Powderworks

Midnight Oil's self-organising fan club

Communities

Powderworkers once met in just one place. Now the community meets in more than one place, as the times change and technical community platforms emerge.

If you are a community of Powderworkers thriving outside of these, you are welcome to mail the webadmin to ask to list your community here.

Current

(Member counts updated 5/Oct/2022)

  • Facebook (public) | Powderworkers | Since Nov 2015 | 14540 members

    This Midnight Oil fan page exists to celebrate the music of Midnight Oil and its members, past and present. Its fundamental purpose is to promote equality, positivity, tolerance and happiness through the music of Midnight Oil. We, the Powderworkers recognise the inherent dignity and the equal rights of all members of this family called Powderworkers and all peoples of the world. We promote equal rights for all genders, all races and religions, their relationships and their connectedness with the Earth we all inhabit. We will respect people’s individuality and their sense of belonging within this group. We will turn down the Mahler and listen to Australian music!
    Note: this is an open group, so your posts are visible to the public.

  • Facebook (private) | Powderworks | Since March 2017 | 934 members

    This is a closed group of mostly "mail list" era people, in the same style as the mail lists but in a Facebook way. Perhaps best thought of an intersection of the original mail list membership and Facebook.

  • Mail List version 4 - groups.io | Powderworks Mail List | Since Oct 2020 | 188 members

    "This mailing-list is concerned with the music and politics of the Australian band Midnight Oil and the activities of its members."
    The 4th and current manifestation of the original Powderworks email list, for the retro Powderworker experience.

  • Facebook (private) | Powderworks (Europe) Sub-Group | Since Aug 2017 | 187 members

    "a group for planning meet-ups in Europe for all Midnight Oil fans :)"

  • Facebook (private) | Two Sticks controversy retreat | Since Oct 2017 | 136 members

    "There's two sticks in the Powderworks, it's gonna blow today" This is a non-public space for Powderworkers to have heated debates about anything. You are welcome to "airing of grievances and feats of strength" here. Outright bullying and vilification on the other hand are not ok.
    Note: this is a closed group, so your privacy is kept inside the space.

  • Facebook (private) | Power and the Passion: Powderworkers Project | Since Nov 2021 | 89 members

    "A Private Group dedicated to managing and collaborating to create an awesome tribute. The Power and the Passion Powderworks Project will create a high-quality music video with contributions from members of the Powderworks Facebook Group"

  • Facebook (private) | POWDERWORKERS ALL AROUND THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS :-) | Since Sept 2019 | 78 members

    "You love the Oils, and you travel around the world! Share your photos while you wear something from Oils in another country than yours! Whether for a show, a holiday or for work, make us travel !! Have fun!!"

  • Facebook (private) | Powderworkers Guitar Project | Since May 2020 | 60 members

    (A group for guitarists detailing Midnight Oil songs' guitar parts)

  • Facebook (private) | UK Powderworker meet up | Since July 2022 | 54 members

    "This is to help us organise our UK get togethers for Powderworkers"

Retired

  • Yahoo "take 2" | Oct 2007 - Oct 2020 | ~700 members

    Mail list version 3
    Powderworks
    But wait, it's not over! We restared the Yahoo Groups again, rescuing many lost and sad members from the prior group's sudden debris. List owner Stephan Jansch took over, with assorted moderators in tow.
    Alas, this too got shut down when Yahoo decided that mail groups were not it's thing.
    During this era, the main Facebook group was started by Brett Beattie after a strenuous appeal to move the entire group from Yahoo to Facebook to modernise it, initially called "Powderworkers for the reformation of Midnight Oil!", later renamed to just "Powderworkers!"

  • Yahoo "take 1" | Sept 2001 - Oct 2007 | ~640 members

    Mail list version 2
    Some of this is recorded in the Powderworks Archives on midnight-oil.info
    This list was managed by Cheryl "oiiiiiils@hotmail.com" until the band broke up and it was generally felt that "it was over".

  • MajorDomo at Colorado Uni | ~1995 - Sept 2001 | 700? members

    The Original "Powderworks"/"Powderworkers" mail list started by Tim Hunter on the Colorado Uni's majordomo mlm (mail list manager) server
    Lost in time, but here's The Deadheart's excellent explanation
    Around 2001 we got the sad news that we were being evicted from powderworks@colorado.edu, so we moved to Yahoo Groups.

Band links

Public resources