Avion (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder | Evan Murray, Martyn Toole, John Waller, Kendall Waller, Randall Waller |
| Defunct | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Number of employees | 5 (band members) |
Avion was a pop rock group from Australia active during the 1980s, originally established in 1981 under the name Lionheart. The ensemble consisted of Evan Murray on keyboards, Martyn Toole playing guitar, and the Waller siblings: John on drums, Kendall handling bass guitar, and Randall as lead vocalist and lead guitarist. Their discography includes two studio albums: Avion released in 1983 and White Noise in 1987. The band ceased activities after Murray tragically passed away in a car accident late in 1987. According to Australian rock historian Ian McFarlane, Avion cultivated "a strong cult following ... [with their] brand of melodic, American-influenced Adult Oriented Rock ... [but] met with virtual indifference at home".
History
Before forming Lionheart (later Avion) in Sydney in 1981, Randall Waller had already produced two solo albums. He joined forces with Evan Murray, Martyn Toole, and his brothers John and Kendall Waller to create the group, which soon changed its name to Avion. The band secured a contract with RCA Records and launched their self-titled debut album in September 1983. Despite having the album mixed by Bob Clearmountain at the renowned Power Station studio in New York, it did not achieve commercial success. Three singles emerged from this album—"I Need You" (March 1983), "Diamond Eyes" (September), and "Never Let Me Go" (October)—none of which entered the charts. AllMusic characterized the album as possessing an "overwrought AOR sound and simplistic lyrics," factors that contributed to its disappointing sales.
In August 1984, Avion released a standalone single titled "Still the Night". Guitarist Paul Gannell replaced Martyn Toole, and in September 1985 they issued another single, "We've Got Secrets," under RCA. After signing with EMI Records in 1986, they introduced the single "Celebration" that September. Their sophomore album, White Noise (1987), showcased more polished songwriting but failed to improve their commercial standing. This release suffered from limited radio exposure and poor sales performance, resulting in EMI dropping the act. The third single from White Noise, named "Berlin Wall," was made available in April 1987.
The band effectively dissolved following the fatal car accident involving Evan Murray during their 1987 tour. Randall Waller briefly performed as part of Sharon O'Neill's backing ensemble before moving to the United Kingdom from 1988 until 1993, where he worked professionally as a record producer and engineer. In 1992, he provided vocals for David Zaffiro's album Surrender Absolute, and by 1998 he was playing guitar for Shania Twain's touring band.
Albums
| Title | Album information | Highest chart position |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| Avion |
|
48 |
| White Noise |
|
- |
Singles
| Title | Year | Chart rankings |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| "I Need You" | 1983 | 61 |
| "Diamond Eyes" | - | |
| "Never Let Me Go" | - | |
| "Still the Night" | 1984 | - |
| "We've Got Secrets" | 1985 | - |
| "Celebration" | 1986 | - |
| "Berlin Wall" | 1987 | - |