MADDER LAKE

San Sebastian were a part-time rock band formed by Swinburne Institute of Technology (now Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn campus) graphic design students in 1968 which included Kerry McKenna on bass guitar and Brendan Mason on guitar. By 1969 the line-up was McKenna, Mason, Mick Fettes on vocals, Jac Kreemers on drums and John McKinnon on keyboards, they were playing cover versions for the pub circuit. Original material was introduced and, by late 1970, band members were leaving their tertiary studies to fulfil their bookings. With a repertoire of progressive, psychedelic, blues music they changed their name, in early 1971, to Madder Lake—madder lake is a crimson-coloured water-based dye (alizarin) mixed with alum and used in painting. The Melbourne-based line-up of Fettes, Kreemers, Mason, McKenna and McKinnon were picked up by Michael Gudinski's booking agency, Consolidated Rock. Madder Lake were influenced by British progressive rock acts, Family, Traffic and King Crimson.

They were the opening act at the inaugural Sunbury Pop Festival in January 1972. As their popularity increased, they were one of the first band's signed to the Gudinski co-owned Mushroom Records in late 1972. By 1973 they were a headlining act at the 1973 Sunbury Pop Festival and Mushroom Records' first release was their debut single, "Goodbye Lollipop", in February. The single peaked at #15 in Melbourne and made the Australian singles Top 40. Mushroom Record's first album release was the ambitious triple-live, 'The Great Australian Rock Festival - Sunbury 1973', which was released in early April, and included two Madder Lake tracks "Down The River'' and ''12lb. Toothbrush''. 

Madder Lake's debut album, 'Stillpoint' followed in August, which peaked at #13 on the Australian albums chart, it spawned their most recognised single, "12lb Toothbrush" written by band members, Fettes, Kreemers, McKenna and McKinnon. Andy Cowan replaced McKinnon by the time the album and its related single had been released. In 1974, the band recorded their second album, 'Butterfly Farm' which was released in April but the album and its related singles had less critical and commercial success than earlier work.

British conductor, David Measham, who had worked with Rick Wakeman on his 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth' commissioned Madder Lake for a theme piece on Aldous Huxley's science fiction novel Brave New World, but the project stalled when funding from Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) was cut-back and Measham's other commitments intruded. Cowan and Fettes left Madder Lake by late 1975, Fettes formed Bandicoot with comedian, Shane Bourne. Fettes was initially replaced by Colin Setches on vocals but when McKinnon returned in early 1976, he took up vocals in addition to keyboards, meanwhile Ian Holding replaced a departing McKenna on bass guitar and the band recorded their last single, "I Get High" and left Mushroom Records. McKenna returned, now on second guitar, and Tony Lake joined on vocals but soon left. Although not formally disbanding, Madder Lake subsequently had numerous periods of low activity. Fettes returned in April 1978 for touring and Mushroom released their compilation album, 'The Best of Madder Lake' in May, a new album was planned but Fettes left again in January 1979. Madder Lake resurfaced with three tracks on 'Mushroom Evolution Concert' live album, to celebrate the record company's tenth anniversary in 1982.

They returned to touring in 1996 and appeared on 'Mushroom 25 Live: The Concert of the Century' released in 1998, after which Gudinski sold his interests in Mushroom to Festival Records. Madder Lake's two studio albums have been re-issued by Aztec Music with bonus tracks added, 'Stillpoint' on 10 October 2008 and 'Butterfly Farm' on 24 March 2009. In 2013 they released the album 'World', their first album in 39 years. In December 2013, Mick Fettes retired from performing and was replaced by Ian Ferguson ex-RJSS, Carson and the Blue Dukes. Mick Fettes, died at the age of 65 in 2016. Jack Kreemers died in 2020.

Members

Mick Fettes (vocals), Jack Kreemers (drums), Brendon Mason (guitar),
Kerry McKenna (bass, synthesizer, guitar), John McKinnon (piano, organ), 

Andy Cowan (keyboards), Colin Setches (vocals), Tony Lake (vocals), Ian Holding (bass), Ian Ferguson (vocals)

SINGLES

Goodbye Lollypop

2 APR '73

#31

12lb Toothbrush

10 SEP '73

#35

Booze Blues

20 MAY '74

#85

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madder_Lake_%28band%29

http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/