Not Drowning, Waving (styled as not drowning, waving) were a musical group formed in Melbourne, Australia, in 1983 by David Bridie and John Phillips. Their music combined elements of rock, ambient music and world music; their lyrics dealt with characteristically Australian topics: word-pictures of landscapes and people, the seasons, and some political issues – such as Indonesia's invasion of East Timor. The group released six studio albums and two soundtracks until disbanding in 1994, they briefly reformed in 2001, 2003 and 2005–2006. From 2005 to 2007, they issued three compilation albums. Not Drowning, Waving won the ARIA Award for Best Independent Release at the ARIA Music Awards of 1992 for Proof, their soundtrack for the 1991 film of the same name. In 1991, Bridie and fellow members of Not Drowning, Waving, formed a side-project, My Friend The Chocolate Cake to play more acoustic-based material. History 1983–1985: Beginnings and Another Pond Not Drowning, Waving were formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1983 by David Bridie and John Phillips. Bridie and Phillips are trained in classical music and met when Bridie, on keyboards, was composing a track, "Moving Around" and asked Phillips to provide guitar. Their name is derived from Stevie Smith's poem "Not Waving but Drowning". Rowan McKinnon soon joined on bass guitar and they recorded "Moving Around" with a drum machine. Other atmospheric instrumentals were recorded at the LaTrobe University's music department's studio. "Moving Around" was released as their debut single in April 1984 on the Rampant Records label. Tim Cole on vocals and Russel Bradley on drums joined the group. Another Pond was released in January 1985. In September 1985, the band released a dance single, "Mr Pooh, (Do Be a Don't Be)". 1986–1992 :The Little Desert, Cold and the Crackle, Claim and Tabaran Not Drowning, Waving's second album, The Little Desert was released in January 1986. Bridie and Phillips also worked on the soundtrack for Canoe Man, a documentary about canoe makers from Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Their work resulted in a six-track extended play (EP), The Sing Sing, which was released in June. Other members of Not Drowning, Waving have included Penny Hewson and Andrew Carswell. In June 1987, the band released their third studio album, Cold and the Crackle which was followed in December 1987 with an EP, I Did, recorded with Robby Douglas Turner on vocals. By 1989, Not Drowning, Waving left Rampant Records