We were saddened to hear of the passing of one of Australian rock’n’roll’s good guys, longtime Jo Jo Zep & the Falcons bass player John Power, on Friday.

Big and burly yet super friendly, John came to prominence originally on the Sydney blues scene, with the legendary “University of the Blues,” by the Foreday Riders. He moved to Melbourne to join the reformed Company Caine in 1975 and appeared on their album Dr. Chop before soon moving, along with fellow Company Cainer Jeff Burstin, to join Joe Camilleri in the first line-up of Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons. He stayed with the band as they rose to the top tier of the thriving pub rock circuit, toured overseas (including performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival) and received Gold Records. 

John later formed the Hippos back in Sydney, where he was also an original partner in influential record store Red Eye Records. He took part in numerous Falcons reformations over the years, including recent performances at A Day On The Green and the Melbourne Zoo. He was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame with Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons in 2007.

Let’s remember John with some classic Falcons and Hippos footage (John’s the big bearded bass guy) and a couple of gems from Company Caine.

Company Caine

Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons

The Hippos