Growing up in Uralla and the 50’s and 60’s may seem from today’s perspective to have been a little dull ….far from it.Admittedly life was simple, with no television until the mid 60’s, and only local AM radio, much of which was races and music from Pat Boone and his contemporaries, but we made our own fun. This included all day shooting expeditions, long bike rides, overnight river fishing, and many hours just talking and dreaming of the future. This talk turned to music with my mates Trevor  (Willy) and Steve (Ing) when we were only 13 or so. After seeing Elvis Presley in Jail House Rock at the Saturday afternoon flicks, we decided this is what we wanted to do….make music.

Willy and Steve’s families were old time country music people. Steve’s mum Gloria had a beautiful voice and she could yodel all the old time hillbilly tunes like a bird. Willy’s family was a huge influence on me, especially his dad Col and Uncle Jack Wilcox.  I spent all my spare hours at their house. Many more than at my own! They strummed and sang all the old time country songs from artists such as Slim Dusty, Hank Williams and Roy Rogers. And his Mum Gloria could sometimes be coaxed to sing as well. There would often be big family get-togethers at Willy’s house with family coming from near and far with fiddles, banjos, harmonicas and many guitars.

My family were much more conservative in their tastes, with Dad loving Bing Crosby, and Mum playing her “musicals” on the radiogram. My grandmother was an amazing pianist and could play anything from classical to ragtime to waltzes. She had achieved a diploma in music from the London School of Music, and had played in bands and by herself at town functions since before the 1920’s. She would take a horse and trap to town halls and play all night. She also played at the cinema to the silent movies so popular at the time.

Steve, Willy and I became a sort of trio, and went everywhere together. They both had had some guitar chords shown to them, so we decided to perform in front of an audience at Uralla School. We were still primary students at that stage. Among our first songs were “Green Green” by the New Christie Minstrels.

From there we retained our interest and figured out chords and lyrics by listening to 45’s (singles). We were musical novices…Steve didn’t even know what a barre chord was until he saw one on “The Monkees”. I had decided to be a drummer, but due to no drum kit and a reluctance by my parents to buy me one, I became the keyboard player. Mum was much happier with this as she had spent quite a bit of money on lessons for me over the years.

We played at the bowling club at Uralla when we were early teenagers, and by that time had a small repertoire. We invited various friends to join our band, and a few came and went. Some of the names that come to mind are Freddy Geldof…(couldn’t play but had a shed), Noel (Baz) Adams…(showed no inclination to play or any talent but served as a great roadie until he got a girlfriend) Neil Hunt…a little older than us and had been in a band…(I think he just lost interest) and Pat O’Brien who had been in the cadet band and became our drummer, and of course Les Dixon on bass when Willy was still playing (singing?) lead. Les left after joining the PMG and leaving Uralla.

I had made friends with a young Aboriginal bloke from high school named Andy Donnelly. He was extraordinarily talented as a guitarist, a great bloke, very good looking. extremely charming and debonaire. He was also a talented footballer and that was what ultimately led to him leaving the band.

Some of our band names during this early period were…the Thunderbolts (of course), Peanut Butter Conspiracy (stolen), Hot Frost, Justin Tyme, Satan, (that was when Steve discovered Black Sabbath), and eventually Trek…(have I forgotten any?).

When we were about 16 or so we’d all been to see our local heroes (the Fynx) play at the Police Boys in Armidale. They were older than us and a really good band. Their drummer Bob Hobbs (Dogs, Hobbsy) was quite flamboyant and a great entertainer. He finished up that night to go off to Vietnam as a National Serviceman. A couple of years later on his return, we decided to pluck up the courage to ask him to join the band, and were surprised and delighted when he agreed. This meant that our current drummer Pat was displaced. Although we remained friends, and the band really took off after Hobbsy joined, I’ve felt a sense of guilt ever since. I’ve been replaced in a band myself and can report that it hurts!

Around this time as Willy was on bass, and I’d chucked the keyboard in favour of being a lead singer (influence; Robert Plant), we decided we needed a rhythm guitarist…welcome Russell Hughes (Rusty to some).

We really hit our straps after this and were very busy, taking advantage of the burgeoning music scene. It was nothing to play 4 or 5 gigs a week, and sometimes 2 in one night. University was buzzing with free education allowing “full time” students to take years to finish a degree. Besides that the pubs all wanted bands, and country B&S’s were regular. (no hint of responsible service of alcohol)…

There was keen rivalry between local bands. Armidale boasted Mantra, Bogoslav, Shane as well as others. For a while Cold Chisel were resident in the area and knocked our socks off!

We were all having a ball together in our leisure time too. There was and is a strong bond amongst us. When we weren’t playing or rehearsing there was always a party, or wild jaunt, often involving nudity, drinking, rubber masks, and of course girls. (These high jinks were most often instigated by Hobbsy). We had some favourite followers who were residents of Smith House, a girls only student dorm, and many sneaky visits were made to their rooms after hours. Usually it was just good fun and very little sex took place ..(at least that’s what I thought).

I left the band around 1974 to go to Moree with work, where I met Kim Constable, and played in bands over there for a couple more wild years. Then back to Armidale along with Kim and more bands, music and fun.

In the meantime Trek morphed with new members such as Dougie Jamieson and George Finney, and remained one of the most exciting  and well loved rock bands on the local music scene.

Over the years since then I’ve had a couple of periods not being involved in music, but I’m still playing today, still crave the excitement of live performance and the cameraderie of like minded people.

Trek today still gets together occasionally to relive those halcyon days. We are all true friends and partners in music!