Perth band Black Alice (originally known as Gypsy) were the quintessential Australian hard rock band of the 80's. Rob Hartley's powerful vocals, Jamie Page's dynamic lead guitar with blistering solos and riffs and Vince Leonardi's bass giving excellent holes for the guitars and Joe Demasi's incredible drums amounted to a band that should have rivaled AC/DC. Under the guidance of co-producers Gary Keady and Steve James, Black Alice made their first album Endangered Species in 1983. It was released in the UK through Streettunes and was written up by Kerrang as being the next step from AC/DC. An EP was released later that year which carried two extra tracks not on the Endangered Species album. Two years later the band had split and Rob Hartley went to Sydney to star in Gary Keady's first film effort, a heavy rock cinema short called 'Knightmare' with Hartley singing the title song penned by Gary Keady and John Vallins. The sci fi post apocalyptic 13 minute clip played nationally in Australian cinemas ahead of the blockbuster feature film 'Dune.' Knightmare led Keady to write and direct the sci fi, metal, now cult classic, Australian feature film of 1988 'Sons of Steel' which starred Rob Harley in the lead as 'Black Alice' and Jeff Duff in support as 'Secta'. As a musical Keady, Steve James and Hartley reformed 'Black Alice' with Jamie page on guitars, Scott Johnson (formerly Rose Tattoo) on Kit and Andy Chichon (formerly Rose Tattoo) on bass. The songs for the film were penned by Gary Keady, John Vallins and Rod Keady and as Jamie Page put it, 'The soundtrack album took 'Black Alice' to a new and exciting place.' The film featured a 'Black Alice' version of the Speedy Keene crafted song 'Something in the Air,' formerly a hit by 'Thunderclap Newman.' Clips from 'Sons of Steel' can be found on U-Tube and plenty of guff found on www.sons-of-steel.com. Black Alice would have been a mega world-wide success, if it wasn't for poor management.
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