Ayers Rock (band)

Ayers Rock
Also known as	Burton McGuire & Kennedy
Origin	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres	Jazz fusion, progressive rock
Years active	1973 (1973)–1981 (1981)
Labels	Mushroom, Festival, A&M, RCA, Red Rock
Past members	Ray Burton Mark Kennedy Duncan McGuire Jimmy Doyle Col Loughnan Chris Brown Les Young Doug Gallacher Russell Dunlop Joe Tattersall Keith Caisey John Young Andy Cowan Steve Hogg Hamish Stuart

Ayers Rock were an Australian jazz fusion, progressive rock band, which formed in August 1973. Ray Burton (guitar, vocals), Mark Kennedy (drums) and Duncan McGuire (bass) had all been members of Leo de Castro and Friends. They left to form an eponymous trio: Burton, McGuire & Kennedy. They added another guitarist, Jimmy Doyle, changed their name to Ayers Rock, and invited Col Loughnan (saxophones, flutes) to join. The group signed to independent label, Mushroom Records, by December 1973. Burton left in March the next year and was replaced by Chris Brown (guitar, vocals). Through persistent live appearances; coverage in print media, and word of mouth, the group established a high national profile, despite receiving little radio airplay. Music journalists acknowledged their excellent musicianship, innovative music, and an ability to re-interpret their music at live venues.

The band's first album, Big Red Rock (November 1974), received positive reviews and peaked at No. 32 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. It had mainstream rock songs, and three longer, instrumental tracks, which introduced progressive styles including jazz-fusion. Label owner, Michael Gudinski, promoted them in Los Angeles and they signed with A&M Records – the first Mushroom Records artists to be contracted to an international label. The United States release of Big Red Rock in February 1975, was followed by a US tour later that year. Ayers Rock played to massive US crowds when supporting major international artists, including Bachman–Turner Overdrive in front of an audience of 35,000 people – the first Australian band to perform in such large US stadiums. Ayers Rock were named 1975 "Musicians of the Year" in RAM's "New Year's Honors List". Kennedy left before their second album, Beyond (April 1976), which had been recorded at Record Plant, L.A. It blended different music genres and received positive critical reception from reviewers, but only reached No. 50 on the Australian albums chart. The band toured the US again, however Loughnan stayed in America, and they temporarily broke up in August 1976.

A year later Doyle and Brown recruited members for a new line-up of Ayers Rock, including Andy Cowan (keyboards, vocals) and Hamish Stewart (drums). In 1980 they released their third album, Hotspell, on their own label, Red Rock Records. This featured a soft rock style with sophisticated arrangements, and prominent keyboards, but no wind instruments. It did not appear on the Australian albums chart and the group permanently disbanded in 1981. Commercially, although their first two albums were successful in Australia, none of their six singles charted. In their early years from 1973 to 1976, the group were generally praised in the local media for their music, its diversity of styles, their use of the latest technology, and for the energy of their live performances. In the late 1990s music historians recognised the band's talent, but also thought their music could be over-indulgent, or that they took themselves too seriously. Duncan Kimball of Milesago.com website concluded "that they never really got the chance to reach their full potential."

Australian music scene

Ayers Rock were formed in the context of the Australian popular music scene of the early 1970s. This comprised artists of the mainstream pop (for example Zoot and Liv Maessen), blues rock (Chain), heavy rock (Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs) and boogie genres (Carson). Some bands combined mainstream rock with progressive rock (Blackfeather, Madder Lake). Most pop and rock music patrons had never heard jazz fusion, so that when Ayers Rock introduced such material to their sets, it was a genre rarely performed by fellow Australian artists.

In the early 1970s the Australian music media expressed frustration that few local artists had been successful overseas. Many artists had ventured to the United Kingdom, tried their best, but generally had little commercial success (The Twilights, The Masters Apprentices, The Groop, and Axiom). The local music press, such as the Go-Set newspaper, lamented this situation on a regular basis. From 1970 to 1975, later called the "Third Wave" of Australian rock, saw the expansion of pub rock venues in the southern, and eastern states.

