Python Lee Jackson was a 1960s Australian band. The group's most famous hit was "In a Broken Dream", featuring Rod Stewart as guest vocalist.
Python Lee Jackson | |
|---|---|
 Python Lee Jackson, early 1967 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Australia |
| Members | David Bentley David Montgomery Mick Liber Tony Cahill Gary Boyle |
Members in Australia
Early years
The original Python Lee Jackson line up came together around March 1966 when Brisbane born keyboard player and singer David Bentley left Sydney group, Jeff St John & The Id to join a new band formed to play at Sydney club, Rhubarbs. The other members came from the short-lived Unit 4 and comprised Englishmen and former Denvermen, singer and guitarist Frank Kennington and Mick Liber (born in Peebles, Scotland in 1944) plus local bass player Lloyd Hardy, who also went by the name Lloyd Hudson (and later Virgil East) and Melbourne-born drummer David Montgomery.
In June, Kennington was busted and the quartet added former Wild Cherries singer Malcolm McGee (born in Melbourne on 1 November, 1945). In September, Bentley left (and rejoined the band in 1968) and was replaced by Bob Welsh. The band's first single, "Emergency Ward" c/w "Who Do You Love?" was actually a Ward Austin song featuring Python Lee Jackson as backing group.
Python Lee Jackson released a cover of Major Lance’s "Um-Um–Um-Um-Um-Um" c/w "Big City Lights" in December 1966 before Hardy was replaced by Duncan McGuire from Doug Parkinson's The Questions for three weeks. McGuire appeared on the band's a cover of Sam and Dave’s "Hold On, I’m Coming" c/w "Your Mother Should Have Warned You" before Hardy returned for the band's frist trip to Melbourne. Like it's predecessor, the single hit the Sydney and Melbourne top ten.
The group became a popular live attraction in Melbourne, and on 3 March 1967, played one of their shows at the Catcher with Chelsea Set, Party Machine and Adderly Smith Blues Band.
During the summer Hardy, who had used the name Virgil East, was replaced by Dave MacTaggart from Adelaide band, The Black Pearls. The new line up released the band's final Australian single, "It’s a Wonder" c/w "I Keep Forgetting" before Welsh left to be replaced by sax player Bernie McCann.
A few months later Mick Liber left and briefly played with Jeff St John’s formed group, The Id and then worked with Billy Thorpe and Gulliver Smith’s band, The Noyes, while Virgil East joined Jeff St John’s next project, Yama. Liber replacement was Laurie Arthur from The Strangers. However, the band only lasted a few months and broke up in January 1968.
Malcolm McGee joined The Virgil Brothers and recorded a string of singles. He later played with McGuire in Rush. MacTaggart reunited with Liber briefly in Billy Thorpe's band.
Montgomery reunited with David Bentley in The David Bentley Trio. Around October 1968, they joined forces with Mick Liber and travelled to the UK where they revived the Python Lee Jackson name.
Members in UK
- David Bentley - songwriter, keyboards, vocals
- David Montgomery - drums
- Mick Liber - guitar
- Tony Cahill - bass guitar
- Gary Boyle - guitar
"In A Broken Dream"
Stewart originally only sang 'guide' vocals on this track, and the intention was for another singer to sing the recording 'proper', once Python Lee Jackson recruited another singer. It was felt that Stewart's vocals were so good that the single would be released as it was.
Recorded in London in 1969, "In a Broken Dream" languished until 1972 when it rose to number three in the UK Singles Chart and #56 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
In Europe, the song became something of a classic. It turned up on the soundtrack of films and documentaries (including the acclaimed art house 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 the mid 1990s, an English band, Thunder, delivered a high octane reading that propelled it into the UK chart for the second time.
Most recently, "In A Broken Dream" surfaced on the leading edge of a collection of songs recorded by British singer Kathryn Williams - along with songs by Leonard Cohen, Neil Young and Kurt Cobain.
External link
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