New Photos 2016

So many photos and emails ..here are three that came to light recently. 

In my haste, I omitted to take note of the photographer

Dom and Mort

Ian Willis

Jim and Wally

WALLY & THE DOGS by Ralph Graham

Ralph Graham's memories of Taylor Square  

Ralph Graham (2006) ... "Perhaps I was not a “core” member of the Taylor Square mob as there are a few faces on the Taylor Square site that I don’t remember but I certainly was around and I’d like share some of what I remember.

Jim Crowley

Played drums for a time with the Starving Wild Dogs, a blues band with Wally Mudd (Warwick Wyld) who played harp and sang, others will know who the other members were. I also played guitar for a short time with a band at Whitty’s etc. but I don’t think it was the Dogs. Jim is a Kiwi and also played in bands with fellow Kiwi guitarist, Red McKelvie. [Jim was from Timaru which is where Red McKelvie now lives.] This was 1969. In 1970, I was the resident guitarist (Peter Knox was the bass player) at the Ball Pants coffee shop in Brougham Lane at Kings Cross and cooling my heels after a failed relationship when Jim Crowley tracked me down at my flat at the Cross. He asked if I wanted to join a band that was going to Vietnam. I thought it sounded like an adventure and the band flew out in February 1970. From that time on Jim and I shared many an adventure over the years, living together and playing in bands in Australia, Hong Kong Thailand etc.

In 2002, Jim lived only a few minutes away from where I live here in Epping, but we had not seen each other for quite a long time. I rang out of the blue to borrow a mike stand only to find to my horror that Jim had passed on two months prior on 17 March. His liver failed him. It was a big blow as I was not able to be with him through his sickness before he died, and missed his funeral. He left a wife and two fine boys. Jim’s father died at 57 when Jim was 13 and Jim died at 57 when one of his sons was 13. His heritage was Irish and he had revived his Catholicism some years before. He left us on St Patrick's Day.

Wally Mudd 

In July 1979, Jim Crowley and I were sharing a house in Paddington and we moved to a house in Naremburn, north of North Sydney where we lived for several years. After much persuasion on Jim’s part, we managed to extract Wally from the scene at - the Cross, Darlinghurst etc – and he came to live with us. I cherish the times I sat with him in his room when we played guitar and he shared a couple of songs he had written.“Since I came to the city how my life has changed, All of the people and all of the names'.

I remember the chords and a few more words of this and he only played it once! I would love to have a copy of the whole song. I was profoundly affected by the way he disappeared to another world when he sang, seeming not to be aware of himself or the room, opening his eyes at the end as if to suddenly become aware of his surroundings again.

It must have been his destiny as not long after (I think Jim and I might have been on tour with John Williamson), Wally suddenly packed up and headed back to the never never where it seems many a good person had been lost. Within a couple of months, sadly, Wally was gone, I’m afraid. 

Paul Johnson “Pig” 

One night I was on the way to Ball Pants coffee shop where I was the regular guitarist, I heard a voice singing that I thought sounded like a cross between John Lee Hooker and Nat King Cole. He was actually young, white, tall, brash, already life worn and possessed of a wonderful blues voice. He played guitar and blues harp and I spent many a night playing my electric guitar for him and delighting in his vocals. A lady who often performed at the “Pants” known as Leonie (later performing around the traps as Leonora Jackson) had a “party” at her flat. Pig’s party trick was to ask for the lights to be turned off whereupon he de-trousered and set fire to a huge fart. Perhaps he should have been nick named 'Blue flame' or 'Methane'. One night at the Ball Pants he was standing there playing on his own and his song finished with rapturous applause. He obviously felt that he was below par that night and that we should have recognised it as he ripped off his guitar, threw it on the floor and said “You are all f**d! You know damn well that was terrible!” and strode out into the night. In the 80’s, some 16 years later while on tour with Digger Revell I ran into him in Melbourne where he, having now embraced country music, was performing ‘round Melbourne in a duo with his girl friend. In 2008 I was trying to track him down and discovered that he had died in the late nineties. So sad and disappointing, a CD of his is available from Dave Dawson’s website. 

Paul Wyld “Dog” 

You would think the nickname dog would describe a wild man but Paul, as I found him, was quiet and a gentleman. In 1977 my country rock band Rainshine was signed to a deal by our manager Colin Petersen, (former child star of the movie 'Smiley' and ex Bee Gees). Paul came to Alberts Studio and played piano on some tracks. The tracks, never released, were "Miles Away" (written by our Drummer, Shane Flew), "Flashing Lights" (written by me, Ralph Graham) and "Old Cowhand". His playing was a delight. 

Mort Fist 

I didn't meet Mort in the Taylor Square days, but much later in Tamworth in the 90's where he wrote for the local paper and was everywhere during the Country Music Festival in January each year, soaking in and writing up the music scene as he saw it. I liked Mort and he would often turn up to see our band. Eureka!, playing Celtic rock (Folk Rock) and some rocky bush songs, was not your regular Tamworth fare but we went over well and Mort, who told us he loved the band was almost embarrassing in his gushing praise in print. I was so saddened to hear of yet another premature passing of a lovely man."

The link for Dave Dawson's site who has copies of Paul "Pig" Johnson's ( later known as A. P. Johnson) CD with the Dead Livers is 
http://www.nucountry.com.au email on the site. Thanks, Ralph

Wally and Red

In Search of The Starving Wild Dogs ..

"Lynne use the photo's that's absolutely fine would you mind 'crediting' them to Wayne Doull. Wayne took so many photos I have called him and he sez it's fine with him to use...Red McKelvie"

 Wally Mudd Daryl McKenzie, Wally Mudd and Red McKelvie 1. and 2. Sun. arvo in an old run-down studio right behind Oxford Hotel cnr Foley's Lane and Bourke St. We had been listening to Dylan's John Wesley Hardin LP and went there to learn "Wicked Messenger", "I'll be your Baby 2 ngt" and "You better Watch You'sel" Little Walter Jacobs. 3. me and Wally standing on a bed in the top room street side had a balcony at 290 South Dowling Street c.'68 4. Feb 1968 Jim and Sandy at the Oxford 'Jim's Obituary, I think of him lots when I walk the streets of Timaru I know the house he grew up in I've met some of his school friends I had a great chat with him in 2000' '5. haha me and Wally Gosbell St we had a Sat night off and!!! '6. My last gig with the band you probably recognize some people there This photos were taken at the Hebron Hall Darlinghurst right across road from Langley St okay hmmm Chris was born Apr 71 we were only there at most 5 months so it's 1971 (there was a little park behind it on Palmer St I used to take Chris there to give Lan a break) we lived at 22 Langley St in a small house John A Bird and Sandy had it before us and he organised for us to take over the lease after him and Sandy found other digs the band was just put together for Wayne and Lyn's wedding we don't appear to have a bass-player 'Ace' Follington on drums Doggie, Wally and me it's abt Aug 1971 I've been waiting since 1992 for these photo's !! I hope they come out alright I'm SO lucky to have these photos, have more will send them to you asap cheers 4 now Red McKelvie ..

PHOTOS FROM RALPH GRAHAM

An email from Red McKelvie 

... 'Ralph Graham said to send these photos to whoever may want them. The band photos were all abt 1972/ 73 as I said we'd all love to catch up with Tony Borg I've tried but there's millions of Borg's out there BUT only one Tony he was in NZ from abt 1974........ and then I saw him again abt 1989 in Auckland and yes, they are great photos. ummmmm the photo that has Dave Turner, Tony Borg, Jim Crowley, Ian Young and Doug Smith, the band was called 'Fat' I played with them briefly late 1972 really enjoyed it 'cos there was a lot of reggae also NZ keyboard player Geith Pickford was in it and Larry Knight re the other band with the 'female' in front Ralph would know cheers Lynne haha I never knew you were at school with Sonja it's a small world cheers 4 now lynne .. Red '



