Goanna (band)
Encyclopedia
Goanna is an Australian folk rock group which formed in 1977 in Geelong as The Goanna Band with mainstay Shane Howard
as singer-songwriter and guitarist. The group integrated social protest with popular music and reached the Top 20 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Singles Chart with "Solid Rock" (1982) and "Let the Franklin Flow" (released under the name Gordon Franklin & the Wilderness Ensemble in 1983). Their debut album, Spirit of Place
peaked at No. 2 on the related albums chart. They disbanded in 1985 and briefly reformed in 1998.
in Geelong, in 1977. Alongside Howard, the original line-up was Mike Biscan (guitar), Richard Griffiths (bass guitar) and Rod Hoe (drums). During their early years the line-up changed numerous times, with only Howard as the mainstay. In 1979, the group consisted of Howard, keyboardist and vocalist Rose Bygrave
, drummer Gary Crothall, lead guitarist and vocalist Warwick Harwood, vocalist and harmonica-player Ian Morrison and bass guitarist Carl Smith. They recorded the independent 12" EP
, Livin' on the Razor's Edge as The Goanna Band. The four track EP was produced by Broderick Smith
, ex-The Dingoes
, and released on the EMI
subsidiary label Custom Press. By 1981 the band was now Shane Howard, Rose Bygrave, Warrick Harwood, Peter 'Brolga' Coughlan, Marcia Howard , Graham Davidge and Robbie Ross.They had shortened the name to Goanna and with their increasing popularity they attracted the interest of major record companies.
In February 1982, they signed to WEA Australia
. They supported James Taylor
on the Australian leg of his tour. The band released its single, "Solid Rock" in October. According to Howard, the inspiration came on a ten day camping trip at Uluru
(also known as Ayers Rock) during 1980 where he had a "spiritual awakening" which brought "the fire in the belly" to the surface over injustices to Australia’s indigenous peoples. WEA was reluctant to issue it as a single and, even other band members, claimed it had little commercial appeal. Howard insisted on its release to make a statement on the European invasion of Australia. "Solid Rock" peaked at No. 3 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Singles Chart, remaining in the Top 50 for 26 weeks. It also reached No. 31 on the US Billboard
Mainstream Rock Chart and appeared on the Hot 100. Goanna released their debut album, Spirit of Place
, in December. It was produced by Trevor Lucas
, a member of UK folk rock group Fairport Convention
, who had returned to Australia in 1979. Spirit of Place reached No. 2 on the Kent Music Report Albums Chart, within two weeks of its release and remained there for 10 weeks alternating with MidnightOil's 10,9,8,7etc. album for the #1 & #2 spot. It also reached No. 179 on the US Billboard 200
. For the album, Goanna were Bygrave, Peter Coughlan on bass guitar, Graham Davidge
(ex-Little River Band
) on guitar, Harwood, Howard, his sister Marcia Howard on backing vocals, Mick "The Reverend" O’Connor on keyboards and Robert Ross on drums. An ever-changing lineup saw Harwood leave the band.
On 13 February 1983, Gordon Franklin & the Wilderness Ensemble performed "Let the Franklin Flow" at the People for Nuclear Disarmament Concert in Sidney Myer Music Bowl
. The ensemble included members of Goanna and fellow folk rock group Redgum
, Peter Garrett of Midnight Oil
(now Australian Federal Minister for Education) and Lucas. In May, "Let the Franklin Flow" was issued as a single with Lucas and Jeff Chapell as producers. Howard, the song's writer, was credited as F. River. The single reached No. 12 nationally. Proceeds supported the Tasmanian Wilderness Society's campaign against the proposed damming of Tasmania
's Gordon
and Franklin
Rivers for a hydroelectricity
project. Howard physically supported the protests by joining the picket lines. The B-side of the single, "Franklin River – World Heritage", was written and recorded by the Society's director, Bob Brown
who later became a senator and the leader of Australian Greens
.
