Antipodean Beat

Band Members:-

Tony Martin – (?1961)
Simon Paul – (?1961)
Frank Sebastyan – Vocals (late 1965-70)
Geoff Pretty – Drums (late 1965-early 70)
Phil Wooding – Guitar (late 1965-late 68)
Allan Sands – Bass (late 1965-late 67)
Peter Manuel – Organ (late 1965-70)
Steve Lada – Bass (late 1967-70
John Bywaters – Bass (1970)

Record Releases:-

Clap Your Hands/Forgive Me Darlin’ (W & G WG-S-2540) 02-66
Let This Be A Lesson/Take It Easy (W & G WG-S-2647) 05-66
I Can See My Love/More Than I Can Say (W & G WG-S-8009) 08-66
I Am Waiting/Down And Out (IN Records IN-S-8040) 12-66
‘Ow Yer Goin’/Over Under Sideways Down (IN Records IN-S-8102) 08-67
Madge’s Charity Badges/Chokko Brandy (RCA 101860) 06-69
The Ballad Of Andy Capp/Window (Gamba GA ????) ??-69
In-Sect A-Sides LP -Let This Be A Lesson/Take It Easy/I Can See My Love/More Than I Can Say/I Am Waiting/Down And Out/I Ain’t Got You/Hallelujah I Love Her So/Over Under Sideways Down/I Can’t Stop Loving You/Sloop John B/El Cumanchero ( W & G WG-25/5045) ??-67

This article appeared on pages 9 to 11 of the The Livin’ End #3, November 1984. Article was written & published by Dean Mittelhauser.

The In-Sect were originally formed in Adelaide around 1961 as Dave Thunder & The Macmen (although there was no one in the band called Dave Thunder.) The band’s early members included Tony Martin and Simon Paul (who later wrote their two classic punkers.) The band played the local dance scene for the few years, and by late 1965, their lineup had stablised at: Frank Sebastyan (vocals), Geoff Pretty (drums), Phil Wooding (guitar), Allan Sands (bass) and Peter Manuel (organ).

They released their first 45 in Feburary ’66, the dire “CLAP YOUR HANDS“. I say dire because it really was pretty bad nad it gave little hint of the wyld trakcs they were later to cut. It was about this time that they became the In-Sect, a pointed reference to the Beatles.

With their name change, they adopted a more raucous, punkier style. Even so, these guys weren’t punks. They hadn’t emerged from the garage, they’d emerged straight from the office. The In-Sect were a most unusual band. They regularly played Adelaide’s cabaret circuit, because that was where the money was – thus short hair. Despite this, they also regularly did a wild set at various local haunts around the city.

They did a couple of low-key tours to Victoria, and in June they released their first 45 under their new banner and style. The result? “Let This Be A Lesson“, a classy track, definitely as catchy or a memorable as any of the Yardbirds classics (a band they had a sneaking admiration for). The single was raved about by the influential Bob Francis (Good Old Bob!) and it shot into the Adelaide top ten. Even so, it recieved little or no airplay outside of South Australia.

As if to pove that “Let This Be A Lesson” was no fluke, in September came “I Can See My Love“, and, amazingly, it was even better. Wild guitar, clean precise production, no grunge, but boy was it hot! The B side was a passable cover of “More Than I Can Say“, which was later covered by that fuzzy haired creep, Leo Sayer. It followed “Let That Be A Lesson” into the top ten.

Because the band was chopping and changing from wild discos one night, to cabaret floor shows the next, they became quite adept at playing wild R’n'B and punk ranging right through to soft top forty and middle of the road muzak.

An oddity indeed, and as Frank Sebastyan, their vocalists, said “We used to play a lot of Mickey Mouse music.” Their incredibly rare LP “In-Sect-A-Sides“, illustrates this the best. At the time that it was released, the band had basically become the resident band at the famed Arkaba a well known nitespot. Because the repertoire called for at the Arkaba was 60/40 (60% rock/40% cabaret), they recorded the LP pretty much along those lines, in the hope of cashing in with their many fans from the Arkaba. That is why you’ll hear “Sloop John B” & “El Cumbanchero” (an an incredibly tacky version) mixing it with likes of “Let This Be A Lesson“, “I Can See My Love” or “Over Under Sideways Down“. See, it all begins to make a little sense, doesn’t it?

In December, “Down And Out” made the Adelaide top ten (the band were still virtually recognised in other states) as usual, it contained a fine guitar solo, a by now, familiar trademark of their recorded work. Around this time Peter Manuel allegedly played organ on the Loved One’s hit “The Loved One“.

