Goanna


Main image

Goanna is an Australian band, notable in integrating social protest with popular music.

Formed by singer-songwriter Shane Howard in the late 1970s, they produced three full albums, and a very rare four song EP record. The original name of the band was The Goanna Band, which was the name used on the EP release in 1979. However, the original name was soon shortened to simply Goanna by the time that the album Spirit of Place was released in the early 1980s. They were signed to WEA Australia.

Goanna's début album Spirit of Place won the ARIA Best Album of the Year for 1982, with their first major hit, Solid Rock, winning Best Single of the Year. This song touched on the displacement of aboriginal tribes by the encroaching European settlers. It became a worldwide hit, and was the first rock record to feature extensive use of an Australian didgeridoo, one of the world's oldest wood instruments. Goanna also recorded Let the Franklin Flow, a song about the ecological damage to be caused by damming Tasmania's Franklin River for hydroelectricity, and Sorry, a song about Australia's stolen generation of aborigines.

The band performed three songs for the 1985 Oz for Africa concert (part of the global Live Aid program) - Common Ground, Song for Africa, Solid Rock. It was broadcast in Australia (on both Seven Network and Nine Network) and on MTV in the US.

Shane Howard and his bandmates, including sister Marcia Howard and friend Rose Bygrave, have all recorded solo projects in addition to their time in Goanna.

The members of the group do not rule out future Goanna recordings and have never officially disbanded. The 1998 album Spirit Returns is reportedly a result of the group's members desire to get together again and make a musical statement.

In October 2006, a number of Goanna's songs have been featured in the Triple M Essential 2006 Countdown of songs (which was voted and chosen by the listeners) including:

* Solid Rock (ranked 427 out of 2006 songs)
* Razor's Edge (ranked 1232 out of 2006 songs)

