Ayers Rock (band)

Ayers Rock

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	August 1973
Founder	Ray Burton, Mark Kennedy, Duncan McGuire
Headquarters	Melbourne , Australia
Products	Rock music, albums

Ayers Rock was an Australian rock ensemble formed in August 1973 by Ray Burton (guitar, vocals), Mark Kennedy (drums), and Duncan McGuire (bass), all previously members of Leo de Castro and Friends. They later recruited guitarist Jimmy Doyle, adopted the name Ayers Rock, and incorporated Col Loughnan on saxophones and flutes. After signing with the independent label Mushroom Records in December 1973, Burton departed in March 1974 and was succeeded by Chris Brown (guitar, vocals). Although their radio exposure was limited, the group built a strong national reputation through energetic live performances and media attention.

Their first album, Big Red Rock (released November 1974), merged mainstream rock with elements of progressive jazz fusion and reached number 32 on the Australian Kent Music Report charts. Michael Gudinski, owner of Mushroom Records, promoted them in Los Angeles, securing a contract with A&M Records—the first international deal for a Mushroom artist. The U.S. launch of Big Red Rock in February 1975 was followed by an American tour where they supported prominent bands such as Bachman–Turner Overdrive before audiences up to 35,000, making them the pioneering Australian group to perform in large-scale American stadiums. In 1975, Rock Australia Magazine honored them as Musicians of the Year.

Prior to recording their second album, Beyond (April 1976) at Los Angeles’ Record Plant studio, Kennedy exited the band. This album exhibited a wide range of styles, garnered favorable critiques, and peaked at number 50 on the charts. Following another U.S. tour, Loughnan remained in America while the remaining members temporarily disbanded in August 1976.

In 1977, Doyle and Brown revived Ayers Rock with fresh additions including Andy Cowan (keyboards, vocals) and Hamish Stuart (drums). Their third album, Hotspell (1980), issued via their own Red Rock Records label, embraced a softer rock sound with intricate arrangements but did not enter the charts. The band ultimately dissolved permanently in 1981.

Although their initial two albums achieved commercial recognition within Australia, none of their six singles charted. Between 1973 and 1976, local media acclaimed their instrumental skill, stylistic versatility, technological experimentation, and dynamic stage presence. They also received positive evaluations from industry magazines such as Billboard and Cashbox. Retrospective assessments by late-1990s music historians acknowledged their proficiency but noted occasional shortcomings in commercial appeal. Duncan Kimball of Milesago.com remarked that they never fully reached their artistic potential.

Australian music scene

Ayers Rock originated within the Australian pop-music landscape of the early 1970s, which featured a variety of genres including mainstream pop acts like Zoot and Liv Maessen, blues rock groups such as Chain, heavy rock outfits like Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, and boogie bands exemplified by Carson. Bands such as Blackfeather and Madder Lake combined elements of mainstream and progressive rock. Prior to Ayers Rock’s emergence incorporating jazz fusion into their repertoire, this genre was seldom performed locally.

During this period, Australian music press frequently expressed concern over the limited international success achieved by domestic artists. Numerous bands—including The Twilights, The Masters Apprentices, The Groop and Axiom—had relocated to the United Kingdom but experienced minimal commercial breakthrough. Publications such as Go-Set regularly addressed these challenges. The so-called "third wave" of Australian rock, spanning from 1970 to 1975, corresponded with an expansion of pub rock venues across southern and eastern regions.

1973: Formation

Ayers Rock originated in Melbourne in August 1973. In June of that year, Ray Burton, Mark Kennedy, and Duncan McGuire departed from Leo de Castro and Friends to establish the group initially called Burton McGuire & Kennedy. Burton brought experience from his time with the Dave Bridge Quartet, the Delltones, and the Executives, and notably co-wrote Helen Reddy's American hit "I Am Woman" released in May 1972. McGuire, a bassist and recording engineer, had been active since the late 1950s with bands such as the Phantoms and King Harvest. Kennedy, serving as drummer, had previously played with Spectrum, Doug Parkinson in Focus, King Harvest, and Leo de Castro and Friends.

In August 1973, guitarist Jimmy Doyle joined the ensemble; Doyle had worked with the Delltones, Dig Richards, and served as musical director for pianist Winifred Atwell during her Australian tours. By September 1973, Burton McGuire & Kennedy rebranded themselves as Ayers Rock, adopting the European name for the significant sandstone landmark sacred to Indigenous Australians. The media soon dubbed them simply "the Rock." Since 1993, this landmark has been officially recognized by its Pitjantjatjaran name, Uluru.

