True Blue hijacked: John Williamson condemns cooker rallies

True Blue backlash, AI copyright sanity, a Ryan Adams meltdown and a jazz legend farewell — all in this week’s music column from IA’s jukebox journalist, David Kowalski.

**John Williamson condemns True Blue being used at cooker rallies**

In the news this week is, of course, these “March For Australia” rallies around the country, promoting cooker conspiracies and anti-immigration messages. I don’t subscribe to any of this stuff, however, more of interest to me was the choice of soundtrack the cookers have selected to accompany their hollow rallying cries and the outrage that has followed.

Australian country singer-songwriter John Williamson is the latest to come out and voice his displeasure at his music being used in such a tone deaf manner. He finds himself in the company of Cold Chisel (‘Khe Sanh’), The Cure (‘Killing an Arab’) and Randy Newman (‘Short People’), having written a song with many layers of depth and profound meaning, only to have the general public completely miss the point.

His modest 1982 song ‘True Blue’ was never intended to be divisive. As a standalone single on its original release, it asked questions about Australian culture and how it is changing for the better with the influence of new cultures via immigration. Indeed, if it didn’t get a major publicity boost in the wake of the 1986 “Buy Australian” campaign, where a new recording of the song became permanently linked with it, it may never have become a totemic national song.

What I can’t believe is the audacity of people saying on Williamson’s Facebook post that he has it all wrong. Williamson knew what he intended when he wrote it — who do they think they are to argue that it means something else?

These same Facebook posts by Williamson and others are, unfortunately, a way of life for many musicians. In 2015, I wrote on my blog about protests in Melbourne by some crowd calling themselves “Reclaim Australia” and using the same songs at their rallies. Williamson made a similar statement back then, too. People obviously didn’t get the message the first time.

The question is, will they ever?

No copyright exemption for tech companies and AI

A quick follow-up to a comment I made recently about proposed changes to Australia’s copyright laws to allow big tech companies to mine Australian creative works to train their AI models. This would have meant that generative AI could create new songs and other creative works based on material previously created by Australian creatives, with no compensation to the original creators.

The Government has ruled definitively that it will not make allowances for AI models to use Australian materials carte blanche. There is a task force that will meet to see which copyright laws do, in fact, need an overhaul, but I am pleased to report there is no room for this one.

Common sense has at least prevailed somewhere in this crazy world... for now.

Ryan Adams’ dummy spit

U.S. Americana artist Ryan Adams has had a controversial and, ultimately, abortive tour of Australia. He stormed out of the country with many choice words said on the way out.

Adams' performance at Hamer Hall in Melbourne on 12 October 2025 was cut short due to a whole range of factors. He started raging at the ushers for “not doing their jobs” and then struggled to finish any song he started in the second set. After his Sydney show, he apologised for being fatigued and ill. The Melbourne show was a long way short of the promised three-hour set of deep cuts and classics. His incoherent ramblings and barely attempted songs left a lot of punters remarking that the show was a “trainwreck” and an “absolute bust”.

In a now-deleted Instagram post, he said he will no longer tour overseas anymore and that ‘Australia is the worst country to ever, every time, to play’.

Adams also added:

‘I get so much done with the audience takes the no flash/health hazard phone flash thing seriously. Still can’t see out of my left eye. Thanks AUS. See you never. (sic)’

He has later clarified his comments, in that his shows always say ”no flash photography” and that he is sensitive to light, causing seizures. It would appear the Melbourne audience didn’t adhere to the request and potentially triggered a dangerous health episode. He went on to say he has a form of epilepsy known as “Vestibular Disease” and says that Ian Curtis from Joy Division has the same thing.

I understand the need to take photos for posterity on phones, but surely some respect for the artist should be taken into consideration. Is it that difficult? Perhaps the taking of photos by the punters wasn’t meant to be a malicious act, however, something has to give.

No wonder he was raging at the ushers.

Jack DeJohnette R.I.P.

2025 really hasn’t been a great year for drummers, having lost Snowy Fleet from The Easybeats and Ric Buckler from The Jam earlier in the year. Now we hear the sad news that one of the legends of the jazz world, Jack DeJohnette, has passed away at age 83 from congestive heart failure.

DeJohnette made his first big waves replacing Tony Williams in Miles Davis’ touring band, and playing on Davis’ landmark electric albums Bitches Brew, A Tribute To Jack Johnson and On The Corner. He is also well known for playing on many recording and live dates with Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny and Keith Jarrett.

Perhaps my favourite of his works is an improvisational work with kora player Foday Musa Suso, entitled Music From The Hearts of the Masters, where the two players find a groove and riff off each other, making the most glorious music out of thin air.

Vale Mr DeJohnette and thank you for your amazing contributions to music.

New Music: Tanya-Lee Davies — You Know its Autumn

As I watch dark clouds build outside my window, the new single by Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Tanya-Lee Davies plays on my speakers. Her voice warms the room as I watch the sun go down, with an amber-toned grace.

The track is called ‘You Know It’s Autumn’ and it ticks plenty of boxes to my ears — softly strummed 12-string guitars, atmosphere that finds a nice compromise between sunshine and melancholy, gorgeous layered vocal harmonies and enough baritone guitar to make Glen Campbell blush.

Davies is preparing to unleash a new album in 2026 and this is the very beginning of what I expect will be one of the best album releases of the new year. I can’t wait to hear more of it.

Until next time…

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David Kowalski is a writer, musician, educator, sound engineer and podcaster. His podcasts 'The Sound and the Fury Podcast' and 'Audio Cumulus' can be heard exclusively HERE. You can follow David on Twitter/X @sound_fury_pod.