| MILESAGO: Australasian Music & Popular Culture 1964-1975 | Groups & Solo Artists |
THE RAMRODS
Sydney, 1961?-68
Barry Connors (vocals)
Barry Brady (guitar)
Gary Moberley (keyboards)
Ken Kramer (bass)
Quentin Chadwick (drums)
History
The Ramrods hailed from the Bankstown area in Sydney's south-west. They would hardly stand out among the large number of obscure minor bands of the period, except for the fact that their manager, a young government pay clerk called Paul Keating, made something of a name for himself in politics. He joined the Labor Party, entered parliament, rose to be federal Treaurer and finally deposed Bob Hawke as leader of the Labor Party to become Prime Minister of Australia from 1991-96. Thanks to his rock'n'roll past, Keating became the first, and so far, the only prime minister to feature on the cover of Australian Rolling Stone magazine, in March 1993. Interviewed about his stint as their manager, Keating famously quipped that he took them "from nowhere to obscurity". The Ramrods recorded two singles issued EMI's Parlophone label in 1966. Raven combined them on the 12" EP Enfield Energy in 1988.
Organist Gary Moberly went on to considerable success as a musician. He joined Sydney pop band Aesop's Fables (1968-70), and after that split in late 1970 he joined former Aesop's guitarist Brian Holloway, singer Ronnie Charles (ex-The Groop) and Richard Wright (ex-Richard Wright Group) in the shortlived Captain Australia & The Honky Tonk. Gary settled in the UK and became