Sunshine (Dragon album)
Encyclopedia
Sunshine is the third album by New Zealand
/ Australia
n rock band
Dragon
, it was their first album after they had relocated to Sydney
in May 1975. Sunshine was released in 1977 by CBS Records
and peaked at #24 on the Australian national albums charts. The single "This Time" had been released in late June 1976, which peaked at #26 on the Australian national singles charts. The second single "Get that Jive" was the best charting peaking at #13 and the third single "Sunshine" reached #36. The album had US
and International releases in 1978 on Portrait Records
, with "This Time" called "In the Right Direction" and an alternative cover used (see infobox).
Dragon had released two progressive rock
albums in New Zealand but in Sydney they were moving to a rock
/ pop
sound and sent for keyboardist
Paul Hewson of rival kiwi group Mammal. Hewson joined Dragon with Marc Hunter
on vocals and his older brother Todd Hunter
on bass guitar
, Neil Storey on drums
and Robert M. Taylor on lead guitar
. Storey died of heroin overdose in September 1976, aged 22. Their debut single "This Time" had begun charting, they considered disbanding but continued with ex-Mammal drummer Kerry Jacobson to complete the album. The album was dedicated to Neil Storey (1954–1976).
in May 1975 they landed a contract with CBS Records
when record producer Peter Dawkins
caught one of their performances. Dragon co-founder Ray Goodwin left the group in 1975, so Dragon sent for keyboard
player Paul Hewson who had a reputation, in New Zealand, as a pop songwriter. Hewson, ex-Mammal, had been scouted by Dragon when they were still in New Zealand but had declined to join. Often courting or creating controversy, the band was rocked by the heroin overdose death of drummer Neil Storey in September 1976, aged 22. By then, their debut single "This Time" had begun charting. After considering disbanding, Todd Hunter consulted with former manager Graeme Nesbitt (ex-Mammal) who advised him to continue and organised for Kerry Jacobson (ex-Mammal) to join on drums.
All songwriters according to Australasian Performing Right Association
(APRA).
International release
(^^) "This Time" was renamed "In the Right Direction" for International release but is otherwise the same.
Dragon members
Additional musicians
Recording details
Art work
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
/ Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
Dragon
Dragon (band)
Dragon is a popular New Zealand rock band, they were formed in Auckland, New Zealand in January 1972 and relocated to Sydney, Australia in May 1975. They were previously led by singer Marc Hunter and are currently led by his brother bass player Todd Hunter...
, it was their first album after they had relocated to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in May 1975. Sunshine was released in 1977 by CBS Records
CBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
and peaked at #24 on the Australian national albums charts. The single "This Time" had been released in late June 1976, which peaked at #26 on the Australian national singles charts. The second single "Get that Jive" was the best charting peaking at #13 and the third single "Sunshine" reached #36. The album had US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and International releases in 1978 on Portrait Records
Portrait Records
Portrait Records was a sister label of Epic Records and later of Columbia Records. Cyndi Lauper and Sade signed with Portrait, but their contracts were absorbed by Epic after that incarnation of the label was shuttered....
, with "This Time" called "In the Right Direction" and an alternative cover used (see infobox).
Dragon had released two progressive rock
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...
albums in New Zealand but in Sydney they were moving to a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
/ pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
sound and sent for keyboardist
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
Paul Hewson of rival kiwi group Mammal. Hewson joined Dragon with Marc Hunter
Marc Hunter
Marc Alexander Hunter was a New Zealand rock and pop singer best known as the lead vocalist with Dragon, a band formed by his older brother Todd in Auckland in 1973....
on vocals and his older brother Todd Hunter
Todd Hunter
Todd Stuart Hunter is a New Zealand musician and composer known for his involvement in the band Dragon. Their best known songs are "April Sun in Cuba", "Are You Old Enough?", "Still in Love With You", and "Rain"...
on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Neil Storey on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and Robert M. Taylor on lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
. Storey died of heroin overdose in September 1976, aged 22. Their debut single "This Time" had begun charting, they considered disbanding but continued with ex-Mammal drummer Kerry Jacobson to complete the album. The album was dedicated to Neil Storey (1954–1976).
