Axiom (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | May 1969 |
| Defunct | 1971 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Country rock music, albums, singles |
Axiom was an Australian country rock ensemble established in May 1969. The original lineup featured Brian Cadd (lead vocals, piano) and Don Mudie (bass guitar), both formerly of The Groop, alongside Glenn Shorrock (lead vocals) from The Twilights, and Chris Stockley (lead guitar) who had been with Cam-Pact. In 1970, Don Lebler took over drumming duties from Doug Lavery (previously of The Valentines). The group issued two studio albums: Fool's Gold in June 1970 and If Only... in September 1971, dissolving prior to the release of the latter. Their notable top 10 hits comprised "Arkansas Grass" (1969), "A Little Ray of Sunshine" (1970), and "My Baby's Gone" (1971). The album Fool's Gold was later included in the publication 100 Best Australian Albums released in October 2010.
History
Axiom came together in May 1969 shortly after the annual Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds, a contest that rewarded Australian musicians with a trip to London. Earlier victors such as The Twilights in 1967 and the Groop in 1968 had disbanded by early 1969. Glenn Shorrock, who had been part of The Twilights and was then managing Brisbane’s Avengers, joined forces with Brian Cadd, who was assembling a new country rock outfit in Melbourne. After some initial recruitment efforts—including a declined offer from Terry Britten—Cadd successfully brought together Don Mudie, Shorrock, Chris Stockley, and Doug Lavery to complete the band’s lineup. The press labeled Axiom a supergroup, and their name was selected based on fan submissions.
Under EMI’s Parlophone label and working with Ron Tudor’s independent production company, Axiom released their first single, "Arkansas Grass," in October 1969, written by Cadd and Mudie. Drawing inspiration from the Band’s Music from Big Pink (1968), the track climbed to No. 7 on the Go-Set National Top 40 and No. 9 on the Kent Music Report. Its theme referencing the American Civil War resonated internationally, although some listeners misinterpreted it as a marijuana reference; Cadd clarified it was intended as an allegory for Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War.
During sessions for their debut album Fool's Gold (issued June 1970), drummer Doug Lavery was replaced by Don Lebler. With Ron Tudor’s consent, Axiom relocated to the United Kingdom in April 1970 after securing a publishing agreement with Leeds Music; there were reports of interest from Apple Records and Decca Records. Their second single, "A Little Ray of Sunshine" (March 1970), inspired by the birth of a child amidst parental separation, reached No. 5 on Go-Set. However, its chart success was hindered by the 1970 radio ban—a dispute over pay-for-play limiting airplay—and compounded by the band’s absence from Australia.
Self-produced with engineers Roger Savage and John Sayers, Fool's Gold incorporated local themes and featured one of the early uses of didgeridoo in mainstream music. Despite Axiom being overseas, the album attained No. 18 on Go-Set Top 20 Albums and No. 11 on Kent Music Report charts. One track, originally titled "We Can Reach Georgia by Morning," was changed to "Ford's Bridge" following pressure to emphasize Australian place names rather than American ones.
While based in England, Axiom signed a three-year deal with Warner Bros., releasing "My Baby's Gone" in January 1971. Produced by Shel Talmy—renowned for his work with The Who and The Kinks—the single peaked at No. 8 on Go-Set. Their sophomore album, If Only... (September 1971), recorded at Olympic Studios with producers Talmy and Glyn Johns, presented a more refined sound but attracted limited attention since the band had already disbanded before its release. Talmy later commented that the group’s split just ahead of the album launch halted any promotional activities.
Following Axiom’s dissolution, Shorrock remained in England joining Esperanto before returning to Australia in late 1974 to establish what evolved into Little River Band. Cadd and Mudie formed a duo releasing "Show Me the Way" (December 1971), which reached No. 17 on Go-Set Top 40 and No. 15 on Kent Music Report; thereafter, Cadd pursued a solo career focusing on production and songwriting. Lebler stayed in the UK joining the Mixtures, while Stockley went on to create the Dingoes in Melbourne in 1973. In October 2010, Fool's Gold earned recognition as one of Australia’s finest albums through its inclusion in 100 Best Australian Albums.
Members
- Brian Cadd – lead vocals, piano
- Don Mudie – bass guitar
- Glenn Shorrock – vocals, guitar
- Chris Stockley – guitar
- Doug Lavery – drums
- Don Lebler – drums
Albums
| Year | Album information | Australia | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Fools Gold
|
11 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1971 | If Only...
|
45 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | The Axiom Archive 1969-1971
|
- | |||||||||||||||||
| "—" indicates albums that did not chart or were not issued. | |||||||||||||||||||
Extended plays
| Year | Release details |
|---|---|
| 1971 | The Axiom Hits
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Highest chart positions | Album association | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS Go-Set |
AUS KMR | |||
| "Arkansas Grass" | 1969 | 7 | 9 | Fool's Gold |
| "A Little Ray of Sunshine" | 1970 | 5 | 5 | |
| "Father Confessor" | 1970 | – | 90 | If Only... |
| "My Baby's Gone" | 1971 | 8 | 8 | If Only... |
| "Fool's Gold" | 1971 | – | 71 | Fool's Gold |
Go-Set Pop Poll
The Go-Set Pop Poll was an annual ranking conducted from 1966 through 1972 by the youth-oriented pop music publication Go-Set, which evaluated the popularity of Australian music artists.
| Year | Nominee | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Themselves | Best Australian Group | 2nd place |
| Don Lebler | Best Australian Drummer | 9th place | |
| Don Mudie & Brian Cadd | Best Australian Composer | 10th place |