Taylor Square in the 60s

Dr Pepper on Greg Quill

Gregory Raymond "Greg" Quill (18 April 1947 – 5 May 2013)
I have wanted to do a post on Greg Quill for quite a while now. Today I read this wonderful tribute written by David Pepperell.

David N. Pepperell

8 hrsMelbourne, VICMusic

Dear Greg Quill - a lovely big bear of a man with a heart of pure gold. He first came into my life when he brought the wonderful Country Radio down to Melbourne and stayed in Greville Street, Prahran, the Haight Ashbury of Australia in the early 70's. I loved his songs and I loved his singing - he pioneered the Country Rock sound in Australia and his band played so pretty - why they even had a full time harmonica player in Chris Blanchflower! I've lost track of how many gigs I saw them play but I do remember they were all full of life and colour. His set at Sunbury 1973 was such a contrast to the mostly Blues'n'Boogie bands featured there and was certainly a relief from the earsplitting volume of Thorpie, Lobby and Co. He wrote so many songs to his famous girlfriend, Tina Terry, including Gypsy Queen and Terry's Tune and listening to his songs on this new tribute CD to him - Some Lonesome Picker - I wonder if they weren't all written to her. Of course they could also have been dedicated to many other girls he loved in his life. I saw him play at a Hotel in Spencer Street on his last visit here and was delighted to hear he had lost none of his ability to move people with simple, heartfelt songs. His death soon after was a terrible shock to all of us who loved him - and they are many. Now his long time compadres, Kerryn Tollhurst and Chris Blanchflower have combined to put together this fine tribute to Greg's song-writing featuring the cream of Oz singer-songwriter talent - Richard Clapton, Shane Howard, Paul Kelly, Glenn Cardier, Mike McClellan and Russell Morris - with a few Rockers rung-in like Ross Wilson,Doug Parko, Joe Camilleri and Brod Smith.This is a marvellous album that just gets better with every play and I heartily recommend it to anyone who loves good songs, good singing and beautiful playing. Vale Greg Quill. Hasta La Vista dear old compadre. Vaya Con Dios. This lonesome picker will never forget your song.

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

More on Rhubarbs

Horst Leipolt, pianist Col Nolan 2 Jason's jazz club. Drummer Roger Sellers, Bassist John Helman

Paul and Kathy

A set of photographs sent to me by Kathleen James, no words needed

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

MICHAEL WHITE - Ballpants

Michael White (NZ) passed away Friday June, 19 2015

Michael White 2015

Recollections from Michael White
"Does Anybody Remember the Ballpants"

.. I remember it.....firstly, thanks Izzy for accepting my request and thanks Google. The BP was always a warm place to walk into. I got to the X early '69 and like a lot of others I was searching for the fabled "summer of love" and the source of the uprising against the establishment. I didn't find either but had fucking great time trying. The memories of the X at that time tend to be fairly romantic but the fact is it was a monster that sucked people in and spat them out as quickly as they arrived. I saw fresh faced people with big smiles on their faces and a sense of adventure only to see them six months later looking wide eyed, homeless, hungry and desperate. It could be very cut throat and you needed a keen sense of survival. I spent just over two years there and left because the police were after me. I had been busted for possession of a "prepared opiate, to wit morphine" for a second time. I was given a six month suspended sentence and ordered to live where directed by the probation office. I was also ordered to stay away from the X....yeah right! A couple of months later I was walking down Williams St. and the cop who had arrested me was driving up the other way...he saw me, I saw him and I ran and ran and ran.. That was the end of my days at the X.

However, the good times....Waldo and Izzy doing The Fugs, Fish and Fire Engines, Phill Raymond "Season Of The Witch", Brian Wakefield, anything from Big Bill Broonzy, Steve Hat doing the whole Beatles catalogue, Rusty (Andrew MacKenzie, I'm still in contact with) doing Dylan and Sarstedt, Lynley ? (i was in love with her) doing Universal Soldier and Cohen, Pig great voice and harmonica) anything bluesy, Pete (Popstar) Canon doing Animals covers, Ralph Graham and his Rickenbacker, also a great voice, who seemed to be able to belt out anything. And my dear mate Frank Kotoudges who sat there and plugged away on bass behind most of them. There were the characters that made it all insanely sane as well.

