Formed in Canberra, Australia, in 1982, before moving to Syndey, the Lighthouse Keepers’ tasteful, jangly brand of country-tinged folk rock was at odds with prevailing trends in the Detroit-besotted independent music scene in Sydney in the early 80s.
Nevertheless, the band issued a number of albums and singles, commencing in 1983 with the single Gargoyle and the lo-fi mini-album The Exploding Lighthouse Keepers on their own independent label, called Guthugga Pipeline.
Sydney label Hot reissued Gargoyle and released the band’s full-length debut LP, Tales Of The Unexpected (November 1984), lifting the superb Ocean Liner as a single.
Hot issued a third single, Ode To Nothing, in August 1985 before the Lighthouse Keepers flew to the UK for a series of shows, including supporting fellow Aussies, The Triffids, in London.
Their music was hard to define and varied immensely, but on a good night, they were probably the best “unknown” band in Australia.
The group broke up in 1986, releasing the album Imploding comprising the Exploding mini-album, Gargoyle, Ode To Nothing, and two previously unissued tracks – Mr Wicked and Lair.
Juliet Ward and Greg Appel went on to a band called The Rainlovers, who then became The Widdershins, while Dalton joined The Honeys, and O’Neil joined The Cannanes.
Juliet Ward
Vocals, bass, keyboards Greg Appel
Vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards Michael ‘Blue’ Dalton
Guitar, bass, harmonica Stephen O’Neil
Guitar, bass, drums, sax Stephen Williams
Drums
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Sydney label Hot reissued Gargoyle and released the band’s full-length debut LP, Tales Of The Unexpected (November 1984), lifting the superb Ocean Liner as a single.
