Spectrum (band)

Spectrum were formed in April 1969 in Melbourne, as a progressive rock group, by Mark Kennedy on drums (ex-Gallery), Lee Neale on organ (ex-Nineteen87), Bill Putt on bass guitar (ex-Gallery, The Lost Souls), and Mike Rudd on guitar, harmonica and lead vocals (ex-Chants R&B, The Party Machine, Sons of the Vegetal Mother).

[1][2][3] Initially the group drew on the work of contemporary bands such as Traffic, Soft Machine and Pink Floyd; they played cover versions of their material.

[3] Alongside Kennedy's drum solos, Putt's bass playing and Neale's keyboard work, a feature of Spectrum's sound was Rudd's guitar playing — he eschewed the near-universal use of guitar picks – using a finger-picking style on a vintage Fender Stratocaster to develop a characteristic sound.

[3] During twelve months of regularly performing on the local dance and discothèque circuit, Spectrum refined their original material.

Much Ballroom, Garrison and Sebastian's, alongside other progressive rockers, Tully, Tamam Shud and Sons of the Vegetal Mother.

Spectrum used an elaborate set-up which included a large PA and a full multi-media light show; often supplemented by a performance troupe, Tribe.

According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, these acetates are now "impossibly rare" and only two or three copies are known to have survived.

[3][4] Despite a loyal following and praise from the music press – including from Australia's pop newspaper Go-Set – the band were almost broke by mid-1970.

[1] Kennedy had left in August of the previous year just after it was recorded, he had "lost patience" as the group "struggled for gigs (promoters found them 'too progressive').

[1][2][9] Rudd praised Kennedy's musicianship: "Mark really carried us through the first year because people would say 'Wow, look at that drummer, they must be a good group'...

[1][2][9] Putt and Rudd decided to end both bands; each played their farewell gig at the Dallas Brooks Hall in Melbourne on 15 April 1973.

[6] Their national profile was limited by a lack of radio airplay in other capitals and, other than festivals, they rarely toured outside Victoria.

[Their] brand of progressive rock was often built around long, complex musical passages, very much in the vein of UK bands...

[9] EMI issued a compilation album, Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet, early in 1984 and during March that year Spectrum undertook a reunion tour with the line-up of Arnott, Putt, and Rudd joined by Tony Fossey on keyboards (ex-Mike Rudd and the Heaters).

The 1991 line-up of Courtney, Putt, Rudd, Sullivan, with Cres Crisp on keyboards performed as Spectrum Plays the Blues.

In 2004, TISM sampled "Launching Place, Part II" in their song "As Seen on Reality", which appeared on their album The White Albun that year.

[12][13][14] Rudd continued Spectrum with Dirk Dubois very briefly then Broc O'Connor on bass guitar, Daryl Roberts on keyboards and Peter 'Robbo' Robertson on drums and percussion.