Universal Radio Explained

Universal Radio
Type:	studio
Artist:	Dragon
Cover:	Universal_Radio_Dragon.gif
Released:	June 1974
Recorded:	February 1974
Studio:	Stebbings Studio, Auckland
Genre:	Progressive rock
Label:	Vertigo, TRC, Aztec
Producer:	Rick Shadwell
Next Title:	Scented Gardens for the Blind
Next Year:	1975

Universal Radio is the debut album by New Zealand group Dragon released in June 1974 on Vertigo Records and produced by Rick Shadwell.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} Universal Radio, along with their second album Scented Gardens for the Blind are in the progressive rock genre - all subsequent albums are hard rock/pop rock.^{[1] [2] [3]}

On 2 July 2009, Aztec Music reissued Universal Radio with extensive liner notes, rare photos, and three bonus tracks. The first bonus track is a live recording from 1974 of their cover version of Fleetwood Mac's "Black Magic Woman", while the last two, "X-Ray Creature" and "Dinghy Days" are the A-side and B-side of Marc Hunter's first solo single released in 1973.

Track listing

1974 Vertigo

Side 1

1. "Universal Radio" (Goodwin, M. Hunter, Thompson, Storey, T. Hunter) - 8:33
2. "Going Slow" (T Hunter) - 6:16
3. "Patina" (Goodwin, (Break Dragon)) - 11:47

Side 2

4. "Weetbix" (Goodwin, T Hunter, Bedgegood, Abbot) - 2:55
5. "Graves" (Goodwin, T Hunter, Reynolds, Thompson) - 6:56
6. "Avalanche" (Goodwin, T Hunter, Reynolds, Thompson) - 11:08

2009 Aztec Music Reissue

7. "Black Magic Woman" (Peter Green)^[5] - 6:38
8. "X-Ray Creature" (Graeme Collins, A Baysting)^[6] - 3:06
9. "Dinghy Days" (T Hunter) - 3:33

• Note: On all releases tracks 4 - 6 segue to become one long track but are separated into three.

Liner Notes

1974 Vertigo

• Universal Radio was recorded at Stebbings Studio, Auckland (late February 1974)
• Produced by Rick Shadwell
• Engineered by Tony Moan
• "X-Ray Creature" b/w "Dinghy Days" was recorded at Mascot Recording Studios, Auckland (May 1973)
• Engineered by Gary Potts

Dragon:

• Ivan Thompson: Organ, Piano, Moog
• Ray Goodwin - Guitars, Vocal
• Marc Hunter - Vocal, Percussion
• Neil Storey - Drums
• Todd Hunter - Bass, Vocal

Dragon thanks

• Paul Crowther for Moog
• Tony for Fender Rhodes
• All songs by Dragon
• Liner and Cover Art by Dick Frizzell

2009 Aztec Music Reissue

Additional musicians

• Graeme Collins - piano on "X-Ray Creature" (Collins was a founding member of Dragon but had left before Universal Radio was recorded)^{[1] [3]}
• Herb Mann - lead guitar on "Dinghy Days"

References

General

External links

• Dragon at Bruce Sergent's website: New Zealand Music of the 60's, 70's and a bit of 80's.

Notes and References

1. Encyclopedia: McFarlane . Ian . Ian McFarlane . . Encyclopedia entry for 'Dragon' . 27 September 2009 . 1999 . . . 1-86508-072-1 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20040803183418/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=295 . 3 August 2004 .
2. Web site: ARIA Hall of Fame - Dragon . Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) . 22 May 2008 . 27 September 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081011083504/http://www.ariahalloffame.com.au/inductees/dragon.htm . 11 October 2008 .
3. Web site: Dragon . Bruce Sergent . 27 September 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091004025944/http://www.sergent.com.au/dragon.html . 4 October 2009 .
4. Web site: Dragon . Holmgren . Magnus . Chuck . Miller . Australian Rock Database. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren) . https://web.archive.org/web/20131022062925/http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/d/dragon.html . 22 October 2013 . 9 March 2014 .
5. Web site: Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). "Black Magic Woman" at APRA search engine. 27 September 2009.
6. Web site: Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). "X Ray Creature" at APRA search engine. 27 September 2009.