Band of Light

Band of Light were an Australian blues-rock band formed in Sydney in October 1972 by New Zealand-born Phil Key (ex-the Mergers) on lead vocals and lead guitar from New Zealand-formed band, the La De Das, which had relocated to Sydney, in 1968.[1][2][3] He recruited latter day bandmate, Peter Roberts (ex-Freshwater, the La De Das) on bass guitar.[1][2][3] Norm Roue (ex-Gutbucket, Lotus, Wolfe) on slide guitar and Tony Buettel (ex-Bay City Union, Levi Smith's Clefs, Fraternity, Band of Talabene) on drums joined to complete the line-up.[1][3] Soon after Ian Rilen (ex-Space, Lotus) replaced Roberts on bass guitar.[1][3] They appeared at the 1973 Sunbury Music Festival in January and their track, "Messin' with the Kid", was included on a live triple LP, Sunbury 1973 – The Great Australian Rock Festival.[1][4]

The band was a vehicle for Key to develop his own songs, mostly co-written with his wife Pam Key, under the pseudonym of Wheel, using a quasi-religious philosophy which explored themes of racial equality, social justice, spiritual harmony and cosmic enlightenment.[1][4] The music was energetic and funky with a heavy blues and boogie style interlaced with intense slide guitar work.[1][4] In early 1973 they signed with WEA, which issued their debut single, "The Destiny Song", in July.[1] Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described it as, "[an] infectious boogie rocker."[1] It peaked at No. 18 on the Go-Set Singles Chart.[5]

They worked consistently touring from Sydney to Melbourne doing pub gigs and concerts whilst playing alongside Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, Carson, Coloured Balls (Lobby Loyde's band), Chain, Madder Lake and Buffalo.[1][4] They released their debut studio album, Total Union (August 1973), which peaked at No. 13 on the Go-Set Albums Chart.[1] Garry Raffaele of The Canberra Times observed, "[they] have the sort of deep, rumbling sound which turns on the disco-goers. It's thumpy and bumpy and makes you want to get up and dance your fool head off."[6] McFarlane felt, "Mostly [it] was standard hard rock, slow 12-bar blues and boogie, but the best tracks revealed [the group] to be an energetic and funky rock band."[1] Another single, "Free Them from Hunger", also appeared in August but it did not chart.[1] It was followed by a non-album single, "Moonstruck", in November and then a four-track self-titled, compilation extended play; but neither charted.[1][3]

In mid-1974 Buettel, Rilen and Rouen all left.[1][3] Rilen later reflected, "None of the songs fulfilled my need for rock 'n' roll religion... I like singing about drinking and rooting and love and life."[7] Key formed a new line-up with Dannie Davidson (ex-Tamam Shud, Kahvas Jute) on drums and Billy Williams (ex-Classic Affair) on bass guitar to record the group's second album, The Archer, was issued in that year.[1][3] McFarlane noticed it has, "a much drier sound than the debut and failed to chart."[1] The band were expanded by Eddie Hansen (ex-Ticket) on lead guitar and Ray Vanderby on keyboards joining for live performances.[1][3] Key disbanded the group in late 1974.

Buettel became a record producer and worked with Uncanny X-Men and Strange Tenants in the 1980s.[4] Key left the music industry and became a taxi driver in Sydney.[1] Phillip Andrew Key died in May 1984 of a congenital heart condition.[1] Peters worked with Chariot, Flake and Rockwell T. James, the Romantics and Audio Smash.[3][4] Rilen was a member of various groups, Blackfeather (1975), Rose Tattoo (1976–77), Sardine v (1980–83), and X (1977–79, 1983-90).[1][3] Ian William Rilen died from bladder cancer, at the age of 59, on 30 October 2006.[4]

Band of Light's releases have been sought after as rarities with vinyl versions of Total Union fetching up to A$300, The Archer USD$100 and the EP, Band of Light USD$250. Total Union was re-released in May 2006 as a remastered CD with five bonus tracks.[4]

• Tony Buettel – drums (1972–74)
• Phil Key – lead vocals, guitar (1972–74)
• Peter Roberts – bass guitar (1972)
• Norm Roue – slide guitar (1972–74)
• Ian Rilen – bass guitar (1972–74)
• Billy Williams – bass guitar (1974)
• Dannie Davidson – drums (1974)
• Eddie Hansen – lead guitar (1974)
• Ray Vanderby – keyboards (1974)

• Review of Total Union remastered CD
• New Zealand Music