Diesel and Dust

Midnight Oil spent several months in mid-1986 on the Blackfella/Whitefella Tour of outback Australia with indigenous music groups Warumpi Band and Gondwanaland, playing to remote Aboriginal communities and seeing first hand the seriousness of the issues in health and living standards. Following the 1988 American tour in support of Diesel and Dust with Australian band Yothu Yindi, Midnight Oil launched the Building Bridges album with various artists contributing, including Paul Kelly, Scrap Metal, Coloured Stone, Hunters & Collectors, James Reyne, The Saints, Crowded House, and INXS. All sales proceeds were donated to the National Coalition of Aboriginal Organisations. ==Reception==

According to Australian rock music historian Ian McFarlane, Midnight Oil "reached the peak of its powers with the release of the groundbreaking Diesel and Dust... [it] is arguably one of the greatest Australian albums of all time. Powerful, dynamic and passionate songs like 'Beds are Burning', 'Put Down that Weapon', 'Dreamworld', 'The Dead Heart' and 'Sell My Soul' were statements of intent and a call to action backed by the strength of their convictions". Mark Deming of AllMusic called the record "an artistic success and a triumph for leftist politics" which "makes clear that the bandmembers could apply their intelligence and passion to less aggressive material and still come up with forceful, compelling music". ==Track listing==

Weekly charts Year-end charts ==Certifications==

;Midnight Oil • Peter Garrett – lead and backing vocals • Peter Gifford – bass and backing vocals • Robert Hirst – drums, drum machine and backing vocals • Jim Moginie – guitars, synthesizers, backing vocals and string arrangements • Martin Rotsey – guitars ;Additional musicians • Glad Reed – trombone • John Ockwell – cello • Jeremy Smith – French horn ;Production • Midnight Oil – production • Warne Livesey – production, additional keyboards • Guy Gray – engineering • Greg Henderson – engineering (6) • Gary Morris – management (credited as "facilitator") ==References==