As part of Mushroom Music Group’s 50th anniversary and their Mushroom 50 – Singles Series, Magic Dirt have re-imagined the all-time Australian classic, (I’m) Stranded by The Saints, the iconic song that is widely acclaimed as the first big song to kick off the 70’s punk rock explosion in the UK.
Adalita, frontwoman for the band, has an undeniable admiration for the track and what it represents:
“This is an Aussie Punk Rock anthem. It’s part of our musical heritage, as a band and as Australian musicians. This song and the album were a part of what essentially cemented Australia’s reputation as Punk/Alternative Rock pioneers; the gates burst open with this tune and everyone else followed. So it’s very close to our hearts. Its’ attitude and subject matter are instantly relatable – well, for us at least: alienated youth, looking for a way out. It’s frantic from woah-to-go, relentless! It keeps weaving and spinning, pummelling you into a frenzy, it’s so good. Hypnotic, cathartic and so catchy, too!”
The band had quite a deal of messing around with arrangements, but in the end found the song dictated its’ own life and sound. “We threw a lot of stuff at it: lead breaks, overdubs, alternative melodies and ideas, but the song resisted a bunch of them, so we built it up and then stripped it back to just include what made the song good and fun. It’s still ‘(I’m) Stranded’, but it’s got that Magic Dirt feel to it.”
The band have also incorporated (I’m) Stranded into their live sets, as I reported here back in early August, and is an outstanding song to add to their already impressive repertoire.
The song is officially released as of today.
Feature Image Credit: Skye Sampson
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