Band Of Light

Band of Light was an Australian heavy blues-style based rock band, which formed in October 1972 and disbanded in late 1974. Phil Key was the founding member, bringing with him Peter Roberts, also originally with The La De Das. Ian Rilen (bass) replaced Roberts after three gigs, with Norm Roue (slide guitarist) and Tony Buettel (drummer) joining to complete the lineup. The band gave Phil scope to develop his own songs (written with his wife Pam, under the pseudonym of Wheel), which expressed quasi-religious beliefs about racial equality, social justice, astrology, spiritual harmony and cosmic enlightenment. The music was energetic and funky with a heavy blues and boogie style interlaced with intense slide guitar work. In early 1973, they signed a recording contract with WEA, and released two LPs, one EP and four singles. They toured constantly between Sydney and Melbourne performing pub gigs and concerts, playing alongside bands like Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, Carson, Coloured Balls (Lobby Loyde's band), Chain, Madder Lake and Buffalo. They highlighted the 1973 Sunbury Music Festival, and were included on the resulting live concert triple LP set "The Great Australian Rock Festival Sunbury 1973" with the track "Messin' with the Kid". Phil Key disbanded the group in late 1974 and died in May 1984 of a congenital heart condition. Ian Rilen died from bladder cancer at the age of 59 on 30 October 2006.