ALBUMS


APPEARANCES +


Amanda Palmer With Brian Viglione, Clare Bowditch, Fred Leone (2), Missy Higgins, Jherek Bischoff, Montaigne
Forty Five Degrees: Bushfire Charity Flash Record
2020, 8x File 160 kbps, ,
Indie Rock
Richard Perso
Out From The Shadows
2009, CD, Album, Not On Label,
Various
Drought Relief - Artists For The Drought Appeal
2018, 2xCD, Comp, Sony Music, ,
Country/Country Rock/Pop Rock/Acoustic
Various
The Glory Days Of Aussie Pub Rock Vol. 2
2017, 4xCD, Comp + Box, Festival Records, ,
Classic Rock/Pub Rock/Hard Rock/Pop Rock/Blues Rock
Various
Classic Countdown
2017, CD, Album, Comp, ABC Music,
Various
Throwback 80s
2017, 4xCD, Comp, Warner Music Australia, ,
AOR/Alternative Rock/Pub Rock/Prog Rock/Shoegaze/Pop Rock/New Wave/Hip Hop/Rock & Roll
Various
Molly (Counting Down The Hits)
2016, 3xCD, Comp, Liberation Music, ,
New Wave/Pop Rock/Synth-pop
Various
Rock Des Antipodes 5
2016, CD, Comp, Bad Reputation
Various
The BBQ Album
2016, 2xCD, Comp, Sony Music Entertainment (Australia) Limited
Various
The Glory Days Of Aussie Pub Rock Vol. 1 ('70s, '80s & Beyond)
2016, 4x CD, Box Set, ,
Classic Rock/Hard Rock/Pop Rock/Pub Rock/Power Pop
Various
Brothers In Arms - A Musical Celebration
2015, 2xCD, Comp, Sony Music,
Various
Like, Wow - Wipeout! (Australian Pop Of The 80s Vol 5)
2014, 2xCD, Comp, Sony Music, ,
Pop Rock/Pub Rock/Synth-pop/Alternative Rock
Various
80 From Australia
2014, 4xCD, Comp, Universal Music
Various
Countdown 40th Anniversary
2014, 2x CD,
Various
Music Masters Of The 70's, 80's & 90's
2012, 2xCD, Comp, Universal Music
Various
All The... 80s
2012, 3xCD, Comp, Warner Music Australia
Various
Gympie Music Muster 2012
2012, CD, Comp, Sony Music, ,
Country
Various
101 Aussie Hits
2010, 5xCD, Comp, EMI, ,
Pop Rock/Country/New Wave/Glam/Synth-pop/Classic Rock
Various
What's My Scene? (Australian Pop Of The 80s Vol 3)
2010, 2xCD, Comp, Sony Music, ,
Synth-pop/Pop Rock/Pub Rock
Various, Kerryn Tolhurst
Taking The Blame The Kerryn Tolhurst Collection
2010, CD, Album, Not On Label (Kerryn Tolhurst Self-released),
Various
Rocktober 2010
2010, 2xCD, Comp, Sony Music
Various
Hits + Stars - Great Rock Songs
2010, 5xCD, Comp + Box, Sony Music, ,
Classic Rock
Various
The 5CD Mega Box - 80s
2010, 5xCD, Comp, Warner Music Australia
Various
Aussie Rock Classics
2010, 5xCD, Comp, Warner Music Australia,
Various
The Essential Aussie Songs
2009, CD, Album, Comp, ABC Music,
Various
Rock Evolution 2
2009, 3xCD, Comp, Warner Music Australia, Sony Music
Various
20 To 01 Great Aussie Songs
2009, CD, Comp, Sony Music,
Various
Aussie Aussie Aussie
2009, 2xCD, Comp, Sony Music
Various
The Unofficial National Anthems
2009, 2xCD, Comp, Liberation Music,
Various
The Best Of The Biggest BBQ Album
2009, 5xCD, Comp, Sony Music,
Various
Your Favourite Driving Songs
2008, 2xCD, Comp, ABC Music, Warner Music Australia,
Various
Aussie Rock Classics
2008, CD, Comp, Warner Music Australia, Rhino Records (2),
Various
All The Driving Songs
2008, 3xCD, Comp, Warner Strategic Marketing Australia
Various
50 Years Of Australian Rock & Roll
2008, 3x CD, ,
Alternative Rock/Rock & Roll/Pop Rock/Beat/Synth-pop/Classic Rock
Various
Australia's Ultimate Songs
2008
Various
Countdown The Wonder Years 2
2007, 3xCD, Comp, ABC Music, Liberation Music, ,
Glam/Soft Rock/Disco/Surf/Vocal/Alternative Rock/Classic Rock/Bubblegum/Country Rock/New Wave/Hard Rock
Various
Countdown: The Wonder Years 2
2007, 2xDVD-V, Comp, Liberation Music, ,
