GROWING UP IN THE 60'S

IT IS OFTEN SAID WHAT A GREAT PERIOD IN HISTORY THE 60'S WAS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THAT GREAT, BUT BEING A TEENAGER THEN, IT WAS FUN. I LIVED IN A DEAD END STREET IN A SUBURB CALLED EARLWOOD, A SYDNEY MIDDLE CLASS SUBURB NOTORIOUS FOR PRODUCING OUR CURRENT PRIME MINISTER, A LOWLY MAGGOT.
THE STREET WAS FULL OF KIDS OF SIMILAR AGES, I WAS THE YOUNGEST OF THE OLDER GROUP AND BILL TRANCHATELLA WAS THE ELDEST. WHEN BILL WAS GOING TO UNIVERSITY STUDYING ART, HE PLAYED IN A JUG BAND AND WAS INVOLVED IN AN ART MOVEMENT CALLED "SAVART". THEY CREATED "HAPPENINGS" BILL ALSO PLAYED FLUTE. WE NEARLY ALL PLAYED FLUTE. MORE ABOUT THAT AT ANOTHER TIME. HE LISTENED TO EVERYTHING AND HAD A GREAT RECORD COLLECTION. SO I WAS LISTENING TO ZAPPA, PAUL BUTTERFIELD, AND ALL THE OTHER WEST COAST UNDERGROUND HIPPY STUFF. ON DAY HE SAID COME AND LISTEN TO THIS! IT WAS 1966, HE PLAYED "I TALK TO THE SPIRITS" MY FIRST EXPOSURE TO ROLAND KIRK. MY MUSICAL TASTES WERE CHANGED FOR EVER. I WENT TO CANTERBURY BOYS HIGH SCHOOL. FORMERLY A SELECTIVE SCHOOL, WHICH PRODUCED THE MAGGOT AND VARIOUS JUDGES & HIGH PROFILE TYPES. WHEN I WENT THERE IT WAS STILL SEMI SELECTIVE, BUT ALLOWED ME IN ANYWAY. I WAS IN THE ORCHESTRA. IT WAS A DURGE SIMILAR TO THE "STOCKPORT SYMPHONIA". JOHN RUSSELL, THE FLAKE GUITARIST WAS THERE, SO WAS WARREN WARD, BASSIST WITH FLYING CIRCUS & LATER, FLAKE. DOUG FAULKNER, ANOTHER BASS PLAYER STILL AROUND TOWN WAS ALSO IN MY CLASS.GRAHAM BOND OF AUNTY JACK FAME WAS ALSO, BUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AHEAD OF ME. MY FAVOURITE OLD SCHOOLMATE OF NOTORIETY WAS JOHN BRYSON. HE HAD VERY LONG HAIR, AND AS A RESULT, WAS MADE TO SIT OUTSIDE THE BOSS'S OFFICE EVERY LUCHTIME. HE HIT THE HEADLINES IN THE 90'S WHEN , AS A BARRISTER, WAS MENTIONED IN PARLIAMENT FOR SEDUCING UNDERAGE INTERNS IN HIS CHARGE. JOHN SAID IN THE NEWSPAPERS, THAT IT WAS A CONSPIRACY BY THE "MICK MAFIA". THE GIRLS WERE FROM A PROMINENT CATHOLIC SCHOOL, THE COMPLAINT AIRED IN PARIAMENT BY A CATHOLIC, PAUL WHELAN MINISTER FOR POLICE. I THINK JOHN STILL LIVES WITH THE LADY ON THE GOLD COAST. AT LEAST IT WAS INTERESTING TABLOID READING!