Headband (band)
Encyclopedia
Headband were a progressive
, blues rock band formed in Adelaide in February 1971 by bass guitarist Chris Bailey; drummer Joff Bateman; singer-songwriter and keyboardist Peter Beagley (later known as Peter Head
); and singer-songwriter and guitarist Mauri Berg. The group supported Elton John
(in 1971), The Rolling Stones
(in 1973) at their Sydney performances. The band finished third in the 1972 Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds
– a national performance competition between the best groups representing each state. Headband released an album, A Song for Tooley (September 1973) and four singles before disbanding in 1974. Bailey later joined The Angels
and then GANGgajang
, Berg joined Fraternity
(with Jimmy Barnes
on vocals) and Head formed Mount Lofty Rangers (which included future AC/DC
vocalist Bon Scott
) and later went solo.
, with Bon Scott.
Headband played progressive blues rock with symphonic, country and pop influences. They had a strong work ethic, rehearsing and performing constantly, including three shows a week in high schools across Adelaide. "We did modern jazz at nightclubs, rock'n'roll for discos, J.S. Bach for pleasure, barbershop quartet stuff for laughs, electronic music at jam sessions, blues when feelin' low, and country and folk for interest. A combination of these influences comes out in our original material." explains Peter Head. The band practised "group indoctrination" in all types of music, even attending chamber music concerts together.
On 22 October 1971, they supported Elton John
's Adelaide show at the Memorial Drive Tennis Centre. Their debut single, "Scratch My Back" was released locally by RCA and did not reach the charts. It was straight forward pop and was followed by their second single, "Land of Supercars", which was issued nationally in 1972. "Country Lady" was also released that year. In July, the band finished third in the 1972 Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds
– a national performance competition between the best groups representing each state – having been a finalist in the previous year.
Headband supported The Rolling Stones
on their Sydney performances in February 1973 and issued "A Song for Tooley" as their next single. Their debut album, A Song for Tooley, was released in September on Polydor. Its "sound was more adventurous ... [but it] was erratic, with the material ranging from Uriah Heep-styled heavy rock to psychedelic pop and progressive jazz". It featured Sydney Symphony players and an 110-piece children's choir. The album spent five weeks in the charts, making the Top 50. The album featured stunning hand drawn cover art by internationally renowned Adelaide artist Vytas Šerelis, and a fold-out poster with photos and biographical details of band members. Šerelis created promotional posters and photos for Headband, Fraternity, The Mount Lofty Rangers and Chequers.
Headband relocated to Sydney in 1973, they played the pub circuit
with residencies including at Whisky a Go Go. They had toured Australia supporting international acts The Rolling Stones, Elton John and John Mayall
. In 1974 they returned to Adelaide and disbanded.
in January 1977, he was later a founding member of GANGgajang
. Berg joined a new line-up of Fraternity in late 1974, it included John Swan
on drums and vocals, and his brother Jimmy Barnes
(Cold Chisel
) on vocals. By 1978, Bateman and Berg were together in Mickey Finn with half the members of Fraternity, who had returned demoralised from a miserable stint in London and had recently broken up. Head formed a loose musical collective, The Mount Lofty Rangers, in 1974, which began with various musicians from Fraternity and Headband. It included Bon Scott
, who left to join AC/DC
before year's end. The Mount Lofty Ranges spawned the musical Lofty produced by The Circle Theatre Company. By the early 1990s, the original vinyl pressing of A Song for Tooley became a collector's item for psychedelic and progressive rock fans.
Track listing
Art work
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, blues rock band formed in Adelaide in February 1971 by bass guitarist Chris Bailey; drummer Joff Bateman; singer-songwriter and keyboardist Peter Beagley (later known as Peter Head
Peter Head
Pianist and singer/songwriter Peter Head is an Australian rock musician. He first came to prominence with Adelaide progressive rock band Headband.-Early years:...
