The four-piece Aussie pop-infused band rolled out a set of original tunes and said the first gig was “great”.

Band members are veteran musicians who have played in a number of Newcastle bands since the ‘80s. Ed Peters is on bass, Dave Robson is on vocals and guitar, Ron Jackman is also on guitar and Ross Peters plays drums. 

Between them they played in bands such as the Longknives, The Happy Dials and Men Without Shame.  

“We had similar musical tastes, we love that indie guitar-jangling stuff of the ’80s,” Ed Peters said. 

“We have played music all our lives and it’s a passion we have never grown out of.”

The decision to get up a new band was made after members tired of playing in cover bands. 

“The last cover band I was in ended after about seven years,” Robson said.

“I was just getting sick of going through the motions in pubs.

“Playing other people’s music is OK and it scratches the itch a bit.

“It’s like eating McDonalds when you could have a 10 course meal, it’s a bit like that. Stops you from being hungry but doesn’t satisfy you.”

Their material draws on 30 years of songs written mostly by Ed Peters. He had been writing and recording in his home studio and was interested in starting another band but couldn’t find the right mix of people. 

The band came together about six months ago. At the time Robson said he had not written a song in 15 years.

“I wondered if I could still write a song … I always have stuff in my head … I came up with a few ideas, recorded it and realised I could still do it,” he said. 

They began jamming and had not yet enlisted a drummer when they accepted their first gig.

“It was like the Blues Brothers, we went into a mad flap and thought, ‘Christ we better practice … and find a drummer,’” Ed Peters said. 

“We just worked really hard and we were probably slightly short of a gallop but we were glad to have played that gig.”

The band says it will focus on playing in good venues to good people.

“It’s heartening to see independent venues … it seems that people are starting to value it [live music] again,” Robson said.

“We would like to play in pubs but also at little festivals and things, the stuff we haven't done.

“We all work, its not about money, it’s about going out and enjoying it.” 

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