Taipan

Taipan
Origin	Melbourne, VIC
Genres	Heavy metal
Years active	1981 – 1987, 2005 - present
Labels	Cleopatra
Associated acts	Roxus, Ragewar
Members	Frank Degennaro, Emilio Sarpa, Dave Zerafa
Past members	Barrie Bardoe, Joe Cool, John Giles, Wayne Hull, Tony Tralonga, Robert Tronca, Chuck van der Belt

Band members

• Current Line-up
  • Frank Degennaro (drums)
  • Emilio Sarpa (vocals, bass)
  • Dave Zerafa (guitar)

• Former members
  • Barry Bardoe (bass) (1987)
  • Joe Cool (guitar) (1987)
  • Wayne Hull (vocals) (1987)
  • Tony Tralonga (guitar) (1983 - 1987)
  • Robert P (Robert Tronca) (keys) (1983 - 1987)
  • Chuck Van der Belt (guitar) (1981 - 1983)
  • John Giles (guitar) (1981)

Formed

Melbourne, VIC, 1981

Band information

Taipan was the archetypal Melbourne metal band. The band was formed in 1981 by Degennero, Sarpa and Zerafa and remained stalwarts of the scene in that city throughout the first half of the 1980s despite occasional line-up changes. Van der Belt replaced John Giles early on and in 1983 he was replaced by Tony Tralonga. Robert Tronca also joined the band on keyboards.

Both their releases featured energetic melodic metal with typically 80s production but good material.

Sarpa and Zerafa had both left Taipan by early 1987. The group continued for a brief time with Bardoe, Cool and Hull as replacements but was done by year's end. Cool joined Bahragah which went on to become Roxus and Bardoe formed Ragewar in the mid-90s. Degennaro, Zerafa and Sarpa reformed Taipan in 2005 and have since released four albums.

Discography

Albums:

	1985	1770	Cleopatra
	2007	Stonewitch	self release
	2010	Flamethrower	self release
	2011	Snakes	Killer Metal
	2013	Metal Machine	SOAL

EP:

	1981	Taipan	Central Station