Dragon - The Essential Dragon (2007)

A progressive rock / pop rock / new wave band originally formed in New Zealand in 1973 and they were based in Australia from 1975 onwards. They achieved chart success in Australia and New Zealand with their brand of Rock during the 1975 to 1979 period.

Dragon formed in Auckland, New Zealand, in January 1972 with a line-up that featured singer/pianist Graeme Collins, guitarist Ray Goodwin, bassist Todd Hunter and drummer Neil Reynolds. All had been in various short-lived bands in Auckland. Collins is credited with using the I Ching (a.k.a. Yi Jing) cards to provide the name Dragon. Their first major gig was an appearance at The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival in early January 1973. By 1974 several personnel changes had occurred, with Todd Hunter's younger brother Marc Hunter joining on vocals and Neil Storey on drums.

The band recorded two progressive rock albums in their native New Zealand, Universal Radio (1974) and Scented Gardens for the Blind (1975) both on Vertigo Records. Despite being New Zealand's top live attraction by late 1974, neither albums nor related singles had any local chart success,and they recruited Robert Taylor (ex-Mammal (7)) on guitar as they searched for a raunchier pop sound. By early 1975, manager Graeme Nesbitt (ex-Mammal), who had obtained regular gigs and organised their first New Zealand tours, felt they should tackle the larger Australian market. Nesbitt was unable to travel with them to Australia – he had been arrested for selling drugs.

Breaking up in December 1979, they reformed in August 1982 and achieved chart success again between 1982 and 1986. From 1982 the line up of the band changed frequently but always included the founding brothers, Marc Hunter and Todd Hunter.

From 1986 onwards they never managed to achieve the same level of success and broke up in November 1997. In 1998 Marc Hunter died of throat cancer.