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Ayers Rock (band)

October 24, 2023

Ayers Rock were an Australian rock band which formed in August 1973. Ray Burton (guitar and vocals), Mark Kennedy (drums), and Duncan McGuire (bass), members of Leo de Castro and Friends, left to form the eponymous trio of Burton, McGuire & Kennedy. They added a guitarist, Jimmy Doyle, changed their name to Ayers Rock and invited Col Loughnan (saxophones and flutes) to join. The group signed with independent label Mushroom Records in December 1973. Burton left the following March, and was replaced by Chris Brown (guitar, vocals). With live appearances, coverage in print media and word of mouth the group had a high national profile despite little radio airplay, and journalists praised their musicianship, music, and live energy.

Ayers Rock
Ayers Rock performing at the Australian Concert for Bangladesh, April 1975.
L to R: Chris Brown, Duncan McGuire, Mark Kennedy, Jimmy Doyle, and Col Loughnan.
Background information
Also known as
  • Burton McGuire & Kennedy
OriginMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
GenresJazz fusion, progressive rock
Years active1973 (1973)–1981 (1981)
LabelsMushroom, Festival, A&M, RCA, Red Rock
Past members

The band's first album, Big Red Rock (November 1974), received positive reviews and peaked at number 32 on the Australian Kent Music Report album chart. It featured mainstream rock and three longer, instrumental tracks which introduced progressive styles, including jazz fusion. Label owner Michael Gudinski promoted Ayers Rock in Los Angeles and they signed with A&M Records, the first Mushroom Records artists to sign with an international label. The United States release of Big Red Rock in February 1975 was followed by a tour there, later that year. The band played to large crowds, supporting major international artists (including Bachman–Turner Overdrive) before 35,000 people – the first Australian band to perform in large US stadiums. Ayers Rock were named 1975 Musicians of the Year on RAM's "New Year's Honors List".[1] Kennedy left before their second album, Beyond (April 1976, recorded at the Record Plant in Los Angeles), was released. The album blended a number of music genres and had a positive critical reception, charting at number 50. The band toured the US again; Loughnan remained there, and Ayers Rock temporarily broke up in August 1976.

A year later Doyle and Brown recruited members for a new lineup, including Andy Cowan (keyboards and vocals) and Hamish Stuart (drums). In 1980 they released their third album, Hotspell, on their own Red Rock Records label. This album had a soft-rock style, with sophisticated arrangements and featured keyboards. It failed to chart, and the group permanently disbanded in 1981. Although Ayers Rock's first two albums were successful in Australia, none of their six singles charted. During their early years (from 1973 to 1976), the group were praised by local media for their music, stylistic diversity, use of technology, and the energy of their live performances. Ayers Rock received positive reviews in Billboard and Cashbox. Late-1990s music historians recognised the band's talent but considered their music over-indulgent at times, failing to bridge the gap between artistic and commercial success. Duncan Kimball of Milesago.com wrote "that they never really got the chance to reach their full potential."[2]

Australian music scene Edit

 
Jimmy Doyle founding mainstay guitarist of Ayers Rock, 1981.

Ayers Rock were formed in the Australian pop-music scene of the early 1970s,[3][4][5] which included artists in a number of genres: mainstream pop (Zoot and Liv Maessen), blues rock (Chain), heavy rock (Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs), and boogie (Carson).[4][5] Bands such as Blackfeather[6] and Madder Lake combined mainstream and progressive rock.[7] Most pop and rock listeners had never heard jazz fusion;[8] when Ayers Rock incorporated the music into their sets, it was rarely performed by fellow Australian artists.[9][10]

At that time, the Australian music media expressed frustration that few local musicians were successful overseas.[5] Many artists (such as The Twilights,[11] The Masters Apprentices,[12] The Groop[13] and Axiom) had gone to the United Kingdom with little commercial success,[5][14] and music papers such as Go-Set regularly addressed the situation.[5] The "third wave" of Australian rock, from 1970 to 1975, saw an increase in pub rock venues in the southern and eastern states.[4]

History Edit

1973: Formation Edit

 
Mark Kennedy of Ayers Rock (1973–76), during a recording session at the Record Plant, L.A. in September 1975.

Ayers Rock formed in Melbourne in August 1973.[2][3] Ray Burton, Mark Kennedy, and Duncan McGuire, members of Leo de Castro and Friends,[2] left in June to form the eponymous trio of Burton McGuire & Kennedy.[3] Burton had played guitar with the Dave Bridge Quartet, the Delltones and the Executives,[3] and co-wrote "I Am Woman" (May 1972) in the United States with Australian singer Helen Reddy.[2][15] McGuire, on bass, was a recording engineer, producer, and a member of Australian groups since the late 1950s (including the Phantoms, the Epics, the Questions – which later became Doug Parkinson in Focus; see Doug Parkinson – and King Harvest).[2] Kennedy, on drums, had played in Spectrum, Doug Parkinson in Focus, King Harvest, and Leo de Castro and Friends.[2][3][16]

Burton McGuire & Kennedy were joined in August 1973 by Jimmy Doyle on guitar. Doyle had worked for the Delltones and Dig Richards, was musical director for pianist Winifred Atwell on her Australian tours, and was a session player in Sydney on Neil Sedaka's 1969 album Workin' on a Groovy Thing.[3] In September 1973 Burton McGuire & Kennedy changed their name to Ayers Rock,[2] using the European name for the sandstone rock formation sacred to local indigenous Australians. The group were nicknamed "the Rock" by the Australian press.[17] Since 1993 the sandstone monolith has been called by its Pitjantjatjaran name, Uluru.

 
Duncan McGuire (left) and Chris Brown at the Record Plant, L.A. in September 1975.

Doyle had worked sporadically for several years with multi-instrumentalist and arranger Col Loughnan,[nb 1][8] who joined London-based blues-pop group Kala in late 1972.[20] Doyle invited his former bandmate to join in October 1973.[21] With Ayers Rock, Loughnan played saxophones, flute, and electric piano.[19] He had begun his career as lead vocalist for the Crescents in 1958, joining the Delltones in 1962.[3] Loughnan diversified into arranging and playing jazz tenor saxophone with the Daly-Wilson Big Band.[8] By December 1973 Ayers Rock had signed with Mushroom Records,[2] which released their first single – "Rock 'n Roll Fight (Going On)", one of the label's early records.[3] Mushroom Records co-owner Michael Gudinski became their manager.

In January 1974 Ayers Rock performed at the Sunbury Pop Festival and "Morning Magic" (written by Burton)[22] appeared on the live album, Highlights of Sunbury '74 Part 2, released by Mushroom Records later that year.[2][23] In March Burton returned to the US and was replaced on guitar and lead vocals by Chris Brown, formerly of Python Lee Jackson.[3] Loughnan and Brown had played together in London as members of Kala.[20][21] The band traced their origins to rock or pop bands from Sydney, except for Kennedy (who was from Melbourne).

1974–75: Big Red Rock Edit

 
Music from Big Red Rock
"Lady Montego" (1974), written by Duncan McGuire
20-second sample of the vocal
Problems playing this file? See media help.

In 1974 Ayers Rock began recording their debut album, Big Red Rock, at Festival Records' 24-track studio in Sydney. They were dissatisfied with the sound, which failed to capture their music's "live" essence,[24] and recorded it live-in-the-studio at Armstrong's in Melbourne that September. Kennedy told Margaret MacIntyre of Rolling Stone Australia, "Doing the album live was an experiment really and it seemed to work."[24] Big Red Rock, released in November, peaked at number 32 on the Kent Music Report album chart.[25][26] The album had "a more jazz-rock edge" and its single, "Lady Montego" (written by McGuire),[3] was a new version of a song originally performed by Leo de Castro and Friends.[2][22] According to Juke Magazine, "the single lifted to push the album, 'Lady Montego' ... received three weeks airplay and was then dumped."[9] "Lady Montego" was Ayers Rock's most-aired single in Australia, and Kennedy said: "Without AM radio support you can't sell too well in this country."[9] Juke called their songs "lyrically banal" but said the group compensated with "sheer talent", instrumentally and electronically.[9]

 
Col Loughnan of Ayers Rock (1973–76), partly obscured by his saxophones (tenor at left, soprano), in late 1974. He plays a tambourine whilst seated.

A song from Ayers Rock's live set was a cover of "Boogie Woogie Waltz", written by Joe Zawinul of Weather Report for the US group's album Sweetnighter (April 1973).[27] In November 1974 Loughnan temporarily stopped performing live due to back pain, and the band continued with four members.[24] He returned after surgery, and contemporary photos and video show him playing sitting down during his convalescence.

Manager and label owner Gudinski visited the US in December 1974 to promote his recording artists, including Skyhooks, Daddy Cool, and Madder Lake, to major labels there.[8] At that time only Ayers Rock were successful, with Gudinski signing them to A&M Records within days.[28][29] He told Tony Wilson of The Sun, "Jerry Moss, the president of A&M Records USA, flipped when he heard it, so A&M will release it (Big Red Rock) world-wide."[30] This was a surprise to the Australian media, since many other artists were more commercially successful locally than Ayers Rock. Skyhooks were Australia's most popular band; their first album (Living in the 70's, released in October 1974) sold 226,000 units,[31] the best-selling album by a local artist in Australia to date. However, Living in the 70's was rejected by A&M and not released outside Australia.[32] Ayers Rock were the first Mushroom Records artists to sign a recording contract with an international label.[28][33][34] From the mid-1970s, and into the 1990s, Mushroom were successful with many other artists including Split Enz, Kylie Minogue, and Yothu Yindi, turning the label into Australia's largest independent record company.[35]

In January 1975 the group performed at the fourth Sunbury Pop Festival, and Big Red Rock and "Lady Montego" were released in the US on 28 February.[28] On 20 April, they performed at a benefit concert for Bangladesh at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl with the La De Das, Jim Keays, AC/DC, Phil Manning, Daddy Cool, Toulouse & Too Tight, the Dingoes, and the Moir Sisters.[36]

From July to September, they promoted Big Red Rock in the US and Vancouver.[37] The band played to an audience of 35,000[38][39] at a stadium concert in Seattle, supporting Bachman–Turner Overdrive, on 27 July[37] and opened for Status Quo, the J. Geils Band,[37][40] Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Nils Lofgren.[41] According to Australian rock music historian Ian McFarlane, "Ayers Rock was the first Australian band to play to massive crowds on the USA touring circuit",[3] years before fellow Australians the Little River Band, AC/DC, and Air Supply made their first US tours.[3]

1975–76: Beyond Edit

At the end of their US tour in September 1975 Ayers Rock recorded their second album, Beyond, at the Record Plant in Los Angeles. The album, produced by the group and John Stronach,[42] received a $60,000 advance from A&M Records.[42]

On 18 October, The Sun reported that McGuire had left the band.[43] At a reception when Ayers Rock returned to Australia, he said: "The pressure of the tour was just too much. We were on the road all the time and I guess I wasn't as strong as the rest of the band. When we got into the studio I had the shakes. I mean I was playing the right notes, but not in the right places."[43] To finish the album McGuire's friend Les Young[nb 2] played some of the bass guitar parts, and American Jeff Castleman played bass on "Catchanemu".[43][45] Young also briefly played live with Ayers Rock in Australia, including an October 1975 show at the State Theatre in Sydney.[46] McGuire returned to the group at the Dallas Brooks Hall on 21 October 1975, to warm applause.[47][48]

 
Cover of the US version of Beyond (April 1976), shows an outback scene when upright and the head of an Australian aboriginal man when the cover is rotated 90° to the right (cover design by Ian McCausland).

In late November Ayers Rock appeared at the final Reefer Cabaret event, at Ormond Hall in Prahran.[nb 3] The performance was recorded for a double album, A-Reefer-Derci (1976).[19][50] In January 1976, Rock Australia Magazine named Ayers Rock Musicians of the Year for 1975 in their "New Year's Honours List".[1] Kennedy left to join Marcia Hines' backing band in February 1976,[2] and they reportedly married late in the decade.[16][51] In Ayers Rock, Kennedy was temporarily replaced by Doug Gallacher.[3] In April 1976 Beyond was released in Australia and the US, making the Kent Music Report top 50.[25][26] Two singles from the album were released: "Little Kings" (October 1975) and "Song for Darwin" (May 1976), but neither charted.[3][25][26]

The US cover for Beyond features a rock in the distance, which becomes the face of an Aboriginal man with eyes closed when the cover is rotated 90° to the right. Artist and Mushroom Records art director Ian McCausland[45] also designed The Rolling Stones' 1973 Australian tour poster.[52] The album cover illustrates a central principle of Aboriginal spirituality: the deep connection between the land and the Aboriginal peoples.[53] In an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission publication, "Our Land Our Life", S. Knight described the Aboriginal position: "We don't own the land, the land owns us. The land is my mother, my mother is the land. Land is the starting point to where it all began."[54] According to the Australian government webpage, The Dreaming: "Once the ancestor spirits had created the world, they changed into trees, the stars, rocks, watering holes or other objects. These are sacred places of Aboriginal culture."[53]

In May 1976 Gallacher was replaced by Russell Dunlop, formerly of Aesop's Fables, Levi Smith's Clefs, SCRA, Mother Earth, and the Johnny Rocco Band.[3] In an interview with Greg Kelton of The Advertiser, Loughnan outlined the band's future: "If Beyond doesn't make it for us in the States we might as well forget all about Ayers Rock."[39] From May to July they toured the US again, "only achiev[ing] limited success overseas."[3] After the tour Dunlop and Loughnan left, and on 25 August Mushroom Records announced that Ayers Rock had broken up after Loughnan decided to remain in the US to study.[55] Brown, Doyle, and McGuire indicated that they would revive the group with new members.[3][55]

1977–81: Hotspell Edit

 
1980 line-up. Clockwise from left: Andy Cowan, Steve Hogg, Keith Caisey, Jimmy Doyle, Chris Brown, Hamish Stuart.

In 1977 Brown and Doyle re-formed Ayers Rock with Bermuda-born Keith Caisey on percussion, Joe Tattersall (formerly of Healing Force and the Barry Leef Band) on drums, and John Young (formerly of Leo de Castro's eponymous group) on bass guitar. By 1978 Brown, Caisey and Doyle were joined by Andy Cowan (formerly of Madder Lake) on keyboards and vocals, Steve Hogg (formerly of Bakery) on bass guitar, and Hamish Stuart on drums.[3] In March 1980 the band released another single, "On the Avenue", followed in May by their third LP – Hotspell – on their own Red Rock Records (distributed by RCA Records). Recorded at the Music Farm in Byron Bay, it was engineered by former member Duncan McGuire.[56]

In The Canberra Times, Luis Feliu noted the "new-sounding" Ayers Rock and their "laid-back" style.[17] There had been a major change in songwriting, with Brown contributing less (wrote one and co-wrote one with Doyle); Cowan was the most active (writing five tracks), and Stuart and Doyle co-wrote two.[2] Doyle, with no writing credits on previous albums, wrote "On the Road" (which was included in the band's live sets from 1978). Jillian Burt of Juke Magazine described it as "reminiscent of the cool, calm, collectedness that typifies Steely Dan".[57] Hotspell featured soft-rock songs with sophisticated, keyboard-centred arrangements.[56]

 
Samples from Hotspell
"On the Road", written by Jimmy Doyle
"On the Avenue", written by Andy Cowan
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According to Feliu's review of the album and a July 1980 performance in Sydney, Ayers Rock were "once Australia's hottest progressive rock" group.[17] Feliu wrote that most of the audience seemed to appreciate the band's new direction: "the capacity audience showed hearty approval ... probably old allegiance, and only a few comments of dissatisfaction, like 'boring', were heard, then that was at the bar up the back".[17] Hotspell did not reach the Kent Music Report album top 100, and has not been released on CD. In July 1981 the group released a final single, "Lies", before disbanding later that year.[2]

Other projects Edit

 
Hamish Stuart on drums (1978–81), performing in 1981.

In late 1974 Ayers Rock members Brown, McGuire, Kennedy and Loughnan[58] played on several tracks of Jim Keays' debut solo album, The Boy from the Stars.[59][60] At the January 1975 Sunbury Pop Festival Keays performed most of the album live, with three Ayers Rock members (Brown, McGuire and Kennedy) joining the ensemble to record "Nothing Much Left" and "Urantia".[59][60] Returning to the US, Burton was a session player for Billy Joel and Jimmy Webb and wrote "Best Friend" for the film Airport 1975 (1974).[61] In 1976, he formed the Ray Burton Band with Rex Bullen, Terry Gascoine, Steve Hogg and Tim Piper.[62] From 1977 to 1980, McGuire was bass guitarist for the Southern Star Band with Doug Parkinson on vocals, Tommy Emmanuel on guitar and Kennedy on drums.[62][63] In 1978 Burton released a solo album, Dreamers and Nightflyers, which spawned the singles "Too Hard to Handle" and "Paddington Green". After touring with Crossfire in 1979, he returned to the US as a songwriter.[61][62]

 
Chris Brown of Ayers Rock (1974–81), playing bass guitar, 1981. Brown usually provided lead guitar and vocals.

Cowan was later a member of Kevin Borich Express, Ian Moss Band and Renée Geyer Band before pursuing a solo music career.[64] Georgie Fame's album No Worries (1988) included Ayers Rock alumni Loughnan, Doyle, and Dunlop.[65] McGuire died in July 1989 of a brain tumour.[3] During the late 1980s, Hogg formed The Rhythm Snakes with Clayton Black on drums, Howie Smallman on harmonica, and Bob Thorne on guitar.[66] In 1989, Hogg assembled a studio band to record a solo album with Thorne, Mark Alderman on harmonica, Ian Ironside on drums, Bob Patient on piano, and Bernie Payne on saxophone.[66] Steve Hogg died on 20 July 1990 and his album, Various Fools & Vices, was released in 1992.[66]

In 1993, Kennedy drummed for The Blazing Salads with Brian Cadd, Glenn Shorrock, Rex Goh, and Kirk Lorange.[62] Hamish Stuart played drums on Chris Abrahams and Melanie Oxley's 1998 album, Jerusalem Bay.[67] Doyle died on 5 May 2006,[2] and on 28 May the Jim Doyle Tribute Concert was played at the Basement in Sydney. Musicians included Renée Geyer, Billy Field, bandmate Loughnan, and Barry Leef, with proceeds benefiting Doyle's family.[68] Dunlop died on 16 May 2009; he had collapsed after drumming at his son's wedding in Sydney.[69][70] As of 2015, Loughnan is a lecturer in jazz saxophone at the University of Sydney's Conservatorium of Music and has been a member of its Jazz Faculty since 1978.[71] In 2007 he released a solo album, Ellen St.[71]

Musicianship Edit

Genres Edit

Although Ayers Rock's music is described as jazz-rock,[3] this is a simplification. In the 2011 radio documentary "Rare Collections", presented by David and Jordie Kilby on Jazz-Rock in Australia for 666 ABC Canberra, Loughnan described other Mushroom Records artists as playing pop rock styles and Ayers Rock playing some jazz: "We were a bit of both".[8] Critics called Big Red Rock's side one its "song" side and side two its "jazz" side.[72][73] "Lady Montego", "Talkin' 'Bout You", "Goin' Home" and "Nostalgic Blues" are rock songs;[9] the first three were written by McGuire, and the fourth by Brown.[22]

 
Spoken-word introduction from Big Red Rock
"Crazy Boys" (1974)
Introduction to "Crazy Boys", live in the studio
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Loughnan's "Crazy Boys"[22] highlighted the band's larrikin side, with working-class men talking at a hamburger shop; each used local slang or spoke in a stereotypical ethnic accent, poking fun at Australians from a variety of backgrounds. At one point "Hey, listen mate, give me one 'Gudinskiburger', please, hold the bacon, please" is heard;[2] Michael Gudinski, whose parents are Jewish immigrants, does not eat pork and went along with the joke. Another voice mentions "Dr. Hopontopovus, the Greek gynaecologist".[2] More slang is heard later in the track, including "Who yer sayin' that to, yer drongo?"

