No Fixed Address (band) facts for kids

No Fixed Address (often called NFA) is an Australian reggae rock band. All the band members are Aboriginal Australians, mostly from South Australia. The band started in 1979. They became famous for their music and for sharing important messages.

NFA first broke up in 1984. They reunited for short periods in 1987–1988 and 2008. Since 2016, they have been performing together again. The band has been honored in the Hall of Fame at the National Indigenous Music Awards. They are also in the SA Music Hall of Fame. A lane in Adelaide CBD is even named after them!

Band History

Early Days: 1979–1984

No Fixed Address began in 1979. They formed at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music (CASM). This was in North Adelaide, South Australia. Most band members were students there. At CASM, they first heard reggae music from Jamaica. They loved artists like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Jimmy Cliff.

The band was made up of all Aboriginal musicians. Pitjantjatjara man Bart Willoughby was the lead singer and drummer. He was from Koonibba Mission in South Australia. Ricky Harrison, a Kurnai man, played rhythm guitar. He was also the main songwriter. Leslie Lovegrove Freeman, a Ngarrindjeri man, played lead guitar. John Miller played bass, and Veronica Rankine played tenor saxophone. Many members were related, like cousins Bart, John, and Leslie.

In 1979, NFA played their first big concert. It was at National Aboriginal Day in Taperoo, South Australia. Community radio station 5MMM strongly supported them. Four of their songs even made the Top 5 playlist on 5MMM. The band became very popular in pubs and the alternative music scene.

In 1980, the band made a feature film called Wrong Side of the Road. They made it with another CASM band, Us Mob. The movie showed the good and tough parts of touring. It also showed how Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities reacted to their music. No Fixed Address and Us Mob were the first Aboriginal bands to record a soundtrack. The film won an award at the 1981 AFI Awards.

Their live shows and demo songs on 5MMM made them famous. They were even featured on the cover of Roadrunner magazine in August 1980. Later that year, they toured with Cold Chisel. Their final concert was at the University of Adelaide.

In 1982, the band signed with Rough Diamond Records. This label was part of Polygram Records. They released their first mini-album, From My Eyes. The Australian Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, launched the album. The music video for their song "From My Eyes" was filmed at Hanging Rock and the Old Melbourne Gaol. The band toured Australia in 1982, supporting Peter Tosh.

After touring with Peter Tosh, NFA became the first Aboriginal band to tour overseas. They played in Great Britain, visiting cities like London, Bristol, and Manchester.

Didgeridoo player Billy Inda sometimes played with the band. Joe Geia played didgeridoo on the folk rock band Goanna's song "Solid Rock." This song was from their 1982 album, Spirit of Place. "Solid Rock" reached No. 3 on the charts. It was the first rock song to feature the didgeridoo.

The 1984 video for "We Have Survived" was filmed in Sydney. This song has become a very important anthem for many Australia's Indigenous peoples. A famous line from the song is: "We have survived /The White man’s world /And you know /You can’t change that."

NFA also toured with other famous bands. These included The Clash, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Midnight Oil, and Split Enz. In 1984, Bart Willoughby joined his cousin's band, Coloured Stone.

Later Years: 1987–Present

In 1987, Bart Willoughby brought the band back together. They toured Europe, including countries in Eastern Europe. They performed at the East Berlin Festival. In late 1988, Willoughby joined Yothu Yindi, and No Fixed Address stopped playing again.

In 2008, the band reformed for a short time. They played at the Dreaming Festival in Woodford and the Tarerer Festival in Port Fairy. They also released a special CD copy of From My Eyes. In 2008, their song "We Have Survived" was added to the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia list. This list keeps important Australian sounds.

In June 2016, the band reunited in Adelaide. They were inducted into the SA Music Hall of Fame. They also played at the Lomond Hotel in Melbourne.

The band has performed at the Share the Spirit Festival in Melbourne. They played there on Australia Day in both 2017 and 2020. In 2018, they performed at the Saltwater Festival in Broome.

On March 25, 2021, they played at The Gov in Adelaide. This was to celebrate a lane in the city being named "No Fixed Address Lane" in their honor.

Band Members

Over the years, many talented musicians have been part of No Fixed Address. Here are some of them:

• Bart Willoughby – drums, vocals, guitar, didgeridoo (1979–1985, 1987–1988, 2008–current)
• Selwyn Burns – guitar
• Joe Geia – vocals, percussion, didgeridoo (1982–1983)
• Les Graham – guitar (1979–1983)
• Ricky Harrison – guitar (1979–1985, 2008-current)
• Joe Hayes – bass (1982)
• Billy Inda – percussion, didgeridoo (1982)
• Chris Jones – guitar (1982–1985)
• Les Lovegrove – guitar (1987–1988, 2008-current)
• Rick Lovegrove – guitar (1987–1988)
• Louis McManus – guitar (1984–1985)
• John 'John' Miller – bass (1979–1985, 1987–1988, 2008-current)
• Nicky Moffatt – bass (1983–1985)
• Veronica Rankine – vocals, saxophone, flute (1979–1985)
• Peter Meredith – guitar (1983–1984)
• Billy Gorham – bass (1982 -1983)
• Donald 'Ducky' Taylor (1982-1983)

Music Releases

Albums

Singles

Awards and Honors

• The song "We Have Survived" was added to the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia list in 2008.
• In 2020, a street in Adelaide was renamed "No Fixed Address Lane" to honor the band. This lane is near Rundle Mall.

National Indigenous Music Awards

The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA) celebrate great music from Indigenous artists. They started in 2004.

South Australian Music Awards

The South Australian Music Awards (SAM Awards) recognize amazing music from South Australia. These awards started in 2012.