Dragon (New Zealand eclectic prog)
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Suggest New Bands and Artists
Forum Description: Suggest, create polls, and classify new bands you would like included on Prog Archives
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=67698
Printed Date: March 03 2025 at 17:02
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Topic: Dragon (New Zealand eclectic prog)
Posted By: ozzy_tom
Subject: Dragon (New Zealand eclectic prog)
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 00:41
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Dragon is a New Zealand band which started their career as progressive rock outfit and after 2 great albums moved to Australia to become pop band. Their progressive rock albums are: http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/dragon_f1/universal_radio/ - Universal Radio (1974) & http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/dragon_f1/scented_gardens_for_the_blind/ - Scented Gardens for the Blind (1975). Music on this album is progressive rock influenced by Yes and Cressida (they even wrote this influence on their myspace website). Long composition (7-10 minutes) with organ and guitar solos (occasional also Moog synth). For me they are very similar to Australian band "Spectrum". line-up: Todd Hunter (bass, vocals), Graeme Collins (piano, vocals, 1972), Neil Reynolds (drums, 1972), Ray Goodwin (guitar, keyboards, vocals, 1972-75), Ivan Thompson (keyboards, 1973), http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/marc_hunter - Marc Hunter (vocals), Neil Storey (drums, 1973-76), Geoff Chunn (drums, 1974), Robert Taylor (guitar, 1974-84), Paul Hewson (keyboards, 1975-84), Kerry Jacobsen (drums, 1976-83), Billy Rogers (harmonica, saxophone, vocals, 1979), Richard Lee (violin, vocals, 1979), Terry Chambers (drums, 1983-85), Allen Mansfield (keyboards, 1985), Doane Perry (drums, 1985-86), Don Miller-Robinson (guitar, 1985, 1995), Peter Northcote (guitar, 1995), http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/tommy_emmanuel - Tommy Emmanuel (guitar, 1986-88), http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/david_hirschfelder - David Hirschfelder (keyboards, 1987-89), Lee Borkman (keyboards, 1989), Andy Sidari (bass, guitar, keyboards, 1989), Mike Caen (guitar, 1989), Mitch Farmer (drums, 1989), John Watson (drums, 1989), http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/mark_williams__nzl_ - Mark Williams (vocals, guitar, 2006-present), Bruce Reid (slide guitar, 2006-present), Pete Drummond (drums, 2006-present) discography: http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/dragon_f1 audio clips: http://www.myspace.com/dragonnz (songs: Avalanche & Patina are from 1st album, La Gash Lagoon & Greylynn Candy from 2nd album, the 2 left are pop song from their Australian days) other info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_(band) http://www.recordheaven.net/body.cfm?x=browseLabel&sc=&ob=tl&so=ASC&pp=20&sl=true&ID=3464&iID=67531 http://www.dragononline.com.au/ http://www.sergent.com.au/music/dragon.html -------------  
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Replies:
Posted By: Any Colour You Like
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 01:43
| As ozzy_tom has pointed out, the first two Dragon albums are progressive rock, the latter ones more pop based, but still with symphonic touches. |
Posted By: ozzy_tom
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 01:54
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Hi Any Colour You Like ! I see you are from New Zealand. Do you know any similar prog rock bands as Dragon from your country? I only know 2 others: "Cleves": http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=66542 and "Think": http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=67662&PID=3664674 -------------
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Posted By: Any Colour You Like
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 02:06
Split Enz's debut album Mental Notes is an art rock/symphonic mixture. The rest of their work is more or less pop though. I'm not too sure about the others, but http://www.progarchives.com/top-prog-albums.asp?ssubgenres=&salbumtypes=1&syears=&scountries=147&sminratings=0&smaxratings=0&sminavgratings=0&smaxresults=100&x=52&y=7#list - here is a list of the NZ prog albums listed on PA. Keep up the good work! |
ozzy_tom wrote:Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: May 25 2010 at 05:28
Excellent suggestion.  "Patina" and "La Gash Lagoon" sound like pure Symphonic Prog, and they're also very good. "Greylynn Candy" sounds like Canterbury and Symphonic at the same time. "Avalanche" starts like Crossover but slowly builds into Symphonic. Based on these samples, I'll ask the Symphonic Team to evaluate the suggestions. 
