Have Gravity Will Threaten

In early 2009 three of the original members  of the Armidale Bush band reunited to perform a series of gigs in Uralla and Armidale. Original lead singer Peter Faircloth, who had been living in England for more than 20 years, flew back to Australia to participate. Among the venues chosen was the Coachwood and cedar Hotel-Motel (Uralla).  

• Armidale Bush Band Song List [PDF file]

Sources: ‘Bush Band to Re-unite After 33 Year Break.’ Armidale Express 5 Jan. 2009, n. pag. (q.v.) • Rod Noble (interview and correspondance, Jan. 2010).  Images: Colour photos (see also PDF document) courtesy of Rod Noble • UNE Bistro advertisement, Neucleus 7 Apr. (1976), p. 9.

ARMIDALE PEOPLE’S BUSH BAND

(1975)

The Armidale People’s Bush Band came about in 1975 through the involvement of a number of UNE students and associates who were connected with the Old Rockvale Pub commune. Rod Noble, one of the People’s Bush Band founders, and a resident at the ‘pub’ between 1973 and 1976, indicates that music was integrated very much into the lives of his peers. ‘People played for each other at nearly every spare moment and at every party - and they were held with considerable regularity.’

Together with David Curtis, Andy Berriman and several other friends they formed a collective which became known as Armidale People’s Bush Band. Performing with traditional bush instruments (e.g. tea chest bass and lager phones) and acoustic guitars, fiddles etc, the group played a number of times in the Armidale Mall and at several student demonstrations and fund-raising gigs. While it did not play any licensed venues in Armidale or in nearby town, the People’s Bush Band did help establish bush music as a popular alternative to rock and jazz bands in Armidale. It was also arguably the most suitable genre for political activism at the time, being closely associated with the protest movement closely associated with such artists as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez amongst others. Rod Noble recalls, for example, that at one of the demonstrations, held to bring attention to the plight of the East Timorese, the group performed a number of politically-charged songs, including ‘Red Flag‘ and ‘Bump Me Into Parliament.’

The Armidale People’s Bush Band later evolved into the Armidale Bush Band, which found much popularity in Uralla and Armidale in 1976.

Source: Rod Noble (interview and correspondence, Jan. 2010).

THE ASTROS

(1979-1980)

• Personnel : Rod Clay (bass/vocals) ; Matt Hirst (drums/vocals) ; David Morris (guitars/vocals) ; Dick Rummery (keyboards/guitar/bass/vocals) ; Michael Lomas and Craig Lomax (sound).

L-R: Rod Clay and Matt Hirst

Foreground: David Morris and Dick Rummery

The Astros was a short-lived attempt by Rod Clay and David Morris to continue the Vice Squad tradition in Sydney. The  other two members of the band were former Health Club bass player Dick Rummery on keyboards and guitar, with drummer Matt Hirst also providing lead and harmony vocals.

The Astros played primarily in the inner city precincts, and mostly at parties (largely attended by Armidale ex-pats). In despair after one disastrous gig, when half the group turned up under the influence of hallucinogens, Rod Clay took the radical step of joining the Australian Army (eventually serving as an artillery gunner), thus ending The Astros. 

David Morris †

Rod Clay and David Morris †

L-R: Michael and Craig Lomas †

Craig Lomas' reaction to the band's latest song †

The Lomas brothers, Craig and Michael, were closely associated with the band, as was Dick Rummery’s cousin Ian Rummery (who provided a sometimes rehearsal space in the loungeroom of his Stanmore flat). Michael Lomas co-wrote one of the band’s songs ’Waylayed‘ with Rod Clay. Other original songs played by the band included “Finger in the Sky” (Clay/Rummery), “Street People” (Clay), “Put the Boy Down” (James/Clay) and “Cherries Got a Habit” and “The Astronauts” (both by David Morris)”

Matt Hirst

Sources. Clay Djubal (2009) • David Morris (interview, 2009). Images: Colour photos courtesy of Clay Djubal.

BACKLASH

(ca. 1986- )

Led by Stuart Kemp, a musician who also trained at the School of Audio Engineering, Backlash was an Armidale-based band with a repertoire of material covering rock standards by artists like Joe Jackson, The Angels, Australian Crawl, The Rolling Stones, Bob Seeger, J. J. Cale and Eric Clapton. The band was one of the feature acts at the 1987 Sunray Festival, along with Helga und der Blitzkrieg. A recording of the band’s performance at the festival has recently been unearthed. A CD will hopefully be available early in 2010.

