Species Deceases
# Species Deceases

Species Deceases is an extended play by Australian rock music group, Midnight Oil, which was released on 26 November 1985 under the CBS record label. Species Deceases debuted at No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart for six weeks from December 1985 to January 1986. It was the first Australian single and/or EP to reach the number-one spot on its chart appearance and remains Midnight Oil's only No. 1 on the national singles chart.

## Background

On 26 November 1985, Australian rock music group, Midnight Oil, released a four-track extended play, Species Deceases. At the time Midnight Oil consisted of Peter Garrett on lead vocals and harmonica; Peter Gifford on bass guitar and backing vocals; Rob Hirst on drums and backing vocals; Jim Moginie on lead guitar and keyboards; and Martin Rotsey on lead guitar. It was produced with Francois Kevorkian at Paradise Studios, Darlinghurst for Sprint Music and distributed by the CBS/Columbia label. Species Deceases became a big favourite of FM Radio around the world, with all four songs enjoying frequent airplay, sometimes all of them played back-to-back.

According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, Species Deceases, with the track "Hercules", featured "a stripped-back pub-rock sound. In terms of sheer sonic firepower, it was one of the band's hardest hitting works".

A line from the song "Blossom and Blood" appeared in the message that got flashed on infected computers by the worm WANK: "You talk of times of peace for all and then prepare for war."

## Trivial Note

Species Deceases was certified platinum on 14 December 1985, two weeks after its release. The following day, and six years after its release, their second album Head Injuries was certified gold.

## Charts

### Weekly charts

| Chart (1985/86) | Peak position |
| - | - |
| Australian (Kent Music Report) | 1 |

### Year-end charts

| Chart (1985) | Position |
| - | - |
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 75 |
| Chart (1986) | Position |
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 38 |

## Certifications

| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| - | - | - |
| Australia (ARIA) | 2× Platinum | $140,000^^$ |
| $^^$ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |||

## Personnel

### Midnight Oil

* Peter Garrett – lead vocals, harmonica
* Peter Gifford – bass guitar, backing vocals
* Rob Hirst – drums, backing vocals
* Jim Moginie – lead guitar, keyboards
* Martin Rotsey – lead guitar

### Production work

* Producer – Midnight Oil, Francois Kevorkian
* Engineer – David Price
   * Assistant – Tom Colley
* Mixer – David Price, Midnight Oil
* Studio – Paradise Studios, Darlinghurst

### Art work

* Artwork concept – Midnight Oil, Philip Ellett

Credits:

