It was at the tender age of 14 and while a student of Newcastle Boys High School that David Hines formed his first band.
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Hot Ice, as it was called, launched David's life in music with the singer and guitarist going on to join influential Newcastle outfits of the late 60s and early 70s including Badger, Father Mouse, Marshall Brothers Band and Highway.
At the invitation of good friend Mark Tinson, who is now affectionately referred to as Newcastle's godfather of rock, David joined Rabbit.
The legendary rock band would launch a 21-year-old Hines out of Newcastle to Sydney and into a music career.
Now 43 years after he left Newcastle David, who in 2019 is celebrating 50 years in the music industry, has returned with wife Lyn, bringing with them their blues and rock band Bounty Hunters.
"[We] are thrilled to be living in the Newcastle-Lake Macquarie area, and are looking forward to contributing [our] talents to the local music scene," the pair said.
A six month 'sea change' working holiday to Port Macquarie in 1979 ended up being a 40 year move for David, apart from a six month return to Newcastle to play with The Idols in 1980.
In Port Macquarie David ran a music store, Oasis Music, and then a recording studio, David Hinds Recording. He also played in local bands The David Hinds Band and The Dangerous Mongrels.
It was at his recording studio that David met Lyn, who had come in to the studio to record some of her original songs.
The couple hit it off both musically and personally and they were married in 1996.
David and Lyn performed as Balance Duo, then Balance Band and The Flamin' Bullantz, playing gigs from Queensland to the snow country and west across the ranges.
In 2006 David and Lyn recorded an album of original songs under the name Bounty Hunters, recorded at Impromptu Studios in Tighes Hill by David's old Rabbit bandmate, Tinson.
Since then Bounty Hunters have performed with several different lineups and released two more full length albums, Rise and Rollercoaster, along with an EP, Dyin' To Live, released this year.
The lineup of Bounty Hunters Band these days is Lyn on lead vocals and bass, David on lead guitar and vocals, and Sydney's Mick O'Shea on drums and vocals.
To celebrate the move back to Newcastle, David's milestone and the EP release of Dyin' To Live, the Bounty Hunters band will tear up the stage at Wickham Park Hotel on Friday, December 6.
As a special treat, Tinson will be joining the band on stage.
"The old Rabbit guitar duo will be firing again on all cylinders," David said.
