Cybotron (Australian band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Founder | Steve Maxwell Von Braund, Geoff Green |
| Defunct | 1981 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, singles |
Cybotron was an Australian band specializing in electronic music and experimental music, established in 1975 by Steve Maxwell Von Braund (synthesiser, electronic percussion, alto saxophone) alongside Geoff Green (keyboard, organ, synthesiser). Their discography includes three studio albums: Cybotron (1976), Colossus (1978), and Implosion (1980), before disbanding in 1981. Music scholar Ian McFarlane characterized them as "a genuine experimental group," highlighting their debut album’s intense synthesiser activity, organ drones, and dynamic electronic rhythms.
History
Originating in Melbourne during 1975, Cybotron stood out as trailblazers in the Australian electronic music scene, which was then predominantly influenced by pub rock. That same year, Braund had released his solo record Monster Planet, featuring contributions from Green and other musicians such as Gil Matthews (drums) and Jim Keays (vocals). Their inaugural self-titled album released in 1976 through Clear Light of Jupiter presented minimalist and repetitive electronic soundscapes, drawing inspiration from groups like Ash Ra Tempel, Hawkwind, Tangerine Dream, and Kraftwerk’s Autobahn. Braund and Green co-produced the record at Armstrong Studios with the same lineup as Braund’s solo project, setting a new benchmark for electronic innovation within Australia.
The label Clear Light of Jupiter was owned and operated by Jeremy Fiebiger, who also managed Cybotron. The band earned acclaim for their symphonic keyboard-driven progressive style. A live recording titled Saturday Night Live (1977) was captured from a Melbourne radio broadcast. Their 1978 album Colossus, which introduced Colin Butcher on drums and synthesiser, incorporated a stronger progressive rock influence and experienced greater international sales compared to domestic performance.
By 1980, Braund and Green had separated professionally. Braund proceeded to produce the third album Implosion under Cleopatra Records with Mark Jones (bass, guitar, keyboards) joining the lineup alongside Matthews returning on drums. This album blended symphonic textures with certain pop elements; notably, the track "Eureka" gained airplay on U.S. college radio stations. The group dissolved by 1981.
In 2002, Mark Woods remastered Cybotron’s works for CD distribution. Although Green announced plans for new recordings that year, no releases appeared through 2009. The 2006 expanded reissue of Implosion included additional tracks from an incomplete fourth album titled Abbey Moor, originally intended for release in 1981.
Steve Maxwell Von Braund issued Return to Monster Planet in August 2020, followed by Geoff Green’s Exodus to Genesis in December 2022.
Members
- Steve Maxwell Von Braund – synthesiser, electronic percussion, alto saxophone (1975–1981)
- Geoff Green – keyboard, organ, synthesiser (1975–1980)
- Gil Matthews – drums, keyboards, recording engineer (1975–1977, 1980)
- Henry Vyhnal – electric violin (1976)
- Jim Keays – vocals (1976)
- Colin Butcher – drums, percussion, synthesiser (1977–1978)
- Chris Guice – drums (1979–1980)
- Mark Jones – bass guitar, guitar, keyboards (1980)
Albums
- Cybotron (1976)
- Saturday Night Live (1977)
- Colossus (1978)
- Implosion (October 1980)
Singles
- "Colossus" (1978)
- "Encounter" (1980)
- "Ride to Infinity" (1980)
External links
- Official MySpace profile
- Archived e-pop artist page for Cybotron, captured on 20 August 2006
- Cybotron Discogs listing
- General