05.28
I was a member of a pub band called Chase in Bundaberg (Australia) in 1982. I guess you could call us unsung zeroes. But we had a lot of fun and made some good friends, and some coffee and lunch money. Those were the days when bands were still paid reasonably well, until the machines took over. After that, one person with a computer could do the work of a band. Publicans paid for one, instead of a whole band. It was the beginning of the end for a thriving rock pub-band scene in Australia since the early 70s. My first paid gig as a drummer was age 14 at Tattersalls Hotel in Maryborough. I was paid $6. That was good money then, for a young’un.
In Chase, I am out front, with Vocal, flute, and apparently wearing a ‘onesey’ as one of my mates put it. But I think it was a ‘twosey’ – matching jumper and jeans. Can’t remember where I found that jumper. Probably at the 2nd-hand Op-Shop store. Maybe I should have left it there.
The other band members are: Barry Dennien (drums); Bob Leslie (bass); Peter Cook (lead git); and Percy Henry (rhythm git & vinyl pants). This clip was for a TV telethon, which seemed to be all the rage at the time.
During the Bundaberg 2013 flood, I lost all my VHS videos (home movies of my sons as kids etc.) But the VHS for this clip was fortunately not properly put away, in the bottom shelf. So it was up high, and survived the water. So laziness can sometimes be a virtue.
The song is a cover of “Matter of Time” originally by Aussie band Railroad Gin.