John Gustafson
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Quatermass - Quatermass (1970) |
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Selective Discography |
| Albums |
Cavern Stomp - The Big Three | |
Quatermass - Quatermass | 1971 |
Bulletproof - Hard Stuff | 1972 |
Bolex Dementia - Hard Stuff | 1973 |
Child In Time - Ian Gillan Band | 1975 |
Clear Air Turbulence - Ian Gillan Band | 1976 |
Scarabus - Ian Gillan Band | 1977 |
Live at the Budokan - Ian Gillan Band | 1978 |
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A veteran of the English music scene, John Gustafson was right there in Liverpool when the Beatles took off. As a member of The Big Three... (below, centre...)
...a later stint in The Merseybeats, while record companies were still looking for gold to mine in Liverpool...
Quatermass with Mick Underwood and Pete Robinson, who recorded the classic self-titled progressive rock album.
...and then went on to form Hard Stuff with John Du Cann and Paul Hammond, both ex-members of Atomic Rooster. (A previous incarnation of the band existed, called Daemon, which included singer Al Shaw, who recorded an album called The Entrance To Hell, since released on CD by Kissing Spell.) Originally called Bullet, when another band objected, their first album got called Bulletproof in retaliation. The band's name was consequently changed to Hard Stuff, and a second album, Bolex Dementia was recorded. The project ended prematurely when drummer Paul Hammond was badly injured in a car accident.
Gustafson sang on the Jesus Christ Superstar album, as did Ian Gillan, and also participated in Roger Glover's post Deep Purple project, Butterfly Ball...
...turned up in the Ian Gillan Band for Child In Time (1975), and remained in the band until the demise of IGB, recording a further 3 albums, Clear Air Turbulence (1976), Scarabus (1977), and the double Live at the Budokan (1978)...
Later release by Angel Air Records: Live at Chokin Hall, Hiroshima, 1977.
A video recorded during this era also exists, though only 6 tracks in length, and the actual footage of Gustafson is unfortunately minimal.
In 1976, he recorded a solo album, Goose Grease, which didn't get released until 1997, via Angel Air Records...