On 19 April 1983, Goanna won three Countdown Music and Video Awards
for their work in 1982: Spirit of Place won 'Best Debut Album', "Solid Rock" won 'Best Debut Single' and the band itself won 'Best New Talent (Johnny O'Keefe Memorial Award)'. "Solid Rock" is the first charting rock record to feature extensive use of the didgeridoo
, one of the world's oldest wood instruments, played by Billy Inda (No Fixed Address
). The follow-up single, "Razor’s Edge" (a reworking of their 1979 EP's title track) was released in April 1983. The more acoustically based folk-rock track reached No. 36.
By late 1983 Goanna included new guitarists Ross Hannaford
(Daddy Cool
, Mighty Kong
) and Russell Smith (Company Caine
, Mighty Kong) with Robert Ross replaced by Geoff Bridgford (The Bee Gee's),(Jim Keays Band
) on drums. In October they released a third single, "That Day (Is Coming Sooner)", which peaked at No. 67. Surprisingly WEA dropped the band from the label. Howard then travelled around the world looking for other record companies to pick them up. During this time he visited Ireland
, the home of his ancestors and experienced another cultural awakening. The band were just on the verge of signing a worldwide deal with CBS
, when Warners in Australia contacted them and re-signed the band,who then spent much of 1984 recording a new album at John French's 'Fast Forward' studio in Melbourne,'The Music Farm' studio in Byron Bay and also in Los Angeles at George Massenburg's 'The Complex' studio with Little Feat
's keyboard player Billy Payne.The band's second album, Oceania
, produced by Billy Payne
, was released in April 1985 and reached No. 29. The first single from this album, "Common Ground", had been released in December 1984 and peaked at No. 42. The second single, "Dangerous Dancing", released in May 1985 only reached No. 91. Throughout 1985, the band toured relentlessly in support of the album, with a constantly revolving line-up of members, including at one stage ex-Little River Band
drummer Derek Pellicci. The band then released a non-album single, "Song for Africa", dedicated for famine relief, in September but it failed to chart. WEA dropped Goanna from their roster again.
On 13 July 1985, Goanna performed three songs for the Oz for Africa
concert (part of the global Live Aid
program) – "Common Ground", "Song for Africa", "Solid Rock". It was broadcast in Australia (on both Seven Network
and Nine Network
) and on MTV
in the US. In September, still promoting Oceania and the newly released "Song for Africa", Howard went "walkabout", and the band was forced to cancel $20,000 worth of bookings. Eventually a disillusioned Howard had travelled to South Australia to perform with indigenous musician and didgeridoo player Bart Willoughby
(No Fixed Address). With Howard no longer involved, Goanna effectively disbanded but reformed for one final farewell tour of Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Tasmania with aboriginal band Coloured Stone
in October 1986. The final gig was on 3 November 1986 for the Baha'i Concert For Peace at the Geelong Performing Art's Centre. The final line-up consisted of Shane & Marcia Howard, Rose Bygrave; Dave Stewart drums; Jo Imbrol bass; Simon Curfy and Selwyn Burns guitars; Bunna Lawrie, Bart Willoughby, Tony Lovett and Nicky Moffatt on Didjeridu & percussion: Bill Dart F.O.H sound and recording engineer for db Concert Sound.
In October 1998, Shane Howard, Marcia Howard and Bygrave reformed Goanna and recorded a third album Spirit Returns, released in November. Producing and joining the line-up as a musician and songwriter was Kerryn Tolhurst
(The Dingoes), with other guest musicians on the album including Bill Jacobi (bass guitar) and Greg Sheehan (drums). The tracks ranged from the bluesy "What Else is a Life" (which was released as the first single), the country-inflected "This Old Town", to the politicised "Song for East Timor", as well as a cover of the Tolhurst-penned, The Dingoes track "Your Song". Marcia Howard's "Sorry", was written for Australia's 'stolen generation
' of indigenous people and based upon Margaret Tuckers' story of a Cummeragunja woman taken from her family as a young girl. It was also influenced by the documentary Lousy Little Sixpence. Shane Howard continued the recording in Ireland with Stephen Cooney and Liam O'Maonlai (Hot House Flowers
), while Tolhurst added the final touches in New York. Goanna were asked to perform the song at the first National Sorry Day
at Parliament House in Canberra in 1998, the same morning the "Bringing Them Home
" report was released. "Sorry" was released by Goanna both on CD and as a resource book and video as a Sorry Day resource by Fraynework . The video included live footage of Goanna performing at the Port Fairy Folk Festival
intercut with footage of Lousy Little Sixpence.
