Guitarist Graham Ford (ex-The Interns) made up the name Sebastian Hardie when he founded Sebastian Hardie Blues Band in 1967 in Sydney. Variable line-ups included John Bellamy (bass guitar), Dennis Laughlin (vocals, later in Sherbet), Richard Lillico (ex-The Interns, drums), Syd Richmond (drums), Dave Waddington (vocals) and Neil Williamson (organ). They played R&B and soul covers but disbanded in early 1968. When Ford reformed the band later in the year, he recruited students from Sydney's Cabramatta High School, Jon English on vocals and rhythm guitar, Anatole Kononewsky (keyboards), Peter Plavsic (ex-The Interns) on bass guitar and his brother Alex Plavsic on drums. They dropped the Blues Band part to play more pop-oriented music and were the backing band for legendary Australian rocker Johnny O'Keefe during 1969. Covering songs from Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett they built a reputation in the Sydney pub scene.
Late in 1971, English left Sebastian Hardie when he won the role of Judas Iscariot in the Australian stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar from May 1972. He was eventually replaced by Steve Dunne on vocals and keyboards. British singer and producer Larry Page produced Sebastian Hardie's first single "All Right Now / The Professional" in September 1973 on RCA Records. Both sides were written by Daniel Boone of ''Beautiful Sunday'' fame. Ford left Sebastian Hardie by October 1973 to be replaced by Mario Millo (ex The Clik) on lead guitar. They recorded a second single "Mermaid On The Sand / Day After Day" released in April 1974.
By this time Tovio Pilt had replaced Dunne on keyboards and Millo took over on vocals. Besides covers they were playing original progressive rock material. They were Australia's first symphonic rock band and performed a 20-minute version of Mike Oldfield's ''Tubular Bells'' as part of their set; Millo was now writing more orchestrated and inventive original material. One more single was released on RCA ''One Sunday Morning / Come Back To Me''.
After signing to Polydor Records they supported tours by international acts Lou Reed and Osibisa during 1974. Their first LP, 'Four Moments', which peaked at #13 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart, was released in August 1975. Produced by former member Jon English, it achieved Gold status – selling 35,000 copies, while the related single "Rosanna", an instrumental track, peaked at #55 on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart. 'Four Moment's showed the influence of progressive rock groups from Europe, including Genesis, Yes, King Crimson and Focus. It contained only three tracks with the title track taking up one side; Sebastian Hardie displayed "seamless, dramatic arrangements and impeccable musicianship".
'Windchase', their second album, was released in February 1976, then they supported the national tour by Santana and released a single "Life, Love and Music", but neither album nor single had any Top 50 chart success. In June, management and internal disagreements led to the Plavsic brothers leaving and an ensuing court decision awarded the band name to Peter Plavsic; consequently, Millo and Pilt combined under the name Windchase. They added Doug Nethercote (bass guitar) and Doug Bligh his former drummer in The Clik (drums) for the new rhythm section. The Plavsic brothers became backing musicians for The Studs, a Rock n Roll revival group.
Windchase played Sebastian Hardie's material which had been written by Millo and by 1977 started recording 'Symphinity', which was more jazz-fusion oriented. During album sessions, Nethercote left to be replaced by Duncan McGuire (bass guitar, ex-Doug Parkinson in Focus, Ayers Rock). When the album was released in June, McGuire and Bligh were replaced by Nethercote's return and new member Ralph Cooper (drums). Singles from the album were "Glad to Be Alive" in May and "Flight Call" in October, but neither album nor singles had any chart success. Windchase toured through to October 1977 but the emerging punk and new wave music forms resulted in poor concert audiences and Windchase disbanded.
Sebastian Hardie briefly reformed in 1994 – with the Plavsic brothers, Millo and Pilt – to perform at a progressive rock festival, ProgFest, in Los Angeles, which was recorded and eventually released as 'Sebastian Hardie – Live in L.A'. in 1997. They played material from 'Four Moments', 'Windchase', 'Symphinity', and 'Epic III'. At the Gimme Ted benefit concert on 10 March 2001 Sebastian Hardie performed "Openings" and then backed former member, Jon English, for two of his songs. Another reunion occurred in 2003 when supporting the British art rock band, Yes on their Australian tour. In 2011 Sebastian Hardie released a new album, 'Blueprint', through their website. Jon English died in 2016
Graham Ford (guitar), Dennis Laughlin (vocals), Dave Waddington (vocals), John Bellamy (bass), Neil Williamson (organ), Richard Lillico (drums), Syd Richmond (drums), Jon English (vocals), Peter Plavsic (bass), Anatole Kononewsky (keyboards), Alex Plavsic (drums, percussion),
Steve Dunne (vocals, keyboards), Mario Millo (guitar, mandolin, vocals),
Toivo Pilt (Moog, Mellotron, piano, Hammond organ)
SINGLES
Rosanna
| 21 JUL '75 | #55 |
Life, Love and Music
| 15 MAR '76 | #95 |
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastian_Hardie
http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/
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