In October 1973, Doyle invited multi-instrumentalist Col Loughnan to join. Loughnan contributed saxophones, flute, and electric piano; his background included work with the Crescents, Delltones, and jazz arrangements for the Daly-Wilson Big Band. By December of that year, Ayers Rock secured a contract with Mushroom Records and released their debut single "Rock 'n Roll Fight (Going On)" as one of Mushroom's initial offerings. Michael Gudinski, co-founder of Mushroom Records, took on management duties for the band.

At the Sunbury Pop Festival in January 1974, Ayers Rock performed live; Burton's composition "Morning Magic" was featured on Mushroom's live album Highlights of Sunbury '74 Part 2. In March 1974, Burton returned to the United States and was succeeded by Chris Brown (formerly of Python Lee Jackson) on guitar and vocals. Loughnan and Brown had previously collaborated in London within the group Kala. Apart from Melbourne-born Kennedy, most members came from Sydney-based rock or pop backgrounds.

1974–75: Big Red Rock

During 1974, Ayers Rock recorded their first album Big Red Rock. Initial sessions took place at Festival Records' 24-track studio in Sydney; dissatisfied with the results, they re-recorded the album live in-studio at Armstrong Studios in Melbourne that September. Kennedy described this live recording approach as an experimental success. The album was released in November and reached number 32 on the Kent Music Report charts. With a jazz-rock style influence, its single "Lady Montego," penned by McGuire and originally performed by Leo de Castro and Friends, was reinterpreted for this release. Despite receiving three weeks of airplay, "Lady Montego" suffered from limited radio support which Kennedy identified as a factor limiting sales. Critics praised the band's instrumental proficiency and electronic innovation while noting weaknesses in lyrical content.

Their live performances incorporated a rendition of Joe Zawinul’s "Boogie Woogie Waltz," originally by Weather Report. In November 1974, Loughnan temporarily ceased performing live due to back issues but resumed playing seated following surgery.

In December 1974, Michael Gudinski promoted Mushroom Records artists in the United States and secured an international deal for Ayers Rock with A&M Records shortly thereafter. Jerry Moss, president of A&M Records, expressed strong enthusiasm about distributing Big Red Rock globally. This achievement was notable because other leading Australian acts like Skyhooks—then Australia's top-selling band with their album Living in the 70's—had been declined by A&M for international release. Ayers Rock thus became Mushroom’s first artist signed to an overseas label. Mushroom would later evolve into Australia's largest independent record company representing artists such as Split Enz and Kylie Minogue.

In January 1975, Ayers Rock appeared at the fourth Sunbury Pop Festival; both Big Red Rock and "Lady Montego" were launched in the United States on February 28. On April 20 they performed at a Bangladesh benefit concert alongside major Australian bands including AC/DC and Daddy Cool.

From July through September 1975, they toured extensively across the US and Vancouver to promote Big Red Rock. Their performances included large audiences such as a crowd of 35,000 in Seattle supporting Bachman–Turner Overdrive on July 27 and opening slots for Status Quo, J. Geils Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Nils Lofgren. According to music historian Ian McFarlane, Ayers Rock was pioneering among Australian bands in attracting substantial US tour audiences ahead of groups like Little River Band, AC/DC, and Air Supply.

1975–76: Beyond

Following the conclusion of their US tour in September 1975, Ayers Rock entered the Record Plant studio in Los Angeles to record their sophomore album, Beyond. The production was handled jointly by the band and John Stronach, with A&M Records providing a $60,000 advance.

On 18 October, The Sun announced that McGuire had departed from the group, attributing his exit to the pressures and stress from touring that impacted his performances. To finalize the album, Les Young—McGuire’s associate who had previously collaborated with Doyle and Loughnan—contributed bass parts, while American musician Jeff Castleman played on "Catchanemu". Young also briefly joined Ayers Rock for live shows in Australia, including a performance at Sydney’s State Theatre in October 1975. McGuire returned to the lineup on 21 October to a warm reception.

In late November, Ayers Rock took part in the closing Reefer Cabaret event at Ormond Hall, Prahran. This concert was recorded and later released as the double album A-Reefer-Derci (1976). In January 1976, Rock Australia Magazine honored them as Musicians of the Year for 1975. Kennedy exited the band in February to join Marcia Hines’ backing ensemble and was temporarily replaced by Doug Gallacher.

The album Beyond was launched in April 1976 across Australia and the United States, managing to enter the Kent Music Report top 50. Two singles were released: "Little Kings" in October 1975 and "Song for Darwin" in May 1976; however, neither charted.

