Ayers Rock

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Ayers Rock was a jazz fusion/progressive rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The group formed in 1973, and included many well-travelled rock performers; drummer Mark Kennedy had previously played in Spectrum, and played on sessions for King Harvest and Friends^{[disambiguation needed ]}. Bassist Duncan McGuire, who was also an experienced recording engineer and producer, had been in Australian groups since the late 1950s, including The Phantoms, The Epics, and The Questions (which later became Doug Parkinson In Focus) and also played with King Harvest. Guitarist Ray Burton had played with The Dave Bridge Quartet, The Delltones and The Executives, and worked with Helen Reddy in the U.S., where he wrote the music for Reddy's international hit "I Am Woman".

The trio joined forces with guitarist Jimmy Doyle, whose previous credits included The Delltones and Dig Richards and worked as musical director for pianist Winifred Atwell on her Australian tours; Doyle was also an in-demand session player who featured on the 1969 Neil Sedaka LP Workin' On A Groovy Thing and the Australian hit single "Wheeling West Virginia", which were recorded in Sydney.

The new group was initially dubbed Burton, McGuire & Kennedy and worked for some time in and around Melbourne in that format but changed their name a few months later to Ayers Rock, when they were joined by saxophonist Col Loughnan. Loughnan had started his music career as a vocalist, and became well-known in Australia in the 1960s after he took over as lead singer of popular vocal quartet The Delltones, following the death of founder member Noel Widerberg.

Ayers rock signed to Mushroom Records and issued their first single, "Rock 'N Roll Fight", in December 1973. In 1974 Ayers Rock issued their first full-length, Big Red Rock, which was recorded live at Melbourne's Armstrong's Studios and included a new version of McGuire's "Lady Montego", which had originally been performed by Friends. The success of the album allowed the group to tour the United States (where the band had signed with A&M Records) in 1975-1976. After their second album, Beyond, was released in 1976, the group went on a hiatus; in 1979, some members reconvened for a third LP, 1980's Hotspell. They disbanded in 1981.

McGuire died in 1986 from a brain tumour. Doyle died in May 2006 from liver cancer.

Members

• Duncan McGuire - bass (1973-1976; died 1986)
• Mark Kennedy - drums (1973-1976)
• Ray Burton - guitar/vocals (1973-1974)
• James Doyle - guitar/vocals (1973-1975; died 2006)
• Col Loughnan - saxophone, flute, clarinet,keyboards, percussion, vocals (1973-1981)
• Chris Brown - guitar/vocals (1974-1981)
• Phil Stone - guitar (1975-1981)
• Andy Cohen - keyboards (1976-1978)
• Keith Casey - percussion (1976)
• Steve Hogg - bass (1976)
• Russell Dunlop - drums (1976)
• Doug Gallacher - drums (1976)
• Joe Tattersal - drums (1976)
• Hamish Stuart - drums (1976-1981)
• John Young - bass (1977-1981)
• LaMonica Bush- dance (1978-1981)

Discography

Albums

• Big Red Rock (Mushroom Records, 1974)
• Beyond (Mushroom, 1976)
• Hotspell (Red Rock/RCA Records, 1980)

Singles

• "Rock N Roll Fight (Going On)/ Sorrowful Eyes" (December 1973)
• "Lady Montego/ Goin' Home" (November 1974)
• "Little Kings/ Get Out To The Country" (1975)
• "Song For Darwin/ Place To Go" (May 1976)
• "On The Avenue/ Sister Feels She Should" (December 1979)
• "Lies/ Feel The Heat" (July 1981)

This is a pretty good summary of the band as well from Milesago.com ==External links==

• Ayers Rock at Allmusic.com