Steamshuttle

STEAMSHUTTLE – A ROUGH GUIDE

and selection of 'acid folk' tracks from the Steamshuttle LPs, Larrikin records, 1977-9 ...

Sydney Opera House, 1977

Steamshuttle was formed about 1975 from a duo called ‘Pendragon’ (Graham Seal – guitar, dulcimer, concertina, vocals and Yuri Halay - rebec, krumhorn, recorders, etc.). Pendragon played traditional, medieval and contemporary music in Sydney folk clubs etc. (we even did very early am TV once!) during the late 60s and early 70s, with the addition of Michael Buliak (electric guitar, bass, keyboards, jaw harp, harmonica, vocals) and Andy Saunders (guitar, fiddle, mandolin, vocals). Michael played in various rock bands and Andy had been a musician in the British folk revival before migrating here, where he played with many bands, including F’o’csle and, later, various line-ups of Warren Fahey’s Larrikins.

 

Steamshuttle’s aim was to play Australian traditional song and music in what were then progressive ways, using a combination of acoustic and electric instruments with innovative arrangements. We also played traditional songs from Britain and USA as well as contemporary material (Warren Zevon, etc.), including original compositions. Major influences were Fairport, Byrds, Steeleye Span and the various musical traditions and skills that each member brought to the band.

 

Steamshuttle played mostly concert gigs, including Kirk Gallery, the Opera House on several occasions, Sydney Town Hall, etc. We also played somewhere in Canberra once. Many of these performances were recorded and/or broadcast by JJ (as it was then) and other bits of the ABC and even on the BBC. One of our tracks featured on Qantas international inflight enetrtainment, such as it was in those days.

 

We recorded what became Australian Tradition in Transition (Larrikin LRF018) at Axent Studio, Rockdale in May and June, 1977. The whole thing was recorded and mixed in about 18 hectic hours. It was released in August, straight after which I left for UK to study and the band folded.

 

But that was not quite the end of the story. We had also been recording another album of British, US and original, as well as Australian material, which was almost completed when I left and was mixed while I was away. I got back in late ’79 and we reformed in 1980, did gigs around Sydney and recorded two final tracks for the second album. By then everyone had lives, jobs, families etc. which meant that music took a back seat. We called it a day and the second album was never released.

 

Since then we’ve all continued to be active in various musical spheres. Yuri has been in various bands and ensembles, including the multicultural band Keklik Ali. Michael still plays serious rock and blues in pubs and other low dives and Andy is a well-known muso in the NSW folk scene. I’ve done solo and group things over here in WA since 1985 and released a CD of my own songs a couple of years ago, titled Barbed Wire Ballads. In 2004 Steamshuttle played a one-off reunion gig at the National Folk Festival. Quite a few people turned up for it, which was a bit of a nice surprise after so many years.

 

In the internet era it is possible to buy a copy of the LP at a very high price. To new generations of listeners it is referred to as ‘acid folk’, whatever that might mean!

 

And that’s pretty much the Steamshuttle story. As well as having (mostly!) a great time playing together on and off over the years, the band seems to have influenced various people in different ways. Some of our arrangements have been copied and adapted by others, (though without acknowledgement, a back-handed compliment I suppose) and our setting of Duke Tritton’s poem, ‘The Sandy Hollow Line’ to the tune of ‘Lachlan Tigers has become the standard rendition. The progressive and sometimes controversial things we were doing with Australian traditional music back in the 70s are now old hat – as they should be – and are now simply an unremarkable part of a much expanded and, thankfully, a much broader-minded Australian folk scene.