Dave, Red and Di Horn @ Oxford Hotel

Ralph Graham, Doug Smith, Unknown, Ian Young, Jim Crowley

Dave Turner, Jim Crowley, Tony Borg, 

Allana Kereopa, 

Ralph Graham, Larry Knight

Allana is Sonya's sister! We  attended Darlinghurst Public School .. lynne 

Doug Smith, Ralph Graham, Unknown, Jim Crowley, Ian Young

Doug Smith, Jim Crowley, Ian Young, Ralph Graham

Just a note: Dave Turner, is a mate of mine from Hong Kong where we played in a band in 1971 and in later years he moved to Sydney so he was not actually a part of this scene. The photo was taken about 1972.

The Ball Pants

A small coffee shop in Brougham Lane at Kings Cross, tiny but full of character by virtue of the “clientele.” There was no stage as such and I think we sat on our amplifiers and made do. We had regular performers and all kinds of characters blew in and out. There was "Peter Pop Star", so called as he used to gyrate and gesticulate like a real pop star. These antics seemed totally out of place in a scene like that but it didn't seem to matter and we all loved Peter. There was Paul "Pig" Johnson with the wonderful blues voice and harp, a rough diamond and a good friend. Phill Kyffin, a regular guitarist singer who like me would share originals now and then and we later shared a flat. There was me of course (Ralph Graham). I was a "resident" player with my pride 'n joy, the Rickenbacker electric guitar with the Hair (the Musical) sticker, playing Beatles, blues and everything in between. Peter Knox was the other "resident" playing nifty bass and singing and we had a great old time together. Leonie (Prior?) was a strong singer with a great repertoire who performed around Sydney in later years as Leonora Jackson. Bob Dylan songs were a popular choice at the "Pants" but variety was the go and almost anything did. Many of the regular characters had a story to tell and interesting substances were sought and bought - an experimental market place and a stimulating meeting place for dropins and dropouts.

Peter Knox 'Izzy Foreal' 

Peter and I (guitar and bass) were part of the furniture at the Ball Pants coffee shop in Brougham Lane at Kings Cross. Peter sang and played good bass and was a humorous character on and off "stage." The pay for playing at the BP was $3.00 per night plus food, “help yourself." The only problem was that this was basically white bread and processed cheese and Peter pointed out that this was not good food and that I oughta read the labels. Chemicals, artificial colours and white bread devoid of nutrition. Hmm. I had never thought of this before. I was influenced by this good hearted health food vego and so without any nutritious tucker on offer I had to break into my three dollars for healthy food which included goats milk yoghurt at the local deli. One day, we were up at Whitty’s Wine Bar or somewhere at Taylor Square and we had to get an amplifier/speaker box down to the Ball Pants at the Cross – a mile or so? “Got no money for a taxi,” I said. Peter says “No worries. We’ll carry it.” I did a double take and off we went. Well that healthy tucker he ate showed its worth as while I struggled bravely, appealing for rests, Peter marched along as if on a Sunday walk!

Ralph has also provided me with 'a cuppla links' to his bands:-

Eureka

'Folk Rock/ Celtic/ Australiana/ Bush Music. I found this site most interesting with band history, recordings etc.'
Currency Lads

'is known to some as a Bush Band or for Australiana presentations. Others know Currency Lads as an Irish Band and in both cases the entertainment attitude, the musical content and the experience combine to make some magic that will make your day... and your night!'
Three Card Trick

' Sarah Dunn - Keyboards and Vocals, Ralph Graham - Guitar and Vocals, Ray Abela - Violin/Fiddle and Vocals. Three Card Trick uses professionally developed custom tracks for bass and drums delivering a tight and exciting sound and adds to the line-up where the job requires other professional players.'

 'What will they do to Taylor Square?'

... 'Dave, who has been living in the area for almost half a century and proudly keeping the area clean and tidy for 18 years, explains, the square and the surrounding streets have undergone tremendous changes ' ..."Back in the '60s and '70s, it used to be a really rough old area. You still get a bit of trouble late on a Saturday night, say, from people coming out of the pubs. But it's really improved. .. read more  '