Background
After Dragon relocated to SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in May 1975 they landed a contract with CBS Records
CBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
when record producer Peter Dawkins
Peter Dawkins
Peter Dawkins may refer to:*Pete Dawkins, Vice Chairman of the CitiGroup Private Bank and former Chairman/CEO of Primerica Financial Services, Inc.*Peter Dawkins , English founder of the Francis Bacon Research Trust...
caught one of their performances. Dragon co-founder Ray Goodwin left the group in 1975, so Dragon sent for keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
player Paul Hewson who had a reputation, in New Zealand, as a pop songwriter. Hewson, ex-Mammal, had been scouted by Dragon when they were still in New Zealand but had declined to join. Often courting or creating controversy, the band was rocked by the heroin overdose death of drummer Neil Storey in September 1976, aged 22. By then, their debut single "This Time" had begun charting. After considering disbanding, Todd Hunter consulted with former manager Graeme Nesbitt (ex-Mammal) who advised him to continue and organised for Kerry Jacobson (ex-Mammal) to join on drums.
Tracklisting
Australian / New Zealand releaseAll songwriters according to Australasian Performing Right Association
Australasian Performing Right Association
The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth...
(APRA).
- "Same Old Blues" (Paul Hewson) - 4:54
- "Blacktown Boogie" (Marc HunterMarc HunterMarc Alexander Hunter was a New Zealand rock and pop singer best known as the lead vocalist with Dragon, a band formed by his older brother Todd in Auckland in 1973....
, Robert M. Taylor, Todd HunterTodd HunterTodd Stuart Hunter is a New Zealand musician and composer known for his involvement in the band Dragon. Their best known songs are "April Sun in Cuba", "Are You Old Enough?", "Still in Love With You", and "Rain"...
) - 3:15 - "Sunshine" (Hewson) - 4:50
- "On the Beachead" (Taylor) - 3:59
- "This Time" (Hewson, M Hunter, Neil Storey, Taylor, T Hunter) - 3:07 ^^
- "Get that Jive" (Hewson) - 2:44
- "Street Between Your Feet" (M Hunter, Taylor) - 4:19
- "New Machine" (Hewson) - 3:47
- "MX" (M Hunter, Taylor) - 3:28
- "The Letter" (M Hunter, Taylor) - 4:09
International release
- "Same Old Blues" (Hewson) - 4:54
- "Blacktown Boogie" (M Hunter, Taylor, T Hunter) - 3:15
- "Sunshine" (Hewson) - 4:50
- "On the Beachead" (Taylor) - 3:59
- "In the Right Direction" (Hewson, M Hunter, Storey, Taylor, T Hunter) - 3:07 ^^
- "Get that Jive" (Hewson) - 2:44
- "Street Between Your Feet" (M Hunter, Taylor) - 4:19
- "New Machine" (Hewson) - 3:47
- "MX" (M Hunter, Taylor) - 3:28
- "The Letter" (M Hunter, Taylor) - 4:09
(^^) "This Time" was renamed "In the Right Direction" for International release but is otherwise the same.
Personnel
Credited to:Dragon members
- Paul Hewson — keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Marc HunterMarc HunterMarc Alexander Hunter was a New Zealand rock and pop singer best known as the lead vocalist with Dragon, a band formed by his older brother Todd in Auckland in 1973....
— lead vocals - Todd HunterTodd HunterTodd Stuart Hunter is a New Zealand musician and composer known for his involvement in the band Dragon. Their best known songs are "April Sun in Cuba", "Are You Old Enough?", "Still in Love With You", and "Rain"...
— bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Kerry Jacobson — drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(except "This Time") - Neil Story — drums on "This Time"
- Robert M. Taylor — guitars (electric, acoustic)GuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
Additional musicians
- Tony Buchanan — tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
on "Sunshine" - William Motzing — brassBrass instrumentA brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
arranger
Recording details
- Producer — Peter DawkinsPeter Dawkins (musician)Peter Dawkins is a New Zealand-born record producer and musician, best known for his hit 1970s productions for Australian-based pop artists, including Dragon, Australian Crawl and Air Supply. He has won multiple production awards, including the Countdown Producer of the Year...
- Engineer — Bruce Brown @ Albert Studio
- Additional engineering — Wyn Wynard
- Manager — Sebastian Chase
Art work
- Art Direction & Design — J. Peter Thoeming
- International release, Illustrator — Julia van Henneside
- International release, Design — Nancy Donald, Tim Stocke
- International release, Inner sleeve logo — Andy Capel
- Cover Photography — Carroll Holloway