History

1973: Formation

Ayers Rock were an Australian jazz fusion, progressive rock band formed in Melbourne in August 1973. Ray Burton, Mark Kennedy, and Duncan McGuire had been members of Leo de Castro and Friends. In June that year they left to form an eponymous trio, Burton McGuire & Kennedy. Burton, on guitar, had played with The Dave Bridge Quartet, The Delltones, and The Executives. In the United States he had worked with Australian singer, Helen Reddy, to co-write "I Am Woman" (May 1972). McGuire, on bass guitar, was also a recording engineer and producer, and had been in Australian groups since the late 1950s, including The Phantoms, The Epics, The Questions (which later became Doug Parkinson in Focus, see Doug Parkinson), and King Harvest. Kennedy, on drums, had previously played in Spectrum, on sessions for King Harvest, and for Leo de Castro and Friends.

The geographical feature, Uluru, which Europeans called Ayers Rock, after which the band were named.

Burton McGuire & Kennedy were joined, in August 1973, by Jimmy Doyle on guitar, who had worked for The Delltones and Dig Richards. He was the musical director for pianist, Winifred Atwell, on her Australian tours. Doyle was also a session player on Neil Sedaka's studio album, Workin' on a Groovy Thing (1969), and the related Australia-only single, "Wheeling West Virginia", both were recorded in Sydney. In September 1973 Burton McGuire & Kennedy changed their name to Ayers Rock, using the European name for the large sandstone rock formation, Uluru, in central Australia, which is a sacred place to the local indigenous Australians. The music group were nicknamed The Rock by the Australian press. Since 1993 the sandstone monolith, or the Big Red Rock, has generally been referred to by its Pitjantjatjaran name, Uluru.

Doyle had worked with Col Loughnan, a multi-instrumentalist and arranger, for over seven years. From late 1972 Loughnan was in a London-based blues and pop group, Kala. Doyle invited his former band mate to join during October 1973. With Ayers Rock he played saxophone, flute, and keyboards. In 1958 Loughnan had started his career as a lead vocalist of The Crescents. Then, in 1962, he joined The Delltones. He diversified into arranging, and then playing tenor saxophone with The Daly-Wilson Big Band, a jazz orchestra. By December 1973 Ayers Rock had signed to Mushroom Records, which issued their first single, "Rock 'n Roll Fight (Going On)", one of the label's early releases. One of the label's owners, Michael Gudinski, also became their talent manager.

In January 1974 Ayers Rock performed at the Sunbury Pop Festival – their track, "Morning Magic", written by Burton, appeared on the various artists' live album, Highlights of Sunbury '74 Part 2, issued by Mushroom Records later that year. In March Burton returned to the US and was replaced on guitar and lead vocals by Chris Brown (ex-Python Lee Jackson). Loughnan and Brown had played together in London as members of Kala. All the personnel traced their origins to rock or pop bands from Sydney, except for Kennedy, who was from Melbourne.

1974–75: Big Red Rock

During 1974 Ayers Rock began recording their debut album, Big Red Rock, at Festival's 24-track studio in Sydney. They were not satisfied with the sound:it had failed to capture the "live" essence of the music. They used Armstrong's Studios in Melbourne to record live-in-the-studio in September that year. Kennedy, told Margaret MacIntyre of Rolling Stone (Australian edition) that "doing the album live was an experiment really and it seemed to work." Big Red Rock appeared in November, which had "a more jazz-rock edge"; it provided the single, "Lady Montego". This was a new version of a track originally by Leo De Castro and Friends, which McGuire had written. According to Juke's reviewer "the single lifted to push the album, 'Lady Montego' ... received three weeks airplay and was then dumped." This exposure made it Ayers Rock's most aired single in Australia. Kennedy told the reviewer that "without AM radio support you can't sell too well in this country." The reviewer criticised their songs as "lyrically banal", but said the group's "sheer talent" with their instruments and electronic devices got them through.

A track from Ayers Rock's live set was a cover version of "Boogie Woogie Waltz" written by Joe Zawinul of Weather Report, for the US group's album, Sweetnighter (April 1973). In November 1974 Loughnan temporarily stopped live performances due to back pain, the band continued as a four-piece. He undertook major surgery and is seen sitting down whilst playing in video footage from that period, while recovering.

Ayers Rock's manager and label owner, Gudinski, visited the US, in December 1974, promoting his recording artists including Skyhooks, Daddy Cool, Madder Lake and others, to major recording labels there. At that time, only Ayers Rock were successful, with Gudinski getting them signed with A&M Records within days. Gudinski told Tony Wilson of The Sun that "Jerry Moss, the president of A&M Records USA, flipped when he heard it, so A&M will release it (Big Red Rock) world-wide." This was unexpected by the Australian media, as many of the other artists had been more commercially successful locally, than Ayers Rock. In particular, Skyhooks were Australia's most popular band, and their first album, Living in the 70's (October 1974), had sold 226,000 units, the highest-selling album by a local artist in Australia to that time. Living in the 70's was spurned by A&M; it was not released as an album outside Australia. Ayers Rock were the first Mushroom Records artist to sign a recording contract with an international label.

In January 1975 the group performed at the fourth Sunbury Pop Festival. Big Red Rock and "Lady Montego" were released into the US market on 28 February 1975. From July to September that year, they promoted the album on US tours. This included playing to an audience 35,000, at a stadium concert in Seattle supporting Bachman–Turner Overdrive on 27 July 1975. They were the opening act for Status Quo, J.Geils Band, Charlie Daniels, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Nils Lofgren. Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, identified that "Ayers Rock was the first Australian band to play to massive crowds on the USA touring circuit". This occurred years before fellow Australians, Little River Band, AC/DC, and Air Supply, conducted their first US tours.

1975–76: Beyond

During September 1975, while in the US at the end of their tour, Ayers Rock recorded their second album, Beyond, at The Record Plant, Los Angeles. It was financed by a $60,000 advance from A&M Records, as specified in their contract. At a reception for the band on return to Sydney, McGuire explained, "The pressure of the tour was just too much. We were on the road all the time and I guess I wasn't as strong as the rest of the band. When we got into the studio I had the shakes. I mean I was playing the right notes, but not in the right places." To record the album McGuire's friend, Les Young played some of the incomplete bass guitar parts. Young also played live with Ayers Rock in Australia for a short time (including the State Theatre, Sydney, in October 1975) American Jeff Castleman played bass guitar on album track, "Catchanemu" McGuire returned to the group, without any prior announcement, to a gig at the Dallas Brooks Hall, in November.

In February 1976 prior to Beyond's appearance, Kennedy left to join Marcia Hines' backing band (Hines and Kennedy were romantically, and professionally involved). He was temporarily replaced by Doug Gallacher. Ayers Rock were named 1975 "Musicians of the Year" in RAM's "New Year's Honors List". In April 1976 Beyond was issued in Australia and the US. It appeared on the Kent Music Report Albums Chart top 50. It provided two singles, "Little Kings" (October 1975) and "Song for Darwin" (May 1976) – but neither charted.

The album cover of the U.S. release of Beyond showing an outback scene (upright view), and the head of an Australian aboriginal man when the album cover is rotated 90° to the right. Cover design by Ian McCausland.

A feature of the US cover for Beyond is that the "rock" in the distance appears to change into the head of an Aboriginal man (with his eyes closed) when it is rotated to the right (illustrated). Creator of the cover, Ian McCausland was Art Director at Mushroom Records, and had also designed The Rolling Stones: Australian tour 1973 poster. The US version displays a central principal of Aboriginal spirituality, which is the deep connection between the land and the Aboriginal peoples. An ATSIC publication stated the Aboriginal position: "we don't own the land, the land owns us. The land is my mother, my mother is the land. Land is the starting point to where it all began." The Australian government webpage, The Dreaming explains: "Once the ancestor spirits had created the world, they changed into trees, the stars, rocks, watering holes or other objects. These are sacred places of Aboriginal culture."

In May 1976, Gallacher was replaced by Russell Dunlop (ex-Aesop's Fables, Levi Smith's Clefs, SCRA, Mother Earth, Johnny Rocco Band). From May to July that year they toured the US again, however they "only achieved limited success overseas." After that tour Dunlop, Loughnan, and McGuire left, and on 25 August 1976, Mushroom Records announced that Ayers Rock had broken up following Loughnan's decision to stay in the US to study. Remaining members Brown and Doyle placed the project in a year-long hiatus.

1977–81: Hotspell

During 1977 Brown and Doyle reconvened the band with Bermuda-born Keith Caisey on percussion, Joe Tattersall on drums (Healing Force, Barry Leef Band) and John Young on bass guitar (De Castro). By 1978 the line-up of Brown, Caisey, and Doyle were joined by Andy Cowan on keyboards and vocals (Madder Lak]), Steve Hogg on bass guitar (Bakery), and Hamish Stuart on drums. In March 1980 Ayers Rock issued another single, "On the Avenue", followed in May by their third LP, Hotspell, on Red Rock Records, the group's own label, and distributed by RCA Records. It was recorded at The Music Farm, Byron Bay, and engineered by former member, McGuire. Luis Feliu in The Canberra Times referred to the "new-sounding" Ayers Rock and their "laid-back" style. There had been a major change in the personnel writing the music; Brown was contributing less while Cowan was the most active, writing five songs, and Stuart co-wrote two with Doyle. Doyle, who had no writing credits on the previous albums, had written "On the Road". It had been played in the bands's live sets since 1978. Jillian Burt of Juke magazine described it as "reminiscent of the cool, calm, collectedness that typifies Steely Dan". Hotspell featured songs in a soft rock style with sophisticated arrangements, and prominent keyboards, but no wind instruments.

According to The Canberra Times' Luis Feliu's review of the album and a July 1980 gig, Ayers Rock were "once Australia's hottest progressive rock" group, at their peak. However not all audience members at the Sydney performance in 1980 agreed with the band's direction; Feliu reported that

"the capacity audience showed hearty approval ... probably old allegiance, and only a few comments of dissatisfaction, like 'boring', were heard, then that was at the bar up the back".

Hotspell did not reach the Kent Music Report Albums Chart top 100, and has never been released on CD. In July 1981 the group released a final single, "Lies", but disbanded that year.

Afterwards

In late 1974 Ayers Rock members Brown, McGuire, Kennedy, and Loughnan performed on several tracks on Jim Keays' debut solo album, The Boy from the Stars. At the January 1975 Sunbury Pop Festival, Keays performed most of the album's tracks live with three Ayers Rock members joining the ensemble to record "Nothing Much Left" and "Urantia". Upon return to the US, Burton was a session player for Billy Joel and Jimmy Webb; he wrote "Best Friend" for the feature film Airport 1975 (1974). In 1976 Burton formed the Ray Burton Band with Rex Bullen, Terry Gascoine, Steve Hogg and Tim Piper. From 1977 to 1980 McGuire was a bass guitarist for The Southern Star Band alongside Doug Parkinson on vocals, Tommy Emmanuel on guitar and Kennedy on drums. In 1978 Burton issued a solo album, Dreamers and Nightflyers, which spawned the singles, "Too Hard to Handle" and "Paddington Green". After touring with Crossfire in 1979, he returned to the US to work as a songwriter.

In 1983 Cowan joined a short-lived reformation of Blackfeather by Neale Johns. The album No Worries by Georgie Fame (1988) featured three Ayers Rock alumni: Loughnan, Doyle, and Dunlop. McGuire died in July 1989 from a brain tumour. In the late 1980s, Hogg formed The Rhythm Snakes with Clayton Black on drums, Howie Smallman on harmonica and Bob Thorne on guitar. In 1989, Hogg assembled a studio band to record an album of his own material with Thorne, Mark Alderman on harmonica, Ian Ironside on drums, Bob Patient on piano and Bernie Payne on saxophone. Hogg died on 20 July 1990, and the album, Various Fools & Vices, appeared in 1992. In 1993 Kennedy drummed for The Blazing Salads, with Brian Cadd, Glenn Shorrock, Rex Goh and Kirk Lorange. In 1998 Hamish Stuart supplied drums for Chris Abrahams and Melanie Oxley's album, Jerusalem Bay. Doyle died on 5 May 2006. On Sunday, 28 May 2006, the "Jim Doyle Tribute Concert" was held at The Basement in Sydney. Musicians performing included Renee Geyer, Billy Field, bandmate Loughnan, and Barry Leef, with the proceeds for the benefit of Doyle's family. Loughnan is a lecturer in saxophone (jazz) at the University of Sydney's Conservatorium of Music and has been a member of the Jazz Faculty since 1978. In 2007 he released a solo album, Ellen St.

