LEO DE CASTRO AND FRIENDS / FRIENDS

In December 1971 singer Leo de Castro formed Leo de Castro and Friends, also billed as Friends, as a progressive rock group in Melbourne. He was joined by former band mates Mark Kennedy, Rob MacKenzie and Duncan McGuire; and new associates Tim Martin on saxophone and flute, and Charlie Tumahai on vocals and percussion (ex - Healing Force, Chain). MacKenzie left early in the following year with Phil Manning of Chain filling-in until April when both Billy Green and Ray Oliver joined on guitar. Friends had appeared at the inaugural Sunbury Pop Festival in January 1972.

In August 1972 Friends released a single, "B-B-Boogie", which Duncan Kimball of Milesago website felt was a "solid boogie-rock number highlighted by Green and Oliver's dexterous dual guitar work." McFarlane described it as "exceptional hard rock". The track was co-written by de Castro, Kennedy, McGuire and Tumahai. Kimball preferred the B-side, "Freedom Train", which he opined was a "driving, prog-jazz" track that "became their signature tune", it was "one of the best Australian progressive recordings of the '70s." McFarlane noticed that it was a "jubilant jazz-tinged" work.

Tumahai returned to Healing Force in January 1973 and, late that month, Friends appeared at the Sunbury Pop Festival as a six-piece – de Castro, Green, Kennedy, Martin, McGuire and Oliver. Three of their performances "Lucille", "Bird on a Wire" and "La La Song", were recorded for a live 3× LP album, 'Sunbury 1973 – The Great Australian Rock Festival' (April) by various artists on Mushroom Records. A six-track extended play was also issued with one track by Friends. On stage at Sunbury de Castro joined Lobby Loyde and the Coloured Balls, and Billy Thorpe for an early morning session. Their track, "Help Me" / "Rock Me Baby", was issued on a live album, 'Summer Jam' (November 1973), by the Coloured Balls on the Havoc label.

The studio version of "Lucille" was issued as a single by Friends in February 1973 on Mushroom Records. Soon after Green, Martin and Oliver left and, in April, Ray Burton joined on guitar (ex- Delltones, Executives). In June a four-piece line-up of de Castro, Burton, Kennedy and McGuire performed "Freedom Train" and McGuire's newly written track, "Lady Montego", at one of the final concerts at The Garrison venue. The tracks were issued on the live album, 'Garrison: The Final Blow, Unit 1', by various artists on Mushroom Records. In June Leo de Castro and Friends disbanded when Burton, McGuire & Kennedy all left to form an eponymous trio. The trio added Jimmy Doyle in August and became Ayers Rock, a jazz fusion, progressive rock group, by September. Duncan McGuire died in 1989 from lung cancer. Charlie Tumahai died in 1995. Leo de Castro died in 2019.

Members

Leo de Castro (vocals), Mark Kennedy (drums), Rob MacKenzie (guitar), Duncan McGuire (bass), 

Tim Martin (sax/flute), Charlie Tumahai (vocals/percussion), Phil Manning (guitar),

Billy Green (guitar), Ray Oliver (guitar), Ray Burton (guitar)

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_de_Castro