Dragon (band)
Encyclopedia
Dragon is a popular New Zealand
rock band, they were formed in Auckland
, New Zealand in January 1972 and relocated to Sydney
, Australia in May 1975. They were previously led by singer Marc Hunter
and are currently led by his brother bass
player Todd Hunter
. They performed and released material under the name Hunter in Europe and United States during 1987.
Keyboard
player Paul Hewson wrote or co-wrote most of the group's hits: "April Sun in Cuba" peaked at #2 on the 1977 Australian singles chart; "Are You Old Enough?" reached #1 in 1978; and "Still in Love with You" reached #15 also in 1978. The Hunter brothers with Todd's partner, Johanna Pigott
, wrote "Rain" a #2 hit in 1983. The name, Dragon, came from a consultation of I Ching
cards by early band vocalist Graeme Collins.
Dragon have endured tragedy and notoriety. Several band members died during their association with the band: Drummer Neil Storey of a heroin overdose in 1976, Paul Hewson of a drug overdose
in 1985 and Marc Hunter of smoking related oesophageal cancer
in 1998. The Stewart Royal Commission
(1980–1983) which investigated the Mr. Asia drug syndicate
obtained evidence that Dragon members were clients. The band also had a disastrous 1978 tour of USA which ended when Marc Hunter accused his Texan audience of being "faggots
" and the band were pelted off stage. On 1 July 2008 the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) recognised Dragon's iconic status when they were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame
.
, New Zealand, in January 1972 with a line-up that featured Todd Hunter
on bass guitar
, guitar
ist Ray Goodwin, drummer
Neil Reynolds and singer/pianist
Graeme Collins. 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 Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival
in early January 1973. By 1974 several personnel changes had occurred, with Todd Hunter's younger brother Marc Hunter
joining on vocals and Neil Storey on drums. 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
. Despite being New Zealand's top live attraction by late 1974, neither albums nor related singles had any local chart success, and they recruited Robert Taylor (ex-Mammal
) on guitar as they searched for a raunchier pop sound
. By early 1975, manager Graeme Nesbitt
(ex-Mammal), who had obtained regular gigs and organised their first New Zealand tours, felt they should tackle the larger Australian market. Nesbitt was unable to travel with them to Australia - he had been arrested for selling drugs.
in May 1975, they toured Australia as support act to Status Quo in October. The band sent for keyboard player Paul Hewson who had a reputation, in New Zealand, as a pop songwriter. Hewson had been scouted by Nesbitt when Dragon were still in New Zealand but had declined to join at that time. In 1976 they secured a residency at the Bondi Lifesaver club, and landed a contract with CBS Records
after being seen by record producer Peter Dawkins
. Often courting or creating controversy, the band was rocked by the heroin overdose death of drummer Neil Storey in September 1976, aged 22. By then, founding member Goodwin had left the group, and their single "This Time" had begun charting.
After considering disbanding, Todd Hunter consulted with Nesbitt who advised him to continue and organised for Kerry Jacobson (ex-Mammal) to join on drums. 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. 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 Dallas
Texas
, at which Marc Hunter incited a crowd by suggesting all Texans were "faggots
": band members had to dodge flying beer bottles.
In 1994, Marc Hunter related his version of the Texas show to rock journalist Glenn A. Baker
:
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. According to Todd Hunter:
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.
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
, and together they became a successful songwriting team. 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.
Paul 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.
(ex-XTC
), with the band then staying together when their second comeback single, "Rain", proved to be a #2 hit in 1983, American keyboard player and Dragon's producer Alan Mansfield also joined. Mansfield had worked for Robert Palmer (including guitar for the "Johnny and Mary
" single from Palmer's album Clues) and Bette Midler
in the late 1970s, by 1982 Mansfield was living in Sydney and produced tracks for Marc Hunter. Marc Hunter convinced Mansfield to also produce Dragon's single "Rain".
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.
Paul Hewson left Dragon and died of a drug overdose
in New Zealand on 9 January 1985; fellow members Terry Chambers and Robert Taylor left some time after. Dragon performed three songs for 13 July 1985 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. 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.
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 April 1989 on RCA
, it also featured Emmanuel's guitar work. Bondi Road reached #18 on the Australian albums charts and the single "Young Years" written by Mansfield and O'Neill also reach #18. The pair had written two other tracks: "Ice in this Town" and "Good Time Girl". 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 he retired from Dragon in 1995 after the release of Incarnations.
