Dragon

Arriving in Australia from New Zealand in 1975, Dragon adopted a hard image that was somewhat at odds with their genius fro creating classic Top 40 pop with memorable hooks and riffs. They were noted for never smiling in publicity photos, staring icily into the camera and smoking cigarettes when it was no longer fashionable. This was no Teenybopper band . . .

On stage they were ultra loud, almost menacingly. Keyboard player Paul Hewson liked to wear aviator sunglasses on stage, and sometimes dyed the flicks of his hair blonde, but these touches of glam were rare. Dragon were hard, hard rockers.

But the bands self-destructive streak ended their one big chance to make it overseas. It all went wrong at a make-or-break gig at a place called the Armadillo Room in Dallas, Texas, in front of a crowd of American record executives. Frontman Marc Hunter took it upon himself to announce to the audience that he had heard oral sex was illegal in their state and declared the Texans "wankers".  As the audience pelted the band with bottles, Hunter further antagonized the audience by striking a crucifixion pose . . .

Two members of Dragon died of drug overdoses.