page_title: Lighthouse Keepers (band)
section_title: "Gargoyle"
hierarchical_section_title: Lighthouse Keepers (band) / "Gargoyle"
caption_attribution_description: English: Photograph of an individually hand drawn record label for The Lighthouse Keepers' 45rpm single "Gargoyle", released independentently by their Guthega Pipeline label. Original artwork by Greg Appel the composer.
context_page_description: The Lighthouse Keepers, initially the Light-Housekeepers, were an Australian country and indie pop band formed in 1981 in Sydney. In November 1984 the group issued their debut studio album, Tales of the Unexpected, and a single, "Ocean Liner". In 1985 the band toured the United Kingdom supporting Hot label mates, The Triffids. The Lighthouse Keepers combined a "loosely rehearsed, casual ethos" with humour, punk attitudes and pure pop song craft. The ensemble disbanded in 1986, releasing a compilation album, Imploding, in November that year. According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, their "tasteful, jangly brand of country-tinged folk rock was at odds with prevailing trends on Sydney's early 1980s, Detroit-besotted independent scene. The band nevertheless issued a number of albums and singles, and always lived up to audience expectations".
context_section_description: In 1983 The Lighthouse Keepers issued their first single, "Gargoyle", as a three-track 7 inch vinyl 45rpm on their own independent label, Guthugga Pipeline Records. Early pressings sported individually hand drawn disc labels and cover art with the words "Strike a Lighthouse!" etched near the matrix numbers of the run-out grooves.
  The A-side, a somewhat licht gothic-styled track, "Gargoyle", featured vocals by Ward. Its B-side had two tracks: the rockabilly influenced "Demolition Team", and the 12-string, groove driven "Quick Sticks", both sung by Appel. All three original compositions were written by Appel and recorded at the band's request as "first takes", Appel playing guitars with O'Neil on a borrowed drum kit. Bass guitar was overdubbed by Appel with some harmonica and slide guitar contributed by Dalton, along with doubletracking of Ward's vocals. The 12-string guitar parts utilised a stomp box effects unit compressor.
  The recording was done at Dream Studios Mk3 for $50 ('studio opening rate') plus tape costs, on a 1/2 inch 8-track reel to reel analog tape recorder running at 7 1/2 ips and mixed to 1/4 inch 2-track 15 ips using Auratone 5c sound cubes for referencing.
  The audio engineers, in keeping with the prevailing DIY, autodidactic 'zeitgeist', encouraged the band to purchase their own blank tapes and follow the production process from mastering by Don Bartley at EMI's Sydney Studios, to "test pressing" (see white label) at EMI's Homebush record plant where the discs were manufactured through EMI's custom pressing service, which was also commonly used by local bands and emerging independent record labels such as M squared. Production costs were financed independently by the band.
caption: Example of hand drawn disc label for initial release of Gargoyle on Guthugga Pipeline Records.(GPR 001) A-side
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