A funeral for Dr William Victor “Bunno” Simms (January 29, 1946 – February 8, 2025) was held at St Andrew’s Catholic Church, Malabar, on February 19.
The service was led by Pastor Ray Minniecon, with a eulogy by son William, and tributes from brother Henry as well as granddaughter Kyara. There was music, too, of course.
The SSH acclaims a much-loved Bidjigal Elder whose life and music touched so many. Uncle Vic was a child and television star, a rock-and-roller, jailed songwriter, community leader, and advocate for land rights and freedom. Condolences to Aunty Joan and to all the family.
Vic Simms’ The Loner (1973) stands as one of Australia’s most significant protest albums, a raw and deeply personal reflection on the struggles of First Nations people. The Loner was recorded live in an hour at the Bathurst Correctional Facility for Ron Wills at RCA by Bruce Brown from ATA studios in Sydney. The brass was added later in the studio.
Each song delivers a potent critique of systemic oppression and the personal toll of colonisation.
The title track sets the tone with melancholic vocals lamenting isolation and displacement. The lyric – “I see misery, I see the pain / On unfamiliar ground” – captures the alienation felt by many Indigenous Australians, particularly those affected by the prison system. Simms’ voice, rich with emotion, turns this simple performance into a haunting statement on the cycles of incarceration.
“Stranger in My Country” is perhaps the album’s most striking protest anthem. With lines like “This land is like a store-bought pie / And lots of people come / All to get themselves a slice / And I can’t get a crumb”, Simms gives voice to the generational pain of dispossession.
Other tracks, like “Poor Folks Happiness” and “Get Back into the Shadows”, reflect on poverty and discrimination, reinforcing themes of resilience and resistance. Despite the heaviness of his subject matter, Simms never loses sight of hope. “Going Back Home” is an uplifting closer, envisioning a future where First Nations people reclaim their rightful place.
After his release from jail in 1977, Simms formed a group to tour prisons (throughout Australia and Canada), and over a period of 12 years “travelled from jail to jail, letting the fellas – black and white – know that someone was thinking about them”.
The album was lost for decades (discontinued by RCA) before being reissued in 2013 (remastered by Sandman Records), allowing new generations to engage with its powerful storytelling.
Today, The Loner remains an essential listen – a vital piece of Australian protest music. Vic Simms’ voice, filled with defiance and dignity, still resonates.
Luke Peacock, a Brisbane-based musician of Torres Strait Islander heritage, led the Painted Ladies project. Their 2014 album, The Painted Ladies Play The Loner, featured collaborations with artists such as Paul Kelly and the Medics, bringing new life to Simms’ songs while preserving their emotional core.
