Goanna are an Australian rock band which formed in 1977 in Geelong as The Goanna Band with mainstay Shane Howard as singer-songwriter and guitarist. The group integrated social protest with popular music and reached the Top 20 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart with "Solid Rock" (1982) and "Let the Franklin Flow" (released under the name Gordon Franklin & the Wilderness Ensemble in 1983). Their debut album, Spirit of Place, peaked at No. 2 on the related albums chart. They disbanded in 1987 and briefly reformed in 1998. History 1977-1987 The Goanna Band were formed as an Australian folk-rock group by singer-songwriter and guitarist Shane Howard in Geelong in 1977. Alongside Howard, the original line-up was Mike Biscan (guitar), Richard Griffiths (bass guitar) and Rod Hoe (drums). During their early years the line-up changed numerous times, with only Howard as the mainstay. In 1979, the group consisted of Howard, keyboardist and vocalist Rose Bygrave, lead guitarist and vocalist Warwick Harwood, bass guitarist Carl Smith, drummer Gary Crothall and vocalist and harmonica player Ian Morrison. They recorded an independent 12" EP, The Goanna Band. The four-track EP was produced by Broderick Smith (ex-The Dingoes) and released on EMI Music. By 1981 the band were now Shane Howard, Rose Bygrave, Warrick Harwood, Peter Coughlan on bass guitar, Marcia Howard (vocalist and synthesisers), Graham Davidge (electric guitar) and Robbie Ross on drums. They had shortened the name to Goanna, and with their increasing popularity they attracted the interest of major record companies. They supported James Taylor on the Australian leg of his 1981 tour. In February 1982, they signed to WEA Australia, and Shane Howard established a music publishing company, Uluru Music, headed by Helene Jedwab. The band released its single "Solid Rock" in September. According to Howard, the inspiration came on a ten-day camping trip to Uluru during 1980, where he had a "spiritual awakening" which brought "the fire in the belly" to the surface over injustices to Australia's indigenous peoples. WEA were at first reluctant to issue it as a single, and even Howard initially had a few doubts about whether commercial radio was ready for such a weighty political subject; however, Howard insisted on its release to make a statement on the British invasion of Australia. "Solid Rock" peaked at No. #2 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart, remaining in the Top 50 for 26 weeks.