Aviator -

Aviator was an English rock supergroup formed by members of Caravan, Jethro Tull, and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. They released the 1979/80 Harvest albums Aviator and Turbulence.

Members: Mick Rogers (guitar, vocals), John G. Perry (bass), Jack Lancaster (woodwind), Clive Bunker (drums)

Background

Clive Bunker drummed for Jethro Tull from 1968–71 and did session work for Gordon Giltrap and Steve Howe. John G. Perry played with Gringo, Caravan, Curved Air, Quantum Jump, and made a 1976 solo album.

Jack Lancaster’s resume included stints with Pacific Drift and Blodwyn Pig. In 1976, he teamed with Robin Lumley and members of Brand X for the instrumental album Marscape. Mick Rogers played with Manfred Mann’s Earth Band from 1971–75 and had earlier been with ’60s Aussie beat combo Procession.

Aviator

Aviator released their self-titled debut album in April 1979 on Harvest. It contains nine group-composed tracks that emphasize extended forms, sectional pacing, and wind-triggered electronics in place of keyboards.

Rogers plays guitar and handles lead vocals, shaping the heavier sections with layered chords and compact riffs. Perry plays Wal bass and Taurus pedals and supports with vocals. Lancaster triggers synth textures via Lyricon and plays soprano, alto, and tenor sax. Bunker directs changes in tempo and phrasing with tight kit work and cross-rhythmic fills.

“Your Loving Is My Home” opens with mid-tempo guitar phrasing. “Keep Your Heart Right” develops slowly, layering wind-synth tones over a suspended pulse. “Evil Eye” condenses its sections into terse vocal phrasing. “Time Traveller” follows with a compact form. “Silver Needles” accelerates into dense guitar patterns and synchronized rhythm.

“Cleveland Ohio” centers on a cyclic synth line, offset by guitar counterpoint. “Country Morning” alternates between slow verses and faster chorus sections. “Greed” runs on clipped vocal lines and sharp rhythmic turns. “Morning Journey” closes the set with gradual layering and a drawn-out ascent.

A1. “Your Loving Is My Home” (3:25)
A2. “Keep Your Heart Right” (6:21) — brooding, atmospheric number with open arrangement and slow harmonic layering
A3. “Evil Eye” (3:21)
A4. “Time Traveller” (3:04)
A5. “Silver Needles” (6:17) — high-energy piece built on guitar riffs and extended rhythmic motion

B1. “Cleveland Ohio” (5:04) — structured around a memorable synthetic motif, offset by melodic guitar lines
B2. “Country Morning” (6:17) — unfolds in slow-to-fast sections with layered vocals and instrumental interplay
B3. “Greed” (3:04) — clipped rocker driven by sharp rhythm changes and terse vocal lines
B4. “Morning Journey” (6:58) — long closing piece with sax overlays and gradual rhythmic escalation

Sessions occurred in late 1978 at Redon Recorders in London. “Country Morning” and “Keep Your Heart Right” originated at Startling Studios and were later mixed down at Trident Studios by Steve Taylor. Robin Lumley co-produced the two Startling tracks. Aviator self-produced the balance, engineered by Roger T. Wake and Dave Tickle.

The album features cover illustration by Alan Guy. Art direction by David Stewart. Photography by Red Saunders.

Turbulence

Aviator released their second album, Turbulence, in April 1980 on Harvest.

The band recorded Turbulence as a trio after Jack Lancaster’s departure, shifting from wind-synth textures to layered guitar and rhythm-section interplay. The material favors more direct arrangements while retaining multi-part structures and sectional pacing.

Mick Rogers plays guitar and handles lead vocals, shaping both riff-based sequences and sustained chord passages. John G. Perry plays Wal bass and Taurus pedals and adds backing vocals, providing counterweight to the guitar lines and outlining modulations. Clive Bunker plays drums and percussion and supports with vocals, driving meter shifts and sectional transitions across longer tracks. Backing vocals appear on select tracks by Betsy Cook, Carol Stocker, and Vivienne McAuliffe.

Rogers, Perry, and Bunker composed seven of the eight tracks. The sole cover, “Get Your Rocks Off,” originated as a 1973 single by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, adapted from a Bob Dylan outtake. Rogers reprised his performance of the song for this version.

“Way of the World” opens with rising guitar figures and alternating vocal refrains. “The American” balances sustained chords with clipped vocal lines. “Turbulence” rides a shifting 7/4 pulse through extended instrumental development and sectional modulation. “Ovation” slows the pace, using suspended phrasing and ambient textures to close side one.

“Fallen Star” builds through layered rhythmic cycles and harmonic pivots. “Track Eleven” isolates Bunker’s treated drum textures in a standalone piece. “Get Your Rocks Off” contrasts its repetitive vocal pattern with tight bass and guitar syncopation. “Strange Worlds” closes the album with spacey effects, sectional layering, and gradual rhythmic lift.

A1. “Way of the World” (4:42) — opens with rising guitar figures and alternating vocal refrains
A2. “The American” (4:37)
A3. “Turbulence” (6:42) — develops over 7/4 meter with layered instrumentation and sectional pacing
A4. “Ovation” (4:47) — slower piece with ambient phrasing and suspended progressions

B1. “Fallen Star” (6:13) — uses layered rhythmic cycles and harmonic pivot points
B2. “Track Eleven” (1:36) — constructed from treated drum figures and studio effects
B3. “Get Your Rocks Off” (4:53) — originated as a 1973 single by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, adapted from an unreleased Bob Dylan composition; features tight syncopation under a repeated vocal figure
B4. “Strange Worlds” (6:40) — closes with spatial effects, sectional layering, and a slow-rising rhythmic ascent

Sessions occurred in early 1980 at Morgan Studios, Startling Studios, and Roundhouse Studios with producer Wil Malone. Mike Hedges engineered the recordings with assistance from Martyn Webster and David Kemp.

Turbulence features cover art by Fisher Design Associates with graphics by Cream and photography by Mark Lawrence.

Discography: