SPECTRUM

Spectrum was formed in April 1969 in Melbourne, as a progressive rock group, by Mark Kennedy on drums (ex-Gallery), Lee Neale on organ (ex-Nineteen 87), Bill Putt on bass guitar (ex-Gallery, The Lost Souls), and Mike Rudd on guitar, harmonica and lead vocals (ex-Chants R&B, The Party Machine, Sons of the Vegetal Mother). Initially the group drew on the work of contemporary bands such as Traffic, Soft Machine and Pink Floyd; they played cover versions of their material. Spectrum developed their own style as Rudd began writing original material. Alongside Kennedy's drum solos, Putt's bass playing and Neale's keyboard work, a feature of Spectrum's sound was Rudd's guitar playing — he eschewed the near-universal use of guitar picks – using a finger-picking style on a vintage Fender Stratocaster to develop a characteristic sound.

During twelve months of regularly performing on the local dance and discothèque circuit, Spectrum refined their original material. They appeared at various "head" venues around Melbourne: T.F. Much Ballroom, Garrison and Sebastian's, alongside other progressive rockers, Tully, Tamam Shud and Sons of the Vegetal Mother. Spectrum used an elaborate set-up which included a large PA and a full multi-media light show; often supplemented by a performance troupe, Tribe. Early in 1970 they cut a demo single which they hawked to record companies as a 7" acetate. One side was an early, folk version of "I'll Be Gone". The B-side was another original, "You Just Can't Win". According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, these acetates are now "impossibly rare" and only two or three copies are known to have survived.

Despite a loyal following and praise from the music press – including from Australia's pop newspaper Go-Set – the band were almost broke by mid-1970. After they signed to EMI under their progressive rock imprint, Harvest Records, the band went into the studio in August 1970 to make their first official recordings, using producer, Howard Gable (The Masters Apprentices). Rudd described the recording sessions, "we had gone into the studio in order to record 'Launching Place Parts I & II', to help promote the Launching Place Festival. When we had finished recording those, Howard asked us did we have any others and I said, 'Yeah, I've got this one called "I'll Be Gone"', which we recorded as an afterthought. But then it became a hit single." Rudd had decided to add a harmonica part to the song.

The festival at Launching Place occurred in December 1970. "I'll Be Gone" was released in January 1971, which became a surprise #1 Australian hit on the Go-Set National Top 60 singles chart in May that year. It became one of the most enduring Australian rock songs of that era. McFarlane described it as a "shuffling, hypnotic" track, for which "suddenly the band was in big demand."

Spectrum released their debut LP, 'Spectrum Part One', in March 1971, although it did not include the hit single. Rudd had refused to add it as "It didn't fit with the innovative roaming style of the rest of the music." The album reached #10 in April. Kennedy had left in August of the previous year just after it was recorded, he had "lost patience" as the group "struggled for gigs (promoters found them 'too progressive')." He was replaced on drums and vocals by Ray Arnott (ex-Chelsea Set, Cam-Pact, Company Caine). Rudd praised Kennedy's musicianship: "Mark really carried us through the first year because people would say 'Wow, look at that drummer, they must be a good group'. He used to play things like drum solos!, but he was very good. By the same token, I was almost relieved to get away from that 'cause the emphasis swung back to the material and the band in general rather than one player." Kennedy later worked with Leo de Castro, Ayers Rock and then Marcia Hines.

Spectrum's follow up singles, "Trust Me" (June 1971) and "But That's Alright" (November), did not reach the top 60. During October that year Spectrum formed a side project, Indelible Murtceps, using the same line-up of Arnott on drums, Neale on electric piano, Putt on bass guitar and Rudd on vocals and guitar. They performed at pubs, and local dances, playing a more dance/pop-oriented repertoire and using a simpler set-up than when performing as Spectrum.

Their second album, 'Milesago', was released in December 1971 which was the first Australian rock album to be recorded using a 16-track recorder – newly installed – at Armstrong Studios during the previous September. McFarlane stated that it "remains one of the landmark releases of the Australian progressive rock era." It peaked at #9 on the Go-Set Top 20 Albums chart. By September 1972 Neale had left both bands; he was replaced by John Mills on keyboards. Neale quit the music scene permanently after leaving Spectrum and Indelible Murtceps.

Spectrum's third studio album, 'Testimonial', was co-credited to Indelible Murtceps. It appeared in July 1973, which reached #12. In March, before its release, Arnott announced he was going to join Mighty Kong. Putt and Rudd decided to end both bands; each played their farewell gig at the Dallas Brooks Hall in Melbourne on 15 April 1973. It was recorded and released in December 1973 as a double live album, 'Terminal Buzz'. Both of these releases were produced by Peter Dawkins.

Spectrum had toured other Australian rock festivals, including, The Odyssey Festival at Wallacia (January 1971), Myponga in South Australia (February), Sunbury (January 1972, January 1973), Mulwala (April 1972), and Rosebud including supporting The Kinks on their tour in 1971. Their national profile was limited by a lack of radio airplay in other capitals and, other than festivals, they rarely toured outside Victoria. Ian McFarlane opined that the group were "one of the first underground bands of the early 1970s to gain mainstream acceptance. Their brand of progressive rock was often built around long, complex musical passages, very much in the vein of UK bands... Yet the band did embrace a commercial aesthetic at times." Bill Putt died in 2013. Lee Neale died in 2019.

Members

Mike Rudd (vocals, guitars, recorder, harmonica), Bill Putt (bass), Mark Kennedy (drums), Lee Neale (keyboards, vocals), Ray Arnott (drums), John Mills (keyboards)

SINGLES 
''I'll Be Gone (#4) / Launching Place, Part II'' 1971 Harvest 
''Trust Me / Going Home'' 1971 Harvest 
''But That's Alright / Play A Song That I Know'' 1971 Harvest
''Esmeralda / We Are Indelible'' [as Murtceps] 1972 Harvest 
''The Indelible Shuffle / Rays Boogie'' [as The Indelible Murtceps] 1973 EMI

ALBUMS 

'Spectrum Part One' (#10) 1971 Harvest
'Milesago' (#9) 1971 Harvest
'Warts Up Your Nose' (#12) [as The Indelible Murtceps] 1973 HMV 
'Testimonial' [as The Indelible Murtceps] 1973 Harvest
Spill (credited as Spectrum Plays the Blues)1999 Volcano
No Thinking (credited as Spectrum Plays the Blues) 2004

 

References

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

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