Not Drowning, Waving 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. While recording tracks for the debut album, "Another Pond", Bridie and Phillips joined McKinnon (also on guitar) in the ambient pop band, Easter, with Russel Bradley on drums and percussion, and Tim Cole on vocals. Cole became sound engineer and recording producer
Not Drowning, Waving for Not Drowning, Waving and Bradley and McKinnon soon joined that group too. "Another Pond" was issued in January 1985. Easter expanded with the addition of James Southall on congas and Greg Simmons on guitar and released a single, "Cheesecloth" in August. In September, Not Drowning, Waving issued a dance single, "Mr Pooh, (Do Be a Don't Be)". Bridie and Phillips now concentrated on Not Drowning, Waving's second album, "The Little Desert" with Bradley, Cole, McKinnon, and Southall (also on percussion) joined by Amanda Brotchie on vocals, Tanya Plack on flute and Phillip Wale on cello. The album appeared in