Band of Light

Band of Light were an Australian blues rock quartet formed in October 1972 by Tony Buettel on drums, Phil Key on lead vocals and guitar, Peter Roberts on bass guitar and Norm Roue on slide guitar. Roberts was soon replaced by Ian Rilen on bass guitar. They had a top 20 hit single, "The Destiny Song" (July 1973) on the Go-Set National Charts. The group released two albums, Total Union (August 1973) – which peaked at No. 13 – and The Archer (1974) before disbanding in late 1974. Phil Key died in May 1984 of a congenital heart condition; Ian Rilen died of bladder cancer in October 2006.

Band of Light were an Australian blues-rock band formed in Sydney in October 1972 by New Zealand-born Phil Key (ex-the Mergers) on lead vocals and lead guitar from New Zealand-formed band, the La De Da's, which had relocated to Sydney, in 1968.^[1][2][3] He recruited latter day bandmate, Peter Roberts (ex-Freshwater, the La De Da's) on bass guitar.^[1][2][3] Norm Roue (ex-Gutbucket, Lotus, Wolfe) on slide guitar and Tony Buettel (ex-Bay City Union, Levi Smith's Clefs, Fraternity, Band of Talabene) on drums joined to complete the line-up.^[1][3] Soon after Ian Rilen (ex-Space, Lotus) replaced Roberts on bass guitar.^[1][3] They appeared at the 1973 Sunbury Music Festival in January and their track, "Messin' with the Kid", was included on a live triple LP, Sunbury 1973 – The Great Australian Rock Festival.^[1][4] Their talent manager as Sebastian Chase.^[5]

The band was a vehicle for Key to develop his own songs, mostly co-written with his wife Pam Key, under the pseudonym of Wheel, using a quasi-religious philosophy which explored themes of racial equality, social justice, spiritual harmony and cosmic enlightenment.^[1][4] The music was energetic and funky with a heavy blues and boogie style interlaced with intense slide guitar work.^[1][4] In early 1973 they signed with WEA, which issued their debut single, "The Destiny Song", in July.^[1] Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described it as, "[an] infectious boogie rocker."^[1] It peaked at No. 18 on the Go-Set Singles Chart.^[6]

They worked consistently touring from Sydney to Melbourne doing pub gigs and concerts whilst playing alongside Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, Carson, Coloured Balls (Lobby Loyde's band), Chain, Madder Lake and Buffalo.^[1][4] They released their debut studio album, Total Union (August 1973), which peaked at No. 13 on the Go-Set Albums Chart.^[1] Garry Raffaele of The Canberra Times observed, "[they] have the sort of deep, rumbling sound which turns on the disco-goers. It's thumpy and bumpy and makes you want to get up and dance your fool head off."^[7] McFarlane felt, "Mostly [it] was standard hard rock, slow 12-bar blues and boogie, but the best tracks revealed [the group] to be an energetic and funky rock band."^[1] Another single, "Free Them from Hunger", also appeared in August but it did not chart.^[1] It was followed by a non-album single, "Moonstruck", in November and then a four-track self-titled, compilation extended play; but neither charted.^[1][3]

A mediados de 1974, Buettel, Rilen y Rouen se marcharon. ^{[ 1 ] [ 3 ]} Rilen reflexionó más tarde: "Ninguna de las canciones satisfacía mi necesidad de religión del rock 'n' roll... Me gusta cantar sobre beber, enraizar, amor y vida". ^{[ 8 ]} Key formó una nueva alineación con Dannie Davidson (ex-Tamam Shud, Kahvas Jute) en la batería y Billy Williams (ex-Classic Affair) en el bajo para grabar el segundo álbum del grupo, The Archer , que se publicó ese año. ^{[ 1 ] [ 3 ]} McFarlane notó que tenía "un sonido mucho más seco que el debut y no logró entrar en las listas". ^{[ 1 ]} La banda se amplió con Eddie Hansen (ex-Ticket) en la guitarra principal y Ray Vanderby en los teclados, que se unieron para las actuaciones en directo. ^{[ 1 ] [ 3 ]} Key disolvió el grupo a finales de 1974.

Buettel se convirtió en productor discográfico y trabajó con Uncanny X-Men y Strange Tenants en la década de 1980. ^{[ 4 ]} Key dejó la industria musical y se convirtió en taxista en Sídney. ^{[ 1 ]} Phillip Andrew Key murió en mayo de 1984 de una afección cardíaca congénita. ^{[ 1 ]} Peters trabajó con Chariot, Flake y Rockwell T. James, The Romantics y Audio Smash. ^{[ 3 ] [ 4 ]} Rilen fue miembro de varios grupos, Blackfeather (1975), Rose Tattoo (1976–77), Sardine v (1980–83) y X (1977–79, 1983-90). ^{[ 1 ] [ 3 ]} Ian William Rilen murió de cáncer de vejiga , a la edad de 59 años, el 30 de octubre de 2006. ^{[ 4 ]}

Los lanzamientos de Band of Light se han convertido en rarezas muy buscadas; las versiones en vinilo de Total Union alcanzan precios de hasta 300 dólares australianos , The Archer 100 dólares estadounidenses y el EP Band of Light 250 dólares estadounidenses. Total Union se reeditó en mayo de 2006 como un CD remasterizado con cinco pistas adicionales. ^{[ 4 ]}

• Tony Buettel  – batería (1972–74)
• Phil Key  – voz principal, guitarra (1972–74)
• Peter Roberts  – bajo (1972)
• Norm Roue  - guitarra slide (1972-1974)
• Ian Rilen  - bajo (1972-1974)
• Billy Williams  – bajo (1974)
• Dannie Davidson  - batería (1974)
• Eddie Hansen  – guitarra solista (1974)
• Ray Vanderby  – teclados (1974)

• Reseña del CD remasterizado de Total Union
• Música de Nueva Zelanda