Ross Hannaford

Infobox musical artist
Name = Ross Hannaford

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Img_capt =
Img_size = 150
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Ross Andrew Hannaford
Alias = Hanna
Born = birth date and age|1950|12|01
Died =
Origin =
Instrument = Singing, guitar, harmonica
Voice_type =
Genre = Rock and roll, progressive rock
Occupation = guitarist, songwriter
Years_active = 1960s — present
Label = Sparmac
Wizard
Sony/BMG
Liberation
Associated_acts = The Pink Finks
The Party Machine
Sons of the Vegetal Mother
Daddy Cool
Mighty Kong
URL = http://www.myspace.com/rosshannafordtrio
Notable_instruments =

Ross Andrew Hannaford (born 1 December 1950) is an Australian musician. He is often referred to by his nickname "Hanna". Widely regarded as one of the country's finest rock guitarists, he is best known for his long collaboration with singer-songwriter Ross Wilson, which began as teenagers, and with whom he formed the seminal early '70s Australian rock band Daddy Cool.

Biography

Hannaford and Wilson first teamed up in the hometown of Melbourne in early 1965, in the R&B band The Pink Finks, which enjoyed moderate local success.cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/longway/artist_index/daddycool.htm |title="Long Way to the Top" |publisher=ABC-TV |accessdate=2008-05-06 ] This was followed by the more progressively-oriented The Party Machine, cite web |url=http://www.mikeruddbillputt.com/history/history_page.htm#partymachine |title="The early years" |publisher=Mike Rudd and Bill Putt |accessdate=2008-05-07 ] They released a single "You've All Gotta Go" in 1969; their printed songbooks were confiscated and burned by the Victorian Vice Squad for being obscene and seditious. [cite web |url=http://www.soundvault.com.au/Ross%20Wilson.htm |title=Ross Wilson |publisher=Sound Vault Records |accessdate=2008-05-07 ] The Party Machine disbanded in 1969, with Wilson travelling to London.

After a short stint in the UK, Wilson returned to Australia and reunited with Wilson ca. 1970 in the even more avant garde Sons of the Vegetal Mother, which embodied Wilson's enthusiam for the music of Frank Zappa. [cite web |url=http://www.milesago.com/Artists/vegetal.htm |title=Sons of the Vegetal Mother |publisher=Milesago |accessdate=2008-05-07 ]

This band eventually evolved into Daddy Cool, which had started out as an informal offshoot of the Vegetals but soon overtook. After the release of their hugely successful debut single "Eagle Rock" and their debut LP "Daddy Who? Daddy Cool", the band became one of the most popular and successful rock acts of the decade, breaking all previous sales records for an Australian act.

Hannaford's unique guitar stylings won wide praise from critics and his goofy stage presence, distinctive baritone voice and trademark 'helicopter' cap made him a favourite with fans. He also wrote several of the group's songs and co-designed the sleeve of their second album, "Sex Drugs & Rock'n'Roll: Teenage Heaven".

After the first split of Daddy Cool at the end of 1972, Wilson and Hannaford formed the shortlived Mighty Kong with former members of Spectrum and Company Caine and they recorded one album, "All I Wanna Do Is Rock", but they split just after the record was released.

Daddy Cool reformed in 1974 and continued until 1976, when they split again. Hannaford and Wilson's last collaboration in this period was on the soundtrack for the 1976 movie "Oz". [cite web |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075030/soundtrack |title="Oz" (1976) soundtrack |publisher=IMDb |accessdate=2008-05-16 ]

Hannaford subsequently did a considerable amount of session work and played in many bands. His group and recording credits including The Black Sorrows, Paul Madigan & The Humans, Ian Moss, Steve Hoy, Mark Gillespie, Billy T and Goanna. In the 1990s he and his band Diana's Kiss had a long-standing residency at the famous Esplanade Hotel in St Kilda, Melbourne.

In 2005 the original members of Daddy Cool reunited for a one-off performance at a Melbourne benefit concert in aid of the Asian Tsunami disaster, and this led to the 2006 reformation of the group and the recording of a new single and album.

In November 2007, the original Daddy Cool line-up reformed for a national tour of Australia with the Beach Boys & Christopher Cross. The tour took in Melbourne, Hunter Valley, Adelaide, Perth, Wollongong & Sydney.

Discography

*The Pink Finks (1965-1969)
** "Untie Me" / "Nowhere To Run" (1965)
** "Back Door Man" / "Something Else In" (1965)
** "Louie Louie" / "Got Love If You Want It" (1965)
** "In Group" EP (1965)
** "You're Good For Me" / "Comin' Home Baby" (1966)
** "It Hurts Me So" / "Down Mama" - From the Vault (1987)
** "Louie Louie" EP - Raven Records (December, 1980) - "Louie, Louie", "Back Door Man", "Comin' Home", "You're Good", "Rub My Root", "Something Else", "Untie Me"

*The Party Machine (1969)
**"You've All Gotta Go"/"Gentle Art" - EMI/Columbia (1969)

*Sons of the Vegetal Mother (1969-1971)
**"Garden Party" EP - Independent (1970)

*Daddy Cool (1970-1972) (1974—1975) (2005—)

*Mighty Kong (1972-1973)
**"Calling All Cats" / "Hard Drugs (Are Bad For You)" - Wizard (December, 1973)
**"All I Wanna Do Is Rock" - Wizard (December, 1973)

*Billy T (1975-1976)
**"No Definitions" (1977)

*Diana Kiss

*The Ross Hannaford Trio
**"The Ross Hannaford Trio" (1996)

*"Hey Gringo"'
**"I Was There" (2000)

External links

* [http://www.daddycool.com.au Official Daddy Cool Site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/rosshannafordtrio Official Ross Hannaford Myspace Site]

References