Photo Gallery

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Those 2 young men in the middle are my dad on guitar aka as Big Pete and my uncle Joe. The two most powerful men in my life and can still hear dads George Benson style guitar and Uncle Joes big booming Tom Jones voice. That's me aka Wee Pete, wearing dads Teddy Boy coat with the Black Velvet lapels 65 years later! 

Reckless Hearts on stage after being interrupted by a thunder storm, rain and a power outage. This was our last hit out before a National tour promoting the EP - Rain in Spain and several new songs for a forthcoming album.  See the video section for 2 very rare daytime videos!

Mondern Daze onstage at the Cataract Gorge.  Lots of memories and connections in this photo. 

Bruce Holloway (RIP) guitarist on the left was also a member of Reckless Hearts and when that band split we, plus  bass player (Colin Street) formed Bigger Than Texas, which was to be my last band. 

Lead singer Collee Chappell and I got back together in 2015,16 and 17 in a Modern Daze reunion gig with my now singer Gerry Murrell. I joined Gerry's band, Renegade in 1987!

Bass player, Paul Kostromin aka Always Jim and I have begun a parallel late in life career in song writing, recording, mixing, producing and releasing music as one man bands with a little collaboration here and there to help out.

The stage and PA system was supplied by Good Oil Concert Productions. I ended up working for them as Warehouse Manager, Truck Driver , Concert setups and mixing for local bands

Gum Tress, sand, sea and surf. It doesn't get more Australian than this. One of 3 large outdoor gigs prior to going on tour. I had only been with the band for 2 weeks so thankful for the workout. Only 2 covers in our set. A very good band!

Australian band the Sharp were also on the bill.

Black n Blue started it's life as a 3 piece outfit featuring the Franklin brothers, Mark (chip) and Andrew (Doo Doo) with Peter Manaena (Ma9Na) on drums. Justin Sandercoe  joined adding  a second lead guitar and a vocal that supported the brothers. The set list was full of classic rock by Cream, Clapton, Status Quo with a large helping of Australian Rock by the likes of ACDC, the Angels and Diesel. I enjoyed this band and my relationship with the Franklin family. Andrew's playing and style as heavily influenced my own bass .  Mark also played in Bigger Than Texas and Justin has built a solid reputation as a guitar player and teacher in the UK.

It was fitting that my last gig with my last band was with mates with whom I had the pleasure of sharing the stage in  several other line ups through the course of my career. I can remember vividly my first gig as a 14 year old in Invercargill, New Zealand and my last gig here is no different. I was a little disappointed it wasn't in my home city of Hobart but little did we know that a  terrible incident would get us back together in Hobart for a fund raiser with several other bands. The band started life as a 3 piece which was one half of Reckless Hearts and the edition of Mark Franklin added  another lead vocalist, lead guitarist and the ability to cover some incredible Rock and Grunge music that was both relevant and a fitting way for me to bow out of what had been life for so long. 

In the end it was easier than I thought, not knowing that I would be back as a one man band releasing music to the world as Ma9Na!

My very first band was FARM. The founding member, Noel Gerrard, sadly lost his life on the way to one of our gigs. Life changed for these 15 and 16 year old's.

We turned it around with the help of several local musicians and with Neville Stewart joining, Karisma began!

The drum kit was owned by Richard Hodgkinson of Rasstass. who went on to great success in Mi-Sex. As a young band we were very lucky to be able share the stage with older bands. We played everything from the Stones, Joe Walsh, Neil Young to David Bowie such was the musical freedom with this gig.

Some screen captures from my video camera set to side of the official camera.