Original members of the iconic Aussie band the Master’s Apprentices are reuniting in Melbourne in September. Whilst the band sadly won’t feature singer Jim Keays who passed away in 2014, the band’s once-lost original guitarist and songwriter Mick Bower will be running the show.
The band is calling itself Master’s Apprentices 1965 and in addition to Bower, original drummer Brian Vaughton will be there, as will guitarist Rick Harrison who joined in 1967.
Bower and Vaughton have not until very recently, performed together in 50 years. The pair played on the classic first two singers “Undecided”/”War Or Hands Of Time” and “Buried And Dead” but Vaughton had departed before their third single, Bower’s psychedelic classic “Living In A Child’s Dream’.
Harrison was Bower’s replacement, although he was only with the band for a short period originally. The shy Bower had famously been forced to leave the band in 1967 after having what was called at the time a nervous breakdown.
For the show the band will be augmented by guest bassist from fellow Adelaide ‘60s legends the Twilights, John Bywaters, as well as former SA Jim Keays Band guitarist Rob Pippan. Filling Jim Keays’ massive shoes will be vocalist Craig Holden, who has sung alongside John and Rick Brewster in the Angels' precursor, the Moonshine Jug and String Band, and is the older brother of none other than Mark Holden!
Master’s Apprentices 1965’s Melbourne show at the Corner Hotel in Richmond on September 1 follows two sold out Fringe shows in Adelaide 2016 and a number of other sold out SA appearances. They will be joined on the night by the latest incarnation of another legendary Australian outfit, Mike Rudd's Spectrum.
Check out some classic early Masters below – including the rare original film clip for “Buried And Dead”. For more great local and international hits from the era, you can stream our massive and fantastic Hits of the ‘60s playlist on Spotify.
-DL
