Biography
1. Light Year was formed in 1974, when drummer Zak McGrath joined forces with his friend and colleague, pianist Cornelius Williams, with the idea of putting together a band to play new music. They recruited Randy Sellgren (Mingo Lewis-Flight Never Ending) to play guitar. John Yu, the bass player, brought Doug Johnson to play percussion (vibes, marimba, hand drums and other bells and whistles). The singer Sharon Pucci joined later to complete the ensemble.
The band was fortunate in having a fledgling manager, Sandy Einstein, who later went on to success with Journey and Mr. Big. Einstein’s energy and persistence secured Light Year gigs at the best clubs in the Bay Area, as well as the reviews reproduced on this site, despite the definite oddness of their music. The one thing the band could not achieve was a record contract.
Light Year was, as a rule, admired by the public and reviled by club owners. They were also championed by such notable groups as The Tubes and The Sons of Champlin, who would persuade reluctant impresarios to let Light Year open for them. One exception was Todd Barkan of the well-known jazz spot Keystone Korner, who liked them and booked them on Monday nights–one of the few unsigned groups to play Keystone. But most clubs refused to book them more than once.
Their big “showcase” gig at the Starwood in Los Angeles was marked by record executives exiting the club en masse with their hands over their ears. Without a contract, and with the scarcity of gigs and money fraying their psyches, the band broke up after less than two years.
Band:
* Cornelius Williams – piano
* Zak McGrath – drums
* Randy Sellgren – guitars
* John Yu – bass
* Doug Johnson – percussion, marimba, vibes
* Sharon Pucci – vocals
2. Light Year was created many aeons ago in a celestial orb east-side of Sydney, deep in the back-garden of Australia. The release of the ‘Night/Vision’ EP in 2010 brought the now cult classic LY track ‘Sex Education’ to the world’s attention and was eagerly played out, happily edited and highly recommended by Soulwax, Erol Alkan, Tiga and Mr Oizo.
That was only the start, for the release of ’5 Girls’ 6 months later was met with an even greater reception. The EP received a thorough tanning from deejays all over the world including revolving on the wheels of steel on BBC Radio 1. Light Year has also accumulated a serious amount of remix work over the last year with the likes of Bagraiders, Surkin, ZZT, Alex Gopher, Classixx & Feadz requesting the unique LY re-twist touch.
2011 has also brought jaunts of both Europe and America, both continents playing host to over a dozen packed out club soirees. Upon returning home LY performed a run of sell out gigs nationally including Splendour In The Grass and Parklife to celebrate the ‘5 Girl5 Remixed’ release, which featured handiwork from Strip Steve, Harvard Bass, Alex Gopher, and more.
With two EPs and two continental club tours under the belt, Light Year is now forward thinking in a large vortex of momentum. Winds are whispering news of a massive new single release before 2011 comes to an end with more national and international touring to follow. Stay close don’t fear as this is a new beginning, a Light Year 2.0, an LY renaissance and so the future is only Light Years away.
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