Dragon continued on without Todd Hunter. Then, in November 1997, Marc Hunter was diagnosed with severe oesophageal cancer
and died on 17 July 1998. A memorial service for him was held at St. Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney; and, a compilation CD Forever Young was released on Raven Records, highlighting his solo career.
(2008 BBC
-TV series). Mansfield and O'Neill continued songwriting including "True Love" co-written with Robert Palmer for his 1999 album Rhythm and Blues. They both performed with Leo Sayer
during his tours in 2006 and 2007, O'Neill would sing "Young Years" in honour of Marc Hunter.
(vocals, guitar), Bruce Reid (guitar), and Pete Drummond (drums). The new line up released Sunshine to Rain on the Liberation Blue label
.
On 1 July 2008, Dragon were inducted by Richard Wilkins
into the ARIA Hall of Fame
, Dragon were joined on-stage by James Reyne
and Ian Moss
to perform "April Sun in Cuba" and "Rain":
In October 2009, Dragon released Happy I Am on Ozmo Records, distributed internationally by MGM Records
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
rock band, they were formed in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand in January 1972 and relocated to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia in May 1975. They were previously led by singer Marc Hunter
Marc Hunter
Marc Alexander Hunter was a New Zealand rock and pop singer best known as the lead vocalist with Dragon, a band formed by his older brother Todd in Auckland in 1973....
and are currently led by his brother bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
player Todd Hunter
Todd Hunter
Todd Stuart Hunter is a New Zealand musician and composer known for his involvement in the band Dragon. Their best known songs are "April Sun in Cuba", "Are You Old Enough?", "Still in Love With You", and "Rain"...
. They performed and released material under the name Hunter in Europe and United States during 1987.
Keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
player Paul Hewson wrote or co-wrote most of the group's hits: "April Sun in Cuba" peaked at #2 on the 1977 Australian singles chart; "Are You Old Enough?" reached #1 in 1978; and "Still in Love with You" reached #15 also in 1978. The Hunter brothers with Todd's partner, Johanna Pigott
Johanna Pigott
Johanna Paton Pigott is an Australian musician, singer/songwriter and screenwriter. Her best known hit songs are Dragon's "Rain" which peaked at #2 on the Australia singles charts in 1983 and John Farnham's "Age of Reason". "Rain" was co-written with partner Dragon's Todd Hunter and his brother...
, wrote "Rain" a #2 hit in 1983. The name, Dragon, came from a consultation of I Ching
I Ching
The I Ching or "Yì Jīng" , also known as the Classic of Changes, Book of Changes and Zhouyi, is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts...
cards by early band vocalist Graeme Collins.
Dragon have endured tragedy and notoriety. Several band members died during their association with the band: Drummer Neil Storey of a heroin overdose in 1976, Paul Hewson of a drug overdose
Drug overdose
The term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...
in 1985 and Marc Hunter of smoking related oesophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
in 1998. The Stewart Royal Commission
Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking was also known as the "Stewart Royal Commission". It was headed by Justice Donald Stewart.-See also:* Royal Commission into Drug Trafficking, ,...
(1980–1983) which investigated the Mr. Asia drug syndicate
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
obtained evidence that Dragon members were clients. The band also had a disastrous 1978 tour of USA which ended when Marc Hunter accused his Texan audience of being "faggots
Faggot (epithet)
Faggot, often shortened to fag, is a pejorative term and common slur used chiefly in North America against homosexual males. Its pejorative use has spread from the United States to varying extents elsewhere in the English-speaking world through mass culture, including movies, music, and the...
" and the band were pelted off stage. On 1 July 2008 the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) recognised Dragon's iconic status when they were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame
ARIA Hall of Fame
Since 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association has inducted artists into its ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone "ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame" event as only one or two acts could be inducted...
.
1972-1975: Early years in New Zealand
Dragon formed in AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand, in January 1972 with a line-up that featured Todd Hunter
Todd Hunter
Todd Stuart Hunter is a New Zealand musician and composer known for his involvement in the band Dragon. Their best known songs are "April Sun in Cuba", "Are You Old Enough?", "Still in Love With You", and "Rain"...
on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Ray Goodwin, drummer
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Neil Reynolds and singer/pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
Graeme Collins. All had been in various short-lived bands in Auckland, Collins is credited with using I Ching
I Ching
The I Ching or "Yì Jīng" , also known as the Classic of Changes, Book of Changes and Zhouyi, is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts...
to provide the name Dragon. Their first major gig was an appearance at The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival
The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival
The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival was the first large outdoor music festival in New Zealand. It was held on a farm at Ngaruawahia on the Waikato River, 19 kilometres north-west of Hamilton, for three days from 6 to 8 January 1973.- Performers :...
in early January 1973. By 1974 several personnel changes had occurred, with Todd Hunter's younger brother Marc Hunter
Marc Hunter
Marc Alexander Hunter was a New Zealand rock and pop singer best known as the lead vocalist with Dragon, a band formed by his older brother Todd in Auckland in 1973....
joining on vocals and Neil Storey on drums. The band recorded two progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
albums in their native New Zealand, Universal Radio
Universal Radio
Universal Radio is the debut album by New Zealand group Dragon released in June 1974 on Vertigo Records and produced by Rick Shadwell. Universal Radio, along with their second album Scented Gardens for the Blind are in the progressive rock genre—all subsequent albums are hard rock/pop rock.On...
in 1974 and Scented Gardens for the Blind
Scented Gardens for the Blind
Scented Gardens for the Blind is the second album by New Zealand group Dragon released in March 1975 on Vertigo Records before they relocated to Australia in May. Scented Gardens for the Blind, along with their first album Universal Radio, is in the progressive rock genre—all subsequent...
in 1975 both on Vertigo Records
Vertigo Records
Vertigo Records today is a UK-based record label operated by Universal Music UK.-History:Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the late 1960s for its record sub-label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI with Harvest Records and Decca Records with Deram...
. Despite being New Zealand's top live attraction by late 1974, neither albums nor related singles had any local chart success, and they recruited Robert Taylor (ex-Mammal
Mammal (band)
Mammal were an Australian band that formed in March 2006. Mammal rose up the ranks of the Australian music scene very quickly. Their first self titled EP was recorded soon after the band came together. Their debut live album "Vol:1 The Aural Underground" was recorded just 4 months after the band...
) on guitar as they searched for a raunchier pop sound
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
. By early 1975, manager Graeme Nesbitt
Graeme Nesbitt
Graeme Nesbitt was a music, arts and radio promoter from New Zealand.-Biography:Nesbitt made an immense contribution to the New Zealand music industry...
(ex-Mammal), who had obtained regular gigs and organised their first New Zealand tours, felt they should tackle the larger Australian market. Nesbitt was unable to travel with them to Australia - he had been arrested for selling drugs.
1975-1979: Initial stardom
Dragon relocated to SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in May 1975, they toured Australia as support act to Status Quo in October. The band sent for keyboard player Paul Hewson who had a reputation, in New Zealand, as a pop songwriter. Hewson had been scouted by Nesbitt when Dragon were still in New Zealand but had declined to join at that time. In 1976 they secured a residency at the Bondi Lifesaver club, and landed a contract with CBS Records
CBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
after being seen by record producer Peter Dawkins
Peter Dawkins
Peter Dawkins may refer to:*Pete Dawkins, Vice Chairman of the CitiGroup Private Bank and former Chairman/CEO of Primerica Financial Services, Inc.*Peter Dawkins , English founder of the Francis Bacon Research Trust...
. Often courting or creating controversy, the band was rocked by the heroin overdose death of drummer Neil Storey in September 1976, aged 22. By then, founding member Goodwin had left the group, and their single "This Time" had begun charting.
After considering disbanding, Todd Hunter consulted with Nesbitt who advised him to continue and organised for Kerry Jacobson (ex-Mammal) to join on drums. 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. They attempted a breakthrough into the American market with a tour supporting Johnny Winter
Johnny Winter
John Dawson "Johnny" Winter III is an American blues guitarist, singer, and producer. Best known for his late 1960s and 1970s high-energy blues-rock albums and live performances, Winter also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for blues legend Muddy Waters...
, starting in November 1978, but this was foiled after a disastrous show in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, at which Marc Hunter incited a crowd by suggesting all Texans were "faggots
Faggot (epithet)
Faggot, often shortened to fag, is a pejorative term and common slur used chiefly in North America against homosexual males. Its pejorative use has spread from the United States to varying extents elsewhere in the English-speaking world through mass culture, including movies, music, and the...
": band members had to dodge flying beer bottles.
In 1994, Marc Hunter related his version of the Texas show to rock journalist Glenn A. Baker
Glenn A. Baker
Glenn A. Baker is an Australian journalist, commentator, and broadcaster well known in Australia for his vast knowledge of Rock music. He has written books and magazine articles on rock music and travel, interviewed celebrities, managed bands such as Ol' 55 and promoted tours of international stars...
:
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. According to Todd Hunter:
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.
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. "Big City Talk"'s video was filmed in the Broadway Tunnel, a long and dreary pedestrian walkway linking Sydney's Central StationCentral railway station, Sydney
Central Railway Station, the largest railway station in Australia, is at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. It services almost all the lines on the CityRail network, and is the major terminus for interurban and interstate rail services...
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
Johanna Pigott
Johanna Paton Pigott is an Australian musician, singer/songwriter and screenwriter. Her best known hit songs are Dragon's "Rain" which peaked at #2 on the Australia singles charts in 1983 and John Farnham's "Age of Reason". "Rain" was co-written with partner Dragon's Todd Hunter and his brother...
, formerly of indie punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
group XL Capris
XL Capris
XL Capris were an Australian indie-punk band formed in Sydney in 1978 by Julie Anderson, Tim Gooding, Johanna Pigott and Kimble Rendall.Their best known single was a punk version of Tommy Leonetti's "My City of Sydney"...
, and together they became a successful songwriting team. XL Capris were not commercially successful, although their memorable re-working of crooner Tommy Leonetti
Tommy Leonetti
Tommy Leonetti was an American pop singer-songwriter and actor of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. In Australia his most famous song was "My City of Sydney" and was used by the Australian TV channel ATN7 in Sydney for station identification into the 1980s...
'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.
Paul Hewson moved back to Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
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
Dave McArtney
Dave McArtney is a New Zealand musician and songwriter. He has a BA in English, majoring in Renaissance poetry. He first came to prominence as a member of the band Hello Sailor...
ex-Hello Sailor
Hello Sailor (band)
Hello Sailor was a New Zealand pop/rock band originally formed in 1975.- History :The band's history is long and complicated, with guitarist/vocalists Dave McArtney and Harry Lyon having first played together in the mid 1960s. After several lineup changes, the band released its first album, Hello...
, which had toured with Dragon but had also split.
1982-1997: Reformation
Dragon reformed in August 1982 to pay off outstanding debts, not long after Jacobson left the band for health reasons and was replaced by British drummer Terry ChambersTerry Chambers
Terry Chambers is an English drummer and was a founding member of XTC, appearing on all studio and live albums until his departure during the 1982 sessions for Mummer, on which he played on "Beating of Hearts", "Wonderland" and a B-side, "Toys".He moved to his wife's native Australia, drumming...
(ex-XTC
XTC
XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
), with the band then staying together when their second comeback single, "Rain", proved to be a #2 hit in 1983, American keyboard player and Dragon's producer Alan Mansfield also joined. Mansfield had worked for Robert Palmer (including guitar for the "Johnny and Mary
Johnny and Mary
"Johnny and Mary" is a song written by Robert Palmer and was recorded in 1980 at Compass Point Studios, New Providence, in the Bahamas. The song was featured on Palmer's album Clues . "Johnny and Mary" only went to #44 on the UK Singles Chart, but did reach #18 on Billboard's Club Play Singles chart...
" single from Palmer's album Clues) and Bette Midler
Bette Midler
Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
in the late 1970s, by 1982 Mansfield was living in Sydney and produced tracks for Marc Hunter. Marc Hunter convinced Mansfield to also produce Dragon's single "Rain".
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
Sharon O'Neill
-Albums:*1979 - This Heart This Song*1980 - Sharon O'Neill*1980 - Words*1981 - Maybe*1983 - Foreign Affairs*1983 - Smash Palace *1984 - So Far - The Best 14...
met on Dragon's Body And The Beat tour: they later became domestic and professional partners.
Paul Hewson left Dragon and died of a drug overdose
Drug overdose
The term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...
in New Zealand on 9 January 1985; fellow members Terry Chambers and Robert Taylor left some time after. Dragon performed three songs for 13 July 1985 Oz for Africa
Oz for Africa
Oz for Africa was an Australian concert held on 13 July 1985 at the Sydney Sports and Entertainment Centre. It was broadcast locally and internationally as part of the worldwide Live Aid performances to raise money for famine relief in Africa. The concert featured 17 bands performing some of their...
concert (part of the global Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
program) - "Speak No Evil", "Rain" and "Are You Old Enough?"; which was broadcast in Australia (on both Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
and Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
) and on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
in the US. American drummer Doane Perry replaced Chambers, and Taylor was eventually succeeded by local Sydney guitar ace Tommy Emmanuel
Tommy Emmanuel
William Thomas "Tommy" Emmanuel AM is an Australian guitarist, best known for his complex fingerpicking style, energetic performances and the use of percussive effects on the guitar. In the May 2008 and 2010 issues of Guitar Player Magazine, he was named as "Best Acoustic Guitarist" in their...