In August–September 2006 Shane Howard performed "Solid Rock" as part of the Countdown Spectacular
tour and was joined at the Melbourne concerts by his sister, Marcia, and Bygrave. In October, a number of Goanna's tracks featured in the Triple M
Essential 2006 Countdown of songs (which was voted and chosen by the listeners) including:
Shane Howard
Shane Michael Howard is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist, he was the mainstay of folk rock group Goanna which had hits with "Solid Rock" and "Let the Franklin Flow". After their disbandment in 1985 he pursued a solo career....
as singer-songwriter and guitarist. The group integrated social protest with popular music and reached the Top 20 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
Singles Chart with "Solid Rock" (1982) and "Let the Franklin Flow" (released under the name Gordon Franklin & the Wilderness Ensemble in 1983). Their debut album, Spirit of Place
Spirit of Place
Spirit of Place is the first full-length album by Australian folk-rock band Goanna. It was originally released in November 1982, it peaked at No. 2 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart and appeared on the US Billboard 200....
peaked at No. 2 on the related albums chart. They disbanded in 1985 and briefly reformed in 1998.
Biography
The Goanna Band was formed as an Australian folk rock group by singer-songwriter and guitarist Shane HowardShane Howard
Shane Michael Howard is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist, he was the mainstay of folk rock group Goanna which had hits with "Solid Rock" and "Let the Franklin Flow". After their disbandment in 1985 he pursued a solo career....
in Geelong, in 1977. Alongside Howard, the original line-up was Mike Biscan (guitar), Richard Griffiths (bass guitar) and Rod Hoe (drums). During their early years the line-up changed numerous times, with only Howard as the mainstay. In 1979, the group consisted of Howard, keyboardist and vocalist Rose Bygrave
Rose Bygrave
Rose Bygrave is an Australian singer/songwriter.-Biography:Roslyn 'Rose' Louise Bygrave grew up in Western Victoria and later attended art school in Ballarat and Melbourne. Her musical career began in 1979...
, drummer Gary Crothall, lead guitarist and vocalist Warwick Harwood, vocalist and harmonica-player Ian Morrison and bass guitarist Carl Smith. They recorded the independent 12" EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Livin' on the Razor's Edge as The Goanna Band. The four track EP was produced by Broderick Smith
Broderick Smith
Broderick Smith aka Brod Smith is an Australian singer-songwriter, harmonica, guitar and banjo player. He was a member of 1970s bands Carson and The Dingoes, 1980s Broderick Smith's Big Combo and performed solo...
, ex-The Dingoes
The Dingoes
The Dingoes are an Australian country rock band initially active from 1973 to 1979, formed in Melbourne they relocated to the United States from 1976. Most stable line-up was John Bois on bass guitar, John Lee on drums, Broderick Smith on vocals and harmonica, Chris Stockley on guitar and Kerryn...
, and released on the EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
subsidiary label Custom Press. By 1981 the band was now Shane Howard, Rose Bygrave, Warrick Harwood, Peter 'Brolga' Coughlan, Marcia Howard , Graham Davidge and Robbie Ross.They had shortened the name to Goanna and with their increasing popularity they attracted the interest of major record companies.
In February 1982, they signed to WEA Australia
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
. They supported James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
on the Australian leg of his tour. The band released its single, "Solid Rock" in October. According to Howard, the inspiration came on a ten day camping trip at Uluru
Uluru
Uluru , also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. It lies south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs; by road. Kata Tjuta and Uluru are the two major features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park....
(also known as Ayers Rock) during 1980 where he had a "spiritual awakening" which brought "the fire in the belly" to the surface over injustices to Australia’s indigenous peoples. WEA was reluctant to issue it as a single and, even other band members, claimed it had little commercial appeal. Howard insisted on its release to make a statement on the European invasion of Australia. "Solid Rock" peaked at No. 3 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
Singles Chart, remaining in the Top 50 for 26 weeks. It also reached No. 31 on the US Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Mainstream Rock Chart and appeared on the Hot 100. Goanna released their debut album, Spirit of Place
Spirit of Place
Spirit of Place is the first full-length album by Australian folk-rock band Goanna. It was originally released in November 1982, it peaked at No. 2 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart and appeared on the US Billboard 200....
