Tully (band) - Releases

Releases

Tully signed with the Australian division of EMI and their self-titled debut LP was released on the EMI's Columbia label in July 1970; it charted well, spending eight weeks in the Top 40 and peaking at No. 8. Around this time Michael Carlos purchased what is said to be the first Moog synthesiser to be imported into Australia, and they became the first local band to use one in live performance.

In late 1970 Richard Lockwood and Ken Firth contributed to the debut LP Hush by Sydney band Extradition, released in June 1971 and now a rare collector's item. Both bands had been closely associated for some time, and shared similar musical outlooks; this led to Extradition members Colin Campbell and Shayna (Karlin) Stewart joining Tully at the start of 1971. Campbell played an important role in the later career of Tully and he wrote or co-wrote a considerable proportion of the material on both the Sea Of Joy and Loving is Hard albums.

Terry Wilson and Robert Taylor both left the group in December 1970. According to rock historian Noel McGrath, this was largely due to the fact that Carlos, Firth and Lockwood were adherents of the Meher Baba sect (popularised by devotees like The Who's Pete Townshend) -- an interest Wilson and Taylor reportedly did not share. Taylor was not replaced, and Tully continued to perform without a drummer.

In 1971 Tully moved to EMI's new progressive label Harvest, and released their only single, "Krishna Came" / "Lord Baba" (May 1971). This was followed in June by their second LP Sea Of Joy, which was also the soundtrack to the surf film of the same name by Paul Witzig, who had also previously worked with Tamam Shud. But just before it was issued Michael Carlos quit the band to rejoin Levi Smith's Clefs. Tully continued on without him for several months before finally splitting. Richard Lockwood had been playing occasionally with Tamam Shud and he joined them full-time when Tully split. Tully had stockpiled enough material prior for EMI to compile a third and final LP which was released in 1972 as the album Loving Is Hard.