. This line-up recorded the Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
-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.
Dragon briefly split up in 1988 but the Hunter brothers and Mansfield had regrouped with guitarist Randall Waller and drummer Barton Price (ex-Models
Models (band)
Models were an alternative rock group formed in Melbourne, Australia, in August 1978 and went into hiatus in 1988. They are often incorrectly referred to as The Models. They re-formed in 2000, 2006 and 2008 to perform reunion concerts. "Out of Mind, Out of Sight", their only No. 1 hit,...
) for the Bondi Road album released in April 1989 on RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
, it also featured Emmanuel's guitar work. Bondi Road reached #18 on the Australian albums charts and the single "Young Years" written by Mansfield and O'Neill also reach #18. The pair had written two other tracks: "Ice in this Town" and "Good Time Girl". Dragon continued to record and tour with varying line-ups centered around the Hunter brothers and Mansfield. Todd Hunter worked on Heartbreak High
Heartbreak High
Heartbreak High is an Australian television series that ran for seven years from 1994 to 1999. The series dealt with the students of Hartley High, a tough high school in a multi-racial area of Sydney, and proved to be a more gritty and fast-paced show than many of its contemporaries...
(TV series) from 1994 for six years as Music Composer he retired from Dragon in 1995 after the release of Incarnations.
Dragon continued on without Todd Hunter. Then, in November 1997, Marc Hunter was diagnosed with severe oesophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
and died on 17 July 1998. A memorial service for him was held at St. Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney; and, a compilation CD Forever Young was released on Raven Records, highlighting his solo career.
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 BlueOut of the Blue (2008 TV series)
Out of the Blue is an Australian serial drama commissioned by the BBC, produced by Australia's Southern Star Entertainment. It began screening on BBC One on weekday afternoons on 28 April 2008. The programme attracted lower than desired ratings figures, prompting the broadcaster to shift it to its...
(2008 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
-TV series). Mansfield and O'Neill continued songwriting including "True Love" co-written with Robert Palmer for his 1999 album Rhythm and Blues. They both performed with Leo Sayer
Leo Sayer
Leo Sayer is a British singer-songwriter, musician, and entertainer whose singing career has spanned four decades. Sayer became a naturalised Australian citizen in 2009. Sayer was a top singles and album act on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1970s...
during his tours in 2006 and 2007, O'Neill would sing "Young Years" in honour of Marc Hunter.
Reformation - 2006-
Todd Hunter (bass) reformed Dragon in 2006 with a line-up of Mark WilliamsMark Williams (singer)
Mark Williams is a New Zealand-born pop/soul singer with Recording Industry Association of New Zealand number one hit singles, "Yesterday Was Just the Beginning of My Life" and a cover of Buddy Holly's "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" before he relocated to Australia later that year. His single,...
(vocals, guitar), Bruce Reid (guitar), and Pete Drummond (drums). The new line up released Sunshine to Rain on the Liberation Blue label
Liberation Music
Liberation Music is a boutique, independent Australasian record company, started in 1999 by Michael Gudinski and Warren Costello. Its stated aim is to find, nurture and then to develop new talent for a world market while remaining independent in the process...
.
On 1 July 2008, Dragon were inducted by Richard Wilkins
Richard Wilkins
Richard Wilkins III is a fictional character in the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . Portrayed by Harry Groener, he is the mayor of Sunnydale, a fictional town rife with vampires and demons in which the main character, Buffy Summers lives...
into the ARIA Hall of Fame
ARIA Hall of Fame
Since 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association has inducted artists into its ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone "ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame" event as only one or two acts could be inducted...
, Dragon were joined on-stage by James Reyne
James Reyne
James Reyne is an Australian rock musician and singer/songwriter both as a member of the iconic 1980s band Australian Crawl and solo work.. He is a successful singer/ songwriter and prolific artist...
and Ian Moss
Ian Moss
Ian Moss is an Australian rock musician, best known as the guitarist and occasional singer of Cold Chisel. In that group's initial ten year career, Moss recorded eight albums, three of which were No. 1 national hits. His solo career began with a No. 1 album and single and five ARIA Awards...
to perform "April Sun in Cuba" and "Rain":
In October 2009, Dragon released Happy I Am on Ozmo Records, distributed internationally by MGM Records
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
.
