Blak History Month 🎙The Rise of No Fixed Address — First Nations Legends of Rock and Reggae

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a powerful voice was growing from the streets of Adelaide — a voice that blended reggae rhythms, rock guitars, and the rich stories of Aboriginal Australians. That voice belonged to No Fixed Address, a band formed at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in South Australia by a group of young Aboriginal men who were passionate about making their struggles, culture, and messages heard.

For Bart Willoughby, lead vocalist and songwriter, and his bandmates — Ricky Harrison, Les Graham, and John Miller — music was more than entertainment. It was a way to assert their identity, political struggles, and land rights in a society that all too often ignored them. Drawing from their own experiences of racism and injustice, the band blended reggae’s rebellious spirit with a raw, energetic rock style, creating a powerful and unique Aboriginal soundtrack.

Their debut album, From My Eyes (1982), was a landmark moment in Australian music. It was the first album by an Aboriginal band to be released by a major label and opened the door for future First Nations artists to find a place in the industry. The album's lead track, We Have Survived, became an emblem of resistance and hope — a song that resonates to this day.

No Fixed Address not only challenged musical norms; they challenged a nation to listen, reflect, and confront its own history. They paved the way for a rich legacy of Aboriginal artists who followed, proving that the stories of First Nations people could be a powerful force in shaping Australia’s musical and cultural future.