{"id":31580,"date":"2017-03-25T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-03-24T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/?p=31580"},"modified":"2017-03-23T19:32:38","modified_gmt":"2017-03-23T08:32:38","slug":"todd-hunter-of-dragon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/2017\/03\/todd-hunter-of-dragon\/","title":{"rendered":"Todd Hunter of Dragon"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>
\n\u201c\u2026it\u2019s great to see how it\u2019s travelling whether they get forgotten, so yeah it\u2019s a great thing. I think the first time we heard it we were driving across the harbor bridge and it was like \u2018Wow!\u2019 it was amazing, we were all hanging out the windows.\u201d<\/p>\n

From Release: When it comes to iconic songs, there are few as anthemic and recognisable as April Sun in Cuba<\/em>. A chart-topper, it peaked at #2 in 1977 and stayed on the charts for a massive 22 weeks, acting as the first monster hit for legendary band Dragon and endearing them to Australian audiences. To celebrate the song\u2019s auspicious anniversary, the band have announced two special one night only performances for Melbourne and Sydney to party in style.<\/p>\n

At home a couple hours south of Sydney we gave Todd Hunter of Dragon a call to wish \u2018April Sun In Cuba\u2019 a Happy 40th<\/sup> Birthday, talk about touring, Aussie hits, new music, & more\u2026<\/p>\n

How does it make you feel when a song like \u2018April Sun In Cuba\u2019 turns 40 and is still so loved after so many years?<\/strong>
\nWell I definitely didn\u2019t see it coming, it\u2019s incredible, it\u2019s great!<\/p>\n

What do you remember about making the track?<\/strong>
\nWe just had a big car accident and I looked around the studio and everyone was in bandages and neck braces and stuff, so that summed things up for the 70\u2019s for me, this bright shiny pop music and these twenty year old wrecks making it is very funny and you couldn\u2019t tell it was going to last this long either, it was just another song.<\/p>\n

Does it make you look back now and think<\/strong>
\nAs soon as a song is in the public domain and not yours anymore it\u2019s great to see how it\u2019s travelling whether they get forgotten, so yeah it\u2019s a great thing. I think the first time we heard it we were driving across the harbor bridge and it was like \u2018Wow!\u2019 it was amazing, we were all hanging out the windows.<\/p>\n

Now I turned 40 last year and I had a big party, of course you\u2019re celebrating the songs birthday by playing a couple of special shows, what can people expect at these shows?<\/strong>
\nYou can expect to come and sing, and we\u2019ll make a bit of fuss about \u2018April Sun\u2019 and get a birthday cake *laughs*<\/p>\n

A cake? Really?<\/strong>
\nNo *laughs*<\/p>\n

As well as the special Dragon dates you\u2019re doing a Countdown chartbusters show, can you tell us about why you\u2019re heading out to play these songs?<\/strong>
\nYeah well most of the time when we\u2019re backstage before the show we play a heap of songs by other people anyway so we thought why not just take it out to the stage instead of just playing it backstage and it works incredibly well, it\u2019s great fun, people love all of those songs and it\u2019s really good to pull those songs apart and find out what it really was that you liked.<\/p>\n

So a favourite mix tape of songs that you guys love?<\/strong>
\nThat\u2019s correct, songs from Countdown and then all the Dragon stuff after, so it\u2019s a couple of hours of music. It\u2019s easy to do because they\u2019re great songs but there\u2019s a big recognition when you hit the opening chords of certain songs and the crowd goes wild.<\/p>\n

So it\u2019s easy to say what\u2019s changed over your time together but what would you say is the one thing that\u2019s stayed the same about Dragon?<\/strong>
\nI think it\u2019s the songs, it\u2019s entirely about the songs and not who\u2019s in the band and that\u2019s the thing, if you get the song right then everything just flows from that.<\/p>\n

We had \u2018Roses\u2019 out in 2014, can we expect new music from Dragon any time soon?<\/strong>
\nYeah we\u2019re half way through a new album we\u2019ve got some really good songs happening, we got back into the studio in about a month or so to finish it off. So it\u2019ll be out around August.<\/p>\n

Mark has been in the band now for over ten years, how has his involvement in Dragon kept the band alive and inspired?<\/strong>
\nWell he\u2019s just such a great guy and got such a different energy and he just works really well, I think we\u2019re up to our 850th<\/sup> show now, it\u2019s wild isn\u2019t it\u2026 and we\u2019re booked until the end of October, basically every weekend, so we\u2019re coming soon to somewhere near you so just come down and sing.<\/p>\n

Outside of the chartbuster shows can we expect some more shows coming up?<\/strong>
\nYep all the time we\u2019re heading out and doing all sorts of stuff.<\/p>\n

Other than touring what is next for Dragon?<\/strong>
\nWe\u2019ll do this whole tour, get the album out and see what happens from there.<\/p>\n

On a personal note \u2018Rain\u2019 has always been one of my favourite songs, so firstly thank you for creating it and secondly when you write a song like that back in the early 80\u2019s did you know you had a big hit on your hands?<\/strong>
\nNo absolutely not, there was no indication of it at all, I think when we recoded it we thought \u2018this is good\u2019 but we weren\u2019t prepared for it to work as well as it did. I think the first time I ever heard that song it was at night and I was walking along a beach in Cairns and there was a big fire and 50 or 60 singing \u2018Rain\u2019 at the tops of their voices. It was so great to walk past in the dark at midnight and it was like greeting an old friend like \u2018there you are\u2019 *laughs*<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a song that could still be written and still be a hit today, whether it was foresight or whatever that may be, it\u2019s proof that you can write a good song\u2026<\/strong>
\nNo idea what it is but it seems a bit timeless that it all works.<\/p>\n

