1973-1975: A Strange Fantastic Dream & ''Rock'n Roll Scars'' Their debut album
A Strange Fantastic Dream, produced by
Peter Dawkins was released in Australia on
EMI and in the UK on progressive label Harvest in 1974, and reached No. 17 on the Australian charts in February 1974. It included their most successful single "Jamaican Farewell", which peaked at No. 34, its success hampered by lack of airplay, especially in Sydney, although it impressed the industry enough to win the FACB "Single of the Year". Gaze and Nigel Macara left the band abruptly after a trip to Perth in early 1974, so Rudd and Putt began work on an ambitious science-fiction themed concept work entitled
The Jellabad Mutant, which they hoped to record. For rehearsals they brought in drummer John Lee (later a member of
The Dingoes) who in turn brought in Harvey James, thereby establishing the second lineup of the group, which lasted until early 1975. Ariel recorded a full demo of
The Jellabad Mutant and presented it to their label EMI, but it was rejected. On the strength of the first LP, EMI in Britain had arranged recording time for the group at their famous
Abbey Road Studios in London, but the rejection of
The Jellabad Mutant by EMI Australia forced Ariel to fall back on reworked material from Rudd's previous group
Spectrum, supplemented by new songs hastily written by Rudd for the sessions. Despite the problems surrounding the recording, the resultant album
Rock & Roll Scars was released in March 1975 is now regarded as one of the best Australian albums of the period, although it failed to make any significant commercial impression. It was mixed in the UK by
Geoff Emerick, who worked on many of the later recordings by
The Beatles, and produced by Peter Dawkins. Concerning the rejection of the
Jellabad Mutant project, Rudd later said "It's interesting to speculate what might have happened had we been allowed to proceed with the Mutant with an intact budget EMI slashed the budget for ''Rock'n Roll Scars'' adding to the pressure and with the time to reflect and be creative with the raw material you hear in the demos. I regret not going in to bat for it at the time. We had a fabulous opportunity with the best technical assistance any band could have wanted. But I didn't sell the dream, even to myself." After returning to Australia in early 1975 Ariel added a fifth member, singer-guitarist
Glyn Mason, formerly of
Chain, Jeff St John & Copperwine and Home. The five-piece version of the band performed for several months but recorded only one single, although unofficial live recordings of this lineup have survived. It was during this period that Rudd introduced Dawkins to newly arrived New Zealand band
Dragon. Dawkins (who had by then moved to
CBS Records) immediately signed Dragon and went on to produce a string of Australian hit albums and singles with them in the late 1970s.
1976-1980: Goodnight Fiona and break up After the expiration of their EMI contract the group signed with
CBS Records for their third album
Goodnight Fiona, which was released in September 1976. Harvey James quit Ariel abruptly later in 1976 after he was invited to join leading Australian pop group
Sherbet, where he replaced founding member
Clive Shakespeare. James' first recording with Sherbet was their Australian No. 1 and UK Top 5 hit "Howzat". James was replaced in Ariel by keyboard player Tony Slavich. Macara left again in October 1976 and was replaced by another former
Richard Clapton Band member, Iain McLennan. The single "Disco Dilemma" was released in April 1977, just before expiration of their CBS contract, after which they signed to local independent label Image Records. They recorded the single "It's Only Love" for their new label; the song featured lead vocals from its writer Glyn Mason. Ariel announced its breakup in July 1977 and just before their CBS contract expired, the "Island Fantasy" themed farewell concert was staged on Sunday 21 August 1977 at the
Dallas Brooks Hall in
Melbourne. The show was recorded and released over the two albums
Ariel Aloha in November 1977 and
Live - More from Before in 1978. These two albums were subsequently reissued in 1980 as
Ariel Live In Concert. ==Band members==