The US edition’s cover art, created by Mushroom Records’ art director Ian McCausland, incorporates Aboriginal spiritual themes by illustrating a rock that transforms into an Aboriginal man’s face when rotated. This imagery represents the profound bond between Aboriginal peoples and their land, a fundamental aspect of their cultural identity.

In May 1976, Gallacher was succeeded by Russell Dunlop, who had been part of Aesop's Fables among other groups. Loughnan expressed that if Beyond failed commercially in the US market, it could lead to Ayers Rock’s dissolution. From May through July, they toured America with limited success. Subsequently, both Dunlop and Loughnan left; on 25 August, Mushroom Records announced that Ayers Rock had disbanded after Loughnan chose to remain in the US for further studies. Meanwhile, Brown, Doyle, and McGuire indicated plans to revive the band with new personnel.

1977–81: Hotspell

In 1977, Brown and Doyle reassembled Ayers Rock with Bermuda-born percussionist Keith Caisey, drummer Joe Tattersall, and bassist John Young. By 1978, the lineup expanded to include Andy Cowan on keyboards and vocals, Steve Hogg on bass, and Hamish Stuart on drums alongside Brown, Caisey, and Doyle. The band released the single "On the Avenue" in March 1980 followed by their third album Hotspell, issued on their own Red Rock Records label (distributed by RCA Records). The recording took place at Music Farm Studios in Byron Bay with former member Duncan McGuire as engineer. This album marked a stylistic evolution with changes in songwriting dynamics.

Luis Feliu of The Canberra Times observed Ayers Rock’s transition toward a more relaxed sound. Brown contributed fewer compositions while Cowan led songwriting with five tracks; Stuart and Doyle co-wrote two songs together. Doyle wrote "On the Road," which had been part of their live repertoire since 1978. Jillian Burt from Juke Magazine compared their polished approach on Hotspell to that of Steely Dan, highlighting its smooth soft-rock tunes enriched by sophisticated keyboard layers.

Feliu described Ayers Rock as once being “Australia’s hottest progressive rock” act adapting to a new musical direction. Despite some mixed reactions during their July 1980 concert in Sydney, audience response was largely positive. Nevertheless, Hotspell did not reach the Kent Music Report top 100 and has not been released on CD format. In July 1981 they issued their final single "Lies" before disbanding later that year.

Subsequent Endeavors

Towards the end of 1974, Ayers Rock members Brown, McGuire, Kennedy, and Loughnan contributed to several songs on Jim Keays' first solo album, The Boy from the Stars. At the Sunbury Pop Festival in January 1975, Keays performed much of this album live, with Brown, McGuire, and Kennedy joining him to record the tracks "Nothing Much Left" and "Urantia". After moving back to the United States, Burton worked as a session musician for Billy Joel and Jimmy Webb and composed "Best Friend" for the 1974 film Airport 1975. In 1976, he established the Ray Burton Band, featuring Rex Bullen, Terry Gascoine, Steve Hogg, and Tim Piper. Between 1977 and 1980, McGuire played bass in the Southern Star Band alongside vocalist Doug Parkinson, guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, and drummer Kennedy. Burton released a solo album titled Dreamers and Nightflyers in 1978, which produced singles such as "Too Hard to Handle" and "Paddington Green". Following a tour with Crossfire in 1979, he returned to the US to focus on songwriting.

Cowan later became part of groups including Kevin Borich Express, Ian Moss Band, and Renée Geyer Band before embarking on a solo path. The 1988 album No Worries by Georgie Fame featured former Ayers Rock members Loughnan, Doyle, and Dunlop. McGuire passed away in July 1989 due to a brain tumor. During the late 1980s, Hogg created The Rhythm Snakes with Clayton Black on drums, Howie Smallman on harmonica, and Bob Thorne on guitar. In 1989, he formed a studio ensemble for his solo album comprising Thorne, Mark Alderman (harmonica), Ian Ironside (drums), Bob Patient (piano), and Bernie Payne (saxophone). Steve Hogg died on 20 July 1990; his solo work Various Fools & Vices was released posthumously in 1992.

In 1993, Kennedy played drums for The Blazing Salads alongside Brian Cadd, Glenn Shorrock, Rex Goh, and Kirk Lorange. Hamish Stuart contributed drums to the 1998 album Jerusalem Bay by Chris Abrahams and Melanie Oxley. Doyle died on 5 May 2006; a tribute concert held later that month featured Renée Geyer, Billy Field, Loughnan, and Barry Leef with proceeds directed to Doyle's family. Dunlop died suddenly on 16 May 2009 after collapsing at his son's wedding. As of 2015, Loughnan serves as a jazz saxophone instructor at the University of Sydney's Conservatorium of Music and has been part of its Jazz Faculty since 1978. In 2007 he released a solo project titled Ellen St.

Musical Styles

Ayers Rock’s sound is frequently categorized as jazz-rock due to its fusion of jazz improvisation with rock rhythms. In the 2011 radio documentary Rare Collections, Loughnan remarked that their music combined elements of jazz with pop rock influences that set them apart from other Mushroom Records artists. Critics have noted that side one of Big Red Rock primarily features structured songs while side two leans toward jazz improvisation. Compositions like "Lady Montego," "Talkin' 'Bout You," and "Goin' Home" were rock-oriented pieces penned by McGuire; meanwhile, "Nostalgic Blues" was written by Brown.

The track "Crazy Boys," written by Loughnan, showcased the group’s playful larrikin spirit by portraying working-class men engaging in banter using local slang and diverse accents—an amusing reflection of Australia's cultural variety. This piece is largely instrumental with free-form jazz passages featuring solos by Brown, Doyle, and Loughnan. According to Loughnan, their use of electronic effects aimed to enrich the sonic palette as much as possible.

The title composition "Big Red Rock" is an instrumental lasting eight-and-a-half minutes that evokes Uluru’s vastness and spiritual significance through electronic didgeridoo sounds combined with guitar effects. Critics lauded its expressive mood transitions that blend Indigenous Australian musical themes with vibrant jazz fusion sections highlighted by guitar and saxophone solos supported by an energetic rhythm foundation.

Gil Wahlquist from The Sydney Morning Herald observed that the album strongly emphasized jazz influences with varying tempos and dynamics that contrasted sharply with disco’s repetitive uniformity.

The follow-up album Beyond continued exploring rural and outback motifs both musically and visually. Its opening track "Moondah" (meaning "beyond") incorporates traditional instruments such as clapsticks, log drum, simulated didgeridoo sounds, along with Indigenous-style vocals before shifting into European musical forms—symbolizing a melding of Aboriginal Australian music traditions with rock and improvisational jazz elements. This fusion anticipated later Indigenous rock blends by artists like Yothu Yindi.

A notable feature of the album was a 23-piece string ensemble arranged and conducted by Loughnan on tracks including "Place to Go," "Song for Darwin," and "Angel in Disguise." Originally composed for his wife, "Angel in Disguise" was developed into an instrumental highlighting complex interactions between violin and guitar tones praised for their high production standards.

Radio Exposure

During the 1970s, Ayers Rock experienced limited radio exposure in Australia, largely because AM stations dominated the airwaves while FM radio remained underdeveloped. At that time, ABC FM and a handful of community broadcasters mainly featured classical music, leaving commercial AM stations to focus on pop and rock genres. Consequently, the band’s presence on radio was minimal, with their reputation primarily established through live shows, print coverage, and word of mouth rather than extensive radio promotion. According to Kennedy in Juke, radio play was infrequent and mostly restricted to 2JJ and occasional album programs. However, 2JJ, an ABC youth station, had a relatively small broadcast range in Sydney. In contrast, the United States market showed greater acceptance of their work; Greg Kelton from The Advertiser reported that the album Beyond was aired on approximately 50 US stations compared to just two in Australia.

Live Performance

Ayers Rock incorporated a fusion of rock and jazz into their live sets, with a strong emphasis on jazz influences. Paul Gardiner’s 1975 review in Rolling Stone highlighted clear signs of jazz-rock fusion during their performance at the State Theatre, which was their first major Australian concert following a US tour and recording sessions.

The band became known for delivering loud rock performances that attracted large crowds despite some critiques of their intense sound. Gardiner characterized their musical evolution as moving from straightforward rock and roll toward a blend of rock and jazz fusion, noting that the group consisted mainly of rock musicians rather than traditional jazz artists.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Kennedy stressed the enthusiastic audience reactions during live shows, while Doyle credited their success to inventive arrangements that varied nightly. Critics consistently praised their energetic stage presence; Gardiner remarked that their vitality on stage set them apart, and Juke Magazine recognized them as accomplished musicians pushing into new sonic territories.

Eloe Fanouche from RAM observed that unlike many contemporaries, Ayers Rock successfully captured the essence of their studio recordings in concert settings, finding studio sessions too sterile compared to the vibrancy of live performances.

Reception During 1973–1981

Big Red Rock garnered favorable critiques both in Australia and internationally. The Canberra Times referenced a Cashbox review that praised the band’s work: "Listeners recognized they were witnessing more than just an ordinary rock group. The vocals were quintessential for the genre, with unmistakable jazz influences present. Their boogie was not only skillful but carried depth and dimension. It offered something unique and beautiful." Billboard commended the album for its "superb saxophone throughout alongside excellent lead guitar and drumming," highlighting its jazz-rock style as fitting for FM and progressive jazz programming. Australian reviewers described it as "an exceptionally good album well worth owning," "a classic within Australian rock," and "an inspiring accomplishment."

The band’s second album, Beyond, also received acclaim. Sean Hanrahan from Melbourne’s Sunday Press regarded it as a pinnacle achievement for a group seen as a high point in Australian rock music. Pat Bowring of the Melbourne Sun labeled it "one of the finest records produced by an Australian band," considering it superior to Big Red Rock. Although recorded in Los Angeles, Ayers Rock maintained that their sound was fundamentally Australian—a sentiment echoed by critics. Tony Catterall of The Canberra Times observed that the band had assimilated various influences into a cohesive style imbued with distinctly Australian characteristics.

Later period (1999 to present)

In an interview conducted by Billboard journalist Christie Eliezer in February 1998, Michael Gudinski reflected on how signing Ayers Rock facilitated the band's opportunity to tour the United States and produce their sophomore album there. He characterized them as an "exceptional jazz-fusion ensemble, truly a musicians' band," but acknowledged that they lacked a distinctive quality necessary for broader commercial appeal. Vernon Joynson, in his 1999 reference work Dreams, Fantasies, and Nightmares From Far Away Lands, praised Big Red Rock as "a prime example of Australian jazz rock fusion," emphasizing the album's impressive musicianship despite moments of excess. Joynson also observed that the record contained "radio-friendly" tracks alongside virtuoso guitar and saxophone performances, yet the band struggled to balance artistic exploration with mainstream accessibility.

Duncan Kimball, writing for MilesAgo.com in 2006, noted that Ayers Rock's brief existence and limited discography hindered their ability to fully realize their potential. Similarly, Ian McFarlane’s 1999 Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop described the members as "musician's musicians," whose technically accomplished recordings were somewhat impeded by their serious musical approach from achieving widespread commercial success. By December 2011, Jordie Kilby recognized Big Red Rock as "an outstanding album; now regarded as quite influential."

Members

• Ray Burton – guitar, lead vocals (1973–74)
• Mark Kennedy – drums (1973–76)
• Duncan McGuire – bass (1973–76; died 1989)
• Jimmy Doyle – guitar, backing vocals (1973–81; died 2006)
• Col Loughnan – saxophones, backing vocals, flute, keyboards, percussion (1973–76)
• Phil Stone – guitar (1974)
• Chris Brown – lead vocals, guitar (1974–81)
• Les Young – bass (1975)
• Doug Gallacher – drums (1976)
• Russell Dunlop – drums (1976; died 2009)
• Joe Tattersall – drums (1977)
• Keith Caisey – percussion (1977–81)
• John Young – bass (1977–78)
• Andy Cowan – keyboards, backing vocals (1978–81)
• Steve Hogg – bass (1978–81; died 1990)
• Hamish Stuart – drums, backing vocals (1978–81)

Timeline

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Albums

Title	Album information	Highest chart rankings
		AUS
Big Red Rock	Issued November 1974 Label: Mushroom Records (L35354)	32
Beyond	Released February 1976 Label: Mushroom Records (L35707)	50
Hotspell	Released May 1980 Label: Red Rock/RCA Records (RRM6321)

Singles

• "Rock 'n Roll Fight" (December 1973)
• "Lady Montego" (November 1974)
• "Little Kings" (October 1975)
• "Song for Darwin" (May 1976)
• "On the Avenue" (1979)
• "Lies" (July 1981)

Other appearances

• "Morning Magic" (live), featured on Highlights of Sunbury '74 Part 2 (Mushroom Records (L 25123), 1974)
• Live versions of "Gimme Shelter" and "Boogie Woogie Waltz" included on A-Reefer-Derci (Mushroom Records (L 45657/8), 1976)

References

General

• Note: Archived online version offers limited features.
• Note: Online edition hosted by White Room Electronic Publishing since 2007, expanded from the 2002 release; no longer accessible after September 2010.

Specific

External links

• Official site of Ray Burton
• Official site of Col Loughnan
• [ Ayers Rock] at AllMusic