Not Drowning, Waving

Were a musical group formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1983 (though they first performed as a group in 1984) by David Bridie and John Phillips (3). Their music combined elements of rock, ambient music and world music; their lyrics dealt with characteristically Australian topic: word-pictures of landscapes and people, the seasons, and some political issues (such as Indonesia's invasion of East Timor). Their name is derived from Stevie Smith's poem "Not Waving but Drowning". Not Drowning, Waving broke up in 1994; some of the members (including Bridie and cellist Helen Mountfort) went on to form My Friend The Chocolate Cake. In 2005, Not Drowning, Waving resurfaced with a performance at the 2005 WOMADelaide Festival.