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Posted By: The Rock
Date Posted: May 26 2010 at 20:00
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[QUOTE=harmonium.ro]Excellent suggestion. "Patina" and "La Gash Lagoon" sound like pure Symphonic Prog, and they're also very good. "Greylynn Candy" sounds like Canterbury and Symphonic at the same time. "Avalanche" starts like Crossover but slowly builds into Symphonic. Based on these samples, I'll ask the Symphonic Team to evaluate the suggestions. [/QUOTE
I suggested this band TWO years ago and have yet to receive any answer..... ------------- What's gonna come out of my mouth is gonna come out of my soul."Skip Prokop" |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 26 2010 at 20:40
| Were a couple of threads on this, and it was put to Crossover before, but I don't know what the verdict was (if there was one) |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: May 26 2010 at 22:51
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i am not really in favour because the bulk of their output was crass pop....
If anything it is crossover i suppose, but not very sure about this band - 2 albums in an early phase that were totally forgotten in the 80s.
Nobody talked about them and they were an Australian sensation with their radio stuff!
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Posted By: GentleGiant
Date Posted: May 26 2010 at 23:04
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I am
not from NZ or Australia but also I know : http://www.myspace.com/ragnaroknz - Schtung: http://www.myspace.com/schtung77 - http://www.myspace.com/schtung77 ------------- BeGiantForADay "This British band is just the cup of tea for aficionados who demand virtuosity,progress and originality in their mix." http://rateyourmusic.com/~GentleG |
Posted By: Any Colour You Like
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 01:28
All a band requires to be included on this site is ONE PROGRESSIVE ALBUM. Dragon produced two, then went poppy when they moved to Australia (go figure?). If we exclude bands who made 'crass' pop albums, then we must exclude Genesis, Yes and Pink Floyd too. Fair? |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 01:39
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[
The first 2 albums are prog that is certain. I wish we could just ignore their later output....  ------------- 
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Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 01:41
But I hate the fact that we will get pple here thinking we are morons for including on a prog site 'April Sun in Cuba' or 'Rain'.
If we could ignore their catalogue after the first 2 albums that would be terrific, but I guess that wont happen.  -------------
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Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 01:43
Nice
Listening to them now - prog and loving it. The humour is outlandish  -------------
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Posted By: Any Colour You Like
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 01:44
That's what the ratings and reviews are for... when people see that their later albums are rated 1 and 2 stars, they will know they are rubbish. Anway, I doubt many people would bother reviewing them anyway. Dragon are hardly well known even in NZ. |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 01:51
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Posted By: Any Colour You Like
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 01:54
| Crossover/Symphonic for me, but I'm not a specialist in either genre, so that can be left up to the collabs who are. |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 02:06
| ^ You wave a persuasive wand. I think I am convinced of crossover if not symp too, like you. We will have to consider this when Ivan gets back... |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 05:10
I think they are under evaluation already, I've seen Moris from the Eclectic Team promoting them. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 09:59
Yep: forum_posts.asp?TID=65781&KW=schtung - Schtung (New Zealand, Eclectic?) Moris brought it to Eclectic and I believe we both had some reservations about it in Eclectic due to mainstream qualities, It's one for an Art Rock sub. I was leaning towards Crossover, and wanted to hear more music before making a final decision, but basically I felt that if Crossover didn't want it then would vote Eclectic. Moris brought it to the Crossover team to see what they think, but I haven't followed the case since then. EDIT: I just deleted a duplicate post on this that I just noticed now that was posted some twenty minutes later, though I only posted once (some weird forum bug or more likely a problem with my computer where something was re-set it was sent again). |
Posted By: Sean Trane
Date Posted: May 27 2010 at 10:45
They would easily be prog-related in my book
------------- let's just stay above the moral melee prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: June 02 2010 at 04:36
So the news is: two NO votes from the Symph Team which I assume means a rejection, + a previous rejection from Crossover. Having just listened to their two progressive albums I think that not having Dragon on PA would be a error. I'll support the band for Prog-Related... any other supporters other than Ben, Hugues and me? 
