Michael Waugh The Weir

The Weir is the title track from Michael Waugh's 2 x Golden Guitar Award nominated album (2020 Finalist 'Best Alt-Country Album' and 'Best Male Artist').

Michael explains "The Weir is about the Lake Glenmaggie Weir in Victoria's East Gippsland – the place where we'd go as kids to swim, fish, drink and chuck tennis balls in for the dogs to retrieve. It's also the irrigation reservoir for the dairy farming communities in Gippsland where I grew up – it was the life blood of who we were."

'The Weir' is thick with memories – stopping in at the Maffra Bakery to pick up one of the best bloody pies in the world, speedboats dragging kids on a tractor tire, the 'no shooting' sign riddled with bullet holes, and endless car tapes that we'd play, blaring our anthems out of car windows.

While the song is deeply embedded in Glenmaggie mud and peopled by Gippslanders - warm as a woman in the bakery who calls you 'love' - Duncan Toombs from The Filmery has created a music video that speaks to all Australians. There is a sense of our local pie shops, the anticipation of car rides to our local waterholes, and the joy of dancing like no one is watching – while your best mates are laughing at you from the backseat.

"I really think that Duncan has captured the spirit of this uniquely Australian story" said Michael. "It hisses along like cicadas on a hot Aussie summer day. In a world where most of us are facing a challenging winter, socially isolated in uncertain times, Duncan has brought back the fun and humour of nostalgic Australian summers with your best mates, and classic car tapes that keep you dancing in the front seat with the window down."

'The Weir', featuring backing vocals from Felicity Urquhart and Lyn Bowtell – and sublime production work of the extraordinary Shane Nicholson, is out now on Compass Bros / UMA.