Vale Andrew

the saddest news today, Andrew Dowd died. He will always be a Relative. God bless and we hope the next life is happier than the last, R.I.P. Dowdy xx

Brighton’s Burning, BGS Dance 1977 Pre-Relatives #3

With the annual school dance looming, it was time to organise the entertainment for the evening. After working out the sums it was clear we could only afford one band for the night, the unfortunately named “Hollywood” (whatever happened to…).

With that schoolboy can-do spirit the SHBB decided scout the school for more musicians and play as the support band on the night.

Months of rehearsals ensued with the final line up settling as:

Ashley Davies (drums)
Andrew Dowd (Vocals)
Rob Howard (Vocals)
Rodney Howard (Rhythm Guitar)
Jason Kain (Lead Guitar)
Simon Kain (Bass)
Ashley Thompson (Drums)

Yep 2 vocalists and 2 drummers! Like the Glitter Band meeting Sam & Dave and the set list was just as mutant. After scanning through our collective albums we settled on:

Stranded
Anarchy In The UK
Knock on Wood (David Live version)
Suffragette City
Crowbee Blues (only original song)
Grab A Snatch & Hold It (Chain)
Vicious
Suffragette City
& more…

We stormed the stage kitted out in DIY punk fashion (spray painted shirts. dyed hair, leather jackets etc.) as “The Velvet Underpants” & tore the roof off that sucker. Our paean to schoolboy mistreatment, Crowbee Blues (titled from the the headmaster’s nickname) a rebellious highlight.

Hollywood in their satin trousers had to contend with cries of “Bring back the Underpants” throughout their set of Free & Zep covers.

With only one gig, these teenage heads were set on course to shake some action. But after the HSC exams of course!

School House Blues Band: Pre-Relatives #2 1975-1977

Again a bit of memory mist sets in but as I recall…..

Did I mention we all attended Brighton Grammar School?

OK. with that explained, the next phase of the band was gathering together as a band for ‘School House’ meetings on Thursday mornings in 1976. Inspiration was greatly assisted by rehearsals being a great way of skipping chapel!!

Fortunately both the Howard & Kain brothers were in the same house so the 'School House Blues Band' was formed now incorporating Rob Howard on harmonica. Other School House alumni like ‘Barney Rubber Legs’ on piano were drafted in to pound out the 12 bar before morning class.

Usually the repertoire was 'on the spot' improvisations in the nominated key with maybe a Chuck Berry ditty thrown in for good rockin’ pleasure.

Trade Secret Live

Just to prove how good it was live....... here's a cranking version from the Exford in 1980 & the flyer to go with it!

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CF24Y6S7

Trade Secret

Long time gone but back again, here's the flyer for a December 1980 3PBS Benefit (thanks for the gig Dolores!!).

Track of the blog is Trade Secret from a demo recorded at James Lindsay's home studio 12th July 1981. It's another song of Rodney's, a great riff wrapped around a cold war lyric, fantastic to play live!!

Personell were Rob Howard (vcls), Rodney Howard (Rhythm Gtr), Jason Kain (Lead Gtr), Simon Kain (Bass) & Bruce Campbell (Drums). This was the line up from mid 1980 until our last gig in 1981.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TOCYDGK6

A Strumming in the Loins: Pre-Relatives #1 1973-75

OK this is wayback & hazy, so I'm hoping Rod & Jason weigh in here!

Rodney Howard (rhythm), Jason Kain (lead) & Andrew Davies (drums) and maybe someone else were already jamming, at some point I joined in (bass). Vocal duties were shared around.

With a bunch of Gibson knock offs & Goldtone practice amps (the pick of the bunch being Rod's monsterous bespoke white rig!) we plundered our vinyl for a set list. It contained the usual suspects of the time with a bit of Suzi Q thrown in to satisify Jason's pubescent yearnings!

The only gigs I can recall that this unnamed quartet played were two backyard extravaganzas: Judy Alsop’s BBQ (197?) & Warren Howard’s 21st (1975).

Here's some of what we played & where we heard 'em first:

Instrumental Blues Jams (self composed on the spot!)
Purple Haze (Jimi Hendrix)
School Days (Chuck Berry)
Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry)
Summertime Blues (Eddie Cochran)
Shakin' All Over (The Who)
48 Crash (Suzi Quatro)
Devil Gate Drive (Suzi Quatro)
All Shook Up (Elvis Presley / Suzi Quatro)
Sunshine Of Your Love (Cream)
Smoke On The Water (Deep Purple)
Jumping Jack Flash (Rolling Stones)
Rocky Mountain Way (Joe Walsh)

There's no photos or recordings from this time but we kept on playing Shakin' All Over, so here's a 1980 rehearsal version (with Andrew Dowd on vocals) in memory of those early days:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=21028R20

It's all Relative!

The Relatives were a Melbourne punk band playing from 1977 to 1981.

This blog will cover the history, members, gigs, recordings & other stuff as best we can remember!

Any comments, photos, recordings & memories are more than welcome, especially from those who were there at the time.

For info on our recordings see; http://www.innercitysound.com.au/Relatives.html

To get you started here's a live version of 'Clock Struck One' from 22 October 1980 at The Exford Hotel;
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8PI36A9G

More soon...................