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Posted By: Any Colour You Like
Date Posted: June 02 2010 at 04:51
I'll support the band for Prog Related even though they are an easy Crossover fit. |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: June 02 2010 at 13:04
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I would have thought Crossover could have worked, but since they rejected it, I'd throw in my support for Prog Related. It helps if a team will support an act for Related, though (common to vote yes, move (suggest to other category), PR or PP, or reject (not suitable for any category at PA). That's how it's done at progfreak, but symph and Crossover probably have their own systems. If a team not only votes no for it in their category, but makes no suggestion of other category (be it a Prog category, PR or PP), then I think that can make it somewhat controversial. |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: June 02 2010 at 13:25
| I've read that a Special Collab needs to support the case in front of the Admin Team; does he need to be a member of the team that rejected the suggestion and does the suggestion need to have a "Move to Prog Related" vote from the said team? |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: June 02 2010 at 13:37
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Any SC can make the case to the admin team, and there are not requirements that I am aware of that the team need have a "Move to Related" vote from the team. It's just common for teams to suggest other categories if they think, from what they know, it could be included anywhere else in PA (been part of the process of limiting bands from slipping through any cracks, but different teams work in rather different ways). So if any SC wants to make a case to the admin team, they should, and it's good that it has the support from various SCs (even if it doesn't have support from any team members that evaluated it for their categories. I think it can speed up the process when a team officially proposes it, but it doesn't always). Of course it's often a lot of work trying to build a case for PR, and different people have different expectations when it comes to that category. |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: June 02 2010 at 17:40
| I support them on the site based on "Scented Gardens..", the only one I've heard. Why not proto prog? I don't think prog related is fair |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: June 03 2010 at 00:41
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Proto prog? It was the 70s when they were prog and they rejected all this in the 80s into their poppy radio friendly years
Doesnt this make it prog related? i thought crossover for a while but Prog related fits as well. -------------
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Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: June 27 2010 at 19:45
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------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Seriously...They got rejected from all full prog sub-genres!?! How!?! I would like a full explanation on this one, because this seems pretty bogus.Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: August 06 2010 at 07:34
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Okay, I'm a Special Collab now and member of a genre team, so I definitely want to officially advocate this band to the Admin Team for prog-related. I have backing from several other (Special or not) Collabs: Ben, Hugues, Ken and Scott, and there is a general consensus among other forum members (some of whose knowledge of prog is huge) that Dragon are PA worthy. I'll be writing the Admin team right after I post this. |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: August 06 2010 at 09:24
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Prog related is the best category for Dragon. As an Aussie who grew up with their sacharine sugar coated radio friendly tripe, I am rather sad they didnt follow up on the prog years of their early albums. Lead singer died a few years back (marc Hunter) but they have a new lead singer and they are still doing gigs at small venues. They dont play any prog though having shed those years indefinitely. PR is therefore the best bet only due to 2 very rare 70s proggy albums.
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Posted By: Any Colour You Like
Date Posted: August 06 2010 at 16:22
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I concur. The fact that they are now pop or whatever is irrelevant, they made TWO PROGRESSIVE ALBUMS IN THE 1970's. Therefore, they are no different to Genesis, Yes, PF, etc... they made both prog and pop. |
Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: August 06 2010 at 22:47
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In fact those two albums (Universal Radio & Scented Gardens for the Blind) are easily the best Aussie/Kiwi prog albums of the 70s. The fact that they will be added in Prog Related is a CRIME! Dragon's Prog career should be held to the same respects as Sebastian Hardie, Rainbow Theater and Ragnarok as being one of the best/quintessential Aussie/New Zeland prog groups of the 70s. So honestly, I think some of the teams need to actually listen to those two albums again. ------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Posted By: AtomicCrimsonRush
Date Posted: August 07 2010 at 01:59
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I do like these tracks
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Posted By: Any Colour You Like
Date Posted: August 07 2010 at 02:22
That's about as classic symphoic prog as you can get without being from Yes or Genesis. |
Posted By: ozzy_tom
Date Posted: March 17 2012 at 02:52
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it's another case which was heavily discussed but finally band wasn't added to PA. It's strange as Dragon recorded 2 the most symphonic New Zealand albums ever.
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Posted By: The Rock
Date Posted: March 17 2012 at 07:14
I remember suggesting them back in 2008!!!!!  ------------- What's gonna come out of my mouth is gonna come out of my soul."Skip Prokop" |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: March 17 2012 at 10:53
| They are approved for Prog Related. I was supposed to add them, but I forgot. It will take some time and work, though. |
Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: March 17 2012 at 11:57
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------------- http://ow.ly/8ymqg" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: sl75
Date Posted: April 17 2013 at 22:01
| Any progress? |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: April 17 2013 at 22:38
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oh this poor band, I remember them from when I added Ariel due to Mike Rudd-- if someone has an original bio written, I'd be happy to add them |