Remember Adam? He was always half naked and wearing a builders apron, Dutch Andy, who stood drunkenly on the gutter outside The Goldfish Bowl and threatened the cops that he would jump if they came any closer, Old Mick, guardian of the fountain, the GI's, Sunday at Hyde Park with Webster, tripping at Coopers Park in Coopers Bay, Acid Tests at the Mandala Theatre in Paddo, muso nights on Mondays at Caesars In Place, The Mandarin Room, the French girls, Whittys Wine Bar, the little Italian restaurant just past The Coconut Jungle where you could get a bowl of spag bog for 75 cents....I often wonder what happened to all those people I met during those days. Frank and Rusty I found by sending a letter to the Wollongong newspaper. Anyway, I could go on...everything's cool and it would be great to read any add ons to what I've written. Peace out....

Adrian Rawlins

Adrian, what more can be said that hasn't already been said.

See Facebook ADRIAN RAWLINS 'the giggling guru'

Rex Hotel
Warren Morgan, Trevor Courtney, Adrian Rawlins, Phil Manning

A statue has been erected in his memory

Adrian at Dr Pepper's wedding

Garry Lambert

UPDATES -Taylor Square in the 60s

Under Construction

Sadly, this month, we lost Brian Wakefield

ALISON ROAD

1969
Alison Road, Randwick

My relationship with young Jim came to an abrupt halt.

Errol Wood, had secured an apartment on Alison Road, he had an area in the lounge room for himself, my room overlooked Randwick Racecourse.

Inmates and outpatients included:
Annie Kelso, Wally Mudd, Keri Phillips, Brian Dewhurst and Bobbi, Bob and Kathie McGowan, Dave Miller, Crazy Wayne Barnes, Neil Bramley, Gary Ross, Virgo Doug, Ian McIlvray, Ross Darmody, Paul Wyld, Charlie Watts, Steve James, Anna Henry.

Primed with a good dose of Becks 'Truth', we headed off to Taylor Square. First stop, The Beauchamp to chat with Alan Johnson, Dave Cook, Sonya K, The Ox, Terry Blake and Bob Doubtfire/Dartfire (sp), from the Whisper.

Around eight, Wally and the boys dropped by and we all trundled up to Whittys Oxford Tavern or further down Oxford Street, to French's Wine Bar. French's featured The Foreday Riders, a predominately a blues roots band and the Battersea Heroes, headed by Mr Terry Darmody on kazoo and vocals, Peter Nehill tea-chest bass, Hewson, and Dennis 'Spiderman' Burke, washboard.

Around midnight, after a quick snack at the Chew and Spew, a gaggle of us zipped on out to the Greenwood Tree Hotel in Paddington to catch the last hour of Jeff St John (and hopefully an eyeful of Peter Anson). One fateful evening, Graham's friendship ring slipped off my finger and flew across the crowded room never to be seen again. I don't think I went back there after that incident.

I took over from Little Sue (Challis), waitress at the Yellow Cab Restaurant (off Darlinghurst Road). Wally, dropped by for dinner on the house each night. I made enough in tips each night to cover the cost of a packet of ciggies and a few ciders.

I took off to Newcastle as a tracer for a tattooist. this endeavour went pear shaped,. I hitched a ride home with the Valentines.

PETER BIGGS

I received this message from Peter Biggs 2012

'Stone the crows .. I just couldn't believe what I found after typing Rhonda Nolan onto google .. Up pop references to Sandy (Rhonda's sister), Denise ... even Zorba ... and sadly poor old Graham ... all lovely people I met in a far too short time spent in the rabbit warren of a building called the Britanic at Mosman .. Sydney Harbour.

It was 1966 and I had just come down from Queensland driving me old Ford Consul .. maniac driver .. still am!! Worked with Zorba digging for the council .. I remember a large rock fell on Zorba while we were in a large hole in the ground .. scarring him on the chest permanently.