); and singer-songwriter and guitarist Mauri Berg. The group supported Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
(in 1971), The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
(in 1973) at their Sydney performances. The band finished third in the 1972 Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds
Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds
Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds was an annual national rock/pop band competition held in Australia from 1966 to 1972.-History:Australia's Battle of the Sounds was originally established by Australian tabloid magazine Everybody’s in 1965 as a talent quest for new unsigned bands in Sydney, Melbourne...
– a national performance competition between the best groups representing each state. Headband released an album, A Song for Tooley (September 1973) and four singles before disbanding in 1974. Bailey later joined The Angels
The Angels (Australian band)
The Angels are a hard rock band that formed in Adelaide, Australia in 1970. The band later relocated from Adelaide to Sydney and enjoyed huge local success until well into the 1990s. For the purposes of international release, their records were released under the names Angel City and later The...
and then GANGgajang
GANGgajang
Gang Gajang are an Australian rock band who formed in 1984. The three principal figures in the original lineup were former Riptides frontman Mark "Cal" Callaghan and two former members of popular Australian hard rock band The Angels, bassist Chris Bailey and drummer Graham "Buzz"...
, Berg joined Fraternity
Fraternity (band)
Fraternity were an Australian rock band which formed in Sydney in 1970 and relocated to Adelaide in 1971. Former members include successive lead vocalists Bon Scott , John Swan , and his brother Jimmy Barnes...
(with Jimmy Barnes
Jimmy Barnes
James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
on vocals) and Head formed Mount Lofty Rangers (which included future AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
vocalist Bon Scott
Bon Scott
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980...
) and later went solo.
History
Headband formed in February 1971 in Adelaide with Chris Bailey (ex-Red Angel Panic) on bass guitar, Joff Bateman (Resurrection, W.G. Berg, War Machine) on drums, Peter Head (Johnny Mac and the Macmen, Peter Beagley Trio, Boz) on keyboards and Mauri Berg (Silhouettes, Ides of March, Resurrection, W.G. Berg, War Machine) on guitar, harmonica and lead vocals. They were managed by Hamish Henry who also managed rivals, FraternityFraternity (band)
Fraternity were an Australian rock band which formed in Sydney in 1970 and relocated to Adelaide in 1971. Former members include successive lead vocalists Bon Scott , John Swan , and his brother Jimmy Barnes...
, with Bon Scott.
Headband played progressive blues rock with symphonic, country and pop influences. They had a strong work ethic, rehearsing and performing constantly, including three shows a week in high schools across Adelaide. "We did modern jazz at nightclubs, rock'n'roll for discos, J.S. Bach for pleasure, barbershop quartet stuff for laughs, electronic music at jam sessions, blues when feelin' low, and country and folk for interest. A combination of these influences comes out in our original material." explains Peter Head. The band practised "group indoctrination" in all types of music, even attending chamber music concerts together.
On 22 October 1971, they supported Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
's Adelaide show at the Memorial Drive Tennis Centre. Their debut single, "Scratch My Back" was released locally by RCA and did not reach the charts. It was straight forward pop and was followed by their second single, "Land of Supercars", which was issued nationally in 1972. "Country Lady" was also released that year. In July, the band finished third in the 1972 Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds
Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds
Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds was an annual national rock/pop band competition held in Australia from 1966 to 1972.-History:Australia's Battle of the Sounds was originally established by Australian tabloid magazine Everybody’s in 1965 as a talent quest for new unsigned bands in Sydney, Melbourne...
– a national performance competition between the best groups representing each state – having been a finalist in the previous year.
Headband supported The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
on their Sydney performances in February 1973 and issued "A Song for Tooley" as their next single. Their debut album, A Song for Tooley, was released in September on Polydor. Its "sound was more adventurous ... [but it] was erratic, with the material ranging from Uriah Heep-styled heavy rock to psychedelic pop and progressive jazz". It featured Sydney Symphony players and an 110-piece children's choir. The album spent five weeks in the charts, making the Top 50. The album featured stunning hand drawn cover art by internationally renowned Adelaide artist Vytas Šerelis, and a fold-out poster with photos and biographical details of band members. Šerelis created promotional posters and photos for Headband, Fraternity, The Mount Lofty Rangers and Chequers.
Headband relocated to Sydney in 1973, they played the pub circuit
Pub rock (Australia)
Pub rock is a style of Australian rock and roll popular throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and still influencing contemporary Australian music today....
with residencies including at Whisky a Go Go. They had toured Australia supporting international acts The Rolling Stones, Elton John and John Mayall
John Mayall
John Mayall, OBE is an English blues singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, whose musical career spans over fifty years...
. In 1974 they returned to Adelaide and disbanded.
Afterwards
After Headband had separated, Bailey joined the Australian rock group The AngelsThe Angels (Australian band)
The Angels are a hard rock band that formed in Adelaide, Australia in 1970. The band later relocated from Adelaide to Sydney and enjoyed huge local success until well into the 1990s. For the purposes of international release, their records were released under the names Angel City and later The...
in January 1977, he was later a founding member of GANGgajang
GANGgajang
Gang Gajang are an Australian rock band who formed in 1984. The three principal figures in the original lineup were former Riptides frontman Mark "Cal" Callaghan and two former members of popular Australian hard rock band The Angels, bassist Chris Bailey and drummer Graham "Buzz"...
. Berg joined a new line-up of Fraternity in late 1974, it included John Swan
Swanee (singer)
John Swan, better known as Swanee, is a Australian rock singer. He was born John Archibold Dixon Swan in Glasgow, Scotland in 1952. He is the older brother of rock singer Jimmy Barnes and the uncle of singer and stage performer David Campbell. He emigrated to Australia with his family in 1961...
on drums and vocals, and his brother Jimmy Barnes
Jimmy Barnes
James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
(Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It is one of the most acclaimed Australian rock bands of all time, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s and huge sales that continue to this day, although its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to...
) on vocals. By 1978, Bateman and Berg were together in Mickey Finn with half the members of Fraternity, who had returned demoralised from a miserable stint in London and had recently broken up. Head formed a loose musical collective, The Mount Lofty Rangers, in 1974, which began with various musicians from Fraternity and Headband. It included Bon Scott
Bon Scott
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980...
, who left to join AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
before year's end. The Mount Lofty Ranges spawned the musical Lofty produced by The Circle Theatre Company. By the early 1990s, the original vinyl pressing of A Song for Tooley became a collector's item for psychedelic and progressive rock fans.
Members
- Chris Bailey – bass guitar, backing vocals (1971–1974)
- Joff Bateman – drums, backing vocals (1971–1974)
- Peter BeagleyPeter HeadPianist and singer/songwriter Peter Head is an Australian rock musician. He first came to prominence with Adelaide progressive rock band Headband.-Early years:...
– keyboards (1971–1974) - Mauri Berg – guitar, harmonica, lead vocals (1971–1974)
Albums
- A Song for Tooley (Polydor 2907.008) 1973
Track listing
- "A Song for Tooley" 5:05
- "Land of Supercars" 5:43
- "Stay with Me" 3:32
- "My Young Friend" 2:53
- "Headsong" 1:20
- "Country Lady" 2:18
- "Children's Dreams" 6:25
- "Wait Until Tomorrow" 4:12
- "Brand New Morning" 2:27
- "Goodbye Mother Nature" 4:33
Art work
- Cover design – Vytas Šerelis
- Catalogue number: Polydor 2907.008
Singles
- "Scratch My Back" / "Musical Man" (RCA) 1971
- "Land of Supercars" / "How Much I Miss the Country" (RCA Victor 102146) 1972
- "Country Lady" / "Stay with Me" (Polydor 2079.017) 1973
- "Song for Tooley" / "Brand New Morning" (Polydor 2079.031) 1973