Wedding Cake Island was released on Midnight Oil’s four track EP entitled Bird Noises in 1980. It was a surf guitar instrumental, and did not feature charismatic singer/front man Peter Garrett. Instead it was written by Martin Rotsey and Jim Moginie and featured them on guitars. Garrett did say in interview in 1980 that it originally had his vocal over the top, which he described as ‘libellous’ and ‘obscene’. This vocal was pulled, the record pressed and it was one of the few tracks bv the Oils which was played on radio. At that stage of their career, the band’s large following was generated by their live shows, rather than the conventional media. Wedding Cake Island is a rocky island outcrop, approximately a few hundred metres off Coogee Beach, Sydney, Australia. When the swell is right, there’s good surfing to be had. Coogee is a beautiful beach (Australia has lots of them), and worth a visit, although you wouldn’t bother going to Wedding Cake Island for a picnic unless you like rocky outcrops and getting wet. Midnight Oil are a great band, and if you are not familiar with their music, check out their albums. They are an Australian band that had some success overseas, including the US (even with all the Aussie references in their songs). There is no video for this so I have made my own widescreen slideshow video, featuring images of the band, Wedding Cake Island, surfing, Coogee Beach etc. Comments are welcome.
Martin Rotsey – a legend.
@mdtcarroll Now i have to know who really wrote this tune , I have heard it a couple of times over the years and assumed it was some yankie surf band
As they say you learn something every day!
@wilsonmcphert . Interestingly I saw the Break the other night and Rob Hirst made mention that it was originally an Atlantics track that they were privileged to play.
Hahahah Wedding cake island has a song!!
30 years from Wedding Cake Island to The Break Cylinders, class will always shine.
@wilsonmcphert As yes I stand corrected, I heard the Atlantics version on the recent Bombora Surfing Doco and assumed it was the original, but have just checked the Birdnoises CD and wrIting crdits go to Rotsey & Moginie of the Oils!
Gr8t video man, I used the Oils version on my South Bondi 1978 footage on You toob, classic tune eh? Catchyah BB
@MrBondibeach It certainly sounds like it would be an Atlantics original. However everything I can find, including Wikipedia, indicates that it was written by Midnight Oil (released 1980) and subsequently covered by the Atlantics in 2006 as part of the surf music documentary a few years back entitled ‘Delightful Rain’, with Midnight Oils’ approval. If you have info to the contrary let me know. Thanks.
Worth mentioning that the original version was put out by the Atlantics in the 60′s!
Nice history for the song, I’ve been a huge fan of the Oils since the early 90s myself.
Thanks!
Still a beautiful piece of music.