BLACK ALICE

Perth band Black Alice (originally known as Gypsy) were the quintessential Australian hard rock band of the 80's. Rob Hartley's powerful vocals, Jamie Page's dynamic lead guitar with blistering solos and riffs and Vince Linardi's bass giving excellent holes for the guitars and Joe Demasi's incredible drums amounted to a band that should have rivaled AC/DC. Under the guidance of co-producers Gary Keady and Steve James, Black Alice made their first album 'Endangered Species' in 1983. It was released in the UK through Street Tunes and was written up by Kerrang as being the next step from AC/DC. An EP was released later that year which carried two extra tracks not on the 'Endangered Species' album. 

Two years later the band had split and Rob Hartley went to Sydney to star in Gary Keady's first film effort, a heavy rock cinema short called Knightmare with Hartley singing the title song penned by Gary Keady and John Vallins. The sci fi post-apocalyptic 13-minute clip played nationally in Australian cinemas ahead of the blockbuster feature film Dune. Knightmare led Keady to write and direct the sci fi, metal, now cult classic, Australian feature film of 1988 Sons of Steel which starred Rob Harley in the lead as Black Alice and Jeff Duff in support as Secta. As a musical Keady, Steve James and Hartley reformed Black Alice with Jamie page on guitars, Scott Johnston (ex-Rose Tattoo) on drums and Andy Chichon (ex-Rose Tattoo) on bass. 

The songs for the film were penned by Gary Keady, John Vallins and Rod Keady and as Jamie Page put it, ''The soundtrack album took Black Alice to a new and exciting place''. The film featured a Black Alice version of the Speedy Keene crafted song 'Something in the Air,' formerly a hit by Thunderclap Newman. Black Alice would have been a mega world-wide success, if it wasn't for poor management. In 2019 German label Kathargo Records re released both remastered Black Alice albums as a 300-copy limited edition packaged set. 

 
Members

Rob Hartley (vocals), Jamie Page (guitar), Andy Cichon (bass), Scott Johnston (drums),
Vince Linardi (bass), Joe Demasi (drums)