Although "Crazy Boys" has two lines of lyrics, most of the track is instrumental. Described by a Juke Magazine reviewer as "free form jazz",[9] it features solos by Brown, Doyle, and Loughnan and heavily processed guitars, electric saxophone, and vocals. Asked about the group's use of electronics by Eloe Fanouche of RAM, Loughnan answered: "You've got to be able to use them well in order to sound good. We use them to colour the sounds as much as possible."[21]

 
Music from Big Red Rock
"Big Red Rock", title track (1974), written by Col Loughnan
Soundscape early in the track, evoking the spirituality of the sacred aboriginal place known as Uluru
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The title track, Loughnan's "Big Red Rock",[22] is an eight-and-a-half-minute instrumental described by Juke Magazine as "expertly capturing the stark loneliness and cosmic tranquility one gets standing before their namesake rock".[9] According to Loughnan, the atmosphere they wanted to create was "that spacey sort of feeling—like desert [...] and we wanted to get the sound of the didgeridoo—which we did electronically".[21] Doyle imitated a didgeridoo by playing guitar with a wah-wah pedal. Tony Catterall of The Canberra Times praised "Big Red Rock", saying that it "suggests the huge expanse of the outback, then takes you [...] to the Aboriginal secrets [...] [and evokes] the power surrounding the area [of Uluru] in a burst of truly inspired musicianship".[18]

Gil Wahlquist of The Sydney Morning Herald called the album "heavily accented towards jazz."[72] It has changing moods, with quiet moments which are "eerie, euphonic, and evocative."[74] Aboriginal clapsticks and the imitation didgeridoo allude to the indigenous character of Uluru and the surrounding area. Another section is double-tempo jazz fusion with guitar and saxophone solos, complemented by a rhythm section driving to a crescendo. The section concludes with a rapid rallentando (slowing of tempo) to another gentle phase. Changes in tempo and volume are heard throughout the title track,[75] in contrast to disco (featuring one tempo and volume, which was becoming more popular).

 
Music from Beyond
1976's "Moondah (beyond)", written by Col Loughnan
Illustrates the change from Australian indigenous sound in one section to a "European" sound in the next
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Like Big Red Rock, the vastness of rural and outback landscapes were reflected in the artwork and music of Beyond. According to a review by Forester in The Age, the band and album have "titles to suggest space, time and distance" and some tracks had an "indigenous appeal".[76] The lead track's title, "Moondah", translates into English as "beyond".[77] In April 1976 Loughnan, who wrote the song,[22] said in a TV Times interview: "The aborigines have had a raw deal in the past. The song expresses the hope that they get better treatment in the future".[77] "Moondah (beyond)" begins with clapsticks,[78] log drum, imitation didgeridoo,[21] and sounds evocative of indigenous singing.

 
Manuscript of the violin part of "Angel in Disguise" from Beyond

This combination creates sounds similar to indigenous Australian music, which later segues into a European style before returning to its original theme.[77][78] The overall effect is a fusion of indigenous Australian music, rock, and improvisational jazz by European Australians,[76] before indigenous rock artists Yothu Yindi and No Fixed Address created their own fusions of indigenous and rock music.

Beyond featured a 23-piece string section,[42] arranged and conducted by Loughnan,[45] on "Place to Go", "Song for Darwin" and "Angel in Disguise". Loughnan had originally written "Angel in Disguise"[22] years before for his wife, expanding it into an instrumental.[8] According to Derek Johnson's RAM review, "The violin tones and guitar sounds are particularly well produced, dissolving into each other one moment, separating and circling around each other the next."[79]

Airplay Edit

Ayers Rock's treatment by Australian radio stations during the 1970s was related to the popularity of AM. Unlike the US, which had a vibrant FM radio scene, in 1976 Australia only had ABC FM and a few community FM stations[nb 4] which primarily played classical music. Commercial AM stations, playing pop and rock music, dominated the local airwaves.[80] The group established their reputation with live performances, exposure in print media, and word of mouth, with minimal Australian radio promotion.[9][82]

Kennedy told a Juke interviewer, "Radio airplay has never happened for us here—except 2JJ and the occasional Album Shows".[9] Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) youth-oriented AM radio station 2JJ was limited to Sydney during the 1970s, with poor reception in some areas.[80][83] The US attitude toward the band's music was different; according to Greg Kelton of The Advertiser, Beyond had "been played by about 50 radio stations in the (U.S.). 'It is being played on two [stations] in Australia', said Jimmy Doyle."[82]

Live performance Edit

Ayers Rock began incorporating rock-jazz fusion into their sets, increasing the jazz aspect of their music. In his review of a concert on 19 October 1975, Paul Gardiner wrote for Rolling Stone: "Big Red Rock was still tied quite closely to existing American styles."[46] According to Gardiner, at the State Theatre "evidence" of jazz-rock "came through loud and clear".[46] This was their first major Australian concert after their first US tour and recording sessions.[46]

The group were fundamentally a high-volume rock band. In the smoke-filled bar of Martinis in Carlton, Juke Magazine collected a vox populi of the "packed to the rafters" audience. One person said, "I don't mind a bit of volume with my improvisation but this is so goddamn heavy."[9] Gardiner's review described the group's live show:

The band ... have cut their teeth on pure rock and roll and have, [as of] Ayers Rock, moved on to what amounts to a rock-jazz fusion. The inversion of the term is becoming important; unlike the bands to which they are compared in America, which have all lived and breathed jazz in its purer, more traditional forms, ... [the] Rock is made up of rock musicians.[46]

In a Rolling Stone interview by Margaret MacIntyre, Kennedy explained: "Ayers Rock was getting a live response that, to speak for myself, I hadn't seen happen with a crowd ... for a long time".[24] In the same interview, Doyle described the key to their success: "This band is going somewhere ... it's not the same thing every night, unlike many bands, the arrangements change."[24] Reviewers were enthusiastic about the band's performances; according to Gardiner, "The impression they now generate on stage is one of total energy ... energy which sets them apart."[46] Juke Magazine called them "a band that could reward its audiences with (the) sheer exhilaration of seeing real master musicians ... taking their audiences to virgin territory that other explorers had only dreamed about."[9]

Eloe Fanouche of RAM focussed on another aspect:

Unlike many groups they were able to capture the ethereal quality of their recorded sound on stage ... On being asked how live gigs compared to studio work, they all declared that the straight atmosphere of the studio was too clinical.[21]

Critical reception Edit

Contemporary (1973 to 1981) Edit

 
Uluru, then-known as Ayers Rock by non-indigenous Australians, provided the band's name.

Big Red Rock received positive reviews in Australia and the US. The Canberra Times quoted a Cashbox review praising their music[nb 5] which ended: "It was something different and something beautiful."[84] Billboard magazine gave the album a good review, saying that it featured "excellent sax work throughout and top-notch lead guitar and drum work".[73][nb 6] Australian reviewers called the album "an extremely good record, well worth owning",[74] "a classic record in Australian rock"[85] and "an inspiring success".[72]

Critical response to their second album, Beyond, was generally positive. Sean Hanrahan wrote for the Melbourne Sunday Press: "Beyond to me stands as something of a crowning achievement for a band that has already been described as the high-water mark in Australian rock."[86] According to Pat Bowring of the Melbourne Sun, "it is one of the best records from an Australian band" and "better than ... Big Red Rock."[87] The band emphasised that their music was "essentially Australian", despite being recorded in Los Angeles,[42] and critics noted their music's Australian character.[21][72][86] Tony Catterall of The Canberra Times wrote that the group "has absorbed its influences so well that they're almost unrecognisable in the final product. And into this synthesis the band has infused some things peculiarly Australian."[18]

Later (1999 to present) Edit

In February 1998, Billboard's Christie Eliezer interviewed Gudinski; he recalled that signing Ayers Rock had "allowed the band to tour the US and record their second album there."[29] He explained that they "were a fantastic jazz-fusion band, a real muso's band, but ultimately they didn't have that something unique to cross over."[29] In his 1999 encyclopaedia Dreams, Fantasies, and Nightmares From Far Away Lands, American author Vernon Joynson called Big Red Rock "an excellent example of jazz rock fusion Australian style. The musicianship is of high quality although it tends to become a little over-indulgent in places". According to Joynson the album had "radio friendly" material and three tracks "filled with fine virtuoso guitar and saxophone",[19] but despite being "quite a popular live act, [Ayers Rock's] recordings were hampered by a dilemma over whether to opt for a more serious pursuit of expanding the horizons or for a commercial sound".[19]

On MilesAgo.com in 2006, Duncan Kimball wrote: "The group's relatively short lifespan and small catalogue meant that they never really got the chance to reach their full potential."[2] According to Ian McFarlane in his 1999 Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop, the members of Ayers Rock "were seen as 'musician's musicians'. The band issued a series of technically proficient recordings, but in the long run any quest for commercial acceptance was marred by the seriousness of the music".[3] In December 2011, Jordie Kilby called Big Red Rock "a great record; quite an influential (album) ... now one that's held in quite high regard."[8]

Members Edit

  • Ray Burton – guitar, vocals (1973–74)
  • Mark Kennedy – drums (1973–76)
  • Duncan McGuire – bass guitar (1973–76; died 1989)
  • Jimmy Doyle – guitar, vocals (1973–81; died 2006)
  • Col Loughnan – saxophones, flute, piano, percussion, vocals (1973–76)
  • Phil Stone – guitar (1974)
  • Chris Brown – guitar, vocals (1974–81)
  • Les Young – bass guitar (1975)
  • Doug Gallacher – drums (1976)
  • Russell Dunlop – drums (1976; died 2009)
  • Joe Tattersall – drums (1977)
  • Keith Caisey – percussion (1977–81)
  • John Young – bass guitar (1977–78)
  • Andy Cowan – keyboards (1978–81)
  • Steve Hogg – bass guitar (1978–81; died 1990)
  • Hamish Stuart – drums (1978–81)[2][3][19]

Discography Edit

Albums Edit

Title Album details Peak chart positions
AUS
[25][26]
Big Red Rock 32
Beyond
  • Released: February 1976
  • Label: Mushroom Records (L 35707)
 50
Hotspell
  • Released: May 1980
  • Label:Red Rock/RCA Records (RRM 6321)
 -

Singles Edit

  • "Rock 'n Roll Fight" (December 1973)
  • "Lady Montego" (November 1974)
  • "Little Kings" (October 1975)
  • "Song for Darwin" (May 1976)
  • "On the Avenue" (1979)
  • "Lies" (July 1981)

Other appearances Edit

  • "Morning Magic" (live), on Highlights of Sunbury '74 Part 2 (Mushroom Records (L 25123), 1974)
  • "Gimme Shelter" (live), "Boogie Woogie Waltz" (live) on A-Reefer-Derci (Mushroom Records (L 45657/8), 1976)

Notes Edit

  1. ^ Various sources misspell Colin Loughnan's surname: Greg Borschmann has "Loughan",[10] Tony Catterall has "Loughlan",[18] and Vernon Joynson has "Loughman".[19]
  2. ^ Young had previously worked with Doyle and Loughnan in The Soulmates in 1967.[44]
  3. ^ The Reefer Cabaret was a regular concert event held at various community halls in Melbourne (from August 1974 to 1976) including Dallas Brooks Hall, East Melbourne and Ormond Hall, Prahran.[49] According to Kimball some venue operators had "qualms about the moral dangers of loud music and dope-smoking."[49]
  4. ^ Examples of public broadcasting FM stations: 2MBS, 3MBS, 4ZZZ.[80][81] The first commercial FM radio stations began in 1980.[81]
  5. ^ According to Tony Catterall, Cashbox reported: "People knew they were witnessing more than just another rock and roll band. Those vocals were classic for the genre and you just knew there was more than a dash of jazz in their influences. They could boogie with the best of them but it was boogie with substance and dimension. It was something different and something beautiful."[84]
  6. ^ Full text: Interesting set in a kind of jazz rock vein, with side one featuring shorter cuts heavy on the vocals and side two serving up three long, primarily instrumental, jazz-oriented cuts. Excellent sax work throughout and top-notch lead guitar and drum work. A&M has done quite well with this kind of material in the past, with Tim Weisberg being one notable example. Set should receive FM play, and also receive some progressive jazz airing.

