Dragon - Shooting Star (1978)

Music from Australia and New Zealand in the year 1978:

Dragon's promo-video for the single 'Shooting Star', taken from the 1977 album 'Running Free'.

Note: Why didn't Dragon enjoy the international success that they seemed destined to achieve?

Taken from Wikipedia:
They attempted a breakthrough into the American market with a tour supporting Johnny Winter, starting in November 1978, but this was foiled after a disastrous show in Texas at which Marc Hunter, incited a crowd by suggesting all Texans were "faggots": band members had to dodge flying beer bottles.

In 1994, Marc Hunter related his version of the Texas show to rock journalist Glenn A. Baker:
"I remember seeing someone standing holding a pistol and shouting 'Im gonna kill you, you son of a bitch'... I didn't know it but by this point the rest of the band had left the stage. I was still singing because I could still hear the music in my head. It took ages to clear the pile of debris on the stage - broken glass, bottles, chairs, half a table - but I was totally unaware of this, I thought I was going over really well and I'm standing there in a crucifixion pose with my arms out, really gone, with heaps of eye make-up on, looking like some sort of twisted priest. And apparently Johnny Winter was taking bets on the side of the stage as to how long it would take before somebody shot me. Then I turned around and saw no one was on stage so I realised I wasn't going over too well after all and I went back to the dressing room and everyone was just standing there... I said 'We went great, weren't we terrific?' At that stage of the band I was really a shocking sod. And all the record company people were just staring at me like I was an insectoid from Mars. And so that was it for us for that trip to America."
—Marc Hunter , 1994

This was to be one of Marc Hunter's last hit singles with Dragon before he got booted out of the band in 1979. He would not be back in the band again until the band reformed in 1982 for a succesful come back (see NZOZ1983).

Band Origin: Auckland, New Zealand
Band Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Composed By: Paul Hewson
Produced By: Peter Dawkins
Label: CBS (Australia) / Portrait (United States)
Chart Position:
Release Date:
Links:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_(band)
- http://www.dragononline.com.au/
- http://www.howlspace.com.au/en/dragon/dragon.htm
- http://www.sergent.com.au/music/dragon.html
- http://www.australiannetworkentertainment.com/dragon.htm


Line-up:

Marc Hunter -- Vocals
[ Dragon (1973-1979) -- solo (1979-1998) -- Dragon (1983-1998) ]

Todd Hunter -- Bass
[ Dragon (1973-present) -- XL Capris (1980-1982) ]

Kerry Jacobson - Drums
[ Mammal -- Tapestry -- Ebony -- Dragon (1976-1979) -- Bill Miller and the Great Blokes (1980) -- Dragon (1982-1983) ]

Robert Taylor - Guitarist
[ Mammal -- Dragon (1975-1979) -- Magnetics (early 1980s) -- Dragon (1982-1985) ]

Paul Hewson - Piano, Keyboard
[ Marble Arch -- Cruise Lane -- Dragon (1975-1979) -- Dragon (1982-1985) ]

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NZOZ NZOZ1978 1978 New Zealand Australia Late Seventies 1970's 1970s 70's 70s

External Tags: Marc Hunter, Todd Hunter

Musical Terms: Ballad, AOR, MOR, Rock, Pop, Kiwi, Old New Zealander Band

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Dragon
• 1977
• New
• Zealand
• Late
• Seventies

[Mediawatch08]

Great singer ..

[Phattey123]

more dragon :D

[MusicanoftheFuture]

This was before my time as I was born 1st March 1984 so I don't remember Dragon but am looking for my friend at work Paul Miller's band from1994.

Sounds very good though.

[kevdp05]

The greatest ................

[Padeo17]

When music in this country was real!

[SuperBluehaze]

Pure poetry in motion, brings to mind other times, that love for the night, midnight fright. Haunted shadows we flee the sun, we hang between dark and dark, we can only linger silently in back streets dusted starlight. Shadows that must run from the day, its scorching light blinds us so, the best we can be is a shooting star. great song, great band, thanks

[saanzacs]

RIP Marc Hunter (lead singer) and Paul Hewson (keyboardist)