[1][2] They had a top-five hit on the Go-Set national singles chart with a heavy rock cover of the Beatles' ballad "Eleanor Rigby" released in 1970, but they disbanded in May 1971.
Mainstay members were Beeb Birtles on bass guitar, later a founder of Little River Band in 1975, and Darryl Cotton on lead vocals, later a solo artist and then a television presenter.
Their guitarist and singer-songwriter, Rick Springfield, from 1969 to 1971, moved to the United States in 1972 and achieved international fame as a solo artist, songwriter and actor.
In 1964, Plympton High School friends John D'Arcy, Gordon Rawson and Gerard Bertlekamp (later known as Beeb Birtles) began to learn and play popular songs of the day.
[3][7] Down the Line performed covers of English Mod groups such as the Hollies, the Move, the Who and the Small Faces in many clubs and discos around Adelaide, gradually gathering a following.
After recording with Farnham, Down the Line were approached by Adelaide-based promoters Alan Hale and Doc Neeson who were interested in band management and suggested to change their name to "Zoot".
The group were signed with Columbia Records/EMI Music and recorded their first single, "You'd Better Get Goin' Now", a Jackie Lomax cover with David Mackay producing.
[1][3] Both Higgins and Stone returned to Adelaide and were replaced in September by Rick Brewer on drums (ex-Third Party) and Roger Hicks on lead guitar.
[11] Also in that month, Zoot joined other Australian bands on the national Operation Starlift tour, which was generally a publicity success but a financial failure.
[3] For Zoot, it also brought about increased media ridicule, peer envy and scorn from detractors, much of the criticism was homophobia such as "pretty pink pansies" taunts.
[3] The group's debut studio album, Just Zoot, was released in July 1970 and reached number 12 on the Australian Kent Music Report.
[15] With the chart success of "Eleanor Rigby", RCA expressed interest in bringing them to the United States to record, but they encountered problems with visa work permits and Springfield was being scouted for a solo career.
[1] The band released a single, "Feelings", in September 1971 on Sparmac Records and an album, BC 1972, on Warner Brothers in June 1972 using session musicians.
[18] He has also drummed for Jim Keays (ex-the Masters Apprentices) in his band Southern Cross and subsequently for the Motivators and Greg Baker's Blues Party.
[22] In late 2020, Zoot were scheduled to reform for four Australian shows, with a line-up consisting of band friend and contemporary Russell Morris joining Springfield, Birtles and Brewer; however, owing to COVID-19, the tour was postponed to 2022.