DRAGON

After recently celebrating four decades of recording and touring, Aus-Rock veterans Dragon, are now reaching a new milestone. The third incarnation of the band, or the “Phoenix Years” as they’re styling themselves, are about to play their five-hundredth show.

“It’s been seven years years with this line-up,” says front man Mark Williams, who speaks slowly, with the spacey drawl of the stereotypical, seasoned rocker.

“The only original member of the band is the one that started it, Todd Hunter. I think I’m band member number thirty-two.”

In the time Williams has been with the band, they have had their obstacles to cross.

“A couple years after we first started playing again, I completely lost my voice. My God! I tried so many times to sing, but it was just impossible to even hold a note. For six months there we had to get other singers in to fulfill our obligation.”

Yet this was the time that Williams says, is the reason the current line-up has stuck together.

“So when that happened, I just stayed in the back-line and that six months was when the band really solidified as a little unit.

“It was fantastic just being in the back-line, and playing with the drummer and guitarist and not worrying about the front at all. It ensured that we stuck together, we got on really well anyway outside of the band, but in the band we’re now totally in sync.”

There is a lot of acquired experience in this band.

“In the Eighties and that, the costs were exorbitant! We would pay out more for the production than we’d actually earn. If you look at the paperwork of a six month period of touring, my God. A lotta people made a lotta money, and we didn’t!

“I think we’ve fine tuned it [touring] really well, everyone has to now. The production is all set up before we get there. We travel as light as possible. Most of our meetings are held in departure lounges at airports, or if not, then in the van from the airport to the sound check.”

Despite their years, Dragon are a band that has a true enthusiasm for what they do. As Williams says, “We’re well on our way, hopefully, to the thousand mark.” (LC)

Jul 27, The Bridge Hotel, 119 Victoria Rd, Rozelle, $35, ticketek.com.au

BY LUKE COX