Spectrum

[AndrewP]

One of Australia's classic "non-pigeonholeable prog" bands.
Hard to pigeonhole, as they changed style over time.
But having said that, they are often lauded as foremost in Australian prog.
Albums Spectrum Part One and Milesago stand out. The samples available on the net aren't the best representations of these albums.

A later incarnation of the band - Ariel - released A Strange Fantastic Dream, which is half straight rock and half prog. Interesting mix.
The Jellabad Mutant is pure prog, but only a demo is available so not great quality. (Sad story there. They were invited to Abbey Road to record it, but when they got there, the budget had been cut, and they were told to not do Jellabad).

Band founder Mike Rudd also created a project with Mike McLellan and producer Peter Dawkins, called Patch, and they released a classic prog album called The Star Suite.

btw: if you pick up the CDs (now available) of Spectrum Part One or Milesago, you might want to not upload some of the bonus tracks. Some sound pretty ordinary. Later Ariel went more rocky/bluesy, and Mike Rudd's new Spectrum Trio prefer playing blues.

But Spectrum was great, and well fits the prog genre.

[RogorMortis]

Beware not to mix this band with the Swedish progband Spektrum. The word is the same but spelled differently. Spectrum: (noun) in optics, the arrangement according to wavelength of visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light. (Encyclopædia Britannica). This is the base for the band name Spektrum because of the members' varied musical backgrounds. Spektrum is simply the Swedish spelling of the word.

Stunning debut album from Spektrum released March 10th, 2003. The band featured members of Galleon, Cross and Grand Stand as well as female singer extraordinaire Lizette von Panajott. Experience something very fresh, different, challenging, melodic and yet highly progressive with female vocals of a quality rarely heard in the genre!

If you like the Genesis/TFK mode of prog then this is the band. Shame just the one CD has been made...........

[AndrewP]

Interesting.
And of course there is the album Spectrum by Billy Cobham.

But I do definitely mean the Australian band headed up by Mike Rudd, with Bill Putt, Lee Neale (later replaced by John Mills) and Mark Kennedy (later replaced by Ray Arnott).

aztecmusic (I'm not an employee) have rereleased Milesago and Spectrum Part One on CD. The mixes are pretty good. They're also focussing on other Aussie bands from that time, including Khavas Jute and Tamam Shud, which some might consider prog as well.