20,000 Watt R.S.L.
| 20,000 Watt R.S.L. | ||||
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| Greatest hits album by Midnight Oil | ||||
| Released | 12 October 1997 | |||
| Recorded | 1979–1997 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 75:55 | |||
| Label | Sprint Music / CBS Records | |||
| Midnight Oil chronology | ||||
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| Allmusic |
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20,000 Watt R.S.L. is a compilation album by Australian rock band Midnight Oil released in October 1997 on their own label Sprint Music. The word "Collection" appears on the front of the CD along the hinge in the same type face as the title and the name of the band and may have been intended as part of the album's title; however, it does not appear on the spine. The release has also been distributed inside a cardboard sleeve which adds "Midnight Oil: The Hits" to the album art, distinguishing it as a compilation album.
The compilation covers the majority of Midnight Oil's career, starting with their 1979 album Head Injuries, and includes tracks from all their major studio releases (and one EP), even including two songs from Redneck Wonderland, which was released after the compilation in 1998. The liner notes contain an essay on the band by Australian author Tim Winton.
The album peaked at #1 on the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) album charts, and achieved 4×Platinum sales, it also peaked at #18 in New Zealand. The R.S.L. in the title refers to the Returned and Services League of Australia.
In 2006, Midnight Oil released a second compilation album, Flat Chat, a collection of the band's heavier rock songs (although there is some overlap between the two compilations, as four of the eighteen songs on Flat Chat also appear on 20,000 Watt R.S.L.).
2012 saw the release of Midnight Oil's most comprehensive compilation album to date, the double-disc Essential Oils. "What Goes On" is the only 20,000 Watt R.S.L track not present on Essential Oils.
Midnight Oil was an Australian rock band from Sydney formed in 1976 with vocalist Peter Garrett, drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboardist/lead guitarist Jim Moginie, Guitarist Martin Rotsey joined in 1977 and Midnight Oil established their own record label Powderworks, they released their second album Head Injuries on this label in October 1979. Founding bass guitarist James left due to illness in 1980, he was replaced by Peter Gifford, Gifford was himself replaced by Bones Hillman in 1987.
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