Finch (Australian band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Predecessor | Stillwater (1972–1973) |
| Founded | 1972 in Sydney, Australia |
| Founder | Peter McFarlane, Owen Orford, Bob Spencer, Tony Strain |
| Defunct | 1979 |
| Successor | Contraband (1978–1979) |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Finch was an Australian band known for its hard rock and pub rock styles, initially formed under the name Stillwater in 1972. The group adopted the name Finch in 1973 and later changed to Contraband in 1978, before ultimately disbanding in 1979.
1972–1975: Formation and Drouyn
Originally established in Sydney in 1972 as a hard rock ensemble called Stillwater, the band rebranded as Finch the following year. The members at this stage were Peter McFarlane on drums, Owen Orford handling lead vocals, Bob Spencer on lead guitar, and Tony Strain playing bass.
Following their victory in a 1973 2SM/Pepsi Pop Poll, Finch secured a deal with Picture Records. Their first single, "Out of Control"/"And She Sings," was launched in January 1974 while Spencer was still attending high school.
In 1974, Finch contributed three songs—"Sail Away," "Lady of Truth," and "Roses"—to the soundtrack of the surfing film Drouyn, which featured world champion surfer Peter Drouyn. The soundtrack's fusion of Finch's rock elements with jazzy incidental music earned favorable reviews for its atmospheric qualities.
1976–1977: Thunderbird
In 1976, Finch issued their independently financed debut album, Thunderbird, through Eagle Records. Production was handled by John Zulaikha (from Buffalo), their manager Brian Todd, alongside the band themselves. Tony Catterall of The Canberra Times highlighted the album’s energetic vibe but criticized its originality and production standards. Music historian Ian McFarlane remarked on the group’s British-influenced blues and hard rock style. In December that year, they released the single "Short Changed Again," which reached number 29 on Sydney’s charts; however, their distribution partner soon collapsed.
Later in 1976, Finch moved to Melbourne and joined Supernaut as a supporting act on a national tour. By March 1977, guitarist Spencer departed to join Skyhooks, followed by Tony Strain’s exit. Between April and July, the band underwent several lineup changes—nine members cycled through—until settling with Peter McFarlane, Orford, former AC/DC bassist Mark Evans, guitarist/vocalist Graham Kennedy, and guitarist Chris Jones. They subsequently signed with CBS/Epic Records and released "One More Time" as a single in October 1977. Work on their second album commenced shortly after. In December, Dave Hinds replaced Jones on guitar and vocals.
1978–1980: Nothing to Hide and Transition to Contraband
Adopting a heavier rock direction, Finch’s single "Where Were You?" climbed to number 14 in Melbourne and number 33 in Sydney by February 1978. Their sophomore studio album, Nothing to Hide, produced by Peter Dawkins (known for his work with Dragon), was released in March 1978; its title track was issued as a single in May. Although retaining their British rock influences, critics felt Finch’s sound was growing somewhat formulaic. The band signed with Portrait Records, CBS's American division.
Facing a naming conflict with a Dutch band also called Finch, they rebranded as Contraband. Portrait released Contraband’s first single "That's Your Way" in October 1978; around this period Barry Cram took over drumming duties from McFarlane. The self-titled album Contraband, again produced by Dawkins, appeared in May 1979. Despite attracting some attention in the US market, it did not achieve commercial success in Australia. This album featured singles such as "Rainin' Again" and a cover version of The Spencer Davis Group’s "Gimme Some Lovin'." Earlier material from Finch was reissued under the Contraband name. Later that year, Portrait terminated their contract with the band, leading to their dissolution.
Members
- Owen Orford – lead vocalist (1972–1979)
- Bob Spencer – guitarist (1973–1977)
- Tony Strain – bassist and backing vocals (1973–1977)
- Peter McFarlane – drummer and backing vocals (1973–1978)
- Matt Hughes – organist (1973)
- Mark Evans – bass guitar and backing vocals (1977–1979)
- David Hinds – guitarist and backing vocals (1977–1979)
- Graham Kennedy – guitar and backing vocals (1977–1979)
- Sketa Pereira – guitarist (1977–1978)
- Gary Quince – guitar (1977)
- Graham Thompson – bassist (1977)
- Chris Jones – guitarist (1977)
- Barry Cram – drummer (1978–1979)
- Sam Mallet – guitarist (1978)
- Timeline
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Position |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| Drouyn (Peter Martin featuring Finch) |
|
75 |
| Thunderbird |
|
— |
| Nothing to Hide |
|
— |
| Contraband (under the name Contraband) |
|
71 |
Singles
| Single Title | Release Year | Peak Chart Position | Associated Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||||
| Released as Finch | ||||
| "Out of Control"/"And She Sings" | 1974 | — | Template:Non-album single | |
| "Stay"/"Roses" | 1976 | — | Thunderbird | |
| "Short Changed Again"/"One Nighter" | — | Template:Non-album single | ||
| "One More Time"/"Mean Machine" | 1977 | — | Nothing to Hide | |
| "Where Were You"/"Leave the Killing to You" | 1978 | 25 | ||
| "Nothing to Hide"/"Foolin'" | — | |||
| Released as Contraband | ||||
| "That's Your Way" | 1978 | — | Template:Non-album single | |
| "Rainin' Again"/"Too Drunk to Know" | 1979 | — | Contraband | |
| "Gimme Some Lovin'"/"C-61" | — | |||