Galadriel

"Galadriel" 1969





















Despite their musical excellence, Sydney band Galadriel never achieved any commercial success during their short career, and they were forgotten for many years. Ironically, their eclectic and ultra-rare 1971 LP has now became one of the most collectible artefacts of Australian '70s progressive rock and they are now internationally known, thanks the burgeoning worldwide interest in Australian music of the 60s and 70s, and especially due to the efforts of rock historian Ian McFarlane, who championed them in his Freedom Train fanzine and included this long-overlooked group in his Encyclopedia of Australian Rock & Pop.

Galadriel is one of a group of Sydney bands whose histories are connected with the formation of Sherbet -- guitarist/songwriter Garry Adams and drummer Doug Bligh had come from Sydney band House of Bricks, whose other members were singer Daryl Braithwaite and bassist Bruce Worrall, who both moved on to Sherbet during 1969. Taking their name from the Elven queen of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Galadriel was formed in 1969 by guitarist and songwriter Garry Adams (ex House of Bricks) and drummer Doug Bligh. In the late 1960s, the repertoire of working bands like House of Bricks usually consisted of covers of local and overseas hits, but Galadriel's members wanted to write and perform their own original material.

Recruiting hotshot lead guitarist Gary Lothian from the highly regarded Sydney band Elliot Gordon Union, singer John "Spider" Sholtens and flautist Mick Parker from fellow Sydney dance band Samael Lilith, Galadriel soon made a name for themselves on the thriving Sydney dance/discotheque circuit. They often played at Sydney's "Joseph's Coat" disco -- and they shared gigs with many of the top progressive groups of the day including , Kahvas Jute, Blackfeather and Spectrum.

The band signed with Gus McNeil's Cellar Music, which was also the publishing company for Spectrum's Mike Rudd and Coutnry Radio's Greg Quill. Around October 1970 Galadriel recorded ten original songs at Sydney's United Sound Studios with American engineer-producer Tom Lubin. Their debut single "Lady Was A Thief" / "Girl of Seventeen" (February 1971) was picked up for release by Martin Erdman's independent label Du Monde, which played such an important part in the Sydney music scene in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Galadriel shopped the recordings around for several more months without success, but eventually they were signed by the Polydor label (part of the German-based Polygram corporation) , who released the LP and their second single "Standing In The Rain" / "Working", in May 1971. These were Polydor's first local rock releases in Australia and although the recordings were remarkably good, Polydor evidently lacked the experience and clout to get it noticed and regrettably both album and single sank without trace.

Garry Adams (guitar, vocals)
Dave Allen (flute) 1971
Bruce Belbin (bass) 1971
Doug Bligh (drums)
Gary Lothian (lead guitar)
Mick Parker (bass, flute) 1969-71
John "Spider" Scholtens (vocals)

DL