The Lighthouse Keepers
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The Lighthouse Keepers were an Australian rock band that formed in Canberra, ACT in the early 1980s, evolving from an earlier high-school band, Guthaga Pipeline. The key members were the multi-talented Greg Appel, who composed most of their material, and lead vocalist Juliet Ward. Drummer Stephen Wiliams (ex-Particles (band)) joined in 1983 for the recording of their mini-album.
Their all-original repertoire was quirky mix of pop, country, rock and folk influences, led by the distinctive, quavering vocals of Ward. They built up a cult following and performed regularly on the east coast of Australia, releasing a number of independent recordings and making one visit to the United Kingdom where they supported The Triffids in 1985. The band split in 1986.
Appel and Ward went on to the shortlived Rainlovers, which evolved into arguably the best of Appel's various musical outings, Widdershins in 1987. By this time both songwriting and performance had improved considerably and their performances were strengthened by solid backing from drummer Peter Timmerman, guitarist James Cruikshank (who subsequently joined The Cruel Sea (band)), and bassist Barry Turnbull (ex- John Kennedy's Love Gone Wrong). Widdershins had a good following around Sydney in the late '80s and gained airplay on Triple J and had music video clips played on the ABC's weekly late-night program Rage.
Following the demise of Widdershins, Greg and his younger brother Stephen Appel gigged occasionally with Ward, Timmerman and others in a loose-knit outfit called Hammerhead, before forming the semi-regular group One Head Jet ca. 1992, which gigged in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and other towns until about 1997. The fluid lineup included Timmerman, the youngest of the Appel clan, David (vocals, trumpet, percussion) and on occasion, in the latter stages of the band, guitarist Brendan Gallagher, later of Karma County. After the demise of One Head Jet, Steve Appel formed the Sydney-based trio King Curly.
Greg Appel has had only sporadic involvement in music since One Head Jet although he has contributed to his brother's recordings. Appel has worked for the ABC for many years and his long friendshhip with senior producer Paul Clarke led to him directing the landmark ABC music documentary series "Long Way To The Top".
The fourth Appel brother, Robert, is the founder of the pioneering and highly successful internet music retail website ChaosMusic (http://www.chaosmusic.com).
Members
- Greg Appel (12-string guitar, keyboards, vocals)
- Juliet Ward (vocals)
- Steven Williams (drums)
- Stephen O'Neil (bass, guitar, sax, drums)
- Michael "Blue" Dalton (harmonica, slide guitar, bass)
Discography
- '"Gargoyle"/"Demolition Man", "Quick Sticks" (single, 1983)
- The Exploding Lighthouse Keepers (mini album, 1983)
- "Gargoyle"/"Demolition Man", 'Quick Sticks' (single, 1984) reissue by Hot Records
- Tales of the Unexpected (1984, Hot Records).
- "Ocean Liner"/"Sad Tale" (single, 1984, Hot Records).
- "Ode to Nothing"/"Seven Years", (single, 1985, Hot Records)
External links
- The Lighthouse Keepers: History (http://members.ol.com.au/rgriffin/LHKeepers/)
- McFarlane, Ian, Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop (Sydney, Allen & Unwin, 1999) ISBN 1865080721