Musicianship

Genres

The musical style of Ayers Rock has been called jazz-rock, but this is a simplification. In a 2011 radio documentary presented by David and Jordie Kilby on 666 ABC Canberra, Loughnan was describing other Mushroom Records artists as playing in pop/rock styles, whereas Ayers Rock was known to play some jazz, and then he noted that "we were a bit of both". Critics reviewing Big Red Rock referred to side 1 as the "song" side, and side 2 as the "jazz" side. This approximation provides a useful framework for understanding their styles. "Lady Montego", "Talkin' 'Bout You", "Goin' Home", and "Nostalgic Blues" were named as rock songs, the first three are written by McGuire, and "Nostalgic Blues" is written by Brown.

"Crazy Boys", written by Loughnan, highlighted the larrikin aspect of the band: they used the mock voices of working class, uncultured men talking at a hamburger shop. Each spoke in a variety of local slang or various stereotypical ethnic accents. (Listen to the sound sample for more information.) The humour poked fun at Australians in general, regardless of their background. One voice declared "Hey, listen mate, give me one 'Gudinskiburger', please, hold the bacon, please". The band's manager and label owner, Gudinski, abstained from pork products. He went along with the joke and released Big Red Rock on his label. Other voices discuss, "Dr. Hopontopovis, the Greek gynaecologist". Later in the track, they recorded more slang with, "Who yer sayin’ that to, yer drongo?" (see [Drongo#Insult|Drongo]]).

"Crazy Boys" includes singing with two lines of lyrics, while most of the track is instrumental. Written by Loughnan, it was described by Juke's reviewer as "free form jazz", and features solos by Brown, Doyle, and Loughnan. The sounds from the guitars, electric saxophone, and vocals are heavily electronically processed. When asked about the group's use of electronics by Eloe Fanouche of RAM, Loughnan replied that "you've got to be able to use them well in order to sound good. We use them to colour the sounds as much as possible."

The title track, "Big Red Rock", written by Loughnan, is an 8½ minute instrumental was described in Juke as "expertly capturing the stark loneliness and cosmic tranquility one gets standing before their namesake rock". According to Loughnan, the atmosphere that they wished to create was: "that spacey sort of feeling—like desert ... and we wanted to get the sound of the didgeridoo—which we did electronically". Doyle imitated the sound of the didgeridoo by playing his guitar through a wah-wah pedal. Tony Catterall of The Canberra Times praised the title track "Big Red Rock", which

"suggests the huge expanse of the outback, then takes you ... to the Aboriginal secrets ... [and evokes] the power surrounding the area [of Uluru] in a burst of truly inspired musicianship".

Gil Wahlquist of The Sydney Morning Herald cited "Big Red Rock" as being "heavily accented towards jazz". It is a work involving changing moods, with quiet moments which are "eerie, euphonic, and evocative". Aboriginal clapsticks, and sounds imitating the didgeridoo allude to the indigenous character of Uluru, and the surrounding areas. Another section is double tempo jazz fusion with solos for the guitarists, and saxophonist, complemented by the rhythm section driving the music to the crescendo. This section concludes with a rapid rallentando, or slowing of tempo, to another gentle phase; changes in tempo, and volume are heard throughout the track. This puts "Big Red Rock" at the opposite end of the musical spectrum to disco, often featuring one tempo and one volume, which was rising to become the dominant musical genre.

Like the band's first album, the vastness of the rural, and outback landscapes were reflected in the artwork, and music on Beyond. The names of the band and the second album are "titles to suggest space, time and distance" according to a review by Forester in The Age, and some tracks had an "indigenous appeal". The title of the first track "Moondah" translates to "Beyond" in English, and reflects the hope that the indigenous people could move beyond the challenges they were experiencing at that time. This was expressed in an April 1976 article in the TV Times where the track's writer Loughnan explained: "The aborigines have had a raw deal in the past. The song expresses the hope that they get better treatment in the future". "Moondah (beyond)" begins with clapsticks, log drum, electronic guitar sounds imitating the didgeridoo, and other sounds imitating indigenous (Aboriginal) singing. This combination of electronic effects, and rhythms creates sounds very similar to indigenous Australian music, which later segues into a different section, featuring a more European style. The track then returns to the original theme. The overall effect becomes a fusion of indigenous Australian music, rock, and improvisational jazz by European Australians, ahead in time of indigenous rock artists such as Yothu Yindi, and No Fixed Address who created their own fusions of indigenous, and rock music.

Manuscript of the violin part used for the recording of "Angel in Disguise" from the album Beyond. (Click on the image to see the enlarged version.)

Beyond featured a 23 piece string section, arranged and conducted by Loughnan, on the tracks "Place to Go", "Song for Darwin" and "Angel in Disguise". Loughnan wrote a tune for his wife some years before, which he expanded to become the instrumental "Angel in Disguise".

Radio airplay

In order to understand the treatment of Ayers Rock by radio stations one needs to appreciate the unusual situation that was Australian radio in the 1970s. Unlike the U.S., which enjoyed a huge and vibrant FM radio scene, Australia had only ABC FM, and a couple of community FM stations in 1976, and most of them played classical music. Commercial AM radio stations dominated the airwaves when it came to rock music in Australia.

In an interview Kennedy stated "radio airplay has never happened for us here—except 2JJ and the occasional Album Shows". ABC youth oriented AM radio station, 2JJ, was confined to broadcasting in Sydney in the 1970s, and even there reception was very poor in some areas. In America the attitude to the band's music was very different. Journalist Greg Kelton expressed the view that Beyond had "been played by about 50 radio stations in the (U.S.). 'It is being played on two (stations) in Australia' said Jimmy Doyle".

Ayers Rock established their reputation through live performance, exposure in the print media, and word of mouth; promotion from radio stations in Australia was minimal.

Live performance

Ayers Rock were a rock band which, as time went on, started to play "rock-jazz fusion" in their sets, along with the rock songs, and increased the "jazz" aspect of the music during the life of the band. In a review of a concert on 19 October 1975, Paul Gardiner in Rolling Stone claimed "Big Red Rock was still tied quite closely to existing American styles". He goes on to say that, at the State Theatre, "evidence" of jazz-rock "came through loud and clear". This was the first major concert by the band after returning from their recording sessions (and tour) in the U.S. The evidence that Ayers Rock were fundamentally a rock band is their ear-splitting volume. In a smoke-filled bar at Martinis, in Carlton, Juke conducted a vox pop of audience members, one of whom grumbled "I don't mind a bit of volume with my improvisation but this is so goddamn heavy". Juke describes that gig as "packed to the rafters". Paul Gardiner stated in a concert review (October 1975) published in Rolling Stone:

"The band ... have cut their teeth on pure rock and roll and have, [as of] Ayers Rock, moved on to what amounts to a rock-jazz fusion. The inversion of the term is becoming important; unlike the bands to which they are compared in America, which have all lived and breathed jazz in its purer, more traditional forms, ... [the] Rock is made up of rock musicians."

In a Rolling Stone interview with Margaret MacIntyre, Kennedy explains: "Ayers Rock was getting a live response that, to speak for myself, I hadn't seen happen with a crowd ... for a long time". In the same interview, Doyle intimates the key to their success saying: "this band is going somewhere ... it's not the same thing every night, unlike many bands, the arrangements change". Reviewers were enthusiastic in their summations of the band's performances. Paul Gardiner wrote: "the impression they now generate on stage is one of total energy ... energy which sets them apart". Juke went one better, claiming that Ayers Rock were: "a band that could reward its audiences with (the) sheer exhilaration of seeing real master musicians ... taking their audiences to virgin territory that other explorers had only dreamed about".

Eloe Fanouche of RAM focussed on another aspect, explaining that:

"Unlike many groups they were able to capture the ethereal quality of their recorded sound on stage ... On being asked how live gigs compared to studio work, they all declared that the straight atmosphere of the studio was too clinical".

Critical reception

Contemporary response (1973 to 1981)

Big Red Rock received positive reviews in the US, and Australia. Australian newspapers quoted a Cashbox review verbatim praising their music, ending with: "it was something different and something beautiful." The Triad Guide, a free program guide published by Chicago radio station 106FM, described the album as "clean with a lot of energy". In an interview with Juke, Doyle claimed that Billboard magazine gave the album a good review, and the interviewer agreed. Australian reviewers concluded that the album was "an extremely good record, well worth owning", "a classic record in Australian rock", and "an inspiring success".

The response from critics to their second album, Beyond, was immediate and generally positive. Sean Hanrahan in The Sunday Press (Melbourne) stated: "Beyond to me stands as something of a crowning achievement for a band that has already been described as the high-water mark in Australian rock." The band were keen to emphasise that the music was "essentially Australian" even though it was recorded in L.A. Critics also referred to the Australian character of their music. Tony Catterall of The Canberra Times declared that the group "has absorbed its influences so well that they're almost unrecognisable in the final product. And into this synthesis the band has infused some things peculiarly Australian".

Later response (1999 to present)

US writer, Vernon Joynson, in his encyclopaedia, Dreams, fantasies, and nightmares from far away lands (1999), describes Ayers Rock. He found that the album, Big Red Rock, was "an excellent example of jazz rock fusion Australian style. The musicianship is of high quality although it tends to become a little over-indulgent in places". It includes "radio friendly" material and three tracks "filled with fine virtuoso guitar and saxophone". He felt that despite being "quite a popular live act (Ayers Rock's) recordings were hampered by a dilemma over whether to opt for a more serious pursuit of expanding the horizons or for a commercial sound". In 2006 Duncan Kimball at MilesAgo.com website agreed that the band had "some dilemma" over "a more expansive instrumental-based approach or opt for a more song-based commercial sound." He concluded that "the group's relatively short lifespan and small catalogue meant that they never really got the chance to reach their full potential."

According to Australian rock music historian McFarlane, in his opus, Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop (1999), the members of the group "were seen as 'musician's musicians'. The band issued a series of technically proficient recordings, but in the long run any quest for commercial acceptance was marred by the seriousness of the music". In a radio documentary broadcast in December 2011, Jordie Kilby felt that Big Red Rock was "a great record; quite an influential (album) ... now one that's held in quite high regard."

Members

• Duncan McGuire – bass guitar (1973-1976; died 1989)
• Mark Kennedy – drums (1973-1976)
• Ray Burton – guitar, vocals (1973-1974)
• Jimmy Doyle – guitar, vocals (1973-1981; died 2006)
• Col Loughnan – saxophone, flute, keyboards, percussion, vocals (1973-1976)
• Chris Brown – guitar, vocals (1974-1981)
• Les Young – bass guitar (1975)
• Doug Gallacher – drums (1976)
• Russell Dunlop – drums (1976)
• Joe Tattersall – drums (1977)
• Keith Caisey – percussion (1977-1981)
• John Young – bass guitar (1977-1978)
• Andy Cowan – keyboards (1978-1981)
• Steve Hogg – bass guitar (1978-1981; died 1990)
• Hamish Stuart – drums (1978-1981)

Discography

Albums

• Big Red Rock (Mushroom Records, 1974) AUS No. 32
• Beyond (Mushroom, 1976) AUS No. 50
• Hot Spell (Red Rock/RCA Records, 1980)

Singles

• "Rock N Roll Fight" (December 1973)
• "Lady Montego" (November 1974)
• "Little Kings" (1975)
• "Song for Darwin" (1976)
• "On the Avenue" (1979)
• "Lies / Feel The Heat" (1981)

References

General

• Kimball, Duncan. "MilesAgo – Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975". ICE Productions. Archived from the original on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
• McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Whammo Homepage". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 5 April 2004. Retrieved 31 July 2012. Note: Archived [on-line] copy has limited functionality.
• Spencer, Chris (2002) [1987]. The Who's Who of Australian Rock. Noble Park, Vic: Five Mile Press. ISBN 1-86503-891-1. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) Note: [on-line] version of The Who's Who of Australian Rock was established at White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd in 2007 and was expanded from the 2002 edition. As from, September 2010 the [on-line] version shows an 'Internal Service Error' and was no longer available.

Specific

External links

• Ray Burton's official website
• Col Loughnan's official website
• Ayers Rock at Allmusic.com