Formed in 1980 in an Indigenous Australian settlement in the Northern Territory, Warumpi Band got their start doing rock ’n’ roll covers (think Stones, Beatles, and Dylan) before graduating to originals. Yolŋu man George Rrurrambu led the act with a dynamic stage presence and groundbreaking mix of English, Luritja, and Gumatj languages. In fact, the band’s 1983 debut single, “Jailanguru Pakarnu” (“Out From Jail”), became the first rock song sung in an Aboriginal language. Warumpi Band’s 1984 album Big Name, No Blankets follows suit, offering a memorable set of originals that use Western rock motifs to hammer home tales of Indigenous Australians’ struggles. “Breadline” proceeds with such a brisk pace and punchy horn line that you wouldn’t expect the unflinching lyrics about hardship, while “Blackfella / Whitefella” takes a more bluesy turn to land a powerful chorus about standing up and being counted. On the lighter side, “Fitzroy Crossing” adopts a delicate country gait to pine for the titular Western Australian town. The album’s success led to a tour of similar settlements supporting Midnight Oil, as well as subsequent records stretching into the mid-’90s. Today the band’s influence can be seen on young acts like King Stringray and WILDFIRE MANWURRK, who balance robust rock hooks with Indigenous languages and culture.