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{{Short description|Australian rock band}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|
| image = Python lee jackson early 67 email.jpg
| image_size =
| image_upright =
| landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank -->
| alt =
| caption = Python Lee Jackson, early 1967
| background = group_or_band
| alias =
| origin = Sydney, Australia
| genre = <!-- Only genres reliably sourced in article, please! -->
| years_active = {{flatlist|
* {{start date|1965}}–{{end date|1968}}
* {{start date|1968}}–{{end date|1969}}
* {{start date|1972}}
}}
| label = Young Blood International
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
* The Denevermen
* [[Jeff St John]] & the Id
* [[King Harvest]]
}}
| website = <!-- {{URL|www.example.com}} -->
| current_members =
| past_members = see [[#Members|Members]] list below
}}
'''Python Lee Jackson''' were a rock band that started in Australia and active from 1965 to 1968, before a brief sojourn in the United Kingdom from late 1968 to mid-1969. The group had recorded a single, "[[In a Broken Dream]]" (October 1970), featuring [[Rod Stewart]] as guest vocalist in April 1969. The group reformed in 1972 and the single was re-released in August: it peaked at No. 3 on the [[UK Singles Chart]] and No. 56 on the United States [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]. The group disbanded again later that year. Their early vocalist, Mal McGee (1966–68) died on 17 May 2012.
==Career==
===1965-1968: Australian period ===
Python Lee Jackson were formed in December 1965 in Sydney by two men from the United Kingdom – Frank Kennington and Mick Lieber (born 1 March 1944, [[Peebles, Scotland|Peebles]], Scotland) – and David Montgomery (born September 1945, Melbourne) on drums (ex-[[Jeff St John]] & the Id). Both Lieber, on guitar, and Kennington, on vocals, were former members of the Denvermen, a surf instrumental group in Sydney, from mid-1965 and contributed to that group's single, "I Can Tell" (November).<ref name="Kimball">{{cite web | archive-url = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20100314214800/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/35967/20100315-0848/www.milesago.com/artists/denvermen-2.html | url = http://www.milesago.com/Artists/friends.html | title = The Denvermen | last1 = Kimball | first1 = Duncan | publisher = Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions | year = 2002 | archive-date = 14 March 2010 | access-date = 23 May 2017 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
With Roy James on bass guitar, Python Lee Jackson played the underground circuit. In early 1966, Kennington was deported to the UK, and former [[the Missing Links (band)|the Missing Links]] singer, Bob Brady, filled in for several months before Lieber and Montgomery put a new line-up together. In March 1966 keyboard player and singer [[David Bentley (journalist)|Dave Bentley]] (born 1943, Brisbane) left Jeff St John & the Id to join his old bandmate, Montgomery, alongside Lieber, together with former Unit 4 bass player, Lloyd Hardy (a.k.a. "Cadillac" Lloyd Hudson).<ref name="McFarlane">{{cite book |last=McFarlane |first=Ian |author-link=Ian McFarlane |title=[[Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop]] |chapter=Encyclopedia entry for 'Python Lee Jackson' |chapter-url=http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=660 |url-status=dead |year=1999 |publisher=[[Allen & Unwin]] |___location=St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040806231537/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=660 |archive-date=6 August 2004 |isbn= 1-86508-072-1 |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Lewes"/>
In June, the quartet added former [[Wild Cherries]]' Melbourne-born singer, Malcolm McGee (1 November 1945{{spaced ndash}}17 May 2012), and opened Rhubarb's club in Sydney's [[Liverpool Street, Sydney|Liverpool Street]]. McGee described how Python Lee Jackson is "the ultimate name. Group names are becoming more and more ridiculous – PLJ is the name to end all names."<ref name="Lewes">{{cite news | url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44025118 | title = Clothes Help on the (L)Adder to success | last = Lewes | first = Jackie Lee | newspaper = [[The Australian Women's Weekly]] | volume = 34 | issue = 25 | date = 16 November 1966 | access-date = 22 May 2017 | page = 61 | via = [[National Library of Australia]] }}</ref>
Jackie Lee Lewes of ''[[The Australian Women's Weekly]]'' opined in November 1966 that "Their music is loud and furious" and cited McGee, who felt their sound was in "the Chicago-style city blues idiom."<ref name="Lewes"/> Lewes also reported that "The members [of the group] say they have created a modern image – not only with their music but also with their up-to-date clothes."<ref name="Lewes"/> The magazine provided a double page spread of the band members modelling their clothing.<ref name="Lewes"/>
In September 1966, Bentley left and was replaced by Bob Welsh on piano.<ref name="McFarlane"/> Two months later the band released its first single, "Emergency Ward", backed by a cover version of Bo Diddley's "[[Who Do You Love? (Bo Diddley song)|Who Do You Love?]]" as its [[B-side]].<ref name="McFarlane"/> Some sources cite "Emergency Ward" as a single by local DJ [[Ward "Pally" Austin|Ward Austin]] featuring Python Lee Jackson as his backing group.<ref name="Aus DJs">{{cite web |last1=Kilby |first1=David |last2=Kilby |first2=Jordie |title=Ward Austin |url=http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/rarecollections/rare-collections/4660646.html |work=DJs on Disc |publisher=[[Radio National]] ([[Australian Broadcasting Commission]] (ABC)) |date=5 May 2013 |access-date=26 May 2017 |archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20140702140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/146775/20140703-0000/www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/rarecollections/rare-collections/4660646.html |archive-date=2 July 2014}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The group's second single was a cover of [[Major Lance]]'s "[[Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um]]", backed by "Big City Lights", in December 1966.<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Nuttall">{{cite web |last=Nuttall |first=Lyn |title='Um Um Um Um Um Um' – Python Lee Jackson (1966) |url=http://www.poparchives.com.au/feature0608.html?id=1699 |work=Pop Archives – Sources of Australian Pop Records from the 50s, 60s and 70s |access-date=22 May 2017 |archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20170503140100/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/43557/20170504-0001/www.poparchives.com.au/feature0608.html?id=1699 |archive-date=3 May 2017}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
Late in 1966 Hardy was replaced by [[Duncan McGuire (musician)|Duncan McGuire]], from [[Doug Parkinson]]'s group the Questions, for three weeks. McGuire appeared on the band's version of [[Sam and Dave]]’s "[[Hold On, I'm Comin' (song)|Hold On, I’m Coming]]", backed by "Your Mother Should Have Warned You", before Hardy (now using the name, Virgil East) returned for the band's first trip to Melbourne in March 1967. Like its predecessor, the new single was a minor hit. While in Melbourne the group performed at the Catcher night club, from 17 to 19 March, with various local bands each night. The group returned for an extended stay from 30 March to 16 April.
In April 1967 Dave MacTaggart from Adelaide band the Black Pearls replaced Virgil East. On 11 June, the group appeared on Opus TV with [[The Loved Ones (Australian band)|the Loved Ones]] and [[Ray Hoff]] and the Off Beats. The new line-up released the band's final Australian single, "It's a Wonder", backed by "I Keep Forgetting", in August before Welsh left to be replaced by saxophone player. [[Bernie McGann]].
McGee then joined vocal trio the Virgil Brothers with Rob Lovett (formerly of the Loved Ones) and Mick Hadley (ex-[[Purple Hearts (Australian band)|Purple Hearts]]). McGee recorded two singles with the Virgil Brothers, including their Australian hit, "Temptation 'Bout to Get Me", but he left the group after they moved to the UK in late 1969 and was replaced by Danny Robinson (ex-the Wild Cherries). McGee later played with McGuire in Rush<!-- Not the Canadian group -->. MacTaggart reunited with Lieber briefly in Billy Thorpe's band. Montgomery reunited with David Bentley in the David Bentley Trio.
