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My Old Bands - Memory Lane

Contents

  1. 1 Some major dates
  2. 2 Latrobe Uni Days (BA of Music)
  3. 3 Band: Sentamental as Anything
  4. 4 First fretless bass
  5. 5 Band: Backwater
  6. 6 Band: Rembrandts main stage band
  7. 7 Max Lees Trio & Bounty
  8. 8 Ryan's Carnoval
  9. 9 The Highlights
  10. 10 Little Girl Blue
  11. 11 Gigging Around
Neil this is not only for you and Tom.  Your old '74 Fender Jazz bass (you brought across to Au from NZ with Matt Taylor band) has been well used and much loved. It's been everywhere with me and reminds me of you and great times at Latrobe.
I wish I could sell it back to you... but I can't sorry :-)

Some major dates

  • 1974 - Complete secondary school at Traralgon High.
  • 1976 - Latrobe Uni Music
  • 1982 - 4 year BA of Elect Eng - Done over 6 years
  • 1987 - Graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering
  • 1988 - Married Angela Collie - 18th March
  • 1988 - Joined Varian Australia as a Software Engineer
  • 1997 - Moving from R&D to Varian Marcom group
Music has happened constantly over the years in many forms.

Latrobe Uni Days (BA of Music)

Snaps I have of Latrobe Uni. Living across the road in the Uni flats was a great fun. Shots of Neil Young and kids; And Lyne
Is that Janette (film strip) - She was fun.

 



Band: Sentamental as Anything

This is an ongoing group that I play in with Angela (wife), Fiona and Mark. We play old Jazz standards. Great fun! That's my Double bass.


First fretless bass

My second bass was an Ibanez fretless bass.  


(Above) Probably an early garageband or Uni band. 
(Below) Steps of the family home in Bridges Av Traralgon


Band: Backwater

Paul on Guitar/Voc, Chris on drums/Voc. We played receptions at Rembrandts and Abbey Court. At Abbey Court I met Vin Lopes a great Singer / Guitarist (he was filling in for Paul) who happened to own a Rembrandts restaurant with his brother John. While I studied Elec Eng I worked 3 of those years at Rembrandts in the main stage band because of that meeting with Vin.


Abbey Court reception room
That can't be me! Notice the Fender Jazz - still with the original pickups there.
I replaced Graeme Grenache on bass in that band. Amazing Graeme played through an 18" speaker from memory (because that's what you did in those days). My favourite cabs then were 15" speakers. Still bump into Graeme whenever I need an amp repair done he's the man.


We also did a stint at the Swagman. Huge barn of a venue. I played some keyboard and in some songs added a sequenced part. 

Band: Rembrandts main stage band

What fun working at Rembrandts restaurant. Writing charts. Shows. Peter Nichols (Guitar.Voc), Cathy Della (Keys/Voc), Noel Howels (DMS) and a show girl. Before that Greg (Piano) and Mike Jordan. Great players.

The Neil Young Jazz bass again. 



More notes on Rembrandts 

Max Lees Trio & Bounty

Great to play with Max and Noel in the upstairs function room at Rembrandt's for a time. Very talented guys.


Ryan's Carnoval

An very early band. Maybe my second Melbourne Band. Carnoval played old 50's rock and roll.


The Highlights

First Melbourne pro band (actually get money for playing regular gigs).


(above) The Melbourne Musicians club in St Kilda - regular gig around 11:00pm - 2am.
My white precision bass with brass scratch plate. 

Little Girl Blue

2015 joined James Ryan and Ali McDonald in forming the band Little Girl Blue. Great bunch. Very talented. 


Gigging Around

Playing at the Inverloch Jazz festival (2012, 2013?) with song writer and performer Nicky Chiswell.  With Pete and Crispin Newmarch.


Nicky also used us as backing when she led music at the SUTS conference (2012-2015)



Lots of good memories. There were other band but no photos of them.
Cheers
Rob
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