Dragon (band)

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Dragon
Also known as Hunter
Origin Auckland, New Zealand
Genre(s) rock, pop
Progressive rock
Years active 1972-1979, 1982-1998, 2006-present
Label(s) Vertigo, CBS, Portrait, Polydor, RCA, J & B, Liberation Music
Associated acts Mammal, XL Capris
Website Official website
Members
Todd Hunter
Mark Williams
Bruce Reid
Pete Drummond
Former members
see list below

Dragon is a popular New Zealand / Australian rock band, they were formed in Auckland New Zealand in 1972 and relocated to Sydney Australia in mid-1975.[1][2][3] They were previously led by singer Marc Hunter[4][5] and are currently led by his brother bass player Todd Hunter.[6] They performed and released material under the name Hunter in Europe and United States during 1987.[1][3][6]

Keyboard player Paul Hewson wrote or co-wrote most of the group's hits: "April Sun in Cuba"[7] peaked at #2 on the 1977 Australian singles chart;[8] "Are You Old Enough?"[9] reached #1 in 1978;[8] and "Still in Love With You"[10] reached #15 also in 1978.[3][6][8] The Hunter brothers with Todd's partner, Johanna Pigott, wrote "Rain"[11] a #2 hit in 1983.[8] The name, Dragon, came from a consultation of I Ching cards by early band vocalist Graeme Collins.[12]

Dragon have endured tragedy and notoriety: members dying including drummer Neil Storey of a heroin overdose in 1976,[5] Paul Hewson of a drug overdose in 1985[5] and Marc Hunter of smoking related oesophageal cancer in 1998;[1][5] the Stewart Royal Commission (1980-1983) investigated the 'Mr. Asia' drug syndicate[13] and obtained evidence that Dragon members were clients;[4] the band's disastrous 1978 tour of USA ended when Marc Hunter accused his Texan audience of being "faggots" and they were pelted off stage.[4] In May 2008 the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) announced that Dragon's iconic status would be recognised on 1 July 2008 when they are to be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.[1][14][15]

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] 1972-1975: Early years in New Zealand

Dragon formed in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1972 with a line-up that featured Todd Hunter (bass guitar), guitarist Ray Goodwin, drummer Neil Reynolds and singer Graeme Collins.[6] All had been in various short-lived bands in Auckland, Collins is credited with using I Ching to provide the name Dragon. Their first major gig was an appearance at the The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival in early January 1973.[3] By 1974 several personnel changes had occurred, with Todd Hunter's younger brother Marc Hunter joining on vocals and Neil Storey on drums.[6] The band recorded two progressive rock albums in their native New Zealand, Universal Radio in 1974 and Scented Gardens for the Blind in 1975 both on Vertigo Records.[6][16] Robert Taylor (ex-Mammal) joined on guitar as the band searched for a more pop sound under manager Graeme Nesbitt (ex-Mammal) who felt they should now tackle the larger Australian market.[16] Nesbitt had obtained regular gigs and organised their first New Zealand tours,[3] but was unable to travel to Australia - he'd been arrested for selling drugs.[3][16]

[edit] 1975-1979: Initial stardom

Dragon relocated to Sydney in May 1975, landed a contract with CBS Records after being seen by record producer Peter Dawkins,[2][3][16] and sent for keyboard player Paul Hewson who had a reputation, in New Zealand, as a pop songwriter.[3] Hewson had been scouted by Nesbitt when Dragon were still in New Zealand but had declined to join at that time.[3] Often courting or creating controversy, the band was rocked by the heroin overdose death of drummer Neil Storey in September 1976, aged 22.[4][16][12] By then, founding member Goodwin had left the group, and their single "This Time" had begun charting.[16]