===1968-1972: British period ===
Python Lee Jackson was reformed in the UK in October 1968 by Bentley, Lieber and Montgomery;<ref name="McFarlane"/> the line-up was completed by former [[The Clefs|Levi Smith Clefs]]' bass player, John Helman (also ex-Jeff St John and the Id).<ref name="Kimball JStJ">{{cite web | archive-url = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20070306130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/35967/20070307-0000/www.milesago.com/Artists/jeffstjohn.html | url = http://www.milesago.com/Artists/jeffstjohn.html | title = Jeff St John & The Id / Yama / Copperwine | last = Kimball | first = Duncan | publisher = Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions | archive-date = 6 March 2007 | year = 2002 | access-date = 26 May 2017 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The band played at the Vesuvio club on [[Tottenham Court Road]], and in early 1969 performed at the [[Arts Lab]] on [[Drury Lane]] for several months, where it was spotted by DJ [[John Peel]]. In April 1969 Bentley, Lieber and Montgomery were joined by Jamie Byrne from the Groove, and recorded three tracks in the studio with [[Rod Stewart]] as a guest vocalist. Stewart was paid a set of car seat covers for his recording session; he had been brought in to sing three tracks, after Bentley informed his bandmates that he didn't think his own voice was right for the songs.[[Sue & Sunny]] were brought in for backing vocals. Peel produced the recording of "[[In a Broken Dream]]". Two other tracks, "Doin' Fine" (a version of "Cloud Nine") and "The Blues" remained unreleased until 1970 when Miki Dallon re-produced the track for his Youngblood label and released it, having bought the masters from Peel. The single was not a success on its initial release, but Dallon re-released it in August 1972 to coincide with Stewart's release of "You Wear It Well", his second solo single. With Stewart more popular by then, "In a Broken Dream", rose to number three in the [[UK Singles Chart]], No. 56 in the United States [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]],<ref name="UK Singles">{{cite web | url = http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/14708/python-lee-jackson/ | title = Official Charts Company | website =Officialcharts.com | access-date = 23 May 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Rock File 3 Chartlog – Sources of British Hit Songs:Writers, American Hits and Original Versions |author1=Gillett, Charlie |author2=Frith, Simon |name-list-style=amp |year=1975 |publisher=Panther |___location=St. Albans, England |isbn=0-586-04261-X |page=126 }}</ref><ref name="US Singles">{{cite web | url = http://www.billboard.com/artist/356928/python-lee-jackson/chart | title = Python Lee Jackson – Chart History | work = [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | access-date = 23 May 2017 }}</ref> and No. 74 in Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.7662.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Singles - July 29, 1972}}</ref>
Following the recording of the songs with Stewart, the group made sporadic live appearances; ''[[Time Out (company)|Time Out]]'' magazine advertised one show at the Bottleneck Club in the Railway Tavern, [[Stratford, London|Stratford]] in East London on 28 June 1969. The band went into hiatus from 1969 to 1972, during which period the band members explored separate projects.
In 1972, David Bentley, Mick Lieber, and David Montgomery made recordings with new members Gary Boyle (guitar) and former member of [[The Easybeats]], Tony Cahill (bass). Those tracks subsequently appeared on the band's only album (also titled ''In a Broken Dream'') alongside the earlier Rod Stewart recordings from 1969. That resulted in the release of the song and the subsequent charting. The song was popular in Europe and appeared on the soundtrack of films and documentaries (including the arthouse movie ''[[Breaking the Waves]]'') and became the subject of many cover versions. [[Rod Stewart]] included the song on two anthologies of previously recorded work and, in 1996, English band, [[Thunder (band)|Thunder]], delivered a high-octane rendering that propelled it into the UK chart for the second time.
===1973-present: Post break up===
In 2004, a cover of the song appeared on ''[[Relations (album)|Relations]]'', recorded by British singer [[Kathryn Williams]].
In 2009, [[Half a Cow]] released ''Sweet Consolation'', a 24 track anthology of the band's work. Meant to be a definitive collection, it does not contain "In a Broken Dream" as the producers were unable to obtain the required licences needed to include their most famous song.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sweet Consolation|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/sweet-consolation-r1697276/review|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=1 December 2011}}</ref> Cahill was replaced on bass by Chris Belshaw shortly before the band dissolved.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}}
Following the dissolution of the band, Montgomery went to briefly play drums for the American band [[King Harvest]]. He had been due to meet with [[Brian Jones]] on the day of Jones's death to discuss a collaboration.