Loved Rhonda but she wasn't interested in me .. life is such fun!! I eventually buggered off to New Zealand with a few others on the Oriental Queen when the Aussie government wanted us to fight in Vietnam .. we all thought we would rather chase Kiwi girls and so we did!! My name is Peter Biggs .. I think I may have had a beard then and hair down to me shoulders .. would be totally amazing to hear from any of you that might remember me from those glorious days of our lives'

MORT FIST Photos - Dom O'Donnell

Dominic O'Donnell and Judy Hill

Mort and friend

Clarendon (Surry Hills)

Mort with Judy Miller Mort and Judy were regulars at Berry Street, North Sydney 1967

Mort

Tony (Sydney Harbour)

Mort and John 'Doc' Dease - Tamworth

BILLY GREEN

Johnny Dick, Duncan McGuire, Billy Green, Doug Parkinson

Came across this snap to day of Doug Parkinson and crew, most interested to see young Billy Green, He played with The Epics at Surf City, around 1963. I located him on Facebook, and had a short chat to him. Billy now prefers to be known as Wil Greenstreet.

He is currently living and working around the traps in the States. Those that frequented Surf City will no doubt recall Billy Green, who could forget that mop of curly blond hair and that cheeky smile. Johnny Dick teamed up with Billy Thorpe around 1965 and Duncan McGuire formed Ayer's Rock in 1973. Billy joined The Questions, then In Focus which morphed into Doug Parkinson In Focus. Duncan McGuire died in July 1989 from a brain tumour.

IN SEARCH OF THE STARVING WILD DOGS 2008

2008, whilst rummaging through my memorabilia, I came across a negative. I took it along to the nearest camera store to be developed. I was blown away, in my hand I held a black and white snap of Wally Mudd and me, in 1973, a photo taken by my husband when Wally moved into our terrace in Batman Lane, Surry Hills.

1973 Wally and Lynne in Batman Lane, Surry Hills

My jug band days!

My pulse quickened as I recalled the time I spent around the Taylor Square area. I wondered where Wally and the boys were now? I did a quick search and located Red McKelvie on Myspace, Red had put up a tracks from his latest CD. One of the tunes he had named, "Wally's Song". Dare I play it? I did and I cried, it was a tribute to the days at Taylor Square, to Wally Mudd, his brother Paul and friends.

WHITTY'S WINE BAR '67, Oxford Street, Taylor Square

Proprietors Cec and Joan Whitty

After a day's slog at the Sydney County Council I cut across Hyde Park and made my way down Oxford Street towards Taylor Square. Looking quite the part with denims and tee shirt I anticipated a night of jug and blues with The Starving Wild Dogs.

First stop was Cecil B Fardouli's delicatessen, situated between Whittys and the Chew and Spew, corner of Flinders and Oxford, where I purchased a wizened stick of cabanossi, a crusty bread roll and a lump of cheese, these items, I complimented with a number of ciders as I awaited the band to make an appearance.

Up front was Wheezin' Walter T Mudd on vocals and harp, his brother Paul 'Doggie' Wyld on keyboards and the dapper Terry Wilkins on bass.Many band members came and went, Red McKelvie and Chinese Chris on lead, Charlie Watts, Jim Crowley and Daryl MacKenzie on drums. Mort sat in on occasions treating us to his soulful harp and tempting us with his jug.

I have a very clear memory of Terry announcing that he was changing his style of playing the bass guitar. He traded his use of the plectrum, for an upward finger stroke. (clarify with Terry). Terry a Libran had studied to be a teacher prior to joining the Dogs. He was ever so neat, neat moustache, neat jeans and neat shirt.

The place was packed, and patrons spilt onto Oxford Street. The guys ripped into their repertoire of blues and jug: 'What's that Smells like Fish Mama', 'Mystery Train', 'Messin' with the Kid', 'Dust my Broom', 'Stealin' and Willie Dixon's 'Walking Blues'.

Around '69, the 'Dogs' moved into 290 South Dowling Street, Paddington/Darlinghurst. Faces I remember are Jim Crowley, Wally Mudd, Sonya Kereopa, Terry Wilkins, Paul Wyld, Sue Challis, Allannah, Stuart West and Steve James. I took up temporary residence on top of a sideboard under the stairs!!

