═══════════════════════ Roadhouse (1973) ═══════════════════════

 

THIS WAS MY first band and Roadhouse was the name we decided upon after careful consideration! At one stage it was called Stillbirth but this was soon wisely rejected.

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Three young guys from high school who had no clue but just wanted to play some music.

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Mark Laidler - Guitar/Keyboards/Vocals
Bill Webb - Guitar/Vocals
Greg Morris - Drums/Vocals

 

Jamming after school in my Mum and Dad's garage (how unique) was where I first realised being a drummer in a band was what I wanted to be. Great times were had just jamming on a riff for ages. In fact we did the Warren Morgan & Billy Thorpe (Thump'n Pig & Puff'n Billy) song Captain Straight Man* for one memorable jam which lasted 27 minutes! The original song goes for less than 4 minutes and it has verses and choruses but we didn't care. We just jammed on the riff. When we finally came to an end we heard the sound of what was stones being thrown on to the roof in appreciation     . Truth be known, it was really because we had finally stopped playing!!

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Ahh the adulation ......

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Great times indeed, oh to be that young again.

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At one time Bill asked a couple of his mates, Guitarist Peter Davie and Bass player Steve Vanderschoot to come over and have a jam too and for a very short time we had a full band. This was very exciting, could it be we may be able to do an actual gig? But this was not to be, too young and too naive, I think.

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This was to last for about six months or so, I'm sure my Mum and Dad rued the day when they agreed to let me have my friends over to play some music but truthfully, they were really very supportive.

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It finally came to an end and it was time to go out into the real world and find a proper band.

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My first audition was to be as scary as hell. A simple ad. in the paper turned out to be two seasoned pros looking for a new drummer. When I arrived I nearly walked away after hearing the guy before me audition. I told them I wasn't in their league and the guy's just said "You're here now, give it a go and see what happens". So I did and it was a good experience none the less but I was never going to get the gig.

My first real band was soon on the horizon, Valhalla & Co.