==Discography==
===Studio albums===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
! Title
! Album details
|-
! scope="row" | ''In a Broken Dream''
|
* Released: 1972
* Format: [[LP album|LP]]
* Label: GNP Crescendo (GNPS 2066)
|}
===Compilation albums===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
! Title
! Album details
|-
! scope="row" | ''Piano Players Ball''
|
* Released: 1998
* Format: CD
* Label: Success Series (16318CD)
|-
! scope="row" | ''Sweet Consolation 1966-73''
|
* Released: 2009
* Format: CD, Download
* Label: [[Half a Cow|Half a Cow Records]] (HAC 130)
|}
===Extended plays===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
! Title
! EP details
|-
! scope="row" | ''Python Lee Jackson Sings''
|
* Released: 1967
* Format: [[LP album|LP]]
* Label: CBS (BG 225180)
|}
==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of singles, with Australian chart positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Year
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title
! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart<br />positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | EP/Album
|-
! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | <small>[[Kent Music Report|AUS]]</small><br /><ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|___location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=242}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1966
! scope="row" | "Emergency Ward"
| style="text-align:center;" | -
| {{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row" | "Um, Um, Um"
| style="text-align:center;" | -
|rowspan="2"| ''Python Lee Jackson Sings''
|-
! scope="row" | "Your Mother Should Have Warned You"
| style="text-align:center;" | -
|-
| 1970
! scope="row" | "[[In a Broken Dream]]"
| style="text-align:center;" | 84
| ''In a Broken Dream''
|-
| 1972
! scope="row" | "Cloud Nine"
| style="text-align:center;" | -
|
|}
== Members ==
*David Montgomery – drums (1965–1968, 1968–1969, 1972)
*Mick Lieber – guitar (1965–1967, 1968–1969, 1972)
*Roy James – bass (1965–1966)
*Frank Kennington – vocals (1965–1966)
*Bob Brady – vocals (1966)
*Lloyd Hardy (a.k.a. "Cadillac" Lloyd Hudson, Virgil East) – bass (1966, 1967)
*[[David Bentley (journalist)|David Bentley]] – keyboards, vocals (1966, 1968–1969, 1972)
*Malcolm McGee – vocals (1966–1968)
*Bob Welsh – keyboards (1966–1967)
*Duncan McGuire – bass (1966–1967)
*Dave MacTaggart – bass (1967–1968)
*Bernie McGann – saxophone (1967–1968)
*Laurie Arthur – guitar (1967–1968)
*John Helman – bass (1968–1969)
*Jamie Byrne – bass (1969)
*Gary Boyle – guitar (1972)
*Tony Cahill – bass (1972)
*Chris Belshaw – bass (1972)
===Timeline===
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:750 height:auto barincrement:22
PlotArea = left:100 bottom:80 top:10 right:20
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/12/1965 till:01/01/1973
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical columns:4 position:bottom
ScaleMajor = increment:1 start:1966
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1966
Colors =
id:voc value:red legend:Vocals
id:sx value:gray(0.5) legend:Saxophone
id:g value:green legend:Guitar
id:key value:purple legend:Keyboards
id:b value:blue legend:Bass
id:dr value:orange legend:Drums
id:lines value:black legend:Studio_album
id:bars value:gray(0.95)
BackgroundColors = bars:bars
PlotData=
width:11 textcolor:black align:left
bar:Frank Kennington from:start till:15/01/1966 color:voc
bar:Bob Brady from:15/01/1966 till:15/03/1966 color:voc
bar:Malcolm McGee from:15/06/1966 till:15/01/1968 color:voc
bar:Bernie McGann from:15/09/1967 till:15/01/1968 color:sx
bar:Mick Lieber from:start till:15/10/1967 color:g
bar:Mick Lieber from:15/10/1968 till:01/09/1969 color:g
bar:Mick Lieber from:01/01/1972 till:end color:g
bar:Laurie Arthur from:15/10/1967 till:15/01/1968 color:g
bar:Gary Boyle from:01/01/1972 till:end color:g
bar:David Bentley from:15/03/1966 till:15/09/1966 color:key
bar:David Bentley from:15/03/1966 till:15/09/1966 color:voc width:3
bar:David Bentley from:15/10/1968 till:01/09/1969 color:key
bar:David Bentley from:15/10/1968 till:01/09/1969 color:voc width:3
bar:David Bentley from:01/01/1972 till:end color:key
bar:David Bentley from:01/01/1972 till:end color:voc width:3
bar:Bob Welsh from:15/09/1966 till:15/09/1967 color:key
bar:Roy James from:start till:15/03/1966 color:b
bar:Lloyd Hardy from:15/03/1966 till:15/11/1966 color:b
bar:Lloyd Hardy from:15/03/1967 till:15/04/1967 color:b
bar:Duncan McGuire from:15/11/1966 till:15/03/1967 color:b
bar:Dave McTaggart from:15/04/1967 till:15/01/1968 color:b
bar:John Helman from:15/10/1968 till:15/04/1969 color:b
bar:John Helman from:15/10/1968 till:15/04/1969 color:b
bar:Jamie Byrne from:15/04/1969 till:01/09/1969 color:b
bar:Tony Cahill from:01/01/1972 till:end color:b
bar:David Montgomery from:01/01/1972 till:end color:dr
bar:David Montgomery from:start till:15/01/1968 color:dr
bar:David Montgomery from:15/10/1968 till:01/09/1969 color:dr
LineData =
at:01/07/1972 color:black layer:back
}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{discogs artist|Python Lee Jackson}}
* {{imdb name|6820823}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:New South Wales musical groups]]
[[Category:Rod Stewart]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1965]]
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