Blackfeather

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Band Members: Neale Johns' Blackfeather Live

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NEALE JOHNS' BLACKFEATHER MKVII 2007/8NEALE JOHNS - VOCALS/SONGWRITER/GUITAR BRENDEN MASON - GUITARS/VOCALS/SONGWRITER KERRY MCKENNA - BASS/VOCALS/GUITAR/SONGWRITER MICK HOLDEN - DRUMS/VOCALS DARYL ROBERTS - KEYBOARDS/VOCALS/HARMONICAThis was the last line-up trading under the name Blackfeather and that which appears on this page. It seems to have followed the tradition of previous line-ups (as can be seen in the following list of who's who in Australian Rock) of the revolving door syndrome. However, it must be pointed out that this is not an instability issue, but rather a musical evolution. Throughout these myriad of changes Neale Johns has been the one consistent factor, as singer, songwriter and custodian of Blackfeather. Different players injected different expression, breathing new life into older songs and keeping the spark alive. Unfortunately this kind of philosophy was/is frowned upon in this industry, as is differing genres within a band. It can be said that these constant changes did perhaps alienate Blackfeathers fan base too. In retrospect Neale feels he should have used the title of Neale Johns' Blackfeather when performing, but was encouraged to use the original name. From now on the band will be known as the Neale Johns Band. Music is an art, not just a commodity. Freedom of expression is a given. ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------BLACKFEATHER : Sydney 1970-1978, 1983 Other Personnel (alphabetical order): Lee Brossman [bass] 1976 -Harry Brus [bass] 1971 -Rex Bullen [keyboards] Leith Corbett [bass] 1970 -Andy Cowell [keyboards] 1983- Robert Fortesque [bass] 1970-71 Stuart Fraser [guitar] 1976 -Warwick Fraser [drums] 1976 -Terry Gascoigne [drums] 1971 - Cleve Judge [bass] 1983 -John Lee [drums] 1973 Alexander Kash [drums] 1970-71 -Mike McCormack [drums] 1970 -Doug McDonald [drums] 1975 -Steve Murphy [guitar] 1970-71 -Ray Oliver [guitar] 1978 , 1983 -Derek Pelecci [drums]- Jim Penson [drums] 1971-72 -Tim Piper [guitar] 1972/73 -Rick Rankin [guitar] 1978 - Ian Rilen [bass] 1975-- Billy Rylands [bass] -1975- John Robinson [guitar/songwiter] Apr 1970 - Aug 71- Jeff Rosenberg [bass] 1978 -Greg Sheehan [drums] 1972-73, 1978 -Wayne Smith [guitar] 1976 -John Strangio [bass] 1978 Billy Taylor [guitar]- 1972, 1975 -Huk Treloar [drums] 1978 -John Tucak [bass] Ray Vanderby [keyboards] 1975 -Warren Ward [bass] 1971-73, '78 -Steve Webb [drums) 1970 -Lindsay Wells [guitar] 1970-71,1973 -Ian Winter [guitar] 1975 -Paul Wyld(e) [piano]1971-73, 1978 -Trevor Young [drums] 1972, 1978 -Zack Zytnik [guitar] Aug-Dec 1971 ............................................................ .................................................... ............................................................ ................................................... HISTORY: Blackfeather were one of the most popular and successful groups of the early '70s, and produced one of the landmark Aussie progressive rock albums, but a major split early in the group's history disabled what should have been a promising career. As indicated by the huge personnel listing above, there was a bewildering series of lineup changes, with Blackfeather going through at least six major incarnations between 1970 and 1983, with a huge personnel list for each version. However one consistent factor was vocalist/songwriter NEALE JOHNS. The list is a veritable 'Who's Who' of the 70s rock scene. However it's the first two lineups - 'Mark I', who made At The Mountains Of Madness, and 'Mark II who recorded Boppin' The Blues - that are the best known ............................................................ .................................................... ............................................................ .................................................... BLACKFEATHER (Mk I) formed in April 1970 with the original lineup being John Robinson [guitar/songwriter], Neale Johns [vocals/songwriter], Leith Corbett [bass] and Mike McCormack [drums]. All but Johns had come straight from the split of the highly-rated Dave Miller Set, who were one of NSW's most popular live groups in the late 60s, and whose classic version of Mr Guy Fawkes was Go-Set's pick for the Best Single of 1969. Just after Xmas 1969, Dave disbanded the group, and went solo. Leith, Mike and I went looking for a singer. It didn't take long before Leith turned up with Neale Johns. A small guy with a huge voice, he was into the blues and had an excellent range. The new band had lots going for it - although