After considering disbanding, Todd Hunter consulted with Nesbitt who advised him to continue and organised for Kerry Jacobson (ex-Mammal) to join on drums.[3] Between 1977 and 1979, the line-up of the Hunter brothers, Taylor, Hewson and Jacobson had a string of major hits on the Australian National charts with singles "April Sun in Cuba", "Are You Old Enough?" and "Still In Love With You" and albums Sunshine, Running Free and O Zambezi. These releases made them one of Australia's most popular rock acts.[1][4] They attempted a breakthrough into the American market with a tour supporting Johnny Winter, starting in November 1978, but this was foiled after a disastrous show in Texas at which Marc Hunter, incited a crowd by suggesting all Texans were "faggots": band members had to dodge flying beer bottles.[2][3][16]

In 1994, Marc Hunter related his version of the Texas show to rock journalist Glenn A. Baker:

"I remember seeing someone standing holding a pistol and shouting 'Im gonna kill you, you son of a bitch'... I didn't know it but by this point the rest of the band had left the stage. I was still singing because I could still hear the music in my head. It took ages to clear the pile of debris on the stage - broken glass, bottles, chairs, half a table - but I was totally unaware of this, I thought I was going over really well and I'm standing there in a crucifixion pose with my arms out, really gone, with heaps of eye make-up on, looking like some sort of twisted priest. And apparently Johnny Winter was taking bets on the side of the stage as to how long it would take before somebody shot me. Then I turned around and saw no one was on stage so I realised I wasn't going over too well after all and I went back to the dressing room and everyone was just standing there... I said 'We went great, weren't we terrific?' At that stage of the band I was really a shocking sod. And all the record company people were just staring at me like I was an insectoid from Mars. And so that was it for us for that trip to America."[17]

—Marc Hunter , 1994

Upon returning to Sydney, Marc Hunter was sacked from Dragon in February 1979 due to drug problems which were seriously affecting both his vocal performances and his general health.[3][4][16] According to Todd Hunter:

"Things like Dallas happened all the time... Most of the time I wasn't drinking or anything and, from my perspective, this Fall of the Roman Empire thing was pretty wild. I hated a lot of it. People came along because they wanted to see Dragon decombust. They were enjoying it but Marc was just killing himself. We had to fire him or he'd have destroyed himself."[17]

—Todd Hunter, 1994

Singer Billy Rogers formerly of Perth group Last Chance Cafe and violinist Richard Lee from Melbourne band Sidewinder were recruited and Dragon recorded the commercially unsuccessful Power Play LP before breaking up in December 1979.[3][4][6]

[edit] 1979-1982: First split

Marc Hunter cleaned up in the post-Dragon years and released two successful solo singles, "Island Nights" (1979) from Fiji Bitter and "Big City Talk" (1981) from Big City Talk.[16] "Big City Talk"'s video was filmed in the Broadway Tunnel, a long and dreary pedestrian walkway linking Sydney's Central Station with Broadway. It captured the seedy and unsettling atmosphere of the tunnel, adding extra mood to the song's words.

Todd Hunter had meanwhile teamed up with his partner (and later second wife) Johanna Pigott, formerly of indie punk group XL Capris,[6] and together they became a successful songwriting team.[1] XL Capris were not commercially successful, although their memorable re-working of crooner Tommy Leonetti's "My City Of Sydney" became a minor cult classic. Todd Hunter produced both their albums Where's Hank? (March 1981) and Weeds (October 1981), and was a member of the band for the second.[6]

Keyboardist, Hewson, moved back to Auckland and joined The Pink Flamingos, they became one of New Zealand's top musical acts in the early 1980s. They were led by Dave McArtney ex-Hello Sailor, which had toured with Dragon but had also split.

[edit] 1982-1997: Reformation

Dragon reformed in 1982 to pay off outstanding debts, with the band then staying together when their second comeback single, "Rain", proved to be a #2 hit in 1983,[18] but Jacobson left the band for health reasons and was replaced by British drummer Terry Chambers (ex-XTC), American keyboard player and Dragon's producer Alan Mansfield also joined.[6] Mansfield had worked for Robert Palmer (including guitar for the "John and Mary" single from Palmer's album Clues) and Bette Midler in the late 1970s,[19] by 1982 Mansfield was living in Sydney and produced tracks for Marc Hunter.[20] Marc Hunter convinced Mansfield to also produce Dragon's single "Rain".[20]

Dragon's 1984 album Body and the Beat became one of the biggest-selling albums in Australia and New Zealand; they were restored to something close to their late 1970s glory. Their public profile was further raised by Marc Hunter's solo album, Communication. Its title track became a moderate hit in Australia and featured a loosely cabaret-oriented video-clip filmed in Amsterdam in which Marc — resplendent in a bright red cowbot hat — was flanked by two women who also danced away under red Stetsons. Body and the Beat yielded further successful Australasian singles, notably "Magic" and "Cry". Mansfield and New Zealand-born singer-songwriter Sharon O'Neill met on Dragon's Body And The Beat tour: they later became domestic and professional partners.[21]

Paul Hewson left Dragon and died of a drug overdose in New Zealand on 9 January 1985;[16][22] fellow members Terry Chambers and Robert Taylor left some time after. Dragon performed three songs for the 13 July 2005 Oz for Africa concert (part of the global Live Aid program) - "Speak No Evil", "Rain" and "Are You Old Enough?"; which was broadcast in Australia (on both Seven Network and Nine Network) and on MTV in the US.[23] American drummer Doane Perry replaced Chambers, and Taylor was eventually succeeded by local Sydney guitar ace Tommy Emmanuel. This line-up recorded the Todd Rundgren-produced Dreams of Ordinary Men album in 1986 and toured Europe with Tina Turner under the name Hunter in 1987. By this time Mansfield was writing with O'Neill they wrote "Western Girls" for Dreams of Ordinary Men and then three tracks for her 1987 solo album Danced in the Fire.[21]

Dragon briefly split up in 1988 but the Hunter brothers and Mansfield had regrouped with guitarist Randall Waller and drummer Barton Price (ex-Models) for the Bondi Road album released in 1989 on RCA, it also featured Emmanuel's guitar work.[6] Bondi Road reached #18 on the Australian albums charts[8] and the single "Young Years" written by Mansfield and O'Neill[24] also reach #18.[8] The pair had written two other tracks: "Ice in this Town" and "Good Time Girl".[21] Dragon continued to record and tour with varying line-ups centered around the Hunter brothers and Mansfield. Todd Hunter worked on Heartbreak High (TV series) from 1994 for six years as Music Composer[25] he retired from Dragon in 1995 after the release of Incarnations.[4][6]

Dragon continued without Todd Hunter, in November 1997 Marc Hunter was diagnosed with severe oesophageal cancer and died on 17 July 1998.[4] A memorial service for him was held at St Andrews Cathedral in Sydney and a compilation CD Forever Young released on Raven Records, highlighted his solo career.[6]

[edit] 1997-2006: Second split

Dragon broke up a second time after Marc Hunter's illness had been diagnosed. Todd Hunter continued composing music for TV and film with Heartbreak High to 1999, Walk the Talk (2000 film), Out There (2003 TV series) and Out of the Blue (2008 BBC-TV series).[26] Mansfield and O'Neill continued songwriting including "True Love" co-written with Robert Palmer[27] for his 1999 album Rhythm and Blues.[28] They both performed with Leo Sayer during his tours in 2006 and 2007, O'Neill would sing "Young Years" in honour of Marc Hunter.[21]

[edit] Reformation - 2006-

Todd Hunter (bass) reformed Dragon in 2006 with a line-up of Mark Williams (vocals, guitar), Bruce Reid (guitar), and Pete Drummond (drums).[6] This new Dragon line up released Sunshine to Rain under the Liberation Blue Acoustic Series Label. Dragon is currently touring Australia.

[edit] Personnel

(In chronological order)[6][29]

  • Todd Hunter (bass, vocals) 1972-1995, 2006-
  • Ray Goodwin (guitar, keyboards, vocals) 1972-1975
  • Graeme Collins (vocals, piano) 1972
  • Neil Reynolds (drums) 1972
  • Neil Storey (drums) 1972-1975 d. 1976
  • Ivan Thompson (vocals, keyboards) 1973-1974 (replaced Collins)
  • Marc Hunter (vocals) 1973-1979, 1982-1997 d. 1998
  • Geoff Chunn (drums) 1974
  • Robert Taylor (guitar) 1974-1984
  • Paul Hewson (keyboards) 1975-1985 d. 1985
  • Kerry Jacobson (drums) 1976-1983
  • Billy Rogers (harmonica, sax, piano, vocals) 1979
  • Richard Lee (vocals, guitar, violin) 1979-1980
  • Alan Mansfield (keyboards) 1982-1997
  • Terry Chambers (drums) 1983-1985
  • Tommy Emmanuel (guitar) 1985-1988, 1995
  • Don Miller-Robinson (guitar) 1985 (replaced Taylor)
  • Doane Perry (drums) 1985-1988
  • David Hirschfelder (keyboards) 1987-1989
  • Lee Borkman (keyboards) 1988-1989
  • John Watson (drums) 1988 - 1989
  • Andy Sidari (bass, guitar, keyboards) 1989
  • Randall Waller (guitar) 1989
  • Barton Price (drums) 1989
  • Mike Caen (guitar) 1989-1995, 1996-1997
  • Jeffrey Bartolomei (keyboards) 1989-1996
  • Mitch Farmer (drums) 1989
  • Rajan Kamahl (keyboards) 1991(?)-1993(?)
  • Ange Tsoitoudis (guitar) 1996-1997
  • Dario Bortolin (bass) 1996
  • Bradley Ford (drums) 1996
  • Mick O'Shea (drums) 1996-1997
  • Billy Kervin (bass) 1996-1997
  • Mark Williams (vocals, guitar) 2006-
  • Bruce Reid (guitar) 2006-
  • Pete Drummond (drums) 2006-
  • Darren Percival (guest vocals) 2007
  • Bernie Segedin (guest vocals) 2007

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Year Title Label Catalogue No. Peak chart position
AUS[8][30] NZ[31]
1974 Universal Radio Vertigo Records 6360902 — —
1975 Scented Gardens for the Blind Vertigo Records
TRC Records		 6360903
1994 CD: TRC045		 — —
1977 Sunshine CBS
Portrait		 SBP234946
JR35068		 24 —
1977 Running Free Portrait
CBS		 PR33005
1989 CD: 465720-2		 6 —
1978 O Zambezi Portrait PR33010 3 —
1979 Dragon's Greatest Hits Vol. 1 CBS
Portrait		 SBP237294
462440-2		 8 —
1979 Power Play CBS SBP237352 64 —
1984 Body and the Beat Polydor 817874-1 5 —
1985 Live One Polydor 825860-1 62 —
1986 Dreams of Ordinary Men
Released in U.S. / Europe by Hunter in 1987		 Polydor 829828-1
Hunter1987 CD: 831760-2		 18 —
1988 So Far: Their Classic Collection J & B JB325
1989 CD: JB526		 26 —
1989 Bondi Road RCA SFCD0170 18 —
1995 Incarnations Roadshow Music 14251-2 — —
2006 Sunshine to Rain Liberation Music Blue090.2 — —
2008 Dragon Remembers Ozmo Records ozmo101 — —

[edit] Singles

Year Title Album Label Peak chart position
AUS[8][30] NZ[31]
1976 "This Time"
aka "In the Right Direction"		 Sunshine CBS
Portrait		 26 —
1977 "Get that Jive" Sunshine CBS, Portrait 13 —
1977 "Sunshine" Sunshine CBS, Portrait 36 —
1977 "April Sun in Cuba" Running Free CBS, Portrait 2 9
1977 "Konkaroo" Running Free CBS, Portrait 40 —
1978 "Are You Old Enough?" O Zambezi Portrait 1 —
1978 "Still in Love with You" O Zambezi Portrait 27 —
1979 "Love's not Enough" Single only release CBS 37 —
1982 "Ramona" Single only release Polydor 79 —
1983 "Rain" Body and the Beat Polydor 2 —
1983 "Magic" Body and the Beat Polydor 33 —
1984 "Cry" Body and the Beat Polydor 17 —
1984 "Wilderwood" Body and the Beat Polydor 42 —
1985 "Speak No Evil" Dreams of Ordinary Men Polydor 19 —
1986 "Dreams of Ordinary Men" Dreams of Ordinary Men Polydor 17 —
1986 "Western Girls" Dreams of Ordinary Men Polydor 58 —
1987 "Celebration" Bondi Road RCA 11 —
1988 "River" Single only release RCA 78 —
1989 "Young Years" Bondi Road RCA 18 —
1989 "Here Am I" Bondi Road RCA 72 —
1990 "Summer" Bondi Road RCA 49 —

