John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew
Encyclopedia
John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew is an Australian folk
group formed in Adelaide
in 2005. The band's name is taken from a line in Henry Lawson
's poem "Knocking Around". Since it was founded a number of Australian musicians have been involved. The formation of the group marks the return of John Schumann
, former Redgum
frontman to regular performances and recording.
, was a collection of Henry Lawson
poems put to music. This marked the first collaboration between John Schumann
, Hugh McDonald
, and Michael Atkinson
since Schumann left Redgum
back in 1986.
Their second album was Behind the Lines
, an album based largely around the theme of Australians at war. It also featured Hugh McDonald
, although Michael Atkinson
did not participate.
based on the life of Henry Lawson
. They played in Vietnam
to mark the 40th anniversary of the battle of Long Tan
, the most famous engagement involving Australians during the Vietnam war
.
The group has played many concerts and festivals, especially around Anzac Day
.
In December 2009 they visited East Timor
to play for Australian and New Zealand
troops stationed there.
Bush band
A bush band is a group of musicians that play traditional Australian folk music or contemporary folk music played in a traditional Australian style...
group formed in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
in 2005. The band's name is taken from a line in Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson was an Australian writer and poet. Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial period and is often called Australia's "greatest writer"...
's poem "Knocking Around". Since it was founded a number of Australian musicians have been involved. The formation of the group marks the return of John Schumann
John Schumann
John Lewis Schumann is an Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist from Adelaide. He is best known as the lead singer for the folk group Redgum, with their chart-topping hit "I Was Only 19 ", a song exploring the psychological and medical side-effects of serving in the Australian forces during...
, former Redgum
Redgum
Redgum were an Australian folk and political music group formed in Adelaide in 1975 by singer-songwriter John Schumann, Michael Atkinson on guitars/vocals and Verity Truman on flute/vocals; they were soon joined by Chris Timms on violin. All four had been students at Flinders University and...
frontman to regular performances and recording.
Recordings
As of 2011, the band has released two albums. Both have consisted of either cover songs or poems set to music. The first, LawsonLawson (album)
Lawson is the first album by John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew. It is Schumann's first album since 1993's True Believers.It marked the first time that Schumann had worked on an album with Hugh McDonald and Michael Atkinson since Schumann left Redgum in 1986.The album consists of the poetry of...
, was a collection of Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson was an Australian writer and poet. Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial period and is often called Australia's "greatest writer"...
poems put to music. This marked the first collaboration between John Schumann
John Schumann
John Lewis Schumann is an Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist from Adelaide. He is best known as the lead singer for the folk group Redgum, with their chart-topping hit "I Was Only 19 ", a song exploring the psychological and medical side-effects of serving in the Australian forces during...
, Hugh McDonald
Hugh McDonald (Australian musician)
Hugh McDonald is an Australian musician. Active since the 1970s, he performed and recorded with The Bushwackers, The Sundowners, Moving Cloud, and The Colonials....
, and Michael Atkinson
Michael Atkinson (musician)
"'Michael Atkinson'" is an Australian musician and composer. He was a member of Redgum from 1975-1987. While with Redgum he wrote many of the band's songs. After leaving Redgum he worked as a composer on Australia films and television series, including the Russell Crowe film Heaven's Burning and...
since Schumann left Redgum
Redgum
Redgum were an Australian folk and political music group formed in Adelaide in 1975 by singer-songwriter John Schumann, Michael Atkinson on guitars/vocals and Verity Truman on flute/vocals; they were soon joined by Chris Timms on violin. All four had been students at Flinders University and...
back in 1986.
Their second album was Behind the Lines
Behind the Lines (John Schumann album)
Behind the Lines is the second album by John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew.It consists almost entirely of cover songs and musical renditions of poems...
, an album based largely around the theme of Australians at war. It also featured Hugh McDonald
Hugh McDonald (Australian musician)
Hugh McDonald is an Australian musician. Active since the 1970s, he performed and recorded with The Bushwackers, The Sundowners, Moving Cloud, and The Colonials....
, although Michael Atkinson
Michael Atkinson (musician)
"'Michael Atkinson'" is an Australian musician and composer. He was a member of Redgum from 1975-1987. While with Redgum he wrote many of the band's songs. After leaving Redgum he worked as a composer on Australia films and television series, including the Russell Crowe film Heaven's Burning and...
did not participate.
Other activities
The band provided the music for "Lawson", a one-man stage show by Max CullenMax Cullen
Max Cullen is an Australian stage and screen actor. Max has appeared in many Australian films and television series but is best known for his role in the film Spider and Rose and the television series The Flying Doctors and Love My Way.Cullen was born in Wellington, New South Wales...
based on the life of Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson was an Australian writer and poet. Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial period and is often called Australia's "greatest writer"...
. They played in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
to mark the 40th anniversary of the battle of Long Tan
Long Tan
For the footballer, see Long Tan. Long Tân , is a village in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province, Vietnam, at . When it was part of South Vietnam, it was in Phước Tuy province....
, the most famous engagement involving Australians during the Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
The group has played many concerts and festivals, especially around Anzac Day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
.
In December 2009 they visited East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
to play for Australian and New Zealand
Operation Astute
Operation Astute is an Australian-led military deployment to East Timor to quell unrest and return stability in the 2006 East Timor crisis. It is currently headed by Brigadier Bill Sowry, and commenced on 25 May 2006 under the command of Brigadier Michael Slater...
troops stationed there.
Studio albums
- LawsonLawson (album)Lawson is the first album by John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew. It is Schumann's first album since 1993's True Believers.It marked the first time that Schumann had worked on an album with Hugh McDonald and Michael Atkinson since Schumann left Redgum in 1986.The album consists of the poetry of...
(2005) - Behind the LinesBehind the Lines (John Schumann album)Behind the Lines is the second album by John Schumann and the Vagabond Crew.It consists almost entirely of cover songs and musical renditions of poems...
(August, 2008)