Searching for Heritage is a cassette tape that John Butler recorded and sold while he was busking

Busking

Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...

 on the street of Fremantle

Fremantle, Western Australia

Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...

 in 1996. It is a collection of instrumental songs, some of which ("Ocean" and "Valley") were re-recorded on the debut self-titled album John Butler

John Butler (album)

-Release history:-Personnel:* John Butler - resonator [Dobro] guitar , guitar [11 string], vocals* Gavin Shoesmith - bass guitar and double bass* Jason McGann - percussion-Credits:* Arrangements, Artwork, Producer - John Butler...

. During this time, Butler was usually playing on his own. Completely self funded, it sold three and a half thousand copies and enabled Butler to fund his first CD recording.

The tape is highly sought after by collectors and is very much unavailable other than from second hand dealers. No copies remain for sale and Butler has stressed that it won’t be re-released anytime in his foreseeable future.

Side One

1. "River Song"
2. "Valley"
3. "Desert Snow"
4. "Some Place Familiar"
5. "Newd”
6. "Chicken"

Side Two

1. "River Song" (Busk version)
2. "Desert Snow" (8 Track)
3. "Valley" (DAT)
4. "Long Trek"
5. "Ocean"