Personnel
In chronological order:- Todd HunterTodd HunterTodd Stuart Hunter is a New Zealand musician and composer known for his involvement in the band Dragon. Their best known songs are "April Sun in Cuba", "Are You Old Enough?", "Still in Love With You", and "Rain"...
(bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals) 1972–1995, 2006–current - Ray Goodwin (guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals) 1972–1976 - Graeme Collins (vocals, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
) 1972 - Neil Reynolds (drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
) 1972 - Neil Storey (drums) 1972–1975 (replaced Reynolds) d. 1976
- Ivan Thompson (vocals, keyboards) 1973–1974 (replaced Collins)
- Marc HunterMarc HunterMarc Alexander Hunter was a New Zealand rock and pop singer best known as the lead vocalist with Dragon, a band formed by his older brother Todd in Auckland in 1973....
(vocals) 1973–1979, 1982–1997 d. 1998 - Geoff ChunnGeoff ChunnGeoff Chunn is a New Zealand musician, best known as an early member of Split Enz.Chunn was a teenage friend of Tim Finn. Together the two of them and Chunn's elder brother, Mike Chunn, founded the band Stillwater while at high school in the late 1960s...
(drums) 1974 - Robert Taylor (guitar) 1974–1984 (replaced Thompson)
- Paul Hewson (keyboards) 1975–1985 d. 1985
- Kerry JacobsonKerry JacobsonKerry Jacobson is a musician, educator and former drummer of New Zealand rock band Dragon from 1976–1983 and again playing at their 30 year reunion and at the 2008 ARIA Hall of Fame in Melbourne, Australia.- Career :...
(drums) 1976–1983 (replaced Storey) - Richard Lee (vocals, guitar, violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
) 1979–1980 (replaced Marc Hunter) - Billy Rogers (harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, saxSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, piano, vocals) 1979 - Alan Mansfield (keyboards) 1982–1997
- Terry ChambersTerry ChambersTerry Chambers is an English drummer and was a founding member of XTC, appearing on all studio and live albums until his departure during the 1982 sessions for Mummer, on which he played on "Beating of Hearts", "Wonderland" and a B-side, "Toys".He moved to his wife's native Australia, drumming...
(drums) 1983–1985 (replaced Jacobson) - Tommy EmmanuelTommy EmmanuelWilliam Thomas "Tommy" Emmanuel AM is an Australian guitarist, best known for his complex fingerpicking style, energetic performances and the use of percussive effects on the guitar. In the May 2008 and 2010 issues of Guitar Player Magazine, he was named as "Best Acoustic Guitarist" in their...
(guitar) 1985–1988, 1995 - Don Miller-Robinson (guitar) 1985 (replaced Taylor)
- Doane Perry (drums) 1985–1988 (replaced Chambers)
- David Hirschfelder (keyboards) 1987–1989
- Peter Grimwood (guitar) 1988
- Lee Borkman (keyboards) 1988–1989
- John Watson (drums) 1988–1989
- Andy Sidari (samples) 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(?)
- Peter Northcote (guitar) 1995
- 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 WilliamsMark Williams (singer)Mark Williams is a New Zealand-born pop/soul singer with Recording Industry Association of New Zealand number one hit singles, "Yesterday Was Just the Beginning of My Life" and a cover of Buddy Holly's "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" before he relocated to Australia later that year. His single,...
(vocals, guitar) 2006–current - Bruce Reid (guitar) 2006–current
- Pete Drummond (drums, vocals, keyboards) 2006–current
- Darren Percival (guest vocals) 2007
- Bernie Segedin (guest vocals) 2007
Awards
- 1977 - Best New Group (TV WeekTV WeekTV Week is a weekly television magazine in Australia, first published as a Melbourne-only publication in December 1957 , and bearing a strong affiliation to television station GTV.The publication is still publishing weekly...
King of Pop Awards) - 1978 - Outstanding Local Achievement (TV Week King of Pop Awards)
- 2008 - ARIA Hall of Fame Award (for contributions to Australian pop music). Awarded Tuesday, 1 July 2008 in Melbourne.