[3] Many artists (such as The Twilights,[9] The Masters Apprentices,[10] The Groop[11] and Axiom) had gone to the United Kingdom with little commercial success,[3][12] and music papers such as Go-Set regularly addressed the situation.

[1] Burton had played guitar with the Dave Bridge Quartet, the Delltones and the Executives,[1] and co-wrote "I Am Woman" (May 1972) in the United States with Australian singer Helen Reddy.

Doyle had worked for the Delltones and Dig Richards, was musical director for pianist Winifred Atwell on her Australian tours, and was a session player in Sydney on Neil Sedaka's 1969 album Workin' on a Groovy Thing.

Doyle had worked sporadically for several years with multi-instrumentalist and arranger Col Loughnan,[nb 1][6] who joined London-based blues-pop group Kala in late 1972.

[24][25] The album had "a more jazz-rock edge" and its single, "Lady Montego" (written by McGuire),[1] was a new version of a song originally performed by Leo de Castro and Friends.

[7] A song from Ayers Rock's live set was a cover of "Boogie Woogie Waltz", written by Joe Zawinul of Weather Report for the US group's album Sweetnighter (April 1973).

[27][28] He told Tony Wilson of The Sun, "Jerry Moss, the president of A&M Records USA, flipped when he heard it, so A&M will release it (Big Red Rock) world-wide.

[27][32][33] From the mid-1970s, and into the 1990s, Mushroom were successful with many other artists including Split Enz, Kylie Minogue, and Yothu Yindi, turning the label into Australia's largest independent record company.

[34] In January 1975, the group performed at the fourth Sunbury Pop Festival, and Big Red Rock and "Lady Montego" were released in the US on 28 February.

[27] On 20 April, they performed at a benefit concert for Bangladesh at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl with the La De Da's, Jim Keays, AC/DC, Phil Manning, Daddy Cool, Toulouse & Too Tight, the Dingoes, and the Moir Sisters.

"[54] According to the Australian government webpage, The Dreaming: "Once the ancestor spirits had created the world, they changed into trees, the stars, rocks, watering holes or other objects.

"[53] In May 1976, Gallacher was replaced by Russell Dunlop, formerly of Aesop's Fables, Levi Smith's Clefs, SCRA, Mother Earth, and the Johnny Rocco Band.

[1] In an interview with Greg Kelton of The Advertiser, Loughnan outlined the band's future: "If Beyond doesn't make it for us in the States we might as well forget all about Ayers Rock.

[1][55] In 1977 Brown and Doyle re-formed Ayers Rock with Bermuda-born Keith Caisey on percussion, Joe Tattersall (formerly of Healing Force and the Barry Leef Band) on drums, and John Young (formerly of Leo de Castro's eponymous group) on bass guitar.

By 1978 Brown, Caisey and Doyle were joined by Andy Cowan (formerly of Madder Lake) on keyboards and vocals, Steve Hogg (formerly of Bakery) on bass guitar, and Hamish Stuart on drums.

[13] In late 1974, Ayers Rock members Brown, McGuire, Kennedy and Loughnan[58] played on several tracks of Jim Keays' debut solo album, The Boy from the Stars.

[59][60] At the January 1975 Sunbury Pop Festival Keays performed most of the album live, with three Ayers Rock members (Brown, McGuire and Kennedy) joining the ensemble to record "Nothing Much Left" and "Urantia".

[66] In 1989, Hogg assembled a studio band to record a solo album with Thorne, Mark Alderman on harmonica, Ian Ironside on drums, Bob Patient on piano, and Bernie Payne on saxophone.

[21] Loughnan's "Crazy Boys"[21] highlighted the band's larrikin side, with working-class men talking at a hamburger shop; each used local slang or spoke in a stereotypical ethnic accent, poking fun at Australians from a variety of backgrounds.

At one point "Hey, listen, mate, give me one 'Gudinskiburger', please; hold the bacon, please" is heard;[13] Michael Gudinski, whose parents are Jewish immigrants, did not eat pork and went along with the joke.

Described by a Juke Magazine reviewer as "free form jazz",[7] it features solos by Brown, Doyle, and Loughnan and heavily processed guitars, electric saxophone, and vocals.

Tony Catterall of The Canberra Times praised "Big Red Rock", saying that it "suggests the huge expanse of the outback, then takes you [...] to the Aboriginal secrets [...] [and evokes] the power surrounding the area [of Uluru] in a burst of truly inspired musicianship".

[80] The group established their reputation with live performances, exposure in print media, and word of mouth, with minimal Australian radio promotion.

In his review of a concert on 19 October 1975, Paul Gardiner wrote for Rolling Stone: "Big Red Rock was still tied quite closely to existing American styles.

[45]In a Rolling Stone interview by Margaret MacIntyre, Kennedy explained: "Ayers Rock was getting a live response that, to speak for myself, I hadn't seen happen with a crowd ... for a long time".

Sean Hanrahan wrote for the Melbourne Sunday Press: "Beyond to me stands as something of a crowning achievement for a band that has already been described as the high-water mark in Australian rock.

"[17] In February 1998, Billboard's Christie Eliezer interviewed Gudinski; he recalled that signing Ayers Rock had "allowed the band to tour the US and record their second album there.

According to Joynson, the album had "radio friendly" material and three tracks "filled with fine virtuoso guitar and saxophone",[18] but despite being "quite a popular live act, [Ayers Rock's] recordings were hampered by a dilemma over whether to opt for a more serious pursuit of expanding the horizons or for a commercial sound".

The band issued a series of technically proficient recordings, but in the long run any quest for commercial acceptance was marred by the seriousness of the music".

[1] In December 2011, Jordie Kilby called Big Red Rock "a great record; quite an influential (album) ... now one that's held in quite high regard.