[edit] Awards

  • 1977 - Best New Group (TV Week King of Pop Awards)[32]
  • 1978 - Outstanding Local Achievement (TV Week King of Pop Awards)[32]
  • 2008 - ARIA Hall of Fame Award (for contributions to Australian pop music). Awarded Tuesday, 1 July 2008 in Melbourne.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f ARIA Hall of Fame - Dragon. Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) (2008-05-22). Retrieved on 2008-05-22.
  2. ^ a b c Groups & Solo Artists - Ariel. Milesago. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Dragon. Bruce Sergent. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Marc Hunter (1953-1998)". MILESAGO. Retrieved on 2007-10-25.
  5. ^ a b c d Simmonds, Jeremy (2006). Number one in heaven - the heroes who died for rock n roll. London: Penguin. ISBN 9780141022871. 
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Dragon entry at Australian Rock Database. Magnus Holmgren. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  7. ^ "April Sun In Cuba" at Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). APRA. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992 (doc), Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W.. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. 
  9. ^ "Are You Old Enough?" at APRA. APRA. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  10. ^ "Still in Love With You" at APRA. APRA. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  11. ^ "Rain" at APRA. APRA. Retrieved on 2008-05-21.
  12. ^ a b Dragon history. Dragon Online. Retrieved on 2007-10-21.
  13. ^ Hughes, Gary. "War on drugs failing: ex-judge", The Australian, 2007-02-24. Retrieved on 2008-05-21. 
  14. ^ Cashmere, Paul. "Dragon and Russell Morris to be Inducted into ARIA Hall of Fame", undercover.com.au, 2008-05-17. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. 
  15. ^ Mangan, John. "Old rockers never die, says ARIA", The Age, 2008-05-18. Retrieved on 2008-05-20. 
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Dragon at Howlspace. Ed Nimmervoll. Retrieved on 2008-05-22.
  17. ^ a b Baker, Glenn A.. "Marc Hunter biography". Hotdigital. Retrieved on 2008-05-24.
  18. ^ The best of 1983. Oz Net Music Chart. Retrieved on 2007-09-28.
  19. ^ The Independent Major: Alan Mansfield. peermusic. Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  20. ^ a b Marc Hunter. Bruce Sergent. Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  21. ^ a b c d Taylor, P J. "The Times interview, Sharon O'Neill explain yourself to PJ Taylor", The Times (Auckland, New Zealand), 2006-08-24. Retrieved on 2008-05-25. 
  22. ^ Jewel Brown, Jen. "wave to wave" - goodbye to my friend Paul Hewson, piano player in Dragon (25 October 1952 - 9 January 1985). University of Melbourne. Retrieved on 2008-05-23.
  23. ^ "Oz for Africa". liveaid.free.fr. Retrieved on 2008-03-12.
  24. ^ "Young Years" at Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA). APRA. Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  25. ^ Heartbreak High (1994). Internet Movie Database (IMDb. Retrieved on 2007-10-25.
  26. ^ Todd Hunter entry at Internet Movie Database (IMDb). IMDb. Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  27. ^ "True Love" at APRA. APRA. Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  28. ^ Rhythm & Blues by Robert Palmer. Rate Your Music. Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  29. ^ Albums by Dragon. Rate Your Music. Retrieved on 2008-05-25.
  30. ^ a b Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Australian charts portal. australian-charts.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-22.
  31. ^ a b Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ). New Zealand charts portal. charts.org.nz. Retrieved on 2008-05-22.
  32. ^ a b Australian Music Awards. Retrieved on 2007-10-25.

[edit] External links