Artists/Bands [S]

Scamp to Shearwater ……. 1.
Shooting School to Shoot the DJ …….2.
Jo-Ann Simmons to John Solomons ……. p.3.
Some Trippin’ Diggers to Preston Stahlut ……. p.4.
Pete Stanley to Sundown

PETE STANLEY

Stanley, Pete

  • Bands: Aquarius ▪ The Beardy Brothers ▪ Ray and Pete ▪ The Menu (Sydney, 1967-68) ▪ The Associates (Sydney, ca. 1974-1978) ▪ The Wanted (Sydney, ca. 1966/67)

Guitar/vocals/songwriter/producer/sound engineer

Known affectionately as the ‘human jukebox,’ Pete Stanley is one of the Northern Tableland’s most highly regarded and popular performers, having cemented his reputation in the region for more than five decades. He has also generously devoted many decades of his life to volunteer work, performing for numerous local charities and organisations, while also serving as Justice of the Peace for more than fifty years. His community service was recognised in 2016 when he became Armidale’s Senior Citizen of the year.

The fifth of nine children (and the first son) born to Richard John (Jack) Stanley (1917-1985) and Thyra Mary Stanley, nee Hayes (1918-2006), Pete’s passion for music began at age seven when his father gave him a harmonica as a birthday present. Jack Stanley had apparently played music and sang as a young man, but gave it away in order to commit to his rapidly expanding family and his career with the New South Wales Railways (an association that also included strong union activism). While Pete would also pursue a non-music career, music and performing have always remained a central part of his life. As a teenager he played the bugle in his school band and eventually taught himself to play guitar and sing.

In 1966, aged nineteen, Stanley left Armidale for Sydney, finding accommodation in the Ashfield/Five Dock area and taking up a position as a courthouse clerk. It was in 1966, too, that he joined his rock and roll band, a trio called The Wanted, which featured 12-year old guitar prodigy Mario Millo. The Wanted initially comprised guitar, drums and piano, but chose to expand the line-up by engaging Stanley as second guitar and additional singer. Millo’s website explains his close relationship with Stanley:

The Menu (Rainbow Lounge, Haberfield, Sydney, ca. 1967). L-R: Mario Millo, Andy Deable, Pete Stanley

“He and I clicked the moment we began to sing and play and it wasn’t long before we left The Wanted and formed The Menu. He was also a big brother figure to me as I was 12 and he was 19” …… For two years [The Menu]  played live wherever they could, thrilling enthusiastic young audiences at a time in Australian music when the live scene was incredibly vibrant and exciting…. The original Menu lasted for about two years of intense, exciting experience until Peter Stanley’s day job was to transfer him to Narrabri …. The Menu was now Mario’s band, and continued after Stanley’s departure with a line-up more reflective of his age.

It was during this time in Sydney that Stanley first began to explore his songwriting abilities. One of his earliest songs, “Isn’t Anybody Lonesome Tonight,” would later be recorded for The Beardy Brothers 1999 CD.

In 1968 Stanley was forced to leave The Menu after being offered a transfer by his employer to the North-west New South Wales town of Narrabri. He remained there for two years but claims to have done almost nothing in the way of music, a situation that eventually led to him leaving the Narrabri Court and moving back to Sydney in order to pursue his real interest. His second time living in the New South Wales capital lasted some eight years and saw him living mostly around the Harris Park and Blacktown region.

In a 2024 interview with 2 ARM FM “Bluegrass Radio” host “Herb” (aka Daryl Albertson), Stanley recalls joining several Sydney bands in the early to mid-1970s, the most successful being a four-piece fronted by a female singer. Known as The Associates (no relation to the Scottish post-punk band of the same name) they eventually secured relatively regular work playing RSLs and pubs across the city, often as support to interstate or more established Sydney-based bands. Although he continued to work on his songwriting during the five or six years with The Associates, none of his material was performed as the band was required to play covers exclusively. However, one of his songs from this period, “Mermaid on the Sand” was recorded by Sebastian Hardie and released in 1974 as the A-side of one of its early singles. The connection here was Stanley’s good friend Mario Millo who had recently joined the band as guitarist, singer and soon-to-be principal songwriter. Within a year the band would release its classic progressive rock debut album, Four Moments and immediately cement its reputation as one of Australia’s greatest exponents of symphonic rock.

By late-1978 Stanley had decided to return to Armidale and was fortunate in being given a transfer to the town by his then employer, the New South Wales Valuer General’s Department (he later secured other positions with various government departments). Shortly after coming back to Armidale Stanley also took up a position with community radio station 2ARM FM as an announcer (a role he held for over three years). Sometime the following year he found himself being invited to replace departing guitarist/singer Geoff Wilson in the popular rock ‘n’ roll band Aquarius. As a big fan of The Beatles Stanley later suggested that the band’s repertoire should be expanded to include some Lennon and McCartney numbers along with other hits from the late-1960s and 1970s. This proposal was significant in helping Aquarius broaden its appeal beyond its ’50s-style reputation and increasing work opportunities. A song he wrote during his Aquarius years, and eventually recorded in 2003, is “Let’s Be Lovers.”

With Aquarius (ca. 1980)

At the same that he was playing with Aquarius, Stanley began recording and producing local acts through his own business Muscle Music. Among those who used his services were the newly formed Vice Squad. He also produced a number of songs performed by Rod Clay† and Doiran James. Around 1982 he again worked Clay and James during their Crash Landing period. The three wrote the song “Mayday” during one of these recording sessions. A number of the songs produced recorded by Stanley are on the Crash Landing retrospective Smiles From Nowhere (2024).

Pete Stanley’s interest in songwriting continued to develop during this period. In 1980 he submitted his song “Dreaming of You Again” to country artist Buddy Williams after having learned that his father was sending Williams a couple of his own tunes. Stanley recalls in his 2024 interview that his father later got the bad news that his songs were not required but was also told the good news – Pete’s song would be recorded. This also attracted the interest of Col Joye who signed Stanley to a publishing deal with his company, Col Joye Enterprises. The following year “Dreaming of You Again” was released by Williams on his album An Old Hillbilly from Wayback.

Following the amicable disbanding of Aquarius at the end of 1981, Stanley and fellow band mate Ray Wilson put together a duo act called Ray and Pete and secured an immediate on-going engagement at the Armidale Ex-Services Memorial Club. The duo’s popularity saw them remain together for a number of years. In 1986 Stanley founded The Beardy Brothers, a band that went on to have even greater success. The name recalls the two ‘bearded’ stockmen known as ‘the Beardies’ who were well-known in the Armidale/Glenn Innes district during the early-1800s.††  The Beardy Brothers [left] remained active for thirteen years, playing countless shows in Armidale and other northern and north-western centres. Before disbanding the four musicians (and some guest friends) recorded and released the album Been a Long Time (1999). Comprising all original material, the album features four of Stanley’s songs, including an instrumental called “The Russian“).

Pete Stanley has long been involved in community projects, and for several decades has been presenting his unique performances to residents in some New England aged care centres. His fortnightly concerts at Uralla’s McMaugh Gardens Aged Care Facility, for example, began in 2015 and continue as of 2025. Stanley’s remarkable reputation as the “human jukebox” sees him able to perform any Top 20 hits from the 1940s -1970s on request. In 2003 he released the solo album, Let’s Be Lovers, which was remixed and mastered by Mario Millo. Since then he has released the albums: Afterthought (2014), Everybody (2016), Shouts and Whispers (2016) and For the Ages (2020). Four years later Stanley and two other former Beardie Brothers (Keith Cornish and Gary Daly) reunited for a one-off anniversary show, an event that led to two lengthy radio interviews (with Cornish and Stanley) that were broadcast live on 2ARM FM.

In addition to his musical and public service careers Stanley and his wife Nea have raised four daughters.

Sebastian Hardie. “Mermaid in the Sand” (1974) [music/lyrics: Pete Stanley] RCA single.
Buddy Williams.” Dreaming of You Again” (1981) [words/music by Pete Stanley] From the album An Old Hillbilly From Wayback (RCA).
Pete Stanley. “ Let’s Be Lovers” (2003) [words/music by Pete Stanley] From the album Let’s Be Lovers (Pete Stanley).
Pete Stanley. “ Back on the Street Again” (2020) [words/music by Pete Stanley] From the album For the Ages (Pete Stanley). ”

– Additional sources: Dan Byrnes’ Regional Roundup (online) • Clay Djubal (2009) • “Aquarius band bio” courtesy of Ray Wilson (thanks to Brian and Tricia Moore) • “Peter Stanley – Local Singer, Songwriter and Musician.” Interview. “Bluegrass Radio.” 2ARM FM 13 Aug. 2024. Daryl Albertson (aka Herb), interviewer. [sighted “Armidale Livin’ – Music, Motors and Melodies of Life.” 15 Dec. 2024] .
– Images: Let’s Be Lovers cover (2003) courtesy of Peter Stanley • The Menu photo courtesy of Mario Millo (Mario Millo website – https://mariomillo.com/history) • Aquarius photo courtesy of Ray Wilson – thanks to Brian and Tricia Moore. 
† See Clay Djubal.
†† See the ‘Glen Innes’ entry in the Northern Tablelands: Centres and Institutions page for details relating to the town’s Beardies Festival.
Historical note: Pete Stanley’s father Jack, played a significant role in a controversial political campaign during the 1959 New South Wales state election. A twenty-year member of the Australian Labor Party and long-time unionist (as Secretary, Vice-President and President of several sub-branches of the Australian Railways’ Union), Stanley was expelled in 1956. He subsequently became a foundation member of the Democratic Labor Party (DLP) in 1958 and served as President of the Armidale branch for two years. In the approach to the 1959 election the DLP ran candidates against the ALP in an attempt to split the Labor vote, and Stanley became the party’s Armidale candidate. The Split (as it became known) created much animosity between former friends, colleagues and political allies and is considered one of the key events in 1950s Australian political history. For further details see: “Skullduggery in the 1959 State Election – Part 2.” Armidale Independent 19 Oct. 2011. [sighted 21/12/2024]

SUNDOWN

(1972-1973)

  • Personnel: Neil “Goose” Curry (drums) ▪ Trevor “Live” Day (bass/vocals) ▪ Neil “Nobby” Osborne (guitar) ▪ Paul “Reg” Whiten (vocals/guitar)

Sundown formed in late-1972 and played its first gigs during a three months stay at Yamba on the New South Wales North-coast. The shows coincided with the 1972/73 summer/university holidays. Bass player Trevor Day’s in-laws apparently owned half the town being in real estate. According to Neil Osborne, all the members, except Day, stayed at the Blue Dolphin Caravan Park in a four-man tent. Day and Paul Whiten were both students at the University of new England, while Neil Osborne was about to start his studies at the Armidale Teacher’s College. Neil Curry, a school mate of Osborne’s at De La Salle College worked in Armidale.

Neil Osborne recalls that Sundown played at the top pub in Yamba, as well travelling up the Gwydir Highway to play several Glen Innes hotels (the Royal and the Boomerang). “As the band was based at Yamba,” he writes, “after the gig at Glen [Innes] we would find a camp for the night. Usually we would set up camp at the local primary school before going back to Yamba. One night the security guard came along flashing his torch at us as we lay in our sleeping bags in the sheltered section near the [school] office. Scared the living daylights out of us. He told us that when he came back in the morning we’d better be there – so we left early the next morning.”

L-R: Paul Whiten, Trevor Day, Neil Curry (Neil Osborne out of view)

After returning to Armidale in time for Curry, Day and Osborne to begin their studies, Sundown played a few university gigs before disbanding. Day and Osborne subsequently went on to co-found the short-lived Fireband. before Day, Whiten and Curry moved to Kingscliff on the far Northern New South Wales Coast where they formed the trio Shearwater [above]. Neil Osborne joined them for a short period of time in 1974.

[NB: see Northern Tablelands 1: Live Entertainment History, “Glen Innes” section; and Northern Tablelands 4: Social Factors – for further insights by Neil Osborne into Glen Innes during this period]
Source: Neil Osborne (correspondence, Jan. 2011). Image: Courtesy of Neil Osborne †

have gravity will threaten

† Copyright for this image has either not been ascertained or we have been unable to locate the owner . If you are the copyright owner and want the image removed please contact this website. To see HGWT and the NTMIA’s copyright statement go to the “About the Northern Tablelands Music Industry Archive” page.

Northern Tablelands Music Industry Archive

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