Ayers Rock (band)

History

Ayers Rock formed in Melbourne in August 1973 when Ray Burton, Mark Kennedy, and Duncan McGuire left Leo de Castro and Friends to form the trio Burton McGuire & Kennedy. Burton had played with the Dave Bridge Quartet, the Delltones, and the Executives, and co-wrote "I Am Woman" with Helen Reddy. McGuire had been a member of Australian groups since the late 1950s, including the Phantoms, the Epics, the Questions, and King Harvest. Kennedy had played in Spectrum, Doug Parkinson in Focus, King Harvest, and Leo de Castro and Friends.

In August 1973 they added guitarist Jimmy Doyle, who had worked for the Delltones and Dig Richards and served as musical director for Winifred Atwell. The group changed its name to Ayers Rock in September 1973, using the European name for the sandstone formation now called Uluru. Col Loughnan joined in October 1973 on saxophones, flute, and electric piano; he had been a lead vocalist for the Crescents and a member of the Delltones and the Daly-Wilson Big Band.

By December 1973 Ayers Rock had signed with Mushroom Records, and Michael Gudinski became their manager. In January 1974 they performed at the Sunbury Pop Festival. Burton returned to the US in March and was replaced by Chris Brown, formerly of Python Lee Jackson. Loughnan and Brown had previously played together in London as members of Kala.

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In late 1974, Brown, McGuire, Kennedy, and Loughnan from Ayers Rock contributed to several tracks on Jim Keays' first solo record, The Boy from the Stars. The following January at the Sunbury Pop Festival, Keays performed most of that album live, with three of those Ayers Rock members—Brown, McGuire, and Kennedy—helping to cut "Nothing Much Left" and "Urantia." Once back in the United States, Burton did session work for Billy Joel and Jimmy Webb, and he penned "Best Friend" for the film Airport 1975.

He launched the Ray Burton Band in 1976. McGuire spent 1977 to 1980 as bassist for the Southern Star Band, which featured Doug Parkinson on vocals, Tommy Emmanuel on guitar, and Kennedy on drums. Burton put out his own album, Dreamers and Nightflyers, in 1978, with singles "Too Hard to Handle" and "Paddington Green." After a 1979 tour with Crossfire, he went back to the US to focus on songwriting.

Cowan later joined the Kevin Borich Express, the Ian Moss Band, and the Renée Geyer Band before going solo. Georgie Fame's 1988 album No Worries featured Loughnan, Doyle, and Dunlop. McGuire passed away from a brain tumour in July 1989. In the late 1980s, Hogg started the Rhythm Snakes.

Hogg died on 20 July 1990; his album Various Fools & Vices came out in 1992. Kennedy played drums for the Blazing Salads in 1993. Doyle died on 5 May 2006, with a tribute concert held at the Basement in Sydney on 28 May. Dunlop died on 16 May 2009 after collapsing at his son's wedding.

As of 2015, Loughnan teaches jazz saxophone at the University of Sydney's Conservatorium of Music. Mark Kennedy died on 21 February 2026 after a long illness.

Musicianship

Ayers Rock's music is often described as jazz-rock, but Loughnan noted the band played a mix of pop rock and jazz. Critics divided Big Red Rock into a "song" side and a "jazz" side. The rock songs included "Lady Montego", "Talkin' 'Bout You", "Goin' Home", and "Nostalgic Blues". Loughnan's "Crazy Boys" highlighted the band's larrikin side, featuring working-class men talking at a hamburger shop with local slang and ethnic accents; one voice orders a "Gudinskiburger", referencing Michael Gudinski.

The track is mostly instrumental, with solos by Brown, Doyle, and Loughnan, and uses heavily processed guitars, electric saxophone, and vocals. Loughnan said the group used electronics to colour sounds. The title track "Big Red Rock" is an eight-and-a-half-minute instrumental that aimed to evoke a desert atmosphere and the sound of a didgeridoo, which Doyle imitated by playing guitar with a wah-wah pedal. A critic praised the track for suggesting the expanse of the outback and Aboriginal secrets.

Critical reception

Big Red Rock received positive reviews in Australia and the US. Cashbox described the music as "something different and something beautiful." Billboard praised the sax work, lead guitar, and drum work. Australian reviewers called the album "extremely good," "a classic record in Australian rock," and "an inspiring success."

The second album, Beyond, also received generally positive reviews. Sean Hanrahan called it "a crowning achievement" for the band, and Pat Bowring considered it better than Big Red Rock. Critics noted the music's Australian character despite being recorded in Los Angeles. In 1998, Michael Gudinski recalled that signing Ayers Rock allowed them to tour the US and record their second album, but said they were "a fantastic jazz-fusion band" that lacked "that something unique to cross over."

In 1999, Vernon Joynson called Big Red Rock "an excellent example of jazz rock fusion Australian style," though he noted the musicianship could become over-indulgent and that the band faced a dilemma between artistic expansion and commercial sound.