Aussie cult heroes The Nation Blue have been quiet for a very long time but they’re ready to come out of hiding.
The six-piece are gearing up to release not one, but two records tomorrow, seven years after the release of their last record Rising Waters. In the meantime, they’ve spent time working on their various other projects like High Tension and King Cannons but they came back together to record over two summers in a community hall in regional Victoria.
The two new records Black and Blue will be released tomorrow just as they’re launching into a national tour. The first date of the tour will be in Sydney tomorrow night and will no doubt act as a release celebration and a comeback show of sorts.
While they’ve been away for a while that doesn’t mean they don’t still have plenty of memories to pull upon from their long career which is now nearing two decades. With a worldwide touring history and six albums now in the bag, the band took a trip down memory lane and captioned photos for Music Feeds from moments in their career, including Guy Sebastian photo bombs and Dave Grohl encounters.
Check out the photo gallery below and also peep their tour dates.
Gallery: The Nation Blue – A Retrospective
Watch: The Nation Blue – ‘Wild’
The Nation Blue National Tour
Friday, 14th October
Factory Floor, Sydney
Tickets: The Nation Blue
Saturday, 15th October
Crowbar, Brisbane
Tickets: The Nation Blue
Friday, 21st October
The Gasometer, Melbourne
Tickets: The Nation Blue
Saturday, 22nd October
The Brisbane Hotel, Hobart
Tickets: The Nation Blue
The Nation Blue - Retrospective Photo Gallery
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Rising Waters promo outtake 2009 by Kane Hibberd
People always tell you to learn a trade, a 'fall-back' for when the music falls on it ass. 1/3 of this band learned a trade. The others chose dreaming. Thankfully Kane captured one those dreams. Beautifully. (That's real blood) -
Rising Waters press photo, Collingwood 2009 by Caroline McCredie
Press phot pitch meeting... Matt: 'So. We're gonna have a bath together and it'll look great. A bit silly, but better than normal boring angry looking photos.' Tom & Dan: 'oh like a spa?' Matt: 'Nah, just do it at my house.' Tom & Dan: (plotting to leave the band, but have no alternative ideas) 'oh okay, cool man whatever.' End result: BATH TIME IS A GREAT TIME. *not pictured - Best of Phil Collins CD* -
Protest Songs press photo, Nunawading 2006 by Aaron Farley
Press shot pitch meeting: Matt: 'Farley's in town we'll just shoot some stuff around the place. You know, toilets etc.' Tom & Dan: (plotting to leave the band, but have no alternative ideas) 'umm. Sure thing Matt.' End result: Picture ended up in a poster magazine. -
Melbourne, 2005. By John Watson
This fucken guy from Australian Idol punished us hard about his new single and wouldn't leave us alone until he got his photo taken, something about a fedora. We always loved Nollsy. -
Recording Damnation, Metropolis Studio, 2003. By ‘Carl’
2 weeks in a real recording studio that was primarily chosen because of the Farnham Factor. Someone spent a lot money on this album and we spent a lot of those days planning, and recreating this piece of Oz-Rock history. Another day, another age of reason... and a few grand spent on a photo. -
Preston, 2000. First Mainland Rehearsal and first ever selfie in recorded history
The first rehearsal with the new blood Matt Weston on bass. Reasonably innocent looking bunch of young men. We've probably spent 1/4 of our lives in a rehearsal space. That's sad -
Cali tour, 2007. By Aaron Farley
Tom tried out for Top Gun, he had a real need for speedos but only got as far as the locker room. -
Cali tour, 2007 - Santa Cruz. By Aaron Farley
We, The Nation Blue, fancy ourselves as the best ten pin bowlers ever to have also played in a three-piece band. We openly challenge the world to a game (you're paying). This was Weston's first of many STRIKE celebrations this day. Final score: TNB (AUS) 0 -Sabertooth Tiger (USA) 3. We failedyou, Australia. -
Air Awards 2009. By Mary Boukouvalas
Tom (on behalf of jäger and antibiotics) will be accepting the award for 'best album out of a small selection of albums in a particular genre that happened to qualify for a nomination this year' Tom "You fuck one cow; everyone calls you a cowfucker..." Scene -
City Trash Tour, Perth 2003 by Al Balmont
Magic Dirt, TNB, Sloth, Morro, Steph & Al. So much love for everyone in this picture and on this tour. This experience is always in our hearts and never too far from our thoughts. Best thing we ever did. -
Melbourne, 2005
Dave (Grohl) and Chris from FooFighters lined up outside Missing Link once to get a photo withus once. Nice guys, punishers though. Tom bailed early,too many questions about his tone. -
Tokyo 2007 By Matt Tanner
Side project press shot. ‘Gringos With Chins’. -
Rio Di Janeiro, 2007 by Anderson
Side project press shot - Gringos With Beards'. Obviously having the time of their fucking lives. Cheer up, silly gringos.