The terrace was electric! a different vibe in each room. Terry had the downstairs front room, people gathered there to share their latest musical discoveries. Anna, Red McKelvie, Bob McGowan, Kathy James, Swannee, Martin James, Lindsay Bourke, Hamburger Joe, John A Bird, Sandy, Phil Manning, Shane Duckham, Neil Bramley, Dave and Moya Sturdy (twins), Pip, Adrian Rawlins .. laughing, laughing, laughing...a revolving door so to speak.

The tenement extended out the back onto a courtyard and then into another terrace which housed the overflow from '290', Sonya Kereopa, Larry Knight, Peter Gatehouse, Peter Gardiner, Alan Johnson, Dave Cook and Alan Johnson are a few of the crew I recall.

Steven 'Sudsy' Sutcliff arrived at 290 one evening, paranoid as hell. He had been listening to The Rolling Stones 'Satanic Majesty', and was convinced that the Stones were sending him messages via the album, he placed a glass to the wall and listened to 'the voices' being transmitted by the D's (detectives). Poor Sudsy, his life ended abruptly from an overdose, we had little knowledge of schizophrenia in those days.

We often shared riffs and blues info., good clean healthy fun. However, one rainy Sunday afternoon someone suggested we have a raffle. Names were placed into a hat, I drew Steve James. Steve and I were mates and were happy to jam for an hour or so. The fact that we had conducted a raffle led to much speculation. My friend Errol Wood visited and moved me off my prime position on the sideboard and into his flat in Alison Road, Randwick. The rent was seventeen dollars, my share was three.

RECOLLECTIONS OF WALLY

Since this article, I have received emails, photos, comments and recollections of this period and was able to reunite with old friends and acquaintances, including Errol and Phil Wood, Diane Willard, Danny Groves, Sue Toohey, Terry Darmody, Neil Smith, Alan Johnson, Peter Nehill, Larry Knight, Red McKelvie, Peter Gatehouse, Allannah, Dave Miller, Judy Miller, Jacquie McGarry, Peter 'Izzy Forreal' Knox .....

290 South Dowling Street, Darlinghurst

A pub jam in Surry Hills in 1979 is the last memory I have of Wally. Wheezin' Walter 'T' Mudd will be remembered for his contribution to the Sydney Underground music scene during the late 60s, best summed up in Red's tribute song RED McKELVIE "Wally's Song"

In Search of the Starving Wild Dogs

'Wally, held Taylor Square to ransom for 5 years' says Terry Wilkins'

Wally, hat perched on a mop of curly hair, first caught my eye at Rhubarbs, (a cavern-like venue in Douglass Lane, off Liverpool Street. He was backed by a wild looking bunch, calling themselves the Starving Wild (Wyld) Dogs.Wally's quirky movements and staccato singing, the wail coming from his harp and the passionate rawness of the blues sound emanating from these young lads was beyond compare . . I just had to meet them! I implored my mate, Mort to introduce me. He agreed, and the following Saturday afternoon we caught the bus from Miller Street, North Sydney, hopped off at Wynyard and took the 318 to Bondi Junction. I loved Mort's company, his childlike passion made every encounter take on a magical quality, he was a born actor and the world was his stage.

42 Denison Street

A short walk and we entered a huge terrace . The sun. which streamed through the hallway, illuminated the house in a manner peculiar to terraces. Wally was sitting at the base of the stairway engrossed in a conversation with Allannah. A loaf of Vogel bread owned the kitchen table, accompanied by a bread knife which laid expectantly beside it.

Warwick Wyld, aka Wheezing Walter T Mudd and I formed a friendship which endured throughout the Taylor Square scene and beyond, we shared a love of old folkblues and spent many a night singing and strumming our guitars. I was enamoured with the personae that was, 'Wally Mudd'. Hw was not one to talk at any length about himself. However, one could always catch him blowing his harp with any band around the traps.

290 South Dowling Street

Who lived there and who was transient? Steve James, Terry Wilkins, Stuart West, Paul Wyld, Jim Crowley, Larry Knight, Sonya Kereopa, Sue Challis and Allannah were the regular tenants.

