Name of band: Fish Fry 

Line-up: Scott Chapman, Justin Collins, Ian Dunn, Kim Pink, Stuart St Hill and Andrew Wallace. 

How long have you been together? Started as Fish Fry in 1993.  

How did the band come about? We had all been in bands that worked together or that had influenced each other through some of the golden years of pub music in Newcastle in the 1980’s: Yes Commissioner, Housequake, BelleDiva/ON, Vegemite Reggae, Hipslingers.

A friend returning from doing gigs in England said about how Louis Jordan’s music was enjoying a resurgence and since we were all pretty well versed in jump jive and r’n’b we decided to pool our resources and use his music as a basis for the band. 

What makes you want to do what you are doing? It's a passion that we all have in common; we are all variously committed to music either as performers, teachers, composers and production technicians.

Describe your sound: Our sound in Fish Fry is jump jive, rhythm and blues, jazz. We also love the opportunity to raid the great standards songbooks for jazz, samba and bebop classics when the odd occasion arises, something we do regularly at University graduation receptions.

Dream support gig and why: The supports would have to be on the "night shift" as the Commodores would have it. James Brown, Prince, Ray Charles, Frank. Ok maybe one or two still breathing, Stevie Wonder for one.

Why do you do what you do? We love to perform and to get a crowd to step inside our passion and dance around in it.

Are there any recordings, if so tell us about them? Yes we have made four cds. The last studio recording, called Platter has a mix of covers and originals. Back catalogue is on fishfry.com.au

Greatest rock’n’roll moment: We love a festival stage and reckon we know how to use them. Jazz in the Vines straight after James Morrison was one highlight, for rock'n'roll probably can't beat a couple of Gum Ball shows. Supporting Shirley Bassey is up there too.

Plans for world domination: Establish Fish Fry cultural hegemony and march through the institutions.

Next gig: May 14 at The Queen's Wharf Hotel; May 21 at The Wickham Park Hotel; June 8 at Gallipoli Club; June 25 at The Wickham Park Hotel.

Fish Fry also fly under the moniker PowWow, when they are joined by electric bass player Gina Collins and things begin to turn  and Pow Wow to funk, soul and disco.