Mike Rudd, Ariel - Goodnight Fiona (1976) Hi-Res

b New Zealand. Rudd relocated to Australia with the Chants R‘N’B in 1966. In 1968 he joined another similar combo, Party Machine, containing future members of Daddy Cool. This band evolved into an ‘underground’ experimental band - the short-lived Sons Of The Vegetal Mother in 1969. Forming his own band Spectrum that same year, Rudd teamed up with long-term collaborator, bass player Bill Putt, and wrote most of the material. Rudd led the band (and their alter-ego, Murtceps), through the blues orientated heavy rock music period in Australia during 1971-73. Next came Ariel (1973-74), a band which was a more exotic spectacle comprising weird and wonderful costumes, exotic light shows and smoke bombs. Instant Reply followed (1978-79), who later changed their name to the Heaters. As trends changed, the Heaters become Rudd’s post punk, new wave band, touring frequently during 1979-1982 but not achieving any commercial success with Unrealist. Rudd briefly returned to his roots with the Living Legend Blues Band, subsequently forming W.H.Y. in 1983, which toured and recorded in Germany, and was a more experimental outfit, as was the similar Mike Rudd’s No. 9. He now performs in the Suburban Blues Band, a good-time cover band. He later briefly re-formed Spectrum in early 1990. His song, ‘I’ll Be Gone’, recorded by Spectrum, remains one of the most recognizable Australian hits of the early 70s.

Ariel was an Australian progressive rock band fronted by Mike Rudd and Bill Putt, who formed the band in 1973 after the breakup of their previous group Spectrum.