Glam/Pub Rock/Soft Rock/Country Rock/Vocal/Ska/Pop Rock/Punk/New Wave/Power Pop/Post-Punk/Rockabilly/Mod/Soul/Hard Rock/Synth-pop/Symphonic Rock/Funk/Alternative Rock
Various
One Perfect Day
2007, 2xCD, Comp, RE, Time Life Music
Various
The Absolute Very Best Of The World's Best Ever Beer Songs Volume 3
2007, 3xCD, Comp, EMI, ,
Pop Rock/Synth-pop/Indie Rock/Classic Rock
Various
Countdown - The Wonder Years
2006, 2xDVD-V, PAL, All, Liberation Music, ABC Music,
Various
Countdown The Wonder Years
2006, 3xCD, Comp, Liberation Music, ,
Blues Rock/Classic Rock/Country Rock/Folk Rock/Hard Rock/New Wave/Pop Rock/Pub Rock/Rock & Roll/Soft Rock
Various
Generations::Inspirations: Fairbridge Festival Sampler 2006
2006, CD, Comp, Government Of Western Australia,
Various
Countdown The Wonder Years 2DVD/3CD Deluxe Edition
2006, 2xDVD-V, Comp, Dlx, PAL, All + 3xCD-ROM, Comp, Dlx, Liberation Music,
Various
Gold ♦ Into The 80s
2006, 2xCD, Comp, Time Life Music
Various
My Generation The Soundtrack Of Our Lives Part One
2005, 2xCD, Comp, EMI, EMI
Various
Edge Of The 80s: Hits! Hits! Hits!
2005, 2xCD, Comp, Time Life Music,
Shane Howard
Retrospect: Collected Songs 1982-2003
2004, 2xCD, Comp, Goanna Arts
Various
All The Aussies
2004, 3xCD, Comp, Warner Strategic Marketing Australia,
Various
VB Slab Of Rock
2004, CD, ,
New Wave/Hard Rock/Pub Rock/Punk
Various
Unofficial National Anthems
2003, CD, Comp, Festival Mushroom Records, ,
Rock & Roll/Pop Rock/Alternative Rock
Various
All That Rock
2003, Box + 3xCD, Comp, Warner Strategic Marketing Australia, ,
Pop Rock/Hard Rock/Classic Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Heavy Metal/Industrial/Indie Rock
Various
Great Southern Land - The Essential Australian Backpacking Album
2003, CD, Comp, Festival Mushroom Records, ,
Pop Rock/Pub Rock/Hard Rock/Alternative Rock/Indie Rock
Various
All The 80's
2003, 3xCD, Comp, Warner Strategic Marketing Australia,
Various
Mushroom Music Australasian Sampler
2003, 3xCD, Smplr, Mushroom,
Various
Singers And Songwriters Made In Australia
2002, 2x CD,
Various
The Very Best Of SeaChange (From The Artist Services ABC TV Series)
2001, 2xCD, Comp, Best Boy, ABC Music, Festival Mushroom Records
Various
Something In The Air: Music From The ABC TV Series
2001, CD, Album, Comp, ABC Music
Various
Australia's Ultimate Songs - The 100 Greatest Hits Of The Century
2000, 5xCD, Comp, Ltd, Liberation Music, ,
Alternative Rock/Rock & Roll/Pop Rock/Synth-pop/Classic Rock
Various
This Is Australia! The Best Of Australian Music Volume 1
2000, CD, Comp, Warner Music Australia, ,
Arena Rock/Classic Rock/Pop Rock/Pub Rock
Various
Songs For The Aussie Bloke
2000, 2xCD, Comp, Rajon Music Group
Various
80's Rock Anthems - The Mullet Album
2000, 2xCD, Comp, Startel Entertainment, Rajon Music Group
Various
Classic Rock - The Immortals
2000, 3xCD, Comp, RM, Fat, Reader's Digest, ,
Classic Rock/Soul/AOR/Southern Rock/Beat
Various
Australia 2000
2000, 2xCD, Comp, BMG Australia Limited,
Various
Australian Made
2000, 2xCD, Comp, REDX Entertainment,
Various
Immortal Rock 1982
2000, CD, Comp, EMI, Time Life,
Various
SeaChange (Even More Sounds Rich And Strange From The Third TV Series)
2000, CD, Comp, Best Boy, ABC Music, ,
Pop Rock
Various
Oz Goes Pop
2000, 2xCD, Comp, Startel Entertainment, The Rajon Music Group Pty Ltd, ,
Classic Rock/Pop Rock/Soft Rock
Various
Music From ABC Coast FM - Australia's Adult Alternative
2000, CD, Comp, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC Music, ,