References Edit

General

  • Kimball, Duncan. "MilesAgo – Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975". ICE Productions. Archived from the original on 6 March 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  • McFarlane, Ian (1999). . Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 5 April 2004. Retrieved 31 July 2012. Note: Archived [on-line] copy has limited functionality.
  • Spencer, Chris; Nowara, Zbig; McHenry, Paul (2002) [1987]. The Who's Who of Australian Rock. notes by Ed Nimmervoll. Noble Park, Victoria: Five Mile Press. ISBN 1-86503-891-1.[88] Note: [on-line] version of The Who's Who of Australian Rock was established at White Room Electronic Publishing in 2007 and was expanded from the 2002 edition. As from, September 2010 the [on-line] version shows an 'Internal Service Error' and was no longer available.

Specific

  1. ^ a b "New Year's Honors List". RAM. Sydney: Soundtracks Publishing (Anthony O'Grady, Phillip Mason). 16 January 1976. p. 12.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Kimball, Duncan. "Ayers Rock". MilesAgo: Australasian Music & Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ray Burton (contributor), Col Loughnan (contributor). ICE productions. from the original on 21 April 2003. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v McFarlane, entry. Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  4. ^ a b c Kimball, "Australasian Popular Music of the 1960s and 1970s – an Overview". Archived from the original on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d e Kent, David Martin (September 2002). (PDF) (MA). Canberra: University of Canberra. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 September 2015. Note: This PDF is 282 pages.
  6. ^ Kimball (2006). "Blackfeather". Archived from the original on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  7. ^ Kimball; Fettes, Mick; McKenna Kerry (2006). "Madder Lake". Archived from the original on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
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  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Nimmervoll, Ed, ed. (4 June 1975). "Export Big Red Rock". Juke Magazine. Melbourne: Williams, Thomas W. p. 21.
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  29. ^ a b c Eliezer, Christie (14 February 1998). "Michael Gudinski Interview". Billboard. p. 50. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
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  32. ^ "Living in the 70's – Skyhooks | Releases". AllMusic. from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  33. ^ Warner, Dave (1998). 25 years of Mushroom Records. Sydney: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-7322-6432-4.
  34. ^ Baker, Glenn A (30 January 1982). "Bursting into world mainstream captures mogul's imagination". Billboard. pp. M-9, M-12. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
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  36. ^ "AC/DC". Only Melbourne. Ripefruit Media. from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
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  38. ^ Shipway, Gary (6 November 1975). "Ayers Rock off to U.S. again". The News. Adelaide. p. 57.
  39. ^ a b Kelton, Greg (25 March 1976). "'Beyond' Rock's breaking point". The Advertiser. Adelaide. p. 26.
  40. ^ Logan, Sandi (7 August 1975). "Crowds high on Ayers Rock". The Sun. Sydney. p. 48.
  41. ^ "My Father's Place [advertisement]". The Village Voice. New York. 1 September 1975. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  42. ^ a b c d Thomas, Helen (23 March 1976). "The (60) grand dream to reach the top". The Age. Melbourne. p. 2. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  43. ^ a b c Bowring, Pat (18 October 1975). "It's sad, but true, says Duncan". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne. p. 6.
  44. ^ Hayton, Jon; Isackson, Leon (2010). Behind the Rock and Beyond. Glen Waverley: Sid Harta. ISBN 978-1-921642-28-9.
  45. ^ a b c Beyond (LP record notes). Ayers Rock. A&M Records. April 1976. ASIN B00412FIUK.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  46. ^ a b c d e f Gardiner, Paul (20 November 1975). "Performance". Rolling Stone. Sydney. p. 53. Note: Review of a concert performed on 19 October 1975.
  47. ^ Nimmervoll, Ed, ed. (5 November 1975). "Welcome back Ayers Rock". Juke Magazine. Melbourne. p. 5.
  48. ^ Bowring, Pat (22 October 1975). "Tight and good". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne. p. 6.
  49. ^ a b Kimball (2006). "Reefer Cabaret". Archived from the original on 15 March 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  50. ^ Greaves, Rob (10 January 2015). "Socially Aware – Cream of The Crate: Album #115 – A Reefer Derci: Various Artists". The Toorak Times. Toorak Metropolitan News. from the original on 19 March 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  51. ^ "Glittering Marcia Shines". The Australian Women's Weekly. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 3 November 1976. p. 88. from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  52. ^ "The Rolling Stones : Australian tour 1973 / design/illustration: Ian McCausland". Catalogue. Canberra: National Library of Australia. from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  53. ^ a b . Australian Stories. Canberra: Big Black Dog Communications. Government of Australia. 31 March 2015. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  54. ^ Knight, S (1996). Our Land Our Life. Canberra: Office of Public Affairs, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC). from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  55. ^ a b "Ayers Rock splits up". The Age. Melbourne. 26 August 1976. p. 2. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  56. ^ a b Hotspell (LP record notes). Ayers Rock. Red Rock Records. May 1980. RRM 6321.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  57. ^ Burt, Jillian (11 March 1978). Nimmervoll, Ed (ed.). "Ayers Rock, Skyhooks, Mondo Rock". Juke Magazine. Melbourne: David Syme and Co. p. 16.
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    • Tommy Emmanuel: Holmgren, Magnus; Carruthers, Melody. "Tommy Emmanuel". passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Retrieved 28 October 2016.
    • Brian Cadd: Holmgren, Magnus. . passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
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External links Edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ayers Rock (band).
  • Ray Burton's official website 17 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  • Col Loughnan's official website
  • Ayers Rock at Allmusic.com
  • Ayers Rock discography at Discogs

