Sidewinder was a rock band formed in Melbourne in 1976 by David Castles and Richard Lee.The two had previously played together in a band called Isaac Aaron in the early 70s. Originally intended to be a blues revival band, Lee's classic violin training allowed an eclectic mix of blues, hard rock and classical influences. Members came and went, but soon after Ashley Buckle joined, and the nucleus of the musical form was set. Lee and Buckle co-operated on writing songs. Castles stopped playing guitar and became the frontman/singer. With Greg Pope on bass and Michael Buckingham on drums, gigs consisted mostly of small inner Melbourne pubs using bluesy riffs as the core. In 1978 Wayne Young replaced Buckingham on drums and the form became closer to the heavy driving "pub rock" sound that marked the rock genre of the late 70s.
Sidewinder toured widely in Australia, playing in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth and many regional centers. They attracted a loyal band of followers, especially in hometown Melbourne. Due to the heavy touring commitments and a failure to secure a recording contract, Lee left to form another band with the same name. New members were Chris Barker, Rick Rankin, Tony Thornton and Steve Walsh. Lee disbanded this group soon after, following an offer to join Dragon (minus Marc Hunter). Although no Sidewinder album was released, recordings were made at EMI in Sydney and four track recordings of a number of live performances. Another unrelated Australian band called Sidewinder was formed in Canberra in 1991 by brothers Nick and Martin Craft.
Members
Richard Lee (violin), David Castles (vocals), Ashley Buckle (guitar), Greg Pope (bass), Michael Buckingham (drums), Wayne Young (drums), Chris Barker (bass), Rick Rankin (guitar), Tony Thornton (drums), Steve Walsh
EPs
'Sidewinder' 1978
Who's Who of Australian Rock and Roll by Chris Spencer
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