only 18, Neale Johns was a powerful vocalist, and Robinson had already developed a strong following as a 'guitar hero', along with players like Lobby Loyde, Kevin Borich, Dennis Wilson and Tim Gaze. Corbett and McCormack were a powerful rhythm section in the Free/Led Zeppelin mould and Robinson and Johns quickly formed a strong writing unit, jointly composing all the material on their first LP. Leith and Mike defected. It didn't take long however, before Neale found a rhythm section recently arrived from Perth. Al Kash, an American, played drums, and Bob Fortesque, bass. They were simpler players than Leith and Mike and the music gelled immediately. They were booked into the Manly Vale Pub soon after, and the crowd went wild. Blackfeather had finally arrived! Blackfeather began working consistently around the traps and they became one of the first acts signed to Festival's newly-formed Infinity subsidiary. It was this second lineup -- Robinson, Johns, Fortesque and Kash -- which featured on their debut album, the Australian progressive classic At The Mountains Of Madness, recorded in late 1970 and released early the following year. The LP was produced by Richard Batchens, who later worked with Sherbet. Fraternity's singer Bon Scott guested on recorder and percussion, and their keyboard player John Bissett also contributed. The title, At The Mountains of Madness came from a H.P. Lovecraft novel. At The Mountains Of Madness was released in April 1971 and was a national Top 10 LP in May. The album has perhaps not aged as well as some others from the period; the title track and the ambitious suite The Rat sound a little dated now, although there is sterling playing by Robinson throughout. Still, there are plenty of highlights, including the heavy-riffing Long Legged Lovely (with some of the heaviest bass yet captured on an Aussie recording) and the classic Seasons Of Change, one of the most memorable and adventurous singles of the period. (Both songs were included on Raven's Golden Miles CD compilation in 1994). ............................................................ ................................................. BLACKFEATHER MARK II; led by Johns, with Warren Ward (bass), Jim Penson (drums), gutarist Zac Zytnick (ex-Tamam Shud) and pianist Paul Wylde. Zytnick left the new band in December (replaced by guitarist Billy Taylor (ex-Flake), followed by Penson at the start of 1972. By now the Blackfeather sound had changed dramatically -- the new material was simpler and rootsier, with Wylde's piano -- he played an electrically-amplified acoustic upright piano -- now the central feature. In July they released a new single, Boppin' The Blues/Find Somebody To Love. The A-side was a rollicking makeover of an old Carl Perkins number, with Wylde's boogie-woogie piano to the fore. Since they were between drummers at the time, the single was actually cut with Aztecs drummer Gil Matthews. Drummer Trevor Young joined temporarily just before it came out. It became Blackfeather's biggest hit, reaching No.1 in August 1972. It did massive business and is now the song that they are probably best remembered for. Young and Taylor left soon after. Young was replaced by Greg Sheehan. Taylor wasn't replaced, and Blackfeather remained a 4-piece for the next few months. At a time when the electric guitar was still the primary rock instrument, Blackfeather's new piano-bass-drums lineup was quite a radical departure (although one can only pity the poor roadies who had to lug Wylde's piano from gig to gig!) This lineup recorded the second Blackfeather LP, the Howard Gable-produced live album Boppin' The Blues, recorded at gigs at Melbourne Town Hall and the Q Club in September, and released in December 1972. The next major change was when Paul Wylde quit at the end of 1972. He was replaced by two guitarists, Lindsay Wells (ex-Healing Force) and Tim Piper. Blackfeather returned to the harder, guitar-based style of the first album. They perfomed at Sunbury '73 in January and their set was recorded and released the following year as a live LP; with one track (I'm Gonna Love You) also featured on Mushroom's inaugural release, the triple-album recording of the concerts, released in April. Their third single, a version of Little Richard's Slippin & Slidin' had been released February 1973, by which time Sheehan had quit. He was briefly replaced by John Lee, but the group only lasted a short time longer, splitting in April, after which Lee moved on to the newly-formed Dingoes. Blackfeather Mark III was formed by Johns in 1975, with Billy Taylor, Ray Vanderby (ex-Band Of Light) keyboards, Billy Rylands on bass and Doug McDonald on drums, but this version lasted only a short time. In early 1976 Neale Johns formed the more pop-oriented "Mark IV" Blackfeather, with Vanderby, Lee Brosman, Warwick Fraser and Stewart Fraser (who was then aged only 14!). Johns quit in November 1976 and went overseas to join ex-T-Rex band Fingerprint, but the remaining members stayed together, picking up John "Swanee" Swan on vocals and Wayne Smith on guitar and renaming the group Feather. Johns came back to Australia in 1977 and after touring with Fingerprint, formed the Mark V Blackfeather, reuniting the '72 lineup of Wylde, Ward and Young in June 1978. By October all except Johns had left, replaced by Ray Oliver, Rick Rankin, Jeff Rosenberg and Huk Treloar. Ex-Dingoes drummer John Strangio briefly replaced Treloar, but this version had folded by the end of the year. Johns formed a final Blackfeather (Mark VI) in 1983 with Hinton, Cowell, Judge and Vizzone but this too was short lived. ----------------------------------- ............................................................ .................................................... DISCOGRAPHY: Both At The Mountains Of Madness and Boppin' The Blues were reissued by Festival in 1991/2 and are still available on CD. Long Legged Lovely and Seasons Of Change were included on Raven's Golden Miles CD compilation in 1994. ............................................................ .................................................... SINGLES : 5/71, Seasons Of Change /On The Day That I Die, Infinity INK 4248 7/72, Boppin' The Blues /Find Somebody To Love, Infinity INK 4721 ,2/73 Slippin' & Slidin' / Fly On My Nose, Infinity INK 4988 ............................................................ .................................................... ALBUMS : 4/71, AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS; Infinity SINL934159 [LP] D34159 [CD] At The Mountains of Madness [Robinson] On This Day That I Die [Robinson] Seasons Of Change Part 1 [Robinson/Johns] Mangos Theme Part 2 [Robinson] Long Legged Lovely [Robinson/Johns] The Rat (Suite) - Main Title (The Rat) - The Trap - Spainish Blues - Blazwaorden (Land Of Dreams) - Finale (The Rat)[Robinson/Johns] ............................................................ .................................................... Alexander Kash - Drums and Footsteps : Neale Johns - Vocals : Robert Fortescue - Bass Guitar : John Robinson - Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Effects : Bon Scott - Recorder and Timbalis, : John Bisset - electric piano : Produced by Richard Batchens & John Robinson, Recorded at Festival Studios, Sydney (Cover artist/photographer not credited) ............................................................ .................................................... 12/72, BOPPIN' THE BLUES; Infinity, INL34731[LP] D19717 [CD]--------------- Pineapple [Wylde] Gee Willikers [Wylde] Own Way Of Living [Johns] Red Head Rag [Wylde] D. Boogie (Mama Roll) [Johns] Get it On [Johns] Boppin' The Blues [Perkins/Griffith] Lay Down Lady [Johns]------------------------------- ............................................................ .................................................... Neale Johns - Vocals : Paul Wylde - piano : Greg Sheehan - drums : Warren Ward - bass : Producer: Howard Gable, Engineer: John French, Recorded live at Melbourne Town Hall and Q Club, September 1972. Remixed at TCS Studios. Album Design: Ian McCausland, Photos: David Porter. ............................................................ .................................................... 1974 BLACKFEATHER LIVE AT SUNBURY; Infinity L25095 [LP], Boppin' the Blues [Perkins-Griffin] Get it On [Johns] I Just Love to Rock 'n' Roll [Johns] I'm Gonna Love You [Johns] Let's Twist Again [Mann-Appell] Slippin' & Slidin' [Penniman-Collins-Smith] Still Alive & Well [Derringer]--------------------------- Neale Johns - Vocals : Lyndsay Wells - Guitar : Tim Piper - Guitar : Greg Sheehan - Drums : Warren Ward - Bass. ............................................................ .................................................... References/Links : Ian Mc Farlane - Australian Encyclopedia of Rock & Pop (1999); Freedom Train (1996), Noel McGrath - Encyclopedia of Australian Rock (1978), John Robsinson's Blackfeather Productions John Robinson: Autobiography John Robinson: Return To The Mountains Australian Rock Database Chris Spencer & Zbig Nowara - Who's Who of Australian Rock & Roll (1993)------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------- Please email Milesago if you have any extra information. Copyright © Milesago 2002.
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