October 24, 2023
ayers, rock, band, ayers, rock, were, australian, rock, band, which, formed, august, 1973, burton, guitar, vocals, mark, kennedy, drums, duncan, mcguire, bass, members, castro, friends, left, form, eponymous, trio, burton, mcguire, kennedy, they, added, guitar. Ayers Rock were an Australian rock band which formed in August 1973 Ray Burton guitar and vocals Mark Kennedy drums and Duncan McGuire bass members of Leo de Castro and Friends left to form the eponymous trio of Burton McGuire amp Kennedy They added a guitarist Jimmy Doyle changed their name to Ayers Rock and invited Col Loughnan saxophones and flutes to join The group signed with independent label Mushroom Records in December 1973 Burton left the following March and was replaced by Chris Brown guitar vocals With live appearances coverage in print media and word of mouth the group had a high national profile despite little radio airplay and journalists praised their musicianship music and live energy Ayers RockAyers Rock performing at the Australian Concert for Bangladesh April 1975 L to R Chris Brown Duncan McGuire Mark Kennedy Jimmy Doyle and Col Loughnan Background informationAlso known asBurton McGuire amp KennedyOriginMelbourne Victoria AustraliaGenresJazz fusion progressive rockYears active1973 1973 1981 1981 LabelsMushroom Festival A amp M RCA Red RockPast membersRay Burton Mark Kennedy Duncan McGuire Jimmy Doyle Col Loughnan Phil Stone Chris Brown Les Young Doug Gallacher Russell Dunlop Joe Tattersall Keith Caisey John Young Andy Cowan Steve Hogg Hamish StuartThe band s first album Big Red Rock November 1974 received positive reviews and peaked at number 32 on the Australian Kent Music Report album chart It featured mainstream rock and three longer instrumental tracks which introduced progressive styles including jazz fusion Label owner Michael Gudinski promoted Ayers Rock in Los Angeles and they signed with A amp M Records the first Mushroom Records artists to sign with an international label The United States release of Big Red Rock in February 1975 was followed by a tour there later that year The band played to large crowds supporting major international artists including Bachman Turner Overdrive before 35 000 people the first Australian band to perform in large US stadiums Ayers Rock were named 1975 Musicians of the Year on RAM s New Year s Honors List 1 Kennedy left before their second album Beyond April 1976 recorded at the Record Plant in Los Angeles was released The album blended a number of music genres and had a positive critical reception charting at number 50 The band toured the US again Loughnan remained there and Ayers Rock temporarily broke up in August 1976 A year later Doyle and Brown recruited members for a new lineup including Andy Cowan keyboards and vocals and Hamish Stuart drums In 1980 they released their third album Hotspell on their own Red Rock Records label This album had a soft rock style with sophisticated arrangements and featured keyboards It failed to chart and the group permanently disbanded in 1981 Although Ayers Rock s first two albums were successful in Australia none of their six singles charted During their early years from 1973 to 1976 the group were praised by local media for their music stylistic diversity use of technology and the energy of their live performances Ayers Rock received positive reviews in Billboard and Cashbox Late 1990s music historians recognised the band s talent but considered their music over indulgent at times failing to bridge the gap between artistic and commercial success Duncan Kimball of Milesago com wrote that they never really got the chance to reach their full potential 2 Contents 1 Australian music scene 2 History 2 1 1973 Formation 2 2 1974 75 Big Red Rock 2 3 1975 76 Beyond 2 4 1977 81 Hotspell 3 Other projects 4 Musicianship 4 1 Genres 4 2 Airplay 4 3 Live performance 5 Critical reception 5 1 Contemporary 1973 to 1981 5 2 Later 1999 to present 6 Members 7 Discography 7 1 Albums 7 2 Singles 7 3 Other appearances 8 Notes 9 References 10 External linksAustralian music scene Edit nbsp Jimmy Doyle founding mainstay guitarist of Ayers Rock 1981 Ayers Rock were formed in the Australian pop music scene of the early 1970s 3 4 5 which included artists in a number of genres mainstream pop Zoot and Liv Maessen blues rock Chain heavy rock Billy Thorpe amp the Aztecs and boogie Carson 4 5 Bands such as Blackfeather 6 and Madder Lake combined mainstream and progressive rock 7 Most pop and rock listeners had never heard jazz fusion 8 when Ayers Rock incorporated the music into their sets it was rarely performed by fellow Australian artists 9 10 At that time the Australian music media expressed frustration that few local musicians were successful overseas 5 Many artists such as The Twilights 11 The Masters Apprentices 12 The Groop 13 and Axiom had gone to the United Kingdom with little commercial success 5 14 and music papers such as Go Set regularly addressed the situation 5 The third wave of Australian rock from 1970 to 1975 saw an increase in pub rock venues in the southern and eastern states 4 History Edit1973 Formation Edit nbsp Mark Kennedy of Ayers Rock 1973 76 during a recording session at the Record Plant L A in September 1975 Ayers Rock formed in Melbourne in August 1973 2 3 Ray Burton Mark Kennedy and Duncan McGuire members of Leo de Castro and Friends 2 left in June to form the eponymous trio of Burton McGuire amp Kennedy 3 Burton had played guitar with the Dave Bridge Quartet the Delltones and the Executives 3 and co wrote I Am Woman May 1972 in the United States with Australian singer Helen Reddy 2 15 McGuire on bass was a recording engineer producer and a member of Australian groups since the late 1950s including the Phantoms the Epics the Questions which later became Doug Parkinson in Focus see Doug Parkinson and King Harvest 2 Kennedy on drums had played in Spectrum Doug Parkinson in Focus King Harvest and Leo de Castro and Friends 2 3 16 Burton McGuire amp Kennedy were joined in August 1973 by Jimmy Doyle on guitar Doyle had worked for the Delltones and Dig Richards was musical director for pianist Winifred Atwell on her Australian tours and was a session player in Sydney on Neil Sedaka s 1969 album Workin on a Groovy Thing 3 In September 1973 Burton McGuire amp Kennedy changed their name to Ayers Rock 2 using the European name for the sandstone rock formation sacred to local indigenous Australians The group were nicknamed the Rock by the Australian press 17 Since 1993 the sandstone monolith has been called by its Pitjantjatjaran name Uluru nbsp Duncan McGuire left and Chris Brown at the Record Plant L A in September 1975 Doyle had worked sporadically for several years with multi instrumentalist and arranger Col Loughnan nb 1 8 who joined London based blues pop group Kala in late 1972 20 Doyle invited his former bandmate to join in October 1973 21 With Ayers Rock Loughnan played saxophones flute and electric piano 19 He had begun his career as lead vocalist for the Crescents in 1958 joining the Delltones in 1962 3 Loughnan diversified into arranging and playing jazz tenor saxophone with the Daly Wilson Big Band 8 By December 1973 Ayers Rock had signed with Mushroom Records 2 which released their first single Rock n Roll Fight Going On one of the label s early records 3 Mushroom Records co owner Michael Gudinski became their manager In January 1974 Ayers Rock performed at the Sunbury Pop Festival and Morning Magic written by Burton 22 appeared on the live album Highlights of Sunbury 74 Part 2 released by Mushroom Records later that year 2 23 In March Burton returned to the US and was replaced on guitar and lead vocals by Chris Brown formerly of Python Lee Jackson 3 Loughnan and Brown had played together in London as members of Kala 20 21 The band traced their origins to rock or pop bands from Sydney except for Kennedy who was from Melbourne 1974 75 Big Red Rock Edit nbsp Music from Big Red Rock Lady Montego 1974 written by Duncan McGuire source source 20 second sample of the vocal Problems playing this file See media help In 1974 Ayers Rock began recording their debut album Big Red Rock at Festival Records 24 track studio in Sydney They were dissatisfied with the sound which failed to capture their music s live essence 24 and recorded it live in the studio at Armstrong s in Melbourne that September Kennedy told Margaret MacIntyre of Rolling Stone Australia Doing the album live was an experiment really and it seemed to work 24 Big Red Rock released in November peaked at number 32 on the Kent Music Report album chart 25 26 The album had a more jazz rock edge and its single Lady Montego written by McGuire 3 was a new version of a song originally performed by Leo de Castro and Friends 2 22 According to Juke Magazine the single lifted to push the album Lady Montego received three weeks airplay and was then dumped 9 Lady Montego was Ayers Rock s most aired single in Australia and Kennedy said Without AM radio support you can t sell too well in this country 9 Juke called their songs lyrically banal but said the group compensated with sheer talent instrumentally and electronically 9 nbsp Col Loughnan of Ayers Rock 1973 76 partly obscured by his saxophones tenor at left soprano in late 1974 He plays a tambourine whilst seated A song from Ayers Rock s live set was a cover of Boogie Woogie Waltz written by Joe Zawinul of Weather Report for the US group s album Sweetnighter April 1973 27 In November 1974 Loughnan temporarily stopped performing live due to back pain and the band continued with four members 24 He returned after surgery and contemporary photos and video show him playing sitting down during his convalescence Manager and label owner Gudinski visited the US in December 1974 to promote his recording artists including Skyhooks Daddy Cool and Madder Lake to major labels there 8 At that time only Ayers Rock were successful with Gudinski signing them to A amp M Records within days 28 29 He told Tony Wilson of The Sun Jerry Moss the president of A amp M Records USA flipped when he heard it so A amp M will release it Big Red Rock world wide 30 This was a surprise to the Australian media since many other artists were more commercially successful locally than Ayers Rock Skyhooks were Australia s most popular band their first album Living in the 70 s released in October 1974 sold 226 000 units 31 the best selling album by a local artist in Australia to date However Living in the 70 s was rejected by A amp M and not released outside Australia 32 Ayers Rock were the first Mushroom Records artists to sign a recording contract with an international label 28 33 34 From the mid 1970s and into the 1990s Mushroom were successful with many other artists including Split Enz Kylie Minogue and Yothu Yindi turning the label into Australia s largest independent record company 35 In January 1975 the group performed at the fourth Sunbury Pop Festival and Big Red Rock and Lady Montego were released in the US on 28 February 28 On 20 April they performed at a benefit concert for Bangladesh at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl with the La De Das Jim Keays AC DC Phil Manning Daddy Cool Toulouse amp Too Tight the Dingoes and the Moir Sisters 36 From July to September they promoted Big Red Rock in the US and Vancouver 37 The band played to an audience of 35 000 38 39 at a stadium concert in Seattle supporting Bachman Turner Overdrive on 27 July 37 and opened for Status Quo the J Geils Band 37 40 Lynyrd Skynyrd and Nils Lofgren 41 According to Australian rock music historian Ian McFarlane Ayers Rock was the first Australian band to play to massive crowds on the USA touring circuit 3 years before fellow Australians the Little River Band AC DC and Air Supply made their first US tours 3 1975 76 Beyond Edit At the end of their US tour in September 1975 Ayers Rock recorded their second album Beyond at the Record Plant in Los Angeles The album produced by the group and John Stronach 42 received a 60 000 advance from A amp M Records 42 On 18 October The Sun reported that McGuire had left the band 43 At a reception when Ayers Rock returned to Australia he said The pressure of the tour was just too much We were on the road all the time and I guess I wasn t as strong as the rest of the band When we got into the studio I had the shakes I mean I was playing the right notes but not in the right places 43 To finish the album McGuire s friend Les Young nb 2 played some of the bass guitar parts and American Jeff Castleman played bass on Catchanemu 43 45 Young also briefly played live with Ayers Rock in Australia including an October 1975 show at the State Theatre in Sydney 46 McGuire returned to the group at the Dallas Brooks Hall on 21 October 1975 to warm applause 47 48 nbsp Cover of the US version of Beyond April 1976 shows an outback scene when upright and the head of an Australian aboriginal man when the cover is rotated 90 to the right cover design by Ian McCausland In late November Ayers Rock appeared at the final Reefer Cabaret event at Ormond Hall in Prahran nb 3 The performance was recorded for a double album A Reefer Derci 1976 19 50 In January 1976 Rock Australia Magazine named Ayers Rock Musicians of the Year for 1975 in their New Year s Honours List 1 Kennedy left to join Marcia Hines backing band in February 1976 2 and they reportedly married late in the decade 16 51 In Ayers Rock Kennedy was temporarily replaced by Doug Gallacher 3 In April 1976 Beyond was released in Australia and the US making the Kent Music Report top 50 25 26 Two singles from the album were released Little Kings October 1975 and Song for Darwin May 1976 but neither charted 3 25 26 The US cover for Beyond features a rock in the distance which becomes the face of an Aboriginal man with eyes closed when the cover is rotated 90 to the right Artist and Mushroom Records art director Ian McCausland 45 also designed The Rolling Stones 1973 Australian tour poster 52 The album cover illustrates a central principle of Aboriginal spirituality the deep connection between the land and the Aboriginal peoples 53 In an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission publication Our Land Our Life S Knight described the Aboriginal position We don t own the land the land owns us The land is my mother my mother is the land Land is the starting point to where it all began 54 According to the Australian government webpage The Dreaming Once the ancestor spirits had created the world they changed into trees the stars rocks watering holes or other objects These are sacred places of Aboriginal culture 53 In May 1976 Gallacher was replaced by Russell Dunlop formerly of Aesop s Fables Levi Smith s Clefs SCRA Mother Earth and the Johnny Rocco Band 3 In an interview with Greg Kelton of The Advertiser Loughnan outlined the band s future If Beyond doesn t make it for us in the States we might as well forget all about Ayers Rock 39 From May to July they toured the US again only achiev ing limited success overseas 3 After the tour Dunlop and Loughnan left and on 25 August Mushroom Records announced that Ayers Rock had broken up after Loughnan decided to remain in the US to study 55 Brown Doyle and McGuire indicated that they would revive the group with new members 3 55 1977 81 Hotspell Edit nbsp 1980 line up Clockwise from left Andy Cowan Steve Hogg Keith Caisey Jimmy Doyle Chris Brown Hamish Stuart In 1977 Brown and Doyle re formed Ayers Rock with Bermuda born Keith Caisey on percussion Joe Tattersall formerly of Healing Force and the Barry Leef Band on drums and John Young formerly of Leo de Castro s eponymous group on bass guitar By 1978 Brown Caisey and Doyle were joined by Andy Cowan formerly of Madder Lake on keyboards and vocals Steve Hogg formerly of Bakery on bass guitar and Hamish Stuart on drums 3 In March 1980 the band released another single On the Avenue followed in May by their third LP Hotspell on their own Red Rock Records distributed by RCA Records Recorded at the Music Farm in Byron Bay it was engineered by former member Duncan McGuire 56 In The Canberra Times Luis Feliu noted the new sounding Ayers Rock and their laid back style 17 There had been a major change in songwriting with Brown contributing less wrote one and co wrote one with Doyle Cowan was the most active writing five tracks and Stuart and Doyle co wrote two 2 Doyle with no writing credits on previous albums wrote On the Road which was included in the band s live sets from 1978 Jillian Burt of Juke Magazine described it as reminiscent of the cool calm collectedness that typifies Steely Dan 57 Hotspell featured soft rock songs with sophisticated keyboard centred arrangements 56 nbsp Samples from Hotspell On the Road written by Jimmy Doyle source source On the Avenue written by Andy Cowan source source Problems playing these files See media help According to Feliu s review of the album and a July 1980 performance in Sydney Ayers Rock were once Australia s hottest progressive rock group 17 Feliu wrote that most of the audience seemed to appreciate the band s new direction the capacity audience showed hearty approval probably old allegiance and only a few comments of dissatisfaction like boring were heard then that was at the bar up the back 17 Hotspell did not reach the Kent Music Report album top 100 and has not been released on CD In July 1981 the group released a final single Lies before disbanding later that year 2 Other projects Edit nbsp Hamish Stuart on drums 1978 81 performing in 1981 In late 1974 Ayers Rock members Brown McGuire Kennedy and Loughnan 58 played on several tracks of Jim Keays debut solo album The Boy from the Stars 59 60 At the January 1975 Sunbury Pop Festival Keays performed most of the album live with three Ayers Rock members Brown McGuire and Kennedy joining the ensemble to record Nothing Much Left and Urantia 59 60 Returning to the US Burton was a session player for Billy Joel and Jimmy Webb and wrote Best Friend for the film Airport 1975 1974 61 In 1976 he formed the Ray Burton Band with Rex Bullen Terry Gascoine Steve Hogg and Tim Piper 62 From 1977 to 1980 McGuire was bass guitarist for the Southern Star Band with Doug Parkinson on vocals Tommy Emmanuel on guitar and Kennedy on drums 62 63 In 1978 Burton released a solo album Dreamers and Nightflyers which spawned the singles Too Hard to Handle and Paddington Green After touring with Crossfire in 1979 he returned to the US as a songwriter 61 62 nbsp Chris Brown of Ayers Rock 1974 81 playing bass guitar 1981 Brown usually provided lead guitar and vocals Cowan was later a member of Kevin Borich Express Ian Moss Band and Renee Geyer Band before pursuing a solo music career 64 Georgie Fame s album No Worries 1988 included Ayers Rock alumni Loughnan Doyle and Dunlop 65 McGuire died in July 1989 of a brain tumour 3 During the late 1980s Hogg formed The Rhythm Snakes with Clayton Black on drums Howie Smallman on harmonica and Bob Thorne on guitar 66 In 1989 Hogg assembled a studio band to record a solo album with Thorne Mark Alderman on harmonica Ian Ironside on drums Bob Patient on piano and Bernie Payne on saxophone 66 Steve Hogg died on 20 July 1990 and his album Various Fools amp Vices was released in 1992 66 In 1993 Kennedy drummed for The Blazing Salads with Brian Cadd Glenn Shorrock Rex Goh and Kirk Lorange 62 Hamish Stuart played drums on Chris Abrahams and Melanie Oxley s 1998 album Jerusalem Bay 67 Doyle died on 5 May 2006 2 and on 28 May the Jim Doyle Tribute Concert was played at the Basement in Sydney Musicians included Renee Geyer Billy Field bandmate Loughnan and Barry Leef with proceeds benefiting Doyle s family 68 Dunlop died on 16 May 2009 he had collapsed after drumming at his son s wedding in Sydney 69 70 As of 2015 Loughnan is a lecturer in jazz saxophone at the University of Sydney s Conservatorium of Music and has been a member of its Jazz Faculty since 1978 71 In 2007 he released a solo album Ellen St 71 Musicianship EditGenres Edit Although Ayers Rock s music is described as jazz rock 3 this is a simplification In the 2011 radio documentary Rare Collections presented by David and Jordie Kilby on Jazz Rock in Australia for 666 ABC Canberra Loughnan described other Mushroom Records artists as playing pop rock styles and Ayers Rock playing some jazz We were a bit of both 8 Critics called Big Red Rock s side one its song side and side two its jazz side 72 73 Lady Montego Talkin Bout You Goin Home and Nostalgic Blues are rock songs 9 the first three were written by McGuire and the fourth by Brown 22 nbsp Spoken word introduction from Big Red Rock Crazy Boys 1974 source source Introduction to Crazy Boys live in the studio Problems playing this file See media help Loughnan s Crazy Boys 22 highlighted the band s larrikin side with working class men talking at a hamburger shop each used local slang or spoke in a stereotypical ethnic accent poking fun at Australians from a variety of backgrounds At one point Hey listen mate give me one Gudinskiburger please hold the bacon please is heard 2 Michael Gudinski whose parents are Jewish immigrants does not eat pork and went along with the joke Another voice mentions Dr Hopontopovus the Greek gynaecologist 2 More slang is heard later in the track including Who yer sayin that to yer drongo Although Crazy Boys has two lines of lyrics most of the track is instrumental Described by a Juke Magazine reviewer as free form jazz 9 it features solos by Brown Doyle and Loughnan and heavily processed guitars electric saxophone and vocals Asked about the group s use of electronics by Eloe Fanouche of RAM Loughnan answered You ve got to be able to use them well in order to sound good We use them to colour the sounds as much as possible 21 nbsp Music from Big Red Rock Big Red Rock title track 1974 written by Col Loughnan source source Soundscape early in the track evoking the spirituality of the sacred aboriginal place known as Uluru Problems playing this file See media help The title track Loughnan s Big Red Rock 22 is an eight and a half minute instrumental described by Juke Magazine as expertly capturing the stark loneliness and cosmic tranquility one gets standing before their namesake rock 9 According to Loughnan the atmosphere they wanted to create was that spacey sort of feeling like desert and we wanted to get the sound of the didgeridoo which we did electronically 21 Doyle imitated a didgeridoo by playing guitar with a wah wah pedal Tony Catterall of The Canberra Times praised Big Red Rock saying that it suggests the huge expanse of the outback then takes you to the Aboriginal secrets and evokes the power surrounding the area of Uluru in a burst of truly inspired musicianship 18 Gil Wahlquist of The Sydney Morning Herald called the album heavily accented towards jazz 72 It has changing moods with quiet moments which are eerie euphonic and evocative 74 Aboriginal clapsticks and the imitation didgeridoo allude to the indigenous character of Uluru and the surrounding area Another section is double tempo jazz fusion with guitar and saxophone solos complemented by a rhythm section driving to a crescendo The section concludes with a rapid rallentando slowing of tempo to another gentle phase Changes in tempo and volume are heard throughout the title track 75 in contrast to disco featuring one tempo and volume which was becoming more popular nbsp Music from Beyond 1976 s Moondah beyond written by Col Loughnan source source Illustrates the change from Australian indigenous sound in one section to a European sound in the next Problems playing this file See media help Like Big Red Rock the vastness of rural and outback landscapes were reflected in the artwork and music of Beyond According to a review by Forester in The Age the band and album have titles to suggest space time and distance and some tracks had an