, in December. It was produced by Trevor Lucas
Trevor Lucas
Trevor George Lucas was an influential folk artist, a member of Fairport Convention and one of the founders of Fotheringay...
, a member of UK folk rock group Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
, who had returned to Australia in 1979. Spirit of Place reached No. 2 on the Kent Music Report Albums Chart, within two weeks of its release and remained there for 10 weeks alternating with MidnightOil's 10,9,8,7etc. album for the #1 & #2 spot. It also reached No. 179 on the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. For the album, Goanna were Bygrave, Peter Coughlan on bass guitar, Graham Davidge
Graham Davidge
Graham Davidge is an Australian musician. He has played with Little River Band, Goanna and numerous other Australian bands.Davidge was chosen as the original lead guitarist for Little River Band. He played on the band's first recording in 1975, a cover of the Everly Brothers song "When Will I Be...
(ex-Little River Band
Little River Band
Little River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...
) on guitar, Harwood, Howard, his sister Marcia Howard on backing vocals, Mick "The Reverend" O’Connor on keyboards and Robert Ross on drums. An ever-changing lineup saw Harwood leave the band.
On 13 February 1983, Gordon Franklin & the Wilderness Ensemble performed "Let the Franklin Flow" at the People for Nuclear Disarmament Concert in Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Sidney Myer Music Bowl
The Sidney Myer Music Bowl is an outdoor performance venue in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is located in the lawns and gardens of Kings Domain, close to the Arts Centre and the Southbank entertainment precinct...
. The ensemble included members of Goanna and fellow folk rock group Redgum
Redgum
Redgum were an Australian folk and political music group formed in Adelaide in 1975 by singer-songwriter John Schumann, Michael Atkinson on guitars/vocals and Verity Truman on flute/vocals; they were soon joined by Chris Timms on violin. All four had been students at Flinders University and...
, Peter Garrett of Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
(now Australian Federal Minister for Education) and Lucas. In May, "Let the Franklin Flow" was issued as a single with Lucas and Jeff Chapell as producers. Howard, the song's writer, was credited as F. River. The single reached No. 12 nationally. Proceeds supported the Tasmanian Wilderness Society's campaign against the proposed damming of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
's Gordon
Gordon River
The Gordon River is one of the major rivers of Tasmania, Australia. It rises in the centre of the island at Lake Richmond and flows westward for about 193km where it empties into Macquarie Harbour on the West Coast of Tasmania. Major tributaries include the Serpentine River and the Franklin...
and Franklin
Franklin River
The Franklin River lies in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park at the mid northern area of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Its source is situated at the western edge of the Central Highlands and it continues west towards the West Coast of Tasmania...
Rivers for a hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
project. Howard physically supported the protests by joining the picket lines. The B-side of the single, "Franklin River – World Heritage", was written and recorded by the Society's director, Bob Brown
Bob Brown
Robert James Brown is an Australian senator, the inaugural Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens and was the first openly gay member of the Parliament of Australia...
who later became a senator and the leader of Australian Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
.
On 19 April 1983, Goanna won three Countdown Music and Video Awards
Australian pop music awards
Australian pop music awards are a series of inter-related national awards that gave recognition to popular musical artists and have included the Go-Set pop poll ; TV Week King of Pop Awards ; TV Week and Countdown Music Awards ; and Countdown Music and Video Awards...
for their work in 1982: Spirit of Place won 'Best Debut Album', "Solid Rock" won 'Best Debut Single' and the band itself won 'Best New Talent (Johnny O'Keefe Memorial Award)'. "Solid Rock" is the first charting rock record to feature extensive use of the didgeridoo
Didgeridoo
The didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia around 1,500 years ago and still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe"...
, one of the world's oldest wood instruments, played by Billy Inda (No Fixed Address
No Fixed Address
No Fixed Address is an Australian Aboriginal reggae group formed in 1978. Led by Bart Willoughby, the band supported Peter Tosh on his 1982 Australian tour...
). The follow-up single, "Razor’s Edge" (a reworking of their 1979 EP's title track) was released in April 1983. The more acoustically based folk-rock track reached No. 36.
By late 1983 Goanna included new guitarists Ross Hannaford
Ross Hannaford
Ross Andrew Hannaford is an Australian musician. He is often referred to by his nickname "Hanna". Widely regarded as one of the country's finest rock guitarists, he is best known for his long collaboration with singer-songwriter Ross Wilson, which began as teenagers, and with whom he formed the...
(Daddy Cool
Daddy Cool (band)
Daddy Cool is an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1970 with the original line-up of Wayne Duncan , Ross Hannaford , Ross Wilson and Gary Young . Their debut single "Eagle Rock" was released in May 1971 and stayed at number 1 on the Australian singles chart for ten weeks...
, Mighty Kong
Mighty Kong (band)
Mighty Kong were an Australian 'supergroup' successor to Daddy Cool, which broke up in August 1972. It was also the fifth in the line of groups that featured singer-songwriter Ross Wilson and guitarist Ross Hannaford, which began with Pink Finks in 1965...
) and Russell Smith (Company Caine
Company Caine
Company Caine, also known as Co. Caine and Company Kane, is an Australian progressive rock band of the 1970s. The band was formed in Melbourne in 1970 with member as follows:* Gulliver Smith * Russell Smith * Jeremy Noone 1970-71, 1975...
, Mighty Kong) with Robert Ross replaced by Geoff Bridgford (The Bee Gee's),(Jim Keays Band
Jim Keays
James "Jim" Keays is an Australian musician who fronted rock band The Masters Apprentices as singer-songwriter, guitarist and harmonica-player during 1965–1972, and subsequently had a solo career including leading Jim Keays' Southern Cross...
) on drums. In October they released a third single, "That Day (Is Coming Sooner)", which peaked at No. 67. Surprisingly WEA dropped the band from the label. Howard then travelled around the world looking for other record companies to pick them up. During this time he visited Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the home of his ancestors and experienced another cultural awakening. The band were just on the verge of signing a worldwide deal with CBS
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...
, when Warners in Australia contacted them and re-signed the band,who then spent much of 1984 recording a new album at John French's 'Fast Forward' studio in Melbourne,'The Music Farm' studio in Byron Bay and also in Los Angeles at George Massenburg's 'The Complex' studio with Little Feat
Little Feat
Little Feat is an American rock band formed by singer-songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles....
's keyboard player Billy Payne.The band's second album, Oceania
Oceania (album)
-Personnel:*Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion*Jeff Schroeder – guitar*Nicole Fiorentino – bass guitar, backing vocals*Mike Byrne – drums, backing vocals*Bob Ludwig – mastering...
, produced by Billy Payne
Bill Payne
Bill Payne is a founding member of American rock band Little Feat. He is considered by many other piano rock musicians, including Elton John, to be one of the finest American piano rock and blues music artists...
, was released in April 1985 and reached No. 29. The first single from this album, "Common Ground", had been released in December 1984 and peaked at No. 42. The second single, "Dangerous Dancing", released in May 1985 only reached No. 91. Throughout 1985, the band toured relentlessly in support of the album, with a constantly revolving line-up of members, including at one stage ex-Little River Band
Little River Band
Little River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...
drummer Derek Pellicci. The band then released a non-album single, "Song for Africa", dedicated for famine relief, in September but it failed to chart. WEA dropped Goanna from their roster again.
On 13 July 1985, Goanna performed three songs for the 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) – "Common Ground", "Song for Africa", "Solid Rock". It 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. In September, still promoting Oceania and the newly released "Song for Africa", Howard went "walkabout", and the band was forced to cancel $20,000 worth of bookings. Eventually a disillusioned Howard had travelled to South Australia to perform with indigenous musician and didgeridoo player Bart Willoughby
Bart Willoughby
Bart Willoughby is an Indigenous Australian musician, noted for his pioneering fusion of reggae with Indigenous Australian musical influences, and for his contribution to growth of Indigenous music in Australia....
(No Fixed Address). With Howard no longer involved, Goanna effectively disbanded but reformed for one final farewell tour of Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Tasmania with aboriginal band Coloured Stone
Coloured Stone
Coloured Stone is a band from the Koonibba Mission, west of Ceduna, South Australia. Their sound has been described as having a unique feel and Aboriginal qualities...
in October 1986. The final gig was on 3 November 1986 for the Baha'i Concert For Peace at the Geelong Performing Art's Centre. The final line-up consisted of Shane & Marcia Howard, Rose Bygrave; Dave Stewart drums; Jo Imbrol bass; Simon Curfy and Selwyn Burns guitars; Bunna Lawrie, Bart Willoughby, Tony Lovett and Nicky Moffatt on Didjeridu & percussion: Bill Dart F.O.H sound and recording engineer for db Concert Sound.
After Goanna
Shane Howard started his solo career by releasing Back to the Track in 1988, other albums followed, River (1990), Time Will Tell (1993) and Clan (1996). Bygrave issued a solo single, "Maybe Midnight" in June 1989 and started worked on a solo album which was not released at the time. Bygrave's first solo album, White Bird, finally appeared in 1999 and was followed by Walking Home (2001) and North (2009). Marcia Howard released solo albums, Butterfly, in 2000 and Burning in the Rain, recorded in Ireland , and produced by Stephen Cooney, in 2004. Marcia's song 'Poison Tree' was recorded with Mary Black and released on the compilation C.D , 'A Woman's Heart- a Decade on ', in 2003.In October 1998, Shane Howard, Marcia Howard and Bygrave reformed Goanna and recorded a third album Spirit Returns, released in November. Producing and joining the line-up as a musician and songwriter was Kerryn Tolhurst
Kerryn Tolhurst
Kerryn Tolhurst is a noted Australian musician and songwriter who was based in the USA in the late 1970s and 1980s.His musical career began in Melbourne with the Adderly Smith Blues Band. He subsequently joined Sundown, led by Keith Glass, which was one of Australia's first country-rock groups...
(The Dingoes), with other guest musicians on the album including Bill Jacobi (bass guitar) and Greg Sheehan (drums). The tracks ranged from the bluesy "What Else is a Life" (which was released as the first single), the country-inflected "This Old Town", to the politicised "Song for East Timor", as well as a cover of the Tolhurst-penned, The Dingoes track "Your Song". Marcia Howard's "Sorry", was written for Australia's 'stolen generation
Stolen Generation
The Stolen Generations were the children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian Federal and State government agencies and church missions, under acts of their respective parliaments...
' of indigenous people and based upon Margaret Tuckers' story of a Cummeragunja woman taken from her family as a young girl. It was also influenced by the documentary Lousy Little Sixpence. Shane Howard continued the recording in Ireland with Stephen Cooney and Liam O'Maonlai (Hot House Flowers
Hot House Flowers
Hot House Flowers is an illustrated, allegorical children's book written and self-published by Brooklyn criminal court judge John H. Wilson, which compares illegal immigration to dandelions which overrun a greenhouse....
), while Tolhurst added the final touches in New York. Goanna were asked to perform the song at the first National Sorry Day
National Sorry Day
The National Sorry Day is an Australian event, held each year on 26 May since 1998, to express regret over the historical mistreatment of Aboriginal peoples. The day was chosen in commemoration of the Bringing Them Home report being handed to the federal government on 26 May 1997. It is not an...
at Parliament House in Canberra in 1998, the same morning the "Bringing Them Home
Bringing Them Home
Bringing Them Home is the title of the Australian "Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families"...
" report was released. "Sorry" was released by Goanna both on CD and as a resource book and video as a Sorry Day resource by Fraynework . The video included live footage of Goanna performing at the Port Fairy Folk Festival
Port Fairy Folk Festival
The Port Fairy Folk Festival is a popular annual four-day music festival based in the historic fishing village of Port Fairy in Victoria, Australia....
intercut with footage of Lousy Little Sixpence.
In August–September 2006 Shane Howard performed "Solid Rock" as part of the Countdown Spectacular
Countdown Spectacular
The Countdown Spectacular is a series of concerts reviving the nostalgia of the Australian music television series Countdown.-Countdown Spectacular:...
tour and was joined at the Melbourne concerts by his sister, Marcia, and Bygrave. In October, a number of Goanna's tracks featured in the Triple M
Triple M
The Triple M Network is an active rock radio network in Australia owned by media company Austereo, who also own the Today Network.- History :...
Essential 2006 Countdown of songs (which was voted and chosen by the listeners) including:
- "Solid Rock" (ranked 427 out of 2006 songs)
- "Razor's Edge" (ranked 1232 out of 2006 songs)
Members
- Shane HowardShane HowardShane Michael Howard is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist, he was the mainstay of folk rock group Goanna which had hits with "Solid Rock" and "Let the Franklin Flow". After their disbandment in 1985 he pursued a solo career....
- vocals, acoustic & electric guitar (1972-85, 1986, 1998) - Marcia Howard - vocals, synthesiser, acoustic guitar (1980-85, 1986, 1998)
- Roslyn "Rose" BygraveRose BygraveRose Bygrave is an Australian singer/songwriter.-Biography:Roslyn 'Rose' Louise Bygrave grew up in Western Victoria and later attended art school in Ballarat and Melbourne. Her musical career began in 1979...
– vocals, piano, synthesizer, (1980–85, 1998) - Mike Biscan - guitar (1977-78)
- Warrick Harwood - guitar (1978-83)
- Graham DavidgeGraham DavidgeGraham Davidge is an Australian musician. He has played with Little River Band, Goanna and numerous other Australian bands.Davidge was chosen as the original lead guitarist for Little River Band. He played on the band's first recording in 1975, a cover of the Everly Brothers song "When Will I Be...
– guitar (1982–83) - Rick Griffiths – bass guitar (1977–79)
- Carl Smith - bass guitar (1979-81)
- Peter "Brolga" Coughlan - bass guitar,vocals (1981-85)
- Rod Hoe – drums (1977–1979)
- Gary "Zos" Crothall - drums (1979-80)
- Dave Stewart - drums (1980-81, 1986)
- Greg Martin – drums (1981-1982)
- Robert "Robbie" Ross - drums (1982-83)
- Ian Morrison – vocals, harmonica, percussion (1979–1984)
- Mick "The Reverend" O'Connor – organ, piano (1977–1979, 1982–1983)
Associated 'unofficial' members
Some members below listed are live or studio session musicians and may not have "officially joined the band"- Geoff Bridgford (The BeeGee's) – drums (1983)
- Greg "Kenny" Sheehan - drums (1981, 1984-85 "Oceania" album)
- Joe CamilleriJoe CamilleriJoseph Vincent "Joe" Camilleri, aka Jo Jo Zep or Joey Vincent, is an Australian vocalist, songwriter and saxophonist. Camilleri has recorded as a solo artist and as a member of Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons and The Black Sorrows...
(Jo Jo Zep) – saxophone (1982 "Spirit of Place" album) - Stephen Cooney – bass, didgeridoo, guitar, mandolin, banjo (1998)
- Joe Creighton - bass (1985)
- Joe Imbrol – bass guitar (1986)
- Simon Curphy - guitar (1986)
- Lisa Edwards (John FarnhamJohn FarnhamJohn Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...
) - backing vocals (1982-83) - Suzie Dickinson – backing vocals (1982)
- Venetta FieldsVenetta FieldsVenetta Fields is an American singer best known as session musician for leading rock and pop acts of the 1970s including Pink Floyd, Barbra Streisand, Steely Dan and the Rolling Stones...
(Pink FloydPink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
), (John FarnhamJohn FarnhamJohn Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...
) – vocals (1984 "Oceania" album") - Ross HannafordRoss HannafordRoss Andrew Hannaford is an Australian musician. He is often referred to by his nickname "Hanna". Widely regarded as one of the country's finest rock guitarists, he is best known for his long collaboration with singer-songwriter Ross Wilson, which began as teenagers, and with whom he formed the...
(DaddyCool) – guitar, vocals (1983-84, 1985 "Oceania" album) - Brian Holloway – guitar (1984, 1985 "Oceania"album)
- Billy Inda – percussion, didgeridoo (1982 "Spirit of Place" album)
- Judi Kenneally - cover art director "Spirit of Place" & "Oceania" albums
- Trevor LucasTrevor LucasTrevor George Lucas was an influential folk artist, a member of Fairport Convention and one of the founders of Fotheringay...
(Fairport ConventionFairport ConventionFairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
) – guitar, Producer (1982 "Spirit of Place" album) - Mal Logan Little River BandLittle River BandLittle River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...
– keyboards (1984) - Liam Ó MaonlaíLiam Ó MaonlaíLiam Ó Maonlaí is an Irish musician best known as a member of the Hothouse Flowers. Ó Maonlaí formed the band in 1985 with his schoolmate Fiachna Ó Braonáin....
(Hot House FlowersHot House FlowersHot House Flowers is an illustrated, allegorical children's book written and self-published by Brooklyn criminal court judge John H. Wilson, which compares illegal immigration to dandelions which overrun a greenhouse....
) – vocals, keyboards, guitar (1998) - Billy PayneBill PayneBill Payne is a founding member of American rock band Little Feat. He is considered by many other piano rock musicians, including Elton John, to be one of the finest American piano rock and blues music artists...
(Little FeatLittle FeatLittle Feat is an American rock band formed by singer-songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles....
) – keyboards, Producer (1984-85 "Oceania" album) - Derek Pellicci (Little River BandLittle River BandLittle River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...
) – drums (1985) - Doug McDonald (Powerhouse) - drums, vocals (1985, 1986)
- Spiro Philipas – bass guitar (1985)
- John Phillips – guitar (1977, 1979)
- Sam See – guitar (1984 "Oceania" album, 1986)
- Russell Smith – guitar (1983)
- Alex Pertout - percussion (1984-85)
- Kerryn TolhurstKerryn TolhurstKerryn Tolhurst is a noted Australian musician and songwriter who was based in the USA in the late 1970s and 1980s.His musical career began in Melbourne with the Adderly Smith Blues Band. He subsequently joined Sundown, led by Keith Glass, which was one of Australia's first country-rock groups...
– guitar (1979 "EP", 1998) - Bart WilloughbyBart WilloughbyBart Willoughby is an Indigenous Australian musician, noted for his pioneering fusion of reggae with Indigenous Australian musical influences, and for his contribution to growth of Indigenous music in Australia....
– drums, percussion, didgeridoo (1986)
Albums
- Spirit of PlaceSpirit of PlaceSpirit of Place is the first full-length album by Australian folk-rock band Goanna. It was originally released in November 1982, it peaked at No. 2 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart and appeared on the US Billboard 200....
– WEAWarner Music GroupWarner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
(600127) (December 1982) AUSKent Music ReportThe Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
No. 2 - OceaniaOceania (album)-Personnel:*Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion*Jeff Schroeder – guitar*Nicole Fiorentino – bass guitar, backing vocals*Mike Byrne – drums, backing vocals*Bob Ludwig – mastering...
– WEA (251556-1) (April, 1985) AUS No. 29 - Spirit Returns – ABC MusicABC MusicABC Music: The Radio 1 Sessions, released in October 2002, is a compilation by post-rock band Stereolab of BBC Radio 1 sessions recorded from July 1991 to August 2001...
/EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
(November 1998)
Singles
- "Solid Rock"/"Four Weeks Gone" – WEAWarner Music GroupWarner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
(100223) (October 1982) AUSKent Music ReportThe Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
No. 3 - "Razor's Edge"/"On The Platform" – WEA (7-259963) (April 1983) AUS No. 36
- "That Day is Comin' Sooner"/"Comes the Rain" - WEA (7-259726) (October 1983) AUS No. 67
- "Let the Franklin Flow" - WEA (7-259941) (April 1983) AUS No. 12
- "Common Ground"/"Oceania" - WEA (7-259238) (December 1984) AUS No. 42
- "Dangerous Dancing"/"Shadow of Your Love" - WEA (7-259072) (May 1985) AUS No. 91
- "Song for Africa"/"Zanzibar" - WEA (September 1985)
- "Sorry" - Big Heart Productions (1998)
- "What Else is a Life" - Big Heart Productions/EMI (1998)
External links
- Shane Howard website
- http://www.pearlmusic.com.au
- http://www.marciahoward.com.au