Gulliver Smith

Gulliver Smith died on 12 November 2014 from kidney failure, and was survived by his wife Stephanie Hopkins-Smith (née Hopkins) and their three sons.

According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, "Smith drew on vintage rock'n'roll, Professor Longhair-styled New Orleans R&B, psychedelia and soul for inspiration.

"[3] In 1965 he fronted Little Gulliver and the Children, a R&B and soul band, on lead vocals with Ian McCausland on guitar and Lawrie Byrnes on drums.

[1][5] In Sydney in 1967 Smith joined Dr Kandy's Third Eye, a psychedelic soul, R&B band, with Mal Capewell on saxophone, Arthur Eizenberg on bass guitar, Zane Hudson on saxophone, Dave Kain on guitar (ex-Untamed), Alison McCallum on co-lead vocals, Daryl McKenzie on drums, Kevin Patterson on trumpet and Bob Walsh on organ.

[1] When Helman and Lieber left, Smith and Ovenden enlisted Kain and Terry Wilkins on bass guitar to create a free-form, soul band, Time and the Forest Flower.

[1] In early 1969, after McKenzie and a horn section joined, they were renamed as A Love Supreme, but Smith left in mid-year to return to Melbourne.

"[1] In March 1970 Smith formed Company Caine with Ray Arnott on drums (ex-Chelsea Set, Browns, Cam-Pact), Cliff Edwards on bass guitar (ex-Cam-Pact), Jeremy Noone (aka Jeremy Kellock) on saxophone and keyboards (ex-Leo and Friends) and Russell Smith (no relation: born Russell Kinross-Smith) on guitar and vocals (ex-Cam-Pact).

"[1] In November 1971 they issued their first album, A Product of a Broken Reality, which included the group's version of "The Day Superman Got Busted".

[1] Smith then worked on his debut solo album, The Band's Alright but the Singer Is... (June 1973), with former bandmates Arthur Eizenberg, Ernie McInerny, Russell Smith, Jeremy Noone (all ex-Company Caine), Bobby Gebert (Dr Kandy's Third Eye); and new associates Dave Conners on saxophone and Mick Tulk on guitar (both ex-Lizard).

[1] In 1996 Smith, as Gullifer, teamed with Stephanie Hopkins (his domestic partner) to release an album, Deux Poètes, on Dragon Records.

"[1] Gulliver Smith died on 12 November 2014 of kidney failure, "after a long illness", and was survived by his wife Stephanie Hopkins-Smith (née Hopkins) and their three sons.