indigenous appeal 76 The lead track s title Moondah translates into English as beyond 77 In April 1976 Loughnan who wrote the song 22 said in a TV Times interview The aborigines have had a raw deal in the past The song expresses the hope that they get better treatment in the future 77 Moondah beyond begins with clapsticks 78 log drum imitation didgeridoo 21 and sounds evocative of indigenous singing nbsp Manuscript of the violin part of Angel in Disguise from BeyondThis combination creates sounds similar to indigenous Australian music which later segues into a European style before returning to its original theme 77 78 The overall effect is a fusion of indigenous Australian music rock and improvisational jazz by European Australians 76 before indigenous rock artists Yothu Yindi and No Fixed Address created their own fusions of indigenous and rock music Beyond featured a 23 piece string section 42 arranged and conducted by Loughnan 45 on Place to Go Song for Darwin and Angel in Disguise Loughnan had originally written Angel in Disguise 22 years before for his wife expanding it into an instrumental 8 According to Derek Johnson s RAM review The violin tones and guitar sounds are particularly well produced dissolving into each other one moment separating and circling around each other the next 79 Airplay Edit Ayers Rock s treatment by Australian radio stations during the 1970s was related to the popularity of AM Unlike the US which had a vibrant FM radio scene in 1976 Australia only had ABC FM and a few community FM stations nb 4 which primarily played classical music Commercial AM stations playing pop and rock music dominated the local airwaves 80 The group established their reputation with live performances exposure in print media and word of mouth with minimal Australian radio promotion 9 82 Kennedy told a Juke interviewer Radio airplay has never happened for us here except 2JJ and the occasional Album Shows 9 Australian Broadcasting Corporation ABC youth oriented AM radio station 2JJ was limited to Sydney during the 1970s with poor reception in some areas 80 83 The US attitude toward the band s music was different according to Greg Kelton of The Advertiser Beyond had been played by about 50 radio stations in the U S It is being played on two stations in Australia said Jimmy Doyle 82 Live performance Edit Ayers Rock began incorporating rock jazz fusion into their sets increasing the jazz aspect of their music In his review of a concert on 19 October 1975 Paul Gardiner wrote for Rolling Stone Big Red Rock was still tied quite closely to existing American styles 46 According to Gardiner at the State Theatre evidence of jazz rock came through loud and clear 46 This was their first major Australian concert after their first US tour and recording sessions 46 The group were fundamentally a high volume rock band In the smoke filled bar of Martinis in Carlton Juke Magazine collected a vox populi of the packed to the rafters audience One person said I don t mind a bit of volume with my improvisation but this is so goddamn heavy 9 Gardiner s review described the group s live show The band have cut their teeth on pure rock and roll and have as of Ayers Rock moved on to what amounts to a rock jazz fusion The inversion of the term is becoming important unlike the bands to which they are compared in America which have all lived and breathed jazz in its purer more traditional forms the Rock is made up of rock musicians 46 In a Rolling Stone interview by Margaret MacIntyre Kennedy explained Ayers Rock was getting a live response that to speak for myself I hadn t seen happen with a crowd for a long time 24 In the same interview Doyle described the key to their success This band is going somewhere it s not the same thing every night unlike many bands the arrangements change 24 Reviewers were enthusiastic about the band s performances according to Gardiner The impression they now generate on stage is one of total energy energy which sets them apart 46 Juke Magazine called them a band that could reward its audiences with the sheer exhilaration of seeing real master musicians taking their audiences to virgin territory that other explorers had only dreamed about 9 Eloe Fanouche of RAM focussed on another aspect Unlike many groups they were able to capture the ethereal quality of their recorded sound on stage On being asked how live gigs compared to studio work they all declared that the straight atmosphere of the studio was too clinical 21 Critical reception EditContemporary 1973 to 1981 Edit nbsp Uluru then known as Ayers Rock by non indigenous Australians provided the band s name Big Red Rock received positive reviews in Australia and the US The Canberra Times quoted a Cashbox review praising their music nb 5 which ended It was something different and something beautiful 84 Billboard magazine gave the album a good review saying that it featured excellent sax work throughout and top notch lead guitar and drum work 73 nb 6 Australian reviewers called the album an extremely good record well worth owning 74 a classic record in Australian rock 85 and an inspiring success 72 Critical response to their second album Beyond was generally positive Sean Hanrahan wrote for the Melbourne Sunday Press Beyond to me stands as something of a crowning achievement for a band that has already been described as the high water mark in Australian rock 86 According to Pat Bowring of the Melbourne Sun it is one of the best records from an Australian band and better than Big Red Rock 87 The band emphasised that their music was essentially Australian despite being recorded in Los Angeles 42 and critics noted their music s Australian character 21 72 86 Tony Catterall of The Canberra Times wrote that the group has absorbed its influences so well that they re almost unrecognisable in the final product And into this synthesis the band has infused some things peculiarly Australian 18 Later 1999 to present Edit In February 1998 Billboard s Christie Eliezer interviewed Gudinski he recalled that signing Ayers Rock had allowed the band to tour the US and record their second album there 29 He explained that they were a fantastic jazz fusion band a real muso s band but ultimately they didn t have that something unique to cross over 29 In his 1999 encyclopaedia Dreams Fantasies and Nightmares From Far Away Lands American author Vernon Joynson called Big Red Rock an excellent example of jazz rock fusion Australian style The musicianship is of high quality although it tends to become a little over indulgent in places According to Joynson the album had radio friendly material and three tracks filled with fine virtuoso guitar and saxophone 19 but despite being quite a popular live act Ayers Rock s recordings were hampered by a dilemma over whether to opt for a more serious pursuit of expanding the horizons or for a commercial sound 19 On MilesAgo com in 2006 Duncan Kimball wrote The group s relatively short lifespan and small catalogue meant that they never really got the chance to reach their full potential 2 According to Ian McFarlane in his 1999 Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop the members of Ayers Rock were seen as musician s musicians The band issued a series of technically proficient recordings but in the long run any quest for commercial acceptance was marred by the seriousness of the music 3 In December 2011 Jordie Kilby called Big Red Rock a great record quite an influential album now one that s held in quite high regard 8 Members EditRay Burton guitar vocals 1973 74 Mark Kennedy drums 1973 76 Duncan McGuire bass guitar 1973 76 died 1989 Jimmy Doyle guitar vocals 1973 81 died 2006 Col Loughnan saxophones flute piano percussion vocals 1973 76 Phil Stone guitar 1974 Chris Brown guitar vocals 1974 81 Les Young bass guitar 1975 Doug Gallacher drums 1976 Russell Dunlop drums 1976 died 2009 Joe Tattersall drums 1977 Keith Caisey percussion 1977 81 John Young bass guitar 1977 78 Andy Cowan keyboards 1978 81 Steve Hogg bass guitar 1978 81 died 1990 Hamish Stuart drums 1978 81 2 3 19 Discography EditAlbums Edit Title Album details Peak chart positionsAUS 25 26 Big Red Rock Released November 1974 Label Mushroom Records L 35354 32Beyond Released February 1976 Label Mushroom Records L 35707 50Hotspell Released May 1980 Label Red Rock RCA Records RRM 6321 Singles Edit Rock n Roll Fight December 1973 Lady Montego November 1974 Little Kings October 1975 Song for Darwin May 1976 On the Avenue 1979 Lies July 1981 Other appearances Edit Morning Magic live on Highlights of Sunbury 74 Part 2 Mushroom Records L 25123 1974 Gimme Shelter live Boogie Woogie Waltz live on A Reefer Derci Mushroom Records L 45657 8 1976 Notes Edit Various sources misspell Colin Loughnan s surname Greg Borschmann has Loughan 10 Tony Catterall has Loughlan 18 and Vernon Joynson has Loughman 19 Young had previously worked with Doyle and Loughnan in The Soulmates in 1967 44 The Reefer Cabaret was a regular concert event held at various community halls in Melbourne from August 1974 to 1976 including Dallas Brooks Hall East Melbourne and Ormond Hall Prahran 49 According to Kimball some venue operators had qualms about the moral dangers of loud music and dope smoking 49 Examples of public broadcasting FM stations 2MBS 3MBS 4ZZZ 80 81 The first commercial FM radio stations began in 1980 81 According to Tony Catterall Cashbox reported People knew they were witnessing more than just another rock and roll band Those vocals were classic for the genre and you just knew there was more than a dash of jazz in their influences They could boogie with the best of them but it was boogie with substance and dimension It was something different and something beautiful 84 Full text Interesting set in a kind of jazz rock vein with side one featuring shorter cuts heavy on the vocals and side two serving up three long primarily instrumental jazz oriented cuts Excellent sax work throughout and top notch lead guitar and drum work A amp M has done quite well with this kind of material in the past with Tim Weisberg being one notable example Set should receive FM play and also receive some progressive jazz airing References EditGeneral Kimball Duncan MilesAgo Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964 1975 ICE Productions Archived from the original on 6 March 2008 Retrieved 19 May 2015 McFarlane Ian 1999 Whammo Homepage Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop St Leonards New South Wales Allen amp Unwin ISBN 1 86508 072 1 Archived from the original on 5 April 2004 Retrieved 31 July 2012 Note Archived on line copy has limited functionality Spencer Chris Nowara Zbig McHenry Paul 2002 1987 The Who s Who of Australian Rock notes by Ed Nimmervoll Noble Park Victoria Five Mile Press ISBN 1 86503 891 1 88 Note on line version of The Who s Who of Australian Rock was established at White Room Electronic Publishing in 2007 and was expanded from the 2002 edition As from September 2010 the on line version shows an Internal Service Error and was no longer available Specific a b New Year s Honors List RAM Sydney Soundtracks Publishing Anthony O Grady Phillip Mason 16 January 1976 p 12 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Kimball Duncan Ayers Rock MilesAgo Australasian Music amp Popular Culture 1964 1975 Ray Burton contributor Col Loughnan contributor ICE productions Archived from the original on 21 April 2003 Retrieved 17 June 2015 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v McFarlane Ayers Rock entry Archived from the original on 3 August 2004 Retrieved 31 July 2012 a b c Kimball Australasian Popular Music of the 1960s and 1970s an Overview Archived from the original on 7 March 2008 Retrieved 28 October 2016 a b c d e Kent David Martin September 2002 The place ofGo Setin rock and pop music culture in Australia 1966 to 1974 PDF MA Canberra University of Canberra Archived from the original PDF on 4 September 2015 