Biography
An enduring niche within the music audience continues to pursue every available recording that features the Mellotron, the electronic keyboard whose presence on chart successes during the 1970s rivaled even the sitar in frequency. These enthusiasts, sometimes labeled mello-dramatic, expend considerable effort to assemble complete collections of such material. The same archival impulse functions like the electrical charge harnessed by Dr. Frankenstein, granting lasting visibility to outfits such as Kestrel, a previously overlooked quintet from Newcastle that tracked its lone self-titled album in 1973 before Decca’s Cube imprint issued it the next year.
Although John Cook handled the primary Mellotron parts along with synthesizer and additional electronic keyboards, guitarist Dave Black ultimately sustained the longest career in rock. Extending his avian naming pattern, Black later joined Goldie, which reached the charts with the hit single “Making Up Again” in 1978; several ex-members of Kestrel also participated in that lineup. In the interim, Black heightened his profile by performing with David Bowie’s Spiders from Mars band throughout 1975. From 1980 onward for nearly ten years he concentrated on the ensemble 747, after which he launched a solo path while also serving as a sideman with the Brendan Healy Band. A Japanese CD label reissued the original Kestrel album in 2000.
Although John Cook handled the primary Mellotron parts along with synthesizer and additional electronic keyboards, guitarist Dave Black ultimately sustained the longest career in rock. Extending his avian naming pattern, Black later joined Goldie, which reached the charts with the hit single “Making Up Again” in 1978; several ex-members of Kestrel also participated in that lineup. In the interim, Black heightened his profile by performing with David Bowie’s Spiders from Mars band throughout 1975. From 1980 onward for nearly ten years he concentrated on the ensemble 747, after which he launched a solo path while also serving as a sideman with the Brendan Healy Band. A Japanese CD label reissued the original Kestrel album in 2000.
Albums
Singles
