1983 - MICROWAVE / THE PROHIBITION

Venues Performed (Microwave: 25+ performances / The Prohibition: 30+ performances)

Georges River Sailing Club (Sandringham) / Peakhurst Inn / Forbes Inn / King Arthur's Court (Kings Cross) / Seabreeze Hotel (Blakehurst) / Epping Hotel / Musician's Club (Surrey Hills) / Blades (Manly) / Scandals (Campbelltown)

Chris Falson, guitarist and roommate from "Bawdy Bills", came from a very musical family. His father, Ron, was one of Australia's most respected jazz musicians, who performed with everyone who was anyone, including Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jnr.

Chris was technically amazing, sang much better than he believed, and could write all the little black dots, otherwise known as music charts. One of his two musical sons is Sam Sparrow, famed for the hit, "Black and Gold".

Anyway, Chris and I briefly played together in a duo named "Microwave" (poking fun at the "New Wave" genre of the day).

We debuted at The Georges River Sailing Club in Sandringham on 12 March 1983. From the date recorded, it must’ve been whilst we were home briefly from the "Bawdy Bills" tour, which came in and out from Sydney.

Microwave also took a 3-piece to the Forbes Inn for a double-header in country NSW. The inclusion of Steve Gunning, drummer for the Vicky O'Keefe Band (Vicky being the daughter of Johnny), made up the trio.

I'd been playing solo at The Seabreeze Hotel in Blakehurst, when in about May of 1983, the hotel owner, Gary, asked me to assemble a resident band for his hotel. The theme was a 1920's "Speakeasy", and the big-band would be called "The Prohibition". Gary would fund and effectively own the band.

Opportunity knocked with cash in hand, so I recruited Chris Falson immediately, because he knew the musos we needed, and could write all the charts.

The Prohibition was assembled in lightning speed, and I was joined on lead vocals by Lynn Bryant, a well-established cabaret-performer, and Robbo, an excellent soul man, who also played harmonica and percussion. And to supplement his talents, Robbo had an amazing PA!

The band had other fine musicians too, including Kevin Dubber, who played the amazing trumpet part for Midnight Oil's "Power & The Passion".

So on 25 June 1983, to much fanfare, we debuted at the Seabreeze!

However, after a couple of great opening nights, the crowds didn't come back. Gary quickly lost enthusiasm for his Speakeasy, or rather the cost of maintaining his band, and so after about a month, he pulled the pin.

Without a financial backer, Lynn was released and most of the hired-guns walked immediately. But we weren't done, Chris, Robbo and I battled on, pulling together a new, 8-piece line-up that included an amazing female horn section with Sandi Evans (saxophone) and Sue Bluck (trumpet).

Also in the band were Scott Johnson (drums), who later joined Rose Tattoo, Tommy Falkingham (bass), who was ex-Jimmy And The Boys, and Colin Muir (keys), who stayed on with us from the original Seabreeze line-up.

In the second half of 1983, we performed regularly to huge audiences at Blades in Manly, and did gigs at the Musician's Club, Epping Hotel and Scandals, but our last gig was at the Engadine Hotel on Christmas Eve in 1983.

Maybe the band had chosen to part anyway (I don't remember), but I had a deal on the table to take a band away from Sydney for a couple of months. Chris and the other band members chose to stay in Sydney to pursue other opportunities, but Robbo and I were keen to take the contract - so we did.

Exit Chris Falson, who later moved on to enjoy an illustrious career in the USA. You can read about his career at https://www.chrisfalson.com/about. But it has come as a tremendous shock to discover I am not mentioned in his bio, let alone Bawdy Bill; which was surely a career highlight. Must be just an oversight - I'll let him know (yes, we are in contact, but not often).