Ariel was a progressive rock band based around the duo Mike Rudd and Bill Putt, who formed the band in 1973 after the breakup of their previous group Spectrum (which also performed under the alter-ego Indelible Murtceps). The original Ariel line-up was Rudd (guitar, harmonica, vocals), Putt (bass), Tim Gaze on guitar (ex-Kahvas Jute, Tamam Shud), Nigel Macara on drums (ex-Tamam Shud) and John Mills on keyboards (ex-Spectrum).
Their debut album 'A Strange Fantastic Dream', produced by Peter Dawkins was released on EMI in December 1973 and reached #17 on the Australian LP charts in February 1974. It included their most successful single "Jamaican Farewell", which charted but its success was hampered by lack of airplay, especially in Sydney, although it impressed the industry enough to win the FACB 'Single Of The Year'. According to the liner notes for the CD release of the album, there were calls to ban the LP because of its psychedelic cover artwork by Stephen Nelson, which included a figure holding a hypodermic syringe.
Airplay for the LP was further hindered by the banning of three songs (the darkly satirical "Confessions Of A Psychotic Cowpoke", "Medicine Man" and "Chicken Shit") by the commercial radio industry's self-regulatory body in Australia, the FACB. Critical reception to 'A Strange Fantastic Dream' was glowing. The remastered re-release of 'A Strange Fantastic Dream' was described as "extraordinary" by The Sydney Morning Herald in September 2002. Gaze and Nigel Macara left the band abruptly after a trip to Perth in early 1973, so Rudd and Putt began work on an ambitious science-fiction themed concept work entitled 'The Jellabad Mutant', which they hoped to record.
For rehearsals they brought in drummer John Lee (later a member of The Dingoes) who in turn brought in Harvey James (ex-Clydehouse), thereby establishing the second lineup of the group, which lasted until early 1975. Ariel recorded a full demo of 'The Jellabad Mutant' and presented it to their label EMI, but it was rejected. On the strength of the first LP, EMI in Britain had arranged recording time for the group at their famous Abbey Road Studios in London, but the rejection of 'The Jellabad Mutant' by EMI Australia forced Ariel to fall back on reworked material from Rudd's previous group Spectrum, supplemented by new songs hastily written by Rudd for the sessions.
Despite the problems surrounding the recording, the resultant album 'Rock & Roll Scars' (1975) is now regarded as one of the best Australian albums of the period, although it failed to make any significant commercial impression. It was mixed in the UK by Geoff Emerick, who worked on many of the later recordings by The Beatles, and produced by Peter Dawkins. The album peaked at #50. After returning to Australia in early 1975 Ariel added a fifth member, singer-guitarist Glyn Mason, (ex- Chain, Jeff St John & Copperwine and Home). The five-piece version of the band performed for several months but recorded only one single, although unofficial live recordings of this lineup have survived. It was during this period that Rudd introduced Dawkins to newly arrived New Zealand band Dragon. Dawkins (who had by then moved to CBS Records immediately signed Dragon and went on to produce a string of Australian hit albums and singles with them in the late 1970s.
Airplay for the LP was further hindered by the banning of three songs (the darkly satirical "Confessions Of A Psychotic Cowpoke", "Medicine Man" and "Chicken Shit") by the commercial radio industry's self-regulatory body in Australia, the FACB. Critical reception to 'A Strange Fantastic Dream' was glowing. The remastered re-release of 'A Strange Fantastic Dream' was described as "extraordinary" by The Sydney Morning Herald in September 2002. Gaze and Nigel Macara left the band abruptly after a trip to Perth in early 1973, so Rudd and Putt began work on an ambitious science-fiction themed concept work entitled 'The Jellabad Mutant', which they hoped to record.
For rehearsals they brought in drummer John Lee (later a member of The Dingoes) who in turn brought in Harvey James (ex-Clydehouse), thereby establishing the second lineup of the group, which lasted until early 1975. Ariel recorded a full demo of 'The Jellabad Mutant' and presented it to their label EMI, but it was rejected. On the strength of the first LP, EMI in Britain had arranged recording time for the group at their famous Abbey Road Studios in London, but the rejection of 'The Jellabad Mutant' by EMI Australia forced Ariel to fall back on reworked material from Rudd's previous group Spectrum, supplemented by new songs hastily written by Rudd for the sessions.
Despite the problems surrounding the recording, the resultant album 'Rock & Roll Scars' (1975) is now regarded as one of the best Australian albums of the period, although it failed to make any significant commercial impression. It was mixed in the UK by Geoff Emerick, who worked on many of the later recordings by The Beatles, and produced by Peter Dawkins. The album peaked at #50. After returning to Australia in early 1975 Ariel added a fifth member, singer-guitarist Glyn Mason, (ex- Chain, Jeff St John & Copperwine and Home). The five-piece version of the band performed for several months but recorded only one single, although unofficial live recordings of this lineup have survived. It was during this period that Rudd introduced Dawkins to newly arrived New Zealand band Dragon. Dawkins (who had by then moved to CBS Records immediately signed Dragon and went on to produce a string of Australian hit albums and singles with them in the late 1970s.
After the expiration of their EMI contract the group signed with CBS Records for their third LP 'Goodnight Fiona' (1976) and their only other charting single, the non-album track ''I'll Take You High'' which reached #62 in January 1976. The album peaked at #36. They made another trip to the UK in April 1976 but while there drummer John Lee left the band. He briefly joined English group Dirty Tricks and then finally rejoined The Dingoes after they relocated to America.
Lee was replaced in Ariel by by original member Nigel Macara. Harvey James quit Ariel abruptly later in 1976 after he was invited to join leading Australian pop group Sherbet, where he replaced founding member Clive Shakespeare. James' first recording with Sherbet was their Australian #1 and UK Top 5 hit "Howzat". James was replaced in Ariel by keyboard player Tony Slavich (ex-Sun). Macara left again in October 1976 and was replaced by another former Richard Clapton Band member, Iain McLennan. The single "Disco Dilemma" was released in April 1977, just before expiration of their CBS contract, after which they signed to local independent label Image Records.
They recorded the single "It's Only Love" for their new label; the song featured lead vocals from its writer Glyn Mason. Ariel announced its breakup in July 1977 and, just before their CBS contract expired, the "Island Fantasy" themed farewell concert was staged on Sunday 21 August 1977 at the Dallas Brooks Hall in Melbourne. The show was recorded and released over the two albums 'Ariel Aloha' (Oct 1977) and 'Live - More From Before' (1978). These two albums were subsequently reissued in 1980 as 'Ariel Live In Concert'. Harvey James died in 2011. Bill Putt died in 2013.
Members
Mike Rudd (guitar, harmonica, vocals), Tim Gaze (guitar, vocals), Harvey James (guitar),
Glyn Mason (guitar, vocals), Bill Putt (bass), John Mills (keyboards), Tony Slavich (keyboards), Nigel Macara (drums), John Lee (drums), Iain McLennan (drums)
SINGLES
''Jamaican Farewell (#66) / Red Hot Mama'' 1973 EMI
''Yeah Tonite / (I Am The) Laughing Man (For Leo)'' 1974 EMI
''Keep On Dancing (With Me) / I'll Be Gone'' 1975 Harvest
''I'll Take You High (#62) / I Can't Say What I Mean'' 1975 Harvest
''I Can Do Anything (#92) / Cypherland Blues'' 1976 CBS
''Disco Dilemma (#82) / How Do You Do It'' 1976 CBS
''It's Only Love (#62) / It's Time We Said Our Goodbyes'' 1977 Image
Lee was replaced in Ariel by by original member Nigel Macara. Harvey James quit Ariel abruptly later in 1976 after he was invited to join leading Australian pop group Sherbet, where he replaced founding member Clive Shakespeare. James' first recording with Sherbet was their Australian #1 and UK Top 5 hit "Howzat". James was replaced in Ariel by keyboard player Tony Slavich (ex-Sun). Macara left again in October 1976 and was replaced by another former Richard Clapton Band member, Iain McLennan. The single "Disco Dilemma" was released in April 1977, just before expiration of their CBS contract, after which they signed to local independent label Image Records.
They recorded the single "It's Only Love" for their new label; the song featured lead vocals from its writer Glyn Mason. Ariel announced its breakup in July 1977 and, just before their CBS contract expired, the "Island Fantasy" themed farewell concert was staged on Sunday 21 August 1977 at the Dallas Brooks Hall in Melbourne. The show was recorded and released over the two albums 'Ariel Aloha' (Oct 1977) and 'Live - More From Before' (1978). These two albums were subsequently reissued in 1980 as 'Ariel Live In Concert'. Harvey James died in 2011. Bill Putt died in 2013.
Members
Mike Rudd (guitar, harmonica, vocals), Tim Gaze (guitar, vocals), Harvey James (guitar),
Glyn Mason (guitar, vocals), Bill Putt (bass), John Mills (keyboards), Tony Slavich (keyboards), Nigel Macara (drums), John Lee (drums), Iain McLennan (drums)
''Jamaican Farewell (#66) / Red Hot Mama'' 1973 EMI
''Yeah Tonite / (I Am The) Laughing Man (For Leo)'' 1974 EMI
''Keep On Dancing (With Me) / I'll Be Gone'' 1975 Harvest
''I'll Take You High (#62) / I Can't Say What I Mean'' 1975 Harvest
''I Can Do Anything (#92) / Cypherland Blues'' 1976 CBS
''Disco Dilemma (#82) / How Do You Do It'' 1976 CBS
''It's Only Love (#62) / It's Time We Said Our Goodbyes'' 1977 Image
'A Strange Fantastic Dream' (#17) 1973 EMI
'Rock And Roll Scars' (#50) 1975 Harvest
'Goodnight Fiona' (#36) 1976 CBS
'Ariel Aloha' (#35) 1977 Image
'Ariel Live!! - More From Before' 1978 Image
'Ariel Live In Concert' 1980 Avenue
'The Jellabad Mutant' 2002 Rare Vision
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_%28band%29
http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/
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