Boom Crash Opera were signed to WEA and in April 1986 they released their debut single "Great Wall", which was produced by Steve Brown. "Great Wall" reached No. 5 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart in the next month. The track was written by Ryder, Pleasance and O'Connor. According to Farnan: "Richard wrote the music and Dale helped him finish the words, but they did not know what they wanted to write about so I suggested they write about the Hume Weir. Like, it isn't specifically about the Hume Weir but they used the idea about a dam wall that dams up fear and prejudice, it is also the wall that shores up relationship". McFarlane described it as an "exuberant" single, which "established the hallmarks of sound: the tight, funky rock of the music, the boom-like crack of the drums and the work song chant of the vocals". The group toured the Australian pub rock circuit promoting the single.