Note This PDF is 282 pages Kimball 2006 Blackfeather Archived from the original on 7 March 2008 Retrieved 22 May 2015 Kimball Fettes Mick McKenna Kerry 2006 Madder Lake Archived from the original on 7 March 2008 Retrieved 22 May 2015 a b c d e f g Kilby David Kilby Jordie 8 December 2011 Rare Collections Jazz Rock in Australia 666 ABC Canberra Australian Broadcasting Corporation ABC Archived from the original on 14 December 2011 Retrieved 22 May 2015 a b c d e f g h i j k Nimmervoll Ed ed 4 June 1975 Export Big Red Rock Juke Magazine Melbourne Williams Thomas W p 21 a b Borschmann Gregg 30 June 1975 Goodbye and hullo The Age Melbourne p 2 Retrieved 12 December 2014 Kimball 2006 The Twilights Archived from the original on 7 March 2008 Retrieved 19 May 2015 McFarlane The Master s Apprentices entry Archived from the original on 18 June 2004 Retrieved 19 May 2015 McFarlane The Groop entry Archived from the original Archived 9 August 2004 at the Wayback Machine on 4 July 2002 Retrieved 19 May 2015 McFarlane Axiom entry Archived from the original Archived 3 August 2004 at the Wayback Machine on 3 August 2004 Retrieved 19 May 2015 I Am Woman at APRA search engine Australasian Performing Right Association APRA Archived from the original on 11 June 2015 Retrieved 22 May 2015 Note User may have to click on Search again and provide details e g at Enter a title I Am Woman or at Performer Helen Reddy Also note that as a songwriter Reddy is given as H Wald her then married name a b 2000 35 1 Costume performance synthetic cloth used by Marcia Hines made by Mark Kennedy Australia 1975 1979 Powerhouse Museum Archived from the original on 4 June 2011 Retrieved 22 May 2015 a b c d Feliu Luis 7 July 1980 Best of both Armatradings The Canberra Times National Library of Australia p 11 Archived from the original on 23 April 2014 Retrieved 22 May 2015 a b c Catterall Tony 6 January 1975 Rock Music Surprisingly Good Australian Rock The Canberra Times National Library of Australia p 11 Archived from the original on 13 April 2014 Retrieved 23 May 2015 a b c d e f Joynson Vernon Wilczek Michael 1999 Ayers Rock Entry ISBN 978 1 899855 10 0 Archived from the original on 4 June 2014 Retrieved 17 August 2014 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help a b McFarlane Phil Jones and the Unknown Blues entry Archived from the original on 28 August 2004 Retrieved 21 May 2015 a b c d e f g Fanouche Eloe 14 June 1975 Ayers Rock big red aura moving overseas RAM Sydney Soundtracks Publishing Anthony O Grady Phillip Mason p 15 a b c d e f g Lady Montego at APRA search engine Australasian Performing Right Association APRA Archived from the original on 11 June 2015 Retrieved 22 May 2015 Note User may have to click on Search again and provide details e g at Enter a title Lady Montego or at Performer Ayers Rock Sunbury Festival Albums Anddum Archived from the original on 21 May 2015 Retrieved 22 May 2015 a b c d e MacIntyre Margaret 3 July 1975 No Stone Unturned The Ayers Rock Dossier Rolling Stone Sydney p 41 a b c d Kent David 1993 Australian Chart Book 1970 1992 St Ives New South Wales Australian Chart Book Ltd ISBN 0 646 11917 6 Note Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1974 until Australian Recording Industry Association ARIA created their own charts in mid 1988 In 1992 Kent back calculated chart positions for 1970 1974 a b c d Ryan bulion Gary 23 August 2012 Albums Pre 1989 Part 2 Ayers Rock Australian Charts Portal Hung Medien Archived from the original on 17 October 2011 Retrieved 22 May 2015 Ginell Richard S Sweetnighter Weather Report AllMusic Archived from the original on 3 June 2012 Retrieved 22 May 2015 a b c Meldrum Ian 11 January 1975 Big Red Rock Shock Listener In TV Melbourne The Herald and Weekly Times p 7 a b c Eliezer Christie 14 February 1998 Michael Gudinski Interview Billboard p 50 Retrieved 22 May 2015 Wilson Tony 1 May 1975 How Mushroom started to grow The Sun News Pictorial Melbourne p 4 McFarlane Skyhooks entry Archived from the original Archived 6 August 2004 at the Wayback Machine on 19 April 2004 Retrieved 19 May 2015 Living in the 70 s Skyhooks Releases AllMusic Archived from the original on 4 November 2016 Retrieved 22 May 2015 Warner Dave 1998 25 years of Mushroom Records Sydney HarperCollins ISBN 0 7322 6432 4 Baker Glenn A 30 January 1982 Bursting into world mainstream captures mogul s imagination Billboard pp M 9 M 12 Retrieved 19 February 2015 McFarlane Independent record labels entry Archived from the original on 28 August 2004 Retrieved 5 March 2016 AC DC Only Melbourne Ripefruit Media Archived from the original on 11 September 2014 Retrieved 7 June 2015 a b c Nimmervoll Ed ed 16 July 1975 Jazz n Jive Juke Magazine Melbourne p 2 Shipway Gary 6 November 1975 Ayers Rock off to U S again The News Adelaide p 57 a b Kelton Greg 25 March 1976 Beyond Rock s breaking point The Advertiser Adelaide p 26 Logan Sandi 7 August 1975 Crowds high on Ayers Rock The Sun Sydney p 48 My Father s Place advertisement The Village Voice New York 1 September 1975 Retrieved 22 May 2015 a b c d Thomas Helen 23 March 1976 The 60 grand dream to reach the top The Age Melbourne p 2 Retrieved 22 May 2015 a b c Bowring Pat 18 October 1975 It s sad but true says Duncan The Sun News Pictorial Melbourne p 6 Hayton Jon Isackson Leon 2010 Behind the Rock and Beyond Glen Waverley Sid Harta ISBN 978 1 921642 28 9 a b c Beyond LP record notes Ayers Rock A amp M Records April 1976 ASIN B00412FIUK a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link a b c d e f Gardiner Paul 20 November 1975 Performance Rolling Stone Sydney p 53 Note Review of a concert performed on 19 October 1975 Nimmervoll Ed ed 5 November 1975 Welcome back Ayers Rock Juke Magazine Melbourne p 5 Bowring Pat 22 October 1975 Tight and good The Sun News Pictorial Melbourne p 6 a b Kimball 2006 Reefer Cabaret Archived from the original on 15 March 2009 Retrieved 1 February 2016 Greaves Rob 10 January 2015 Socially Aware Cream of The Crate Album 115 A Reefer Derci Various Artists The Toorak Times Toorak Metropolitan News Archived from the original on 19 March 2015 Retrieved 23 May 2015 Glittering Marcia Shines The Australian Women s Weekly Sydney National Library of Australia 3 November 1976 p 88 Archived from the original on 22 May 2015 Retrieved 22 May 2015 The Rolling Stones Australian tour 1973 design illustration Ian McCausland Catalogue Canberra National Library of Australia Archived from the original on 29 December 2014 Retrieved 22 May 2015 a b The Dreaming Australian Stories Canberra Big Black Dog Communications Government of Australia 31 March 2015 Archived from the original on 27 February 2012 Retrieved 4 September 2015 Knight S 1996 Our Land Our Life Canberra Office of Public Affairs Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission ATSIC Archived from the original on 27 January 2013 Retrieved 22 May 2015 a b Ayers Rock splits up The Age Melbourne 26 August 1976 p 2 Retrieved 5 December 2014 a b Hotspell LP record notes Ayers Rock Red Rock Records May 1980 RRM 6321 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Burt Jillian 11 March 1978 Nimmervoll Ed ed Ayers Rock Skyhooks Mondo Rock Juke Magazine Melbourne David Syme and Co p 16 McFarlane Ian 1994 Jim Keays Reviews The Boy from the Stars Freedom Train Vol 1 no 1 p 40 Archived from the original on 24 July 2015 Retrieved 22 May 2015 a b The Boy from the Stars Media notes Jim Keays EMI Records 1974 EMA 308 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link a b McFarlane Jim Keays entry Archived from the original on 30 September 2004 Retrieved 1 August 2012 a b McFarlane Ray Burton entry Archived from the original Archived 23 August 2004 at the Wayback Machine on 28 June 2004 Retrieved 1 August 2012 a b c d Entries at Australian Rock Database Rex Bullen Holmgren Magnus Rex Bullen passagen se Australian Rock Database Magnus Holmgren Archived from the original on 22 October 2013 Retrieved 28 October 2016 Tommy Emmanuel Holmgren Magnus Carruthers Melody Tommy Emmanuel passagen se Australian Rock Database Magnus Holmgren Retrieved 28 October 2016 Brian Cadd Holmgren Magnus Brian Cadd passagen se Australian Rock Database Magnus Holmgren Archived from the original on 28 July 2012 Retrieved 28 October 2016 Kimball Parkinson Doug 2006 Doug Parkinson Archived from the original on 7 March 2008 Retrieved 28 May 2015 Levin Darren 27 May 2006 Andy Cowan and Stevie Paige Gig previews amp reviews Music Entertainment The Age Archived from the original on 6 January 2007 Retrieved 21 December 2015 No worries LP record notes Georgie Fame Four Leaf Clover Records 1988 ASIN B0083L40WC a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link a b c McFarlane Bakery entry Archived from the original Archived 20 April 2004 at the Wayback Machine on 20 April 2004 Retrieved 1 August 2012 McFarlane Chris Abrahams entry Archived from the original on 3 August 2004 Retrieved 1 August 2012 Jim Doyle Tribute Concert The Sydney Morning Herald 26 May 2006 Archived from the original on 18 September 2006 Retrieved 23 May 2015 Sheil Pat 19 June 2009 A drummer for all times The Sydney Morning Herald Fairfax Media Archived from the original on 18 June 2022 Retrieved 29 May 2015 Cashmere Paul 7 May 2009 Vale Russell Dunlop and Ian Miller Undercover Undercover Media Paul Cashmere Ros O Gorman Archived from the original on 6 March 2012 Retrieved 29 May 2015 a b Mr Col Loughnan Sydney Conservatorium of Music 23 May 2015 Archived from the original on 10 March 2015 Retrieved 28 October 2016 a b c d Wahlquist Gil 19 January 1975 Big Red Rock The Sun Herald Sydney Retrieved 14 December 2014 a b Billboard s Recommended LPs PDF AmericanRadioHistory com Billboard Publications Inc 12 April 1975 p 86 Archived from the original PDF on 4 September 2015 Retrieved 4 September 2015 a b Suave Leroy aka Brian Wakefield HiFi Rock Record Review Soundblast magazine p 80 Loughnan Col Ayers Rock Big Red Rock Big Red Rock Mushroom Records 1974 LP a b Forester 2 8 April 1976 Ayers Rock shows its solid face The Age TV Radio Guide Melbourne p 5 Retrieved 28 December 2014 a b c Gough Chris 3 April 1976 Ayers Rock leaving on second U S tour soon TV Times Australian Broadcasting Commission p 38 a b Dunlop Don 25 March 1976 Sleeve of the week The Herald Melbourne p 33 Note Dunlop confuses message sticks with clap sticks Johnson Derek 7 May 1976 Records RAM Magazine Melbourne p 29 a b c Kimball 2006 Double Jay The First Twelve Months Archived from the original on 7 March 2008 Retrieved on 19 May 2015 a b Radio in Australia Australian Stories Government of Australia Archived from the original on 27 February 2012 Retrieved 23 May 2015 a b Kelton Greg 24 April 1976 Chip of the Old Rock The Advertiser Adelaide p 3 Ricquish David Radio Power Plays 1975 81 Melbourne Sydney amp Wellington Radio Heritage Foundation Archived from the original on 29 August 2007 Retrieved 23 May 2015 a b Catterall Tony 20 October 1975 Not the Allmans best but it ll do The Canberra Times National Library of Australia Archived from the original on 27 December 2014 Retrieved 23 May 2015 Hanrahan Sean 12 October 1975 Stars Dig Ayers Rock Stevie spreads gospel Sunday Press Melbourne p 20 a b Hanrahan Sean 28 March 1976 It s beyond belief Sunday Press Melbourne p 21 Bowring Pat 22 March 1976 Rap Around The Sun News Pictorial Melbourne p 6 Who s Who of Australian Rock Compiled by Chris Spencer Zbig Nowara amp Paul McHenry 2002 ISBN 9781865038919 Archived from the original on 8 March 2010 Retrieved 23 May 2015 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ayers Rock band Ray Burton s official website Archived 17 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Col Loughnan s official website Ayers Rock at Allmusic com Ayers Rock discography at Discogs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ayers Rock band amp oldid 1176121369, wikipedia, wiki, book, 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