FRATERNITY
Seasons Of Change
(Neale Johns - John Robinson)
Australia 1971
#2 Melbourne #5 Brisbane #1 Adelaide

Co-charted in Melbourne and Brisbane with version by Blackfeather. Written by Neale Johns and John Robinson of Blackfeather.

Fraternity (1970-1975) was originally made up of former members of Levi Smith's Clefs, the influential Adelaide band later based in Sydney, led by Barrie McAskill.

Fraternity's line-up included Bon Scott, later of AC/DC fame, on vocals 1970-73: he also played recorder on Blackfeather's version of Seasons Of Change.

Jimmy Barnes was briefly with Fraternity in 1975 before returning to Cold Chisel.

References, further reading: 1. Detailed history of Fraternity at Milesago, which includes the Clefs back story. 2. Levi Smith's Clefs history at McAskill.com.au.

BLACKFEATHER
Seasons Of Change
(Neale Johns - John Robinson)
Australia 1971
Original version
#11 Sydney #2 Melbourne #5 Brisbane

John Robinson (lead guitar), Leith Corbett (bass) and Mike McCormack (drums), all from the Dave Miller Set, along with vocalist Neale Johns formed the original line-up of this progressive rock band, although Corbett and McCormack were soon replaced by Bob Fortesque and Al Kash.

On the album At The Mountains Of Madness, also released as a single on Festival's Infinity label. Bon Scott, then with Fraternity, later AC/DC, plays recorder on this track.

Co-charted in Melbourne and Brisbane with version by Fraternity.

See also: Boppin' The Blues.

Chronology: The two versions were around at the same time. According to Milesago's Almanac for March and April 1971, Blackfeather's version came out first, on the album. See also John Robinson's comments on the release of the two competing singles, at Milesago's Blackfeather page.

Further reading: 1. Blackfeather history at Milesago. 2. John Robinson's track-by-track critique of At The Mountains Of Madness at Crabsody In Blue.

DAVE MILLER SET
[On-stage jam]
(John Robinson with Leith Corbett)
Australia 1969
Original version: live performance

John Robinson recalled how he and Leith Corbett improvised the embryonic form of Seasons Of Change on-stage at Coff's Harbour in 1969:

Quickly, I strung together some chords and a melody "Da, Da- Da- da-da- Da, Da, Da…". I yelled the changes out to Leith - Seasons of Change had been born. After the gig, I wrote it down in manuscript, as the punters had reacted very well to it. [Link]

When the Dave Miller Set broke up, three of its members, including John Robinson and Leith Corbett, formed Blackfeather.

See also Mr Guy Fawkes by Dave Miller Set.

Reference, further reading: John Robinson's reminiscences at Blackfeather Music Productions, no longer online, page from 2004 archived at The Internet Archive.

Corrections or comments? Contact the writer.