Source: Clay Djubal (2009).

THE BEARDY BROTHERS

(1989 – present)

Founded in 1989 by Pete Stanley, the ‘human jukebox,’ the Beardy Brothers covers a variety of genres from pop/rock to country. The group’s album Been a Long Time (released in 1999) comprises original material (including Stanley’s instrumental “The Russian“), some country rock, ballads and rock standards. The CD was recorded at Oak Tree Studios, Armidale. The group can also be heard performing “Another Night Like Tonight’” on the Music of the North compilation released on Hadley Records (HCD 1324) to celebrate the various artists, musicians and singers from the North-west of New South Wales. Considered a popular middle-of-the-road act, the group has performed consistently in Armidale and other nearby centres for close to two decades.

Source incl. Dan Byrnes’ Regional Roundup (online)

BLOOD BROTHERS

aka The Song

(1988-1990)   

• Personnel incl. Peter Cozens ; Howard Dawson ; Trevor Dunham ; Cathy Hewitt ; Tim Hewitt ; Ian Mitchell (drums) ; Judy Mitchell (piano) ; Peter Mitchell (lead vocals/guitar) ; Tim Phillips

After recording the Arid Man album in 1988 and following the return of younger brother Ian from overseas, Peter Mitchell brought together a number of ‘old’ friends to jam. The sessions resulted in the forming of The Song, a Sydney-based musical collective that largely played together at parties.  As Peter Mitchell recalls The Song was made up of various players, ‘including anyone who simply got up and joined in’ (p.14). Many of the rehearsals were recorded, and the best of these are presented on Spontaneous By Design (1992) an album put together under the name Blood Brothers.  While the album was never distributed (and only one master copy made) a number of the songs appear on Mitchell’s autobiography in song The Great Unknown (Disc 3)

• See Music [Other] pages for details regarding Spontaneous By Design [A-L] and The Great Unknown [M-Z].

Source: Peter Mitchell. The Great Unknown (1995), p. 14.

BLUE MAX

(1976-1977)

• Personnel incl:  Rod Clay (drums/vocals) ; Simon Morgan (lead vocals/guitar) ;  Dick Rummery (bass/guitar/vocals) ; Malcolm Toft (sax/vocals)

Formed by students from both Armidale High School and Duval High School, Blue Max was one of at least three student teenage which formed in the city around 1976/1977.    Led by singer Simon Morgan, who had recently arrived in Australia from Birmingham (England), Blue Max was initially influenced by metal bands like Black Sabbath and contemporary English groups like The Sweet, Status Quo. American influences came from bands like Blue Oyster Cult and Alice Cooper. Malcolm Toft’s sax playing, particularly on songs like John Lennon’s ‘Cold Turkey,’ also provided the group with a sound somewhat different to the other local high school bands. 

The band’s only official gig was at a lunchtime concert at the UNE Union Courtyard in late 1976. All other performances were at parties and social get-togethers, most of which occurred in the building  where the band did most of it’s rehearsals. Owned by the University of New England, and managed by the father of one of the band’s friends, the ‘rehearsal space’ was situated in a semi-rural areas on the north-west side of town.

Following the demise of Blue Max Simon Morgan moved to Sydney where he played for a short period in a band called R.A.F. (which also included Craig Bloxom, later of v Spy v Spy). Rod Clay and Dick Rummery later formed the Armidale hippy punk band Health Club (with Doiran James and Dave Morris).

Simon Morgan and Dick Rummery during the Blue Max era (The Preens’ residence, 78 Mann St)

Source: Clay Djubal (2009). Image: Photo courtesy of Clay Djubal.

GRAEME BURTON

(1964 -2007 )

• Bands : ftprints11

Drums/bass/vocals

A longtime friend and collaborator with Richard Rummery, Graeme Burton was well-known in Armidale, having established himself in the local music industry for many years. In the early to mid-2000s  he provided additional instruments for Rummery’s ftprints11 project. Burton passed away in late 2007 from complications brought on by diabetes.

Source: Richard Rummery (correspondance, 2009)

CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY

(1983-1985)

• Personnel:  Jane Hewetson (bass) ; Ziggy Mirza (guitar/vocals) ; Ian Mitchell (drums) ; Peter Mitchell (lead vocals/guitar) ; Tim Rollinson (guitar).
• Also associated with the band: Chris Green (vocals)

Formed in Sydney in late 1983 by Peter and Ian Mitchell, Captains of Industry was essentially a vehicle for Peter Mitchell’s songs.  During the previous few years Mitchell had been focusing on his songwriting craft, writing and recording several solo albums on a Tascam 144 (4-track) Portastudio in collaboration with his brother. These were subsequently made available on cassette format. Prior to joining Captains of Industry Ian Mitchell had been Shoot the DJ’s drummer and sound recording engineer. The first line-up comprised the Mitchell brothers, Tim Rollinson and Jane Hewitson. Guitarist, Ziggy Mirza, who had also played in Shoot the DJ, later joined the band, replacing Tim Rollinson (who later went on to form the jazz/hop hop fusion band Directions in Groove aka D.I.G.).

Captains of Industry received some initial interest from publisher Chappell Music, the charts were at that time dominated by New Romantic/synth pop and new wave ‘video’ rock bands. The Australian music industry of the early to mid-1980s was therefore not the time for word-centred bands like Captains of Industry. The band nevertheless established a small but enthusiastic following in Sydney, playing such venues as The Lismore Hotel (Pitt Street, Sydney), Vulcan Hotel (Ultimo), Trade Union Club, Harold Park Hotel,  the performance Space (Redfern) and the infamous French’s (Oxford Street, Darlinghurst)

During the three years the band was together it recorded a good deal of material. Peter Mitchell indicates that at least 30 songs were recorded on the old Tascam 144. Six songs were produced in an 8-track  studio at Alexander Mackie College (Paddington, Sydney). Another seven songs were recorded by Martin Cass (q.v.) at his JMC Studios in Elizabeth Street, Strawberry Hills (Sydney).  Two songs from the JMC sessions were to be released as a single (“Skeleton Song” b/w “American Americans”), but according to Mitchell the band’s manager, ‘a somewhat shadowy publican with wharfie connections had paid for the recordings… with certain “illicit substances.” Owing to a subsequent supply problem he could not “pay” for the release of the record’ (p. 7). These two songs also feature guest backing vocals by former Armidale guitarist/singer Chris Green (Edge). 

• For further details relating to Captains of Industry recordings see the Peter Mitchell’s entry for The Great Unknown in the Music [Other: M-Z]  page 

Source: Peter Mitchell. The Great Unknown (1995), pp. 7, 12.

ASHLEY CARROLL

• Bands:  Crash Landing

Hailing from Katoomba in the NSW Blue Mountains Ashley Carroll attended the University of New England in the early 1980s. While there he teamed up with Doiran James and Rod Clay to form Crash Landing. Carroll’s influence on Crash Landing caould be heard in the group’s choice of several southern US boogie/hard rock songs from bands like Lynard Skynard and ZZ Top.

Source: Clay Djubal (2009).

THE CHOOKS

(ca. 1980-1982)

• Personnel:  Kim Constable (bass/vocals) ; Robert ‘Bob’ Jones (guitar/ lead vocals) ; Brian ‘Lanky’ Moore (drums/vocals)  

Formed around 1980 when Kim Constable and Lanky Moore (formerly of Constable, Green and Moore) moved to Sydney, The Chooks was fronted by lead singer/guitarist Bob Jones (formerly Ukiah and Stunned Mullet). Specialising in high energy rock/pop covers with a smattering of originals,  the band built a strong following in Sydney, with a particular favourite venue being the Sandringham Hotel (situated a few hundred metres from the Newtown Railway Station). Much of  The Chooks’ appeal, apart from an extremely tight sound, lay in the ability of each of its members to work towards presenting a visually exciting show without relying on high production values. One particular favourite song with audiences was the band’s cover of the AC/DC classic, “If You Want Blood (You Got It).” This rendition not only had them frothing fake blood from capsules, but invariably involved Jones leaping up on any nearby platform – be it tables or the venue’s serving bar – spitting lyrics and blood over anyone not moving out of the way fast enough. 

The Chooks released at least one single, a cover of the Herman’s Hermits’ hit, “Something Good.” The B-side comprised a Bob Jones’ original, “Heads or Tails.” When the band broke up sometime in late 1981/early 1982, Jones went on to form Forever 15, while Kim Constable joined the Ratbags of Rhythm (as well as briefly appearing at the same time in the Conway brothers Carnival, a cabaret/vaudeville-style show) . Lanky Moore returned to Armidale where among other things he helped manage a local music store.

• See also Music [Other: A-L] page 

Source: Clay Djubal (2009).  

COLD CHISEL

(1973-1984; 1998 ; 2003)

• Personnel:  Jimmy Barnes (vocals) ; Les Kaczmarek (bass, 1974-1974) ; Ian Moss (guitar/vocals) ; Steve Prestwich (drums/vocals) ; Phil Small (bass/vocals, 1975-)  Don Walker (keyboards/vocals)

Generally regarded as one of the leading Australian pub rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s, Cold Chisel formed in Adelaide in 1973. By the time the band officially in it had released 6 studio albums and one live album. The band was inducted into the Aria Hall of fame in 1993, becoming the second of the 1970s bands to be accorded this honour (the first being Skyhooks). Cold Chisel’s classic line-up, beginning 1975, at which time it was largely based in Sydney, comprised Jimmy Barnes, Ian Moss, Don Walker, Phil Small, and Steve Prestwich. The band’s LP releases were : Cold Chisel (1978), Breakfast at Sweethearts (1979), East (1980), Swingshift (1981), Circus Animals (1982) Twentieth Century (1984) and Barking Spiders Live: 1983 (1984). The band also released the EP You’re Thirteen, You’re Beautiful, and You’re Mine in 1977. Among Cold Chisel’s canon of classic songs are : “Khe Sanh” (voted in a #8 in APRA’s all time greatest Australian songs poll), “Choir Girl,” “Cheap Wine,” “My Baby,” “You Got Nothing I Want,” “When the War is Over,” “Saturday Night” and “Flame Trees.”

Cold Chisel’s connection with the New England region comes via a short stay in Armidale in 1974 when the band temporarily relocated there from Adelaide while Don Walker completed his Masters degree at the University of New England. Although born in Ayr (North Queensland) Walker had grown up near in Northern  NSW and undertook a BA there.  He later moved to Adelaide to conduct research at the Weapon’s Research Establishment at Salsibury, co-founding Cold Chisel in the process.

While the length of the Cold Chisel’s stay in Armidale varies according to several sources (Jimmy Barnes claims it was for 12-18 months, for example), the  ’Gigs History’ page on the band’s official website indicates that it resided there for only 6-7 months (ca. March – September 1974). Nevertheless, in the Australian tradition of making anyone who stayed here for any length of time one of us (even new Zealanders), so Armidalian’s lay claim to playing a part in the Cold Chisel legend.

Cold Chisel’s Armidale sojourn saw the members at that time live on a property in the outlaying district of Kentucky. Having only recently changed their name from Orange to Cold Chisel, the band at that time included original bass player Les Kaczmarek. In addition to some legendary parties the band entertained, Cold Chisel also gigs at the Amidale Town hall, the wool shed at the Therley Research Station (UNE) and the Armidale Teachers College (later the Armidale College of Advanced Education).

Since 1994 Cold Chisel have reformed briefly on several occasions, and have also released several albums of new material, along with several compilations/greatest hits packages.

• To visit the official Cold Chisel website click on the following link: Cold Chisel (q.v.).

Source: Cold Chisel Official Site (online).  Image: Top photo courtesy Sydney Morning Herald (online) †

 KIM CONSTABLE 

• Bands:   Carnival ; The Chooks ; Constable, Green and Moore ; Ol’ 55 ; On the Prowl ; Ratbags of Rhythm 

Bass guitar/vocals.

An influential bass player/singer in Armidale during the 1970s, Kim Constable played with Moree band Inner Soul before moving to Armidale where he co-founded the hard rock outfit Constable, Green and Moore. In the early 1980s he moved to Sydney, initially joining fellow Armidalians’ Bob Jones and Lanky Moore in the three piece pop/rock band The Chooks (1980-1981). He later joined the Ratbags of Rhythm (1981-1984), a swing band which had some notoriety with its minor hit, ”I’ll be a Baby for the Dingo on Your Heart.” Constable was also a member of the Mic and Tim Conway-led vaudeville/cabaret band, Carnival (1983), with fellow Ratbags of Rhythm drummer Warwick Kent.

Sometime around the mid-late 1990s Constable joined retro 1950s band Ol’ 55. The classic line-up (from 1975) had included Frankie J. Holden (vocals), Rockpile Jones (guitar/vocals) and Wilbur Wilde (sax/vocals). In 1999 the band comprised Constable, Rockpile Jones, Dave Scotland, Mark Fairhurst and Peter Northcott.  Constable and Jones later played in another 1950s-influenced band On the Prowl (ca. 2009). Kim Constable can also bee seen in the 2007 film Clubland (as one of the members of the wedding reception band).

Sources:  TE Archive (online) • JacobsLearnEarn blog (online) • Ol’ 55 MySpace • Milesago.com – Captain Matchbox entry (online)

CONSTABLE, GREEN AND MOORE

aka Constable, Green and Moore and Brazel

(1978-1980)

• Personnel : Kim Constable (bass/vocals) ; Chris Green (guitar/vocals) ; Brian ‘Lanky’ Moore (drums/vocals)

Playing classic rock in the power-trio tradition of such iconic (three instrument) bands from the 1960s and 1970s - notably Cream, The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Sweet, Rush and Black Sabbath - Constable, Green and Moore formed in early 1978. By the following year the trio rivalled the well-established  Ukiah and the newly formed Inmates as the city’s leading rock band. The older members of the group, Kim Constable and Lanky Moore, had already built solid reputations in the local industry, while Chris Green had attracted much attention during the previous two years as lead guitarist with the Duval High School band Edge.

25 May 1979 †

The highlight gig for Constable Green and Moore  during its first year together was arguably the Rock Fest ‘78 charity concert at UNE’s Great Hall (15 Sept.). Together with The Inmates and Patterson’s Curse, the trio supported the Melbourne ‘alternative/pseudo-feminist’ band Stiletto (featuring singer/actress Jane Clifton). In addition to regular gigs at the leading Armidale venues (Impies and the Union Bistro) Constable Green and Moore also began to score support gigs at the Great Hall with high profile interstate bands like The Angels (25 May 1979) and Rose Tattoo (1 Nov. 1979) and at the Armidale Town Hall (with Sherbert).

Constable Green and Moore is believed to have disbanded sometime around 1980, with Constable and Moore moving to Sydney where they co-founded The Chooks with former Kelsey frontman/guitarist Bob Jones.  Chris Green also later moved to Sydney and along with fellow Armidale musician Dick Rummery joined the short-lived Shooting School.

Source: Brian ‘Lanky’ Moore (telephone interview, Jan. 2010) • Neucleus 17 May 1979, p. 24 (advertisement)     

CRASH LANDING

(1981-1982)

• Personnel : Rod Clay (bass/vocals) ; Doiran James (lead guitar/drums/vocals) ;  Ashley Carroll replacing Lindsay Johnson (drums) ; Jon Anderson (guitar/vocals).  Guest musician : Dick Rummery

Crash Landing (named after a Jimi Hendrix album) formed in late 1981 following Rod Clay’s return to Armidale from Sydney (via a short stint in the Australian Army). Initially a duo the band became a trio following the recruitment of Blue-Mountain’s (NSW) drummer, Ashley Carroll, then a student at the University of New England. Jon Anderson joined the band mid-way through 1982 (although no one seems to recall how this happened). Crash Landing’s repertoire comprised an eclectic mix of acid rock, punk, hard rock, pop and Southern US boogie (courtesy of Carroll’s influence).

29 May 1982 (U.W.U and Women's Refuge)

The band began playing the Armidale party circuit, before eventually putting together its own gigs. One of the band’s more infamous shows was the last Puddledock Hall “party” (which saw the venue nearly burn down after being set on fire by several drunk “guests”). Another gig, held outdoors on a property just out of Armidale (Long Swamp Road) ended in the band setting fire to a motor bike (Clay’s). 

Although Crash Landing recorded nearly two albums-worth of material (both covers and originals), nothing was ever released. Several songs were also recorded late in 1982 with Dick Rummery on drums. The band’s amicable demise came about the summer of 1981-82, a combination of university holidays and a desire to pursue new musical directions. Doiran James went on to form The Zip, while Anderson and Clay’s next project became Shoot the DJ.

•  Crash Landing Song List  [PDF file]

Source: Clay Djubal (2009). Images: Photos courtesy of Clay Djubal

 

  

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