Kush (Australian band)

Kush were formed in 1971 in Melbourne as a jazz-rock fusion band by Ron Anderson on piano, flute and saxophone, Stephen Ball on keyboards, Colin Chapman on trumpet and flugelhorn, Geoff Dufff {{abbr|p.k.a.|professionally known as}} Jeff Duff on lead vocals, John Ellis on clarinet, flute and saxophone, John Hughes on trumpet and trombone, Rob Matthews on bass guitar, Graham McDonald on drums and Roger Pell on guitar.{{cite book | last1 = McFarlane | first1 = Ian | author-link1 = Ian McFarlane | title = Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop | chapter = Encyclopedia entry for 'Kush' | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040830002346/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=1000 | chapter-url = http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=1000 | year = 1999 | publisher = Allen & Unwin | location = St Leonards, NSW | archive-date = 30 August 2004 | isbn = 1-86508-072-1 | url-status = usurped }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jeff-duff-mn0000977619 |title=Jeff Duff | Biography & History |publisher=AllMusicv|access-date=14 June 2024 }} Australian musicologist Ian McFarlane described their performance style, "[they] mixed appealing Blood Sweat and Tears/Chicago-styled jazz-rock with outrageous and bizarre stage antics." Those antics were largely devised by Duff, who developed various personae. McFarlane described him as "waif-like, fish-net-stocking-clad Duff would assume the role of Beelzebub himself while ripping up the Bible!"

Soon after formation Anderson was replaced by Ian Mason and Pell by Dave Herzog. Pell joined Pantha. Kush were signed with Warner Bros. in 1973. They issued their debut single, "Peter Gunn", in July, which is a cover version of Henri Mancini's 1959 original. It reached the Australian Kent Music Report singles chart top 50. Their second single, "Wait" (November), was an original written by Duff and Herzog,{{cite web | publisher = APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association, Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society) | title = Song Catalogue Search Results for 'Wait' | url = https://www.apraamcos.com.au/works-search?works=true&title=Wait&writer=duff&performer=Kush | access-date = 14 June 2024 }} but it did not reach the top 100.

Kush started recording their debut album, Presents Snow White... and the Eight Straights (September 1974) early in that year with the line-up of Duff, Ellis, Herzog and Matthews joined by Steve Ball, Bill Harrower (ex-Levi Smith's Clefs) on tenor saxophone and flute, Ian Hellings (ex-Nova Express) on trumpet, Nick Lister on drums, John Santos ({{abbr|a.k.a.|also known as}} Montesante) on trumpet. It peaked at No. 24 on the Kent Music Report albums chart. Their third single, "(Livin' on) Easy Street" (October), was written by Ball,{{cite web | publisher = APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association, Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society) | title = Song Catalogue Search Results for 'Easy Street' | url = https://www.apraamcos.com.au/works-search?works=true&title=Easy%20Street&writer=Ball&performer=Kush | access-date = 14 June 2024 }} which reached the top 50. Late that year Matthews left and was replaced on bass guitar by Clive Harrison and Ellis left.

Kush released a cover of "MacArthur Park" (1975), which McFarlane praised as "the best rendition ever recorded (check it out) even outstripping [Harris]' original 1968 hit."{{cite web | url=http://addictedtonoise.com.au/10977/ | title=This Will Explain Everything - Jeff Duff |first=Ian |last=McFarlane |website=Addicted to Noise |date=9 June 2016 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20170214195929/http://addictedtonoise.com.au/10977/ |archive-date=15 February 2017 |access-date=14 June 2024 }} An album track, "Walk on the Wild Side", which is a cover of Lou Reed's 1972 single, became Duff's signature song.

Early in 1975 the Kush line-up of Duff, Ball, Harrison, Herzog, Lister and Arthur Robinson on saxophone, flute, clarinet and violin, recorded their second album, Nah, Tellus Wh't Kush Means Yer Great Sausage (June 1975). It did not chart and the group broke up in July 1975. Duff began his solo career but in March 1977 he briefly reformed Kush with Anderson, Ellis and Santos joined by Bob Bickerton on drums, Gary Costello on bass guitar, Ted Joiner on trumpet, Dave Sterry on guitar and Peter Sullivan on keyboards. They promoted Duff's solo single, "Temptation's 'Bout to Get Me", before disbanding later that year. Duff, as Duffo, relocated to England in 1978 and continued his solo career.

• Ron Anderson – piano, flute, saxophone
• Colin Chapman – trumpet, flugelhorn
• Geoff Dufff {{abbr|p.k.a.|professionally known as}} Jeff Duff – lead vocals, percussion
• John Ellis – clarinet, flute, saxophone
• John Hughes – trumpet, trombone
• Rob Matthews – bass guitar
• Graham McDonald – drums
• Roger Pell – guitar
• Dave Herzog – guitar
• Ian Mason – keyboards
• Stephen Ball – keyboards
• Bill Harrower – tenor saxophone, flute
• Ian Hellings – trumpet
• Nick Lister – drums
• John Santos (({{abbr|a.k.a.|also known as}} Montesante) – trumpet
• Clive Harrison – bass guitar
• Arthur Robinson – saxophone, flute, clarinet, violin
• Bob Bickerton – drums
• Gary Costello – bass guitar
• Ted Joiner – trumpet
• Dave Sterry – guitar
• Peter Sullivan – keyboards

{{reflist}}

Category:Australian rock music groups