Tag: Avion

Avion Live is Sydney band Avion’s swansong independent release. The album was dedicated to the memory of the late Evan Murray, the band’s previous keyboard player who died in a motor vehicle accident. This album captures what they did best – performing their own particular brand of AOR live. The band’s last studio album, White Noise, features very strongly, as 7 of its tracks are performed live. Only 3 tracks from the band’s self-titled album are featured, which leaves the following 4 songs that, to my knowledge, have never been recorded – Long Night, Ransom, Money Or Love, and The Bigger You Are. On Being’s music editor, Vic Campbell, wrote: ‘These 14 tracks – five recorded in September ’86 at Sydney Entertainment Centre, the others at Selina’s in June ’87 – serve as a powerful reminder of this now-defunct Aussie band of talented rock ‘n’ roll Christians. Avion came so close to achieving widespread commercial success. This cassette-only release is a genuine collector’s item.’ (On Being, May 1989)

Tracklist
1 – Long Night – 3:34
2 – Where Do We Go From Here – 3:17
3 – In My Mind – 3:38
4 – Ships – 5:14
5 – Secrets – 4:06
6 – Warrior – 5:00
7 – Ransom – 4:09
8 – On And On – 5:06
9 – Money Or Love – 3:37
10 – Berlin Wall – 3:56
11 – Celebration – 4:17
12 – I Need You – 4:46
13 – The Bigger You Are – 4:15
14 – Never Too Late – 4:29

Credits
Bass, Vocals – Kendall Waller
Drums, Vocals – John Waller
Guitar, Vocals – Paul Gannell
Keyboards – Evan Murray
Lead Vocals, Guitar – Randall Waller
Producer, Engineer – John McConnell
Recorded By – Wyn Wynyard
Remix – John McConnell

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Selina’s Nightclub
Recorded At – Sydney Entertainment Centre

Apart from his excellent vocal contribution (as well as some guitaring) on David Zaffiro’s Surrender Absolute (1992) album, from Randall Waller’s second solo album, Midnight Fire, onwards his focus changed from the Christian music market to the mainstream music world. This is clearly evident on Avion’s well-produced second and last studio album, White Noise, released on the mainstream EMI label. Forming in 1981, Avion was an Australian band that was beset with hardship and tragedy of one kind and another. Even though they had a few appearances on Australia’s national music show Countdown, Australian rock historian Ian MacFarlane states that they were ‘met with virtual indifference at home’ (Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop). The great singles the band released suffered from a lack of airplay. Apart from a loyal Sydney fan base, the band’s biggest supporters came from North America who appreciated the band’s melodic, American-influenced AOR. Band member and keyboardist, Evan Murray, died in a car accident in late ’87. The band called it a day soon after. The album contained the following 3 singles – We’ve Got Secrets (1985), Celebration (1986), and Berlin Wall (1987). Berlin Wall addresses the detrimental effect of the wall on the city’s residents that divided Berlin into East and West Berlin. The album has two relationship songs – Elle and Ships. Elle is about a couple where one member is pushing the relationship to the next level before the other member is ready for that level of commitment. Ships is about a song of unrequited love, using the saying ‘Ships passing in the night’ to great effect. One of my favourite tracks, Calm Before The Storm, has the strongest Christian connotations about heaven coming down to earth. The only change in personnel for this album was Paul Gannell who replaced Martyn Toole on guitar.

Contributor – Frank Axel Rasenberger

Tracklist
1 – Celebration – 4:05
2 – Berlin Wall – 3:35
3 – Elle – 3:56
4 – In My Mind – 3:33
5 – Ships – 4:45
6 – We’ve Got Secrets – 3:58
7 – Calm Before The Storm – 4:41
8 – The Next Big Thing – 3:24
9 – On & On – 4:50
10 – Never Too Late – 3:55

Credits
Bass, Backing Vocals – Kendall Waller
Drums, Backing Vocals – John Waller
Engineer – Peter Cobbin, Richard Lush
Engineer [Assisted By] – Tony Espie
Engineer [Assisted By], Mixed By [Assisted By] – Greg Henderson
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Paul Gannell
Lead Vocals, Guitar – Randall Waller
Mixed By – Clive Shakespeare, John Bee, Randall Waller, Spencer Lee
Piano, Synthesizer, Backing Vocals – Evan Murray
Producer – Clive Shakespeare), Peter Dawkins, Randall Waller
Producer, Engineer – Ross Cockle
Producer, Engineer, Mixed By – Peter Blyton
Producer, Mixed By – Avion

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – EMI Studios 301
Produced At – AAV
Engineered At – AAV
Mixed At – Albert Studios