"One Dollar, Two Dollar" written by Wally

'hi Lynne um I went to Australia 13 Aug 1967 haha I'm pretty sure I didn't actually MEET Wally until the I showed up at the Oxford Hotel on a Thursday night to play with the SWD's maybe 2 weeks before that Shane Duckham let me and Bob? and a NZ drummer Warwick Lee play a set in one of their breaks at the Oxford. Bob ? ( lived with his mum in Jersey Rd Woollahra) great guy must have arranged it. Terry Wilkins was playing gtr with Shane Duckham abt a week later Terry showed up to a party at our flat in Liverpool St and we jammed a bit on acoustic gtrs then the following week he came by and asked me would I play with the SWD's at the Oxford that week 'cos their gtr player had gone to Melbourne and couldn't get back to do the gig so yeah I went there and met Wally and Darryl McKenzie haha and away we went they asked me to stay on and I guess that wuz the break I'd been waiting for ! so I guess the short answer is I met Wally at the Oxford abt late Jan 1968

I only saw Waldo that one time and from the audience he did have straight fair hair and played geetar as I remember I had a chat with Lan last ngt in the course of the conversation I remembered that I had seen SWD's play at the Oxford before I joined them Paul was playing an upright piano at the windows end and his girl friend was sitting on the piano watching him play Rod was the bass-player the drummer was a guy called 'Hutch' in the photo you have of Rod I can see by the shape of the windows 'curved' at the top that is upstairs at the 'Oxford Hotel' this would've been late 1967 but I didn't know anyone yet. the geetar player I filled in for haha 4 abt 8 months wuz 'Chinese Chris' and when i went to the UK he got his gig back and that's him in photo of 'Matchbox' EX S W Dogs taken at the Kings X Bar BQ and you're in the photo all good stuff I met Waldo only one time I went to the 'Ball Pants' in the Cross and he wuz playing that ngt the name Rob Jamieson doesn't ring any bells I'm sorry Peter Knox told me once that he gigged with Waldo at the "Ball Pants' great to hear from ya cheers .. Red McKelvie'

'I think I first met Wally through Terry Wilkins - we were at the Oxford I one Sat afternoon with the Sons playing - my memory is pretty shot. Terry would do his usual 'table hopping' chatting to everyone including musos. We really loved the music scene in the 60s at Taylor Square. Wally and I were always good friends. I wonder whatever happened to Wally's girlfriend Trisha who went to Hong Kong c1966/7? Allannah Wooloughan '

RED McKELVIE

RedMcKelvie's site on Myspace

Rummaging through memorabilia, I came across a negative. I took it along to the nearest camera store to be developed. I was blown away, in my hand I held a black and white snap of Wally Mudd, Bob had taken in the lounge of our terrace in Batman Lane, Surry Hills.

I located Red McKelvie's site on Myspace; he had released a CD and put up a few sample mp3s on his Home page. One track in particular caught my eye, Red McKelvie "Wally's Song" mp3 .. dare I play it? I did and it made me weep. If you were in Taylor Square in the 60s and knew Wally and Paul Wyld this song will be blow you away.

'Lynne Best is that you? It's Red here, wot a great photo, you made me weep old gal that is the loveliest photo of Wally I've ever seen. When my friend Grahame came out to visit me in 2000 he ha ha got on my case abt writing songs again, after he went back I thought abt it and starting writing "Song for Wally" I called up Terry W and we chatted and out of the blue he sez "Oh, Taylor Square 'Wally held the place to ransom for 5 years' ! Lynne hows abt emailing me your ph#. I'd love to have a chat with ya and I'd love to send you a copy of the CD. cheers Red [McKelvie]'

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 ..

IN SEARCH OF THE STARVING WILD DOGS - Paul Wyld

Paul 'Doggie' Wyld aka The Wizard was Wally Mudd's extremely talented brother. Paul was rather mild mannered and into Vogel bread and soy. Together they took 'Taylor Square by storm' forming a jug cum blues band The Starving Wild Dogs Piano Band. I first met Paul in '67 he was a Meher Baba devotee. I haven't seen Paul since he joined Blackfeather in 1970.