Down And Out

Late in ’67, Allan Sands got married and quit the band. He was replaced by Steve Lada (ex – Ram Jam Big Band). 5KA disc jokey approached him on a song he had written,” ‘Ow Yer Goin’ “. A novelty song in Vincent’s typical style, the B side was the In-Sect’s version of the Yardbirds’ “Over Under Sideways Down“. It also made top ten (in fact all their singles made the top ten in Adelaide), and Vincent continuously plugged it in his weekly column for Go-Set.

Over the next couple of years, the band suffered quite a few unsettling lineup changes. Late in 1968 Phil Wooding left the band and moved to Sydney to join Jeff St John & the Cooperwine. He became heavily involved in the drug scene, and in ealry ’70s suicided. A sad demise for a great, unheralded guitarist. Just before he left, RCA released another single using John Vincent on vocals, “Madge’s Charity Badge’s“, this was another of Vincent’s terrible novelty songs, but the band’s raunchiness is undiminished, particularly on “Mage…”, where there is a truly fab guitar solo. It’s absolutely boss, and makes Vincent’s bad lyrics and even worse vocals almost bearable.

In 1969 came one final single, “The Ballad Of Andy Capp“, on the local Gamba label. Pretty, a virtual stalwart of the band, left early in 1970, joined the Going Thing, who recorded 45′s and an LP for Sweet Peach. Lada also left was replaced by John Bywaters (ex-Twilights). The band mutated into the Frank Sebastyan Entertainment Revue, which played the cabaret circuit right through the ’70′s until folding in 1979.

The In-Sect – Let This Be A Lesson

The In-Sect – I Can See My Love

Band Members:-

Errol Samin – Vocals (early 1966-early 68)
Harry Hamilton – Lead Guitar (early 1966-early 68)
Brendan Samin – Bass & Guitar (early 1966-early 68)
Mick Sinclair – Drums (early 1966-early 68)
Danny Atkinson – Rhythm Guitar (early 1966-early 68)

Record Release:-

I Can Never Win/Don’t Act Blind (In Records IN-S-8065) 03-67

This article was first written and published by Dean Mittelhauser in his fan magazine The Livin’ End #1, September 1983 and is copyright © 1983 Dean Mittelhauser.

It’s sad that some groups have to be judged on the merits of one record. For the Probe it’s a downright shame. On a good night they could be savage as the legendary Missing Links, or as wild and uneven as The Creatures. They were described as wild, insane…..yet their one effort on vinyl doesn’t even hint at this.

Originally from Brisbane, the band formed early in 1966 from the remnants of three bands, The Bluebeats, The Midnighters and The Vikings. The latter having recorded under the name Richard Wright & The Vikings (yes, the same Richard Wright!)

They became popular over a six month period, gigging heavily in and around Brisbane and Surfers Paradise. Late in ’66, they made the trek to Sydney. They soon became one of the live drawcards in the city discos and especially in Wollongong, playing ZONDRAE’S, the local disco to be seen. In Wollongong, they were just as popular as The Loved Ones.

Their reputation was helped a lot by their singer Errol Samin, who looked like “he meant trouble”. With shoulder length hair he sang with a brooding intensity. Influenced by The Troggs, Yardbirds, Who & Stones, they were notorious for their untamed performances, particularly on one of their own compositions “Theme For The Probe“.

They were nominated one of the bands to watch for 1967 in Go Set’s round up of ’66, and early in ’67 they were “discovered” by W & G’s and quickly signed for their first 45 on W & G’s pop label ‘IN’. They chose ‘Don’t Act Blind‘ a popular stage number and in March appeared on Kommotion alongside Ray Hoff, Russ Kruger & Young Once to promote it.

I Can Never Win

At this time they were regularly playing at the prestigious ‘Here’ disco, yet apart from reaching the Top Ten in their home town, the disc did nothing for them. Obviously choice of material played a part, but troubles with single’s distribution & mismanagement certainly sealed it’s fate. The 45 itself is now quite rare and extremely collectable.

Whilst both tracks are quite good, they sound to me slightly C & W slanted. The top deck ‘I Can Never Win‘ is upbeat but almost seems a bit toned down.

Although W & G were pretty notorious for thier ‘wilder’ B sides, the B side here ‘Don’t Act Blind‘ is also fairly pedestrian. That’s the problem with the single -it goes nowhere.

No other records were issued, and the band stuck it out for about 12 months before breaking up. Three members formed Madison Kat, a highly rated live act, that sounded not unlike the La De Das. Nothing was put down on vinyl for them, yet they played together till the mid-70′s.

In retrospect, I personally feel pissed off that I never got to see them, if only for their wild show. (Errol got a chair thrown at him one night while writhing around on the floor.) And what a great moniker!

The Elois - Battle of the Sounds c.1966/67

Band Members:-

Dennis Fiorini – Lead Guitar (1965-67)
Mike Dzuriek – Bass Guitar (1965-?66)
Ian “Chet” Chettle – Drums (?1965)
Dougie Blair – Rhythm Guitar (1965-67)
Bill van Berkel – Drums (?1965-67)
Alan Rowe – Vocals (?1965-67)
Greg Heenan – Bass Guitar (?1966-67)

Record Releases:-

If You Don’t Want Me Now/Sunshine & Happiness/Hush Your Mouth (unreleased tracks 1967)
I’m A Man/By My Side (In Records IN-S-8067) 04-67

This article was first written and published by Dean Mittelhauser in his fan magazine The Livin’ End #3, November 1984 and is copyright © 1984 Dean Mittelhauser.

The Elois, (pronounced E-lies) were formed in the small Victorian town of Maryborough in 1964. Anybody who has read H.G.Wells novel “Time Machine” will know that the Elois were the peace loving future race og humans that were constantly getting hassled by the Morlochs, the baddies. In actual fact, the band were originally called the Morlochs, before plumping for the Elois. The line-up just prior to their name change was; Doug Blair (rhythm), Dennis Fiorini (lead) – both sharing vocal chores, Bill Van Berkel (drums) and Michael Dzuirek (bass).

Six months after formation, Blair was replaced by Alan Rowe, who became the band’s vocalists. Playing mainly at local dances, but sometimes doing gigs over 100 miles away, they quickly built up a good live reputation. They were a fairly tight band, unlike mand copyist bands that inhabited most Australian country towns of the 60s. They aslo had a rougher sound, being influenced by the Who, stones & Yardbirds. Whilst they had to toe the line like their counterparts, and play forty :pap” covers, if they could, they’d slip in something with a bit of bite to it.

It was around this time that Graham Lever, ex-turntable operator, and part time disc jokey for Melbourne’s 3AK, turned up in Maryborough. Lever soon gained a rather flamboyant reputation, with his clothes, car, and very much a Stan Rofe type of DJ patter on his shows. He was impressed by the band, and urged them to “Go South, Young Men” (in this case, Melbourne.) He also became their manager. Battle of the Sounds, running second to Bendigo’s ‘Emeralds. Following up on this, they entered the Ballarat section of the Battle of the Sounds, and won. This entitled them to “battle” it out in the Melbourne Battle of the Sounds, where they ran nowhere. By this stage, Fiorini, an excellent guitarist, had begun experimenting with the “all new” Echolet fuzzbox, prompting them to change their sound. They became known as “North West Victoria’s Feedback Kings.”

Lever continued to push for a move to Melbourne -and Dzuirek, not prepared to make such a commitment, left the band. Within a couple of months, he was conscripted and went to Vietnam. Just prior to his departure, the group cut a few tracks as demos and Lever took them to Melbourne. (The band also did about eight hours solid recording of original material and covers, all abolutely dripping with their fuzz-laden style. Unfortunately, the whereabouts of any of the master tapes are unknown. Editor- These have since been found and are due for release onto CD – tracks are; If You Don’t Want Me Now/Sunshine & Happiness/Hush Your Mouth.)

When Lever returned from Melbourne, he finally persuaded the band to make the move. The demos he’d taken with him were pretty rough, and within a few weeks, the band, under the watchful eyes of Roger Savage, recorded two tracks to hawk around to various record companies. Savage was quite honestly very surprised at their great sound and professionalism. As Alan Rowe said “We were all hayseeds!”

While Lever began to do the rounds, the band gigged around Melbourne, notably Pinocchio’s, the Thumpin’ Tum and 5-4-3-2-1 at Dandenong.

As luck would have it, the first company Lever had taken the tapes to, W & G, agreed to sign the band, so within two months of their arrival, they had their first record out. Although the band had no particular preference for which track as an A side, they did push “I’m A Man” (probably the wyldest version ever of this classic song!) The B side “By My Side:, an original group composition, was also one of the most incredible 45′s released in Australia during the sixties. Anyone who doubted my earlier statement of Fiorini being an excellent guitarist, need only look at this single.

By My Side

The group appeared on Kommotion, performing “I’m A Man” (wouldn’t that have been something to see!) and the single scraped into a couple of Melbourne charts, though never reaching any higher than #38. THen came the Spencer Davis Group’s version and the Elois version of “I’m A Man” was completely swamped. Let’s face it, the English version was so much more classier and cleaner. How could the guys have competed with the totally manic track they’d put down?

Not to be daunted, W & G made plans for the band to cut an EP, to be produced by Johnny Chester. All four tracks were recorded, two covers & two originals, but W & G were particularly slow in issuing them, and by late ’67, the band had broken up. All four members went their seperate ways, with Heena later turning up in the much touted National Breakouts. Though the Elois released only one single, I think that one extraordinary 45 more than qualifies them for the Australian Punkdom Hall of Fame. They sure didn’t like punks (editor- short hair & tailormade suits.), but, boy, did they sound like ‘em!