Scented Gardens for the Blind is the second album by New Zealand group Dragon released in February 1975 on Vertigo Records before they relocated to Australia in May.[1][2][3][4]Scented Gardens for the Blind, along with their first album Universal Radio, is in the progressive rock genre—all subsequent albums are hard rock/pop rock.[1][2][3] "Vermillion [sic] Cellars" was released as a single in March and was followed by non-album singles, "Education" in May and "Star Kissed" in August but neither albums nor singles had any local chart success.[1]
The title of New Zealand author Janet Frame's fourth novel was Scented Gardens for the Blind (1963).[5] In 1994 the album was re-released as a CD. It was re-packaged as a double CD (with first album Universal Radio) in 2004.
Background
Dragon formed in Auckland, New Zealand, in January 1972 with a line-up that featured Todd Hunter on bass guitar, guitarist Ray Goodwin, drummer Neil Reynolds and singer/pianist Graeme Collins.[1][4] All had been in various short-lived bands in Auckland, Collins is credited with using I Ching to provide the name Dragon. Their first major gig was an appearance at The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival in early January 1973.[3] By 1974 several personnel changes had occurred including Collins leaving, with Todd Hunter's younger brother Marc Hunter joining on vocals and Neil Storey on drums.[1][4] The band recorded two progressive rock albums in their native New Zealand, Universal Radio in June 1974 and Scented Gardens for the Blind in March 1975 both on Vertigo Records.[1][4][6] "Vermillion Cellars" was released as a single in March and was followed by a non-album single, "Education" in May.[3] Despite being New Zealand's top live attraction by late 1974,[1] neither albums nor singles had any local chart success,[1] and they recruited Robert Taylor (ex-Mammal) on guitar as they searched for a raunchier pop sound.[1] By early 1975, manager Graeme Nesbitt (ex-Mammal), who had obtained regular gigs and organized their first New Zealand tours,[3] felt they should tackle the larger Australian market.[6] Nesbitt was unable to travel with them to Australia—he had been arrested for selling drugs—before they relocated in May.[3][6] In Australia, they released another non-album single, "Star Kissed" in August.[3]
The title of New Zealand author Janet Frame's fourth novel was Scented Gardens for the Blind (1963).[5] In 1994 the album was re-released as a CD. It was re-packaged by the Spanish record company Esterlla Rockera as a double CD (with first album Universal Radio) in 2005 (Catalogue Number: ER 42117). In June 2023 the album is repressed by Replica/MUSEA in LP format
^ abcNimmervoll, Ed. "Dragon". Howlspace – The Living History of Our Music (Ed Nimmervoll). Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