Ballad/Classic Rock/Blues Rock/Country Rock
Various
Triple M's Best Ever Driving Songs
1999, 2xCD, Comp, EMI,
Various
Music Direct
1999, CD, Comp, Promo, Melke Marketing
Various
The Rocks Best Beer Drinking Songs
1999, 2xCD, Comp, WEA Records, The Rock FM NZ,
Various
Australia's Best Beer Ballads
1999, 2xCD, Comp, Columbia, ,
Acoustic/Arena Rock/Alternative Rock/Classic Rock/Hard Rock/Pop Rock/Power Pop/New Wave/Blues Rock/Pub Rock
Various
Holy Grail The Official Album Of The Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games
1999, CD, Comp, EastWest,
Various
Burraay Dreaming Them Home
1999, CD, Comp, Yana Kirri
Various
Video Hits Past Hits Volume 2
1998, 2xCD, Comp, Columbia
Various
Radio Replay - Great Hits Of The '80s
1998, CD, Comp, Reader's Digest,
Various
MAX: The Greatest No.1 Country Rock Album (30 Legendary Country Tracks)
1997
Various
Cool World (41 Essential Australian Rock Singles 1976 - 1986)
1996, 2xCD, Comp, Raven Records, ,
Alternative Rock/Classic Rock/Hard Rock/Indie Pop/Indie Rock/New Wave/Novelty/Pop Rock/Punk/Synth-pop
Various
Triple M Unleashed
1996, 2xCD, Comp, Columbia,
Various
Hits Of The 80's Volume One
1996, CD, Comp, Warner Special Products, Warner Special Products
Various
The No. 1 All Time Rock Album
1996
Various
One Hit Classics Of The 70's & 80's
1995, 2x CD,
Various
Oz Rock (The Rock Collection)
1993
Various
Great Original Hits Of The '80s
1992, ,
Country Rock/Disco/New Wave/Funk/Synth-pop/Ballad/Classic Rock
Shane Howard
Shane Howard - The Videos
1990, VHS, Comp, PAL, BMG Video
Various
Australia Now! The Best Of The 80's
1990
Various
Building Bridges (Australia Has A Black History)
1989
Various
2WL Classic Oz Rock
1988, CD, ,
Hard Rock/Pop Rock/Blues Rock/New Wave
Various
Trax Australian Made II
1988
Various
The Very Best Of Oz-Rock
1986, ,
New Wave/Pop Rock
Various
Super Gold
1984, 7xLP, Comp + Box, Reader's Digest, ,
Pop Rock/Country/Disco/New Wave/Power Pop/Arena Rock/Classic Rock/Synth-pop/Ballad/Dance-pop
Various
Ten Years Of Countdown - An Australian Collection
1984
Various
Oz Rock
1984,
Various
Rock USA (Week Of July 23, 1983)
1983, 3xLP, Transcription + Box, Mutual Broadcasting System,
Various
Rock USA (Week Of May 21, 1983)
1983, 3xLP, Transcription + Box, Mutual Broadcasting System,
Various
Rock USA (Week Of May 7, 1983)
1983, 3xLP, Transcription + Box, Mutual Broadcasting System,
Various
Hot Stuff Fra Polygram (Sommeren '83)
1983, Cass, Promo, Dol, PolyGram, ,
Ballad/Folk/Funk/Fusion/Hard Rock/Heavy Metal/Pop Rock/Soundtrack/Southern Rock/Synth-pop/Theme/Vocal
Various
Wear The Music
1983, Cass, Comp, WEA,
Various
The Winners 1982
1982, Vinyl, ,
Classic Rock/Pop Rock/Synth-pop/Experimental/Disco
Various
Tabaret's 40 Years Of Rock
4xCD, Comp, Tabaret
Various
Australian Legends
2xCD, Comp, EMI
Various
Exposed Hidden Hits Of The 80's & 90's
CD, Comp, Dino Music,
Various
40 Years Of Australian Rock'n'Roll
4xCD, Comp, Dig, Melke Marketing,
Various
Into The Heat - The Cream Of Oz Rock
2xCD, Comp, Hit Bound Records
Various
Demo-Tape 2
Cass, Smplr, Hang Loose Records, ,
Hard Rock
Various
The World's Best BBQ Music
CD, Comp, EastWest,
Various
This Is Australia
Cass, Comp, Cle, Ozworld Entertainment
Various
Australia's Best!
VHS, PAL, CEL, ,
Soft Rock/Classic Rock/Pop Rock/Synth-pop/New Wave
Various
Classic Oz Rock
CD,
Various
Live Aid
2001, 18xCDr, Unofficial + CDr, VCD, Cochon Production, Rattle Snake, ,
Rock & Roll/Prog Rock/Punk/Vocal/Interview/Hard Rock/Classic Rock