Bass Guitar / Vocals
I have been playing bass guitar in the Brothers Grimm since the band was formed in 1993 and have taken care of the business end of things since about 1995. I have been involved with other bands over the years but none have been so rewarding or satisfying as TBG. I began my musical journey as a teenager guitarist, like most musicians forming bands with mates and having fun. My first professional band was called The Combination back in 1973. I was the youngest member in a very organized and well-run business like set up. My brother Rodney was lead guitarist in the band and if not for him, I probably wouldn’t have got that break. The band played the top hotel gigs in Christchurch,
i.e. The Marine Tavern Sumner and also many clubs and private corporate gigs. It was a great start and set me on the right road, thanks Rodney, Peter and John.
When the band finished I joined a band called Waldo Pepper, this band had good potential but unfortunately only lasted 18 months.
After that I had a break for about two years, I exchanged my bass guitar for operating the movie projectors at the Academy Cinema in the Art Centre and then guess what ? Yeah you guessed, it came back. I joined a band called Stampede doing similar work to The Combination. This was Richard Carr’s band, the lead guitarist Jim Waimsley later left us to join Lui and the Hot Sticks. Stampede decided to make a break for the pub scene.
In 1980 we brought in Ron van Lindt on guitar and vocals and Chris on keyboards and changed our name to the Bullyhayes Band. We finished up in a professional situation gigging up to four nights per week at what was the Tavern Rachel, what a blast. It all got a bit much so in 1983 I decided to become self employed and start my own business and so I moved on.
The Bullyhayes Band reformed as Broadsword and than reformed again as Fat Sally.
I managed to keep my hand in helping out the odd band and played in a successful duo with Chris Lumber for a while and then joined up with Richard again later on in a three piece called Soul Distinction with Mike Gregory on drums, we worked clubs and private gigs. After Broadsword broke up Ron went to live in Australia and returned back to New Zealand approximately seven years later. We got together for a few gigs and a few beers later Ron put the idea forward to form the Brothers Grimm with myself on bass and Paul Kokshorn on drums, we thought it was a great idea, and so it began. And the rest of the story is in the bands history file.
It really has been a blast being in TBG, we have done so many awesome gigs and I’ve met so many wonderful people. Thanks Ron and Paul, also many thanks to the new guys that have helped to keep the band going.
