Dragon - Shooting Stars

A progressive rock / pop rock / new wave band originally formed in New Zealand in 1973 and they were based in Australia from 1975 onwards. They achieved chart success in Australia and New Zealand with their brand of Rock during the 1975 to 1979 period. Dragon formed in Auckland, New Zealand, in January 1972 with a line-up that featured singer/pianist , guitarist , bassist and drummer . All had been in various short-lived bands in Auckland. Collins is credited with using the I Ching (a.k.a. Yi Jing) cards to provide the name Dragon. Their first major gig was an appearance at The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival in early January 1973. By 1974 several personnel changes had occurred, with Todd Hunter's younger brother joining on vocals and on drums. The band recorded two progressive rock albums in their native New Zealand, Universal Radio (1974) and Scented Gardens for the Blind (1975) both on Vertigo Records. Despite being New Zealand's top live attraction by late 1974, neither albums nor related singles had any local chart success,and they recruited (ex-) on guitar as they searched for a raunchier pop sound. By early 1975, manager (ex-Mammal), who had obtained regular gigs and organised their first New Zealand tours, felt they should tackle the larger Australian market. Nesbitt was unable to travel with them to Australia  he had been arrested for selling drugs. Breaking up in December 1979, they reformed in August 1982 and achieved chart success again between 1982 and 1986. From 1982 the line up of the band changed frequently but always included the founding brothers, and . From 1986 onwards they never managed to achieve the same level of success and broke up in November 1997. In 1998 Marc Hunter died of throat cancer. In 2006 they reformed. Current members: ׏  lead vocals, guitar (2006present) ׏  guitar (2006present) ׏  bass guitar, vocals (1/197212/1979, 8/19821995, 2006present) ׏  drums, vocals, keyboards (2006present) Former members: ׏  guitar, keyboards, vocals (1/19721975) ׏  vocals, piano (1/1972  spring 1973) ׏  drums (1/1972  spring 1973) ׏  drums (spring 1973  end 1974, early 19759/1976; d. 9/1976 of a heroin overdose) ׏  keyboards, vocals (spring 1973  end 1974) ׏  vocals (spring 19733/1979, 8/19821989, 199511/1997; d. 17.7.1998 of throat cancer) ׏  drums (end 1974  early 1975) ׏  guitar (early 197512/1979, 8/1982  late 1984) ׏  keyboards (197512/1979, 8/1982  late 1984; d. 9.1.1985 of a drug overdose) ׏ Terry Tolhurst  drums (autumn 1976; d. 1981) ׏  drums (autumn 197612/1979, 8/1982  late 1983) ׏  electric violin, guitar, vocals (312/1979, 8/19821980) ׏  vocals, harmonica, saxophone, piano (312/1979) ׏  keyboards (198311/1997) ׏  drums ( late 1983  late 1984) ׏  drums ( late 19841988) ׏  guitar (early 1985) ׏  guitar (early 19851988, 1995) ׏  keyboards (1987, 1989) ׏ Peter Grimwood  guitar (1988) ׏  guitar (1988) ׏  drums (1988) ׏ Sticks Mareebo  drums (1989) ׏  drums (1989) ׏  drums (1989) ׏  guitar (19891995, 199611/1997) ׏  keyboards (19891996) ׏  keyboards (1989) ׏  guitar (19891995) ׏ Ange Tsoitoudis  guitar (199611/1997) ׏  bass (1996) ׏ Brad Ford  drums (1996) ׏ Mick O'Shea  drums (199611/1997) ׏  bass (199611/1997) ׏ Bernie Segedin  guest vocals (2007)

Members

• David Hirschfelder
• Todd Hunter
• Terry Chambers
• Mark Williams
• Peter Northcote
• John Watson
• Mitch Farmer
• Dario Bortolin
• Alan Mansfield
• Jeff Bartolomei
• Doane Perry
• Randall Waller
• Bruce Reid
• Mike Caen
• Tommy Emmanuel
• Barton Price
• Marc Hunter
• Paul Hewson
• Kerry Jacobson
• Robert Taylor
• Don Miller-Robinson
• Geoff Chunn
• Ray Goodwin
• Lee Borkman
• Pete Drummond
• Neil Storey
• Ivan Thompson
• Billy Rogers
• Graeme Collins
• Neil Reynolds
• Richard Lee
• Bill Kervin

• dragononline.com.au
• AllMusic.com
• AudioCulture.co.nz
• facebook.com
• ProgArchives.com
• Sergent.com.au
• open.Spotify.com
• en.Wikipedia.org
• YouTube.com