Watching the crowd reactions when you play that and the hits is always just amazing to see\u2026<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s just about the songs and it\u2019s a great thing all the love and noise that comes back over the monitors, it\u2019s just phenomenal.<\/p>\n

Looking back at your career, has there been a stand out moment that can\u2019t be beaten for you?<\/strong>
\nNo, I\u2019m still waiting for that to happen *laughs* great things keep happening so just waiting for that to happen.<\/p>\n

So what is left on the list of things you\u2019d like to do but haven\u2019t yet had the chance to?<\/strong>
\nNothing, play for another decade I reckon.<\/p>\n

Lastly let\u2019s look ahead to the future, finish this sentence for me, by the end of 2017 Dragon will\u2026<\/strong>
\nHave played over a thousand shows and still be playing every weekend and having a great time. We love it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tickets for Dragon\u2019s special April Sun in Cuba 40th Anniversary Concert<\/em> shows in Sydney and Melbourne are on sale now.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thursday 6th<\/sup> April 2017 The Basement, SYDNEY NSW<\/strong> www.thebasement.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday 21st<\/sup> April 2017 Chelsea Heights Hotel, CHELSEA HEIGHTS VIC <\/strong>www.chelseaheightshotel.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n


\nDragon’s OZ Countdown Chartbusters tour\u00a0shows:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday 8th<\/sup> April 2017 Anita\u2019s Theatre, THIRROUL NSW<\/strong> www.anitastheatrethirroul.com<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sunday 9th<\/sup> April 2017 The Co-op, CHURCH POINT NSW<\/strong> (02) 9979 6633<\/p>\n

Friday 28th<\/sup> April 2017 Blue Cattle Dog, ST CLAIR NSW<\/strong> www.bluecattledoghotel.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday 29th<\/sup> April 2017 Mingara Recreation Club, MINGARA NSW<\/strong> www.mingara.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday 6th<\/sup> May 2017 Ryde-Eastwood Leagues Club, EASTWOOD NSW<\/strong> www.releagues.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday 12th<\/sup> May 2017 The Brewery, ROUSE HILL NSW<\/strong> www.australianbrewery.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday 26th<\/sup> May 2017 Wagga Home Tavern, WAGGA WAGGA NSW<\/strong> https:\/\/hometavern.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday 27th<\/sup> May 2017 Kinross Woolshed, ALBURY NSW<\/strong> www.kinrosswoolshed.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday 2nd<\/sup> June 2017 Astor Hotel, GOULBURN NSW<\/strong> www.astorhotelmotel.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday 3rd<\/sup> June 2017 The Oaks Hotel, ALBION PARK NSW<\/strong> www.theoakshotel.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday 9th<\/sup> June 2017 Lizottes, NEWCASTLE NSW<\/strong> www.lizottes.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday 10th<\/sup> June 2017 Canterbury Leagues Club, CANTERBURY NSW<\/strong> www.canterbury.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday 16th<\/sup> June 2017 Dee Why RSL, DEE WHY NSW<\/strong> www.deewhyrsl.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday 17th<\/sup> June 2017 Wenty Leagues, WENTWORTHVILLE NSW<\/strong> www.wentyleagues.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday 30th<\/sup> June 2017 Taren Point Hotel, TAREN POINT NSW<\/strong> www.tarenpointhotel.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday 14th<\/sup> July 2017 Kingston Arts Centre, MOORABBIN NSW www.kingstonarts.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday 22nd<\/sup> July 2017 Hornsby RSL, HORNSBY NSW<\/strong> www.hornsbyrsl.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday 28th<\/sup> July 2017 Beach House Hotel, HERVEY BAY QLD<\/strong> www.beachhousehotel.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday 29th<\/sup> July 2017 Twin Towns, TWEED HEADS NSW<\/strong> www.twintowns.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday 5th<\/sup> August 2017 Norths Leagues, NORTH SYDNEY NSW<\/strong> www.norths.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday 12th<\/sup> August 2017 Castle Hill RSL, CASTLE HILL NSW<\/strong> www.castlehillrsl.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Friday 6th<\/sup> October 2017 Hamilton Hotel, BRISBANE QLD<\/strong> www.hamiltonhotel.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday 7th<\/sup> October 2017 Villa Noosa Hotel, NOOSAVILLE QLD<\/strong> www.villanoosa.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday 14th<\/sup> October 2017 The Cube, CAMPBELLTOWN NSW<\/strong> www.thecube.net.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sunday 22nd<\/sup> October 2017 Towradgi Beach Hotel \u2013 Sports Bar, TOWRADGI NSW<\/strong> www.towradgibeachhotel.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Essential Information<\/strong><\/h2>\n

From:<\/strong>\u00a0Australia<\/p>\n

Band Members:<\/strong>\u00a0Mark Williams – Vocals, Bruce Reid – Guitar, Todd Hunter – Bass, Pete Drummond – Drums<\/p>\n

Website:<\/strong>\u00a0http:\/\/www.dragononline.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n

Latest Release:<\/strong>\u00a0Roses (Out Now)<\/p>\n