FEATHER

Rising from the ashes of seminal Australian rock band Blackfeather, Feather took its maiden flight in late 1976. Long time Blackfeather front man Neale Johns had departed unexpectedly for the U.K., leaving the other members of the band to ponder their future. By that time Blackfeather’s style had shifted to a straighter pop-rock focus, and the line-up had evolved to feature Ray Vanderby (keyboards), Lee Brossman (bass), Warwick Fraser (drums), and Warwick’s 14-year-old brother Stuart on guitar. Vanderby left the nest shortly after Johns’ departure, so the rest of the band recruited ex-Fraternity singer John Swan and ex-Bullett guitarist Wayne Smith, taking on the new moniker Feather. 

The band scored its first big break soon after with a support slot for Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow on their Australian tour. Feather then settled back to hone their new harder edged guitar driven sound on the mushrooming pub rock scene. CBS had retained an interest in the band, and in May 1977 Feather released their debut single ''Girl Trouble'' written by John Swan and Stuart Fraser. The single received a solid amount of airplay but couldn’t land a spot on the national charts. Reputedly Feather had laid down enough tracks in the studio for an album, tentatively titled 'Going Through Changes', but sadly the album never saw the light of day.

Feather continued to play throughout 1977, and for a few weeks during July, John Swan’s brother Jimmy Barnes, on sabbatical from Cold Chisel, shared the lead vocal duties. In November ‘77 Feather underwent a couple of key personnel changes, when bassist Lee Brossman and guitarist Wayne Smith left the group. Bassist Mark Mitchell and guitarist Chris Jones (ex-Finch) were brought into the flock. In April 1978 Feather were scheduled to tour as the support act for the Ted Mulry Gang on their three month nationwide ‘Disturbing The Peace’ tour, but the band was thrown into chaos when singer John Swan also flew the coop.

Vocalist Paul Green (ex-TV Jones) stepped into the fray for the tour and for Feather’s two track contribution ''Here With Me'' and ''Bad Blood'' to the various artists album 'Canned Rock' (a live gig performed at Parramatta jail). By 1980 Feather were performing under the moniker of Kid Colt, and by year’s end the Fraser Brothers, along with Mark Mitchell, had left to join singer Karen Smith in a new project called Smith, signalling the end of Feather’s flight. Stuart Fraser died of cancer in 2019. 

Members

John Swan (vocals), Stewart Fraser (guitar), Wayne Smith (guitar), Lee Brosman (bass), Warwick Fraser (drums), Mark Mitchell (bass), Chris Jones (guitar), Gary Conlan (vocals), Paul Green (vocals)

SINGLES 
''Girl Trouble / Sweet Melinda'' 1977 CBS

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References

http://rockonvinyl.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/feather-nest-of-feather-1977-1979.html