiny community in central Arnhem Land (Manmoyi), Australia, where for 15 years they have been rehearsing and practicing for the moment that they could produce their first album.

Now they present both their first and second albums for your interest and enjoyment.

In 1985 the band consisted of two busted acoustic guitars and a set of upturned flour tins that served as drums, the band was mostly singers and dancers.

After a few years of struggling with inadequate instruments the band gave up their musical ambitions for a while and created a traditional dance troupe performing dreamtime stories at community festivals around the Top End.

As a dance troupe Nabarlek were very successful and after a few years were able to save enough money to buy the long sought after instruments, and the band was back.

With guitars keyboards and a real set of drums instead of upturned flour tins, they were now able to concentrate on their long held dream of becoming a serious band that would one day produce an album.

"Brimming with earnest enthusiasm, Nabarlek Band, from the tiny Manmoyi in the centre of Arnhemland, have a fitting slogan to go with their album: "The garage band that never had a garage"....The songs are sung in tribal language and English, and there's real magic in the singer's voices.

The Melbourne Age

Now at the end of the millennium Nabarlek, the garage band that never had a garage have produced two recordings, with the help of Craig Pilkington of Audrey Studios Melbourne (who also produced the critically acclaimed debut album of Saltwater Band) . Nabarlek are now set to become the next 'big thing' from Arnhem land !

The album title 'Munwurrk' means bushfire and it was suggested to the band from the old people in their community, that, that should be the title of the album, as bushfire is essential to the existence of the people as it helps in the hunting of the kangaroo and it brings renewal to the country. The album title "Bininj Manborlh" or "Blackfella Road" has more traditional songs, all with their own style of this Western Arnhemland rock band.

The songs on these albums have been derived from traditional stories and songs. Nabarlek are another band in a long history of contemporary Aboriginal bands that have rewritten their traditional stories into songs with contemporary instrumentation.

These songs help strengthen traditional culture by passing onto the next generation the lessons of life in a rock and roll format that is able to compete with the influence of western rock music.

Nabarlek have set out in 2001 to become a serious band on the Australian music scene, and to emulate the success of bands such as Warumpi and Yothu Yindi and present Aboriginal culture through music that will find a place in the mainstream, and help take their culture to their children and the children of the world.

Nabarlek have now toured extensively, starting with the Adelaide Festival and regional SA and NT. The band have completed overseas performances in Hanover Germany, and have been invited to perform at Stompen Ground, WA, as well as Mexico, and some 2002 festivals yet to be announced. ...we’d sit around learning Aboriginal story and one day this old man came up to us and said... why not you boys making song instead of just telling the stories for our kids. We’re quite happy for you boys to do it so we went - o.k. if it works.and it worked* ...our job is to be Nabarlek. Our job is full time in music, and that’s how we’re employed, full time in music.  


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