Their first recording was as a backing band for a solo album 'Fleetwood Plain' by Greg Quill, and in 1971 they were signed by legendary record label Harvest. Booked to appear at the Odyssey Pop Festival at Wallacia NSW, Pirana thought that this appearance was the perfect place to road test some new songs they had written. However, this was a risky assignment being a newly signed band playing new songs in front of a large crowd. If the material wasn’t well received they would fall flat on their face. Fortunately, Pirana and their new material went down well receiving rapturous applause. This augured well for the recording of their eponymous self titled debut album. The LP hit the shops in 1971, and while the album didn't exactly set the world on fire the band quickly established themselves as a popular live act. In 1971 the band supported the Australian tours of Pink Floyd, Deep Purple and Manfred Mann.
Stan White left the band shortly after the release of their first album, replaced by Keith Greig. With White out of the band guitarist Hamilton had a more prominent place as a songwriter for Pirana's second effort 'Pirana II', issued late in 1972. A direct result of that was that the band started moving slightly away from their latin-inspired sound. They never managed to hit the big time with this second effort either though, not even a superb performance at 1972's Sunbury festival gave the band a true commercial breakthrough. Indeed, the latter actually cemented their reputation as a Santana-influenced act, and while their credibility as a live unit soared their merits as a studio unit wasn't by far as heralded. Grieg left the band in 1972, and a flurry of line-up changes followed for the next couple of years, until Pirana fizzled out to disbandment in late 1974. Keith Greig died in 2014. Jim Duke-Yonge died in 2019.
Members
Tony Hamilton (vocals, guitar), John Milyard (keyboards), Keith Greig (keyboards), Jim Duke-Yonge (drums), Phil Hitchcock (bass), Andrew McCue (keyboards, flute), Richard McEwan (guitar, vocals), Paul Spetter (drums), Graeme Thompson (bass), Stan White (keyboards)
Stan White left the band shortly after the release of their first album, replaced by Keith Greig. With White out of the band guitarist Hamilton had a more prominent place as a songwriter for Pirana's second effort 'Pirana II', issued late in 1972. A direct result of that was that the band started moving slightly away from their latin-inspired sound. They never managed to hit the big time with this second effort either though, not even a superb performance at 1972's Sunbury festival gave the band a true commercial breakthrough. Indeed, the latter actually cemented their reputation as a Santana-influenced act, and while their credibility as a live unit soared their merits as a studio unit wasn't by far as heralded. Grieg left the band in 1972, and a flurry of line-up changes followed for the next couple of years, until Pirana fizzled out to disbandment in late 1974. Keith Greig died in 2014. Jim Duke-Yonge died in 2019.
Members
Tony Hamilton (vocals, guitar), John Milyard (keyboards), Keith Greig (keyboards), Jim Duke-Yonge (drums), Phil Hitchcock (bass), Andrew McCue (keyboards, flute), Richard McEwan (guitar, vocals), Paul Spetter (drums), Graeme Thompson (bass), Stan White (keyboards)
SINGLES
''Here It Comes Again (#94) / Find Yourself A New Girl'' 1971 Harvest
''I Hope You Don't Mind / Funny Games'' 1971 Harvest
''Here It Comes Again (#94) / Find Yourself A New Girl'' 1971 Harvest
''I Hope You Don't Mind / Funny Games'' 1971 Harvest
'Pirana' 1971 Harvest
'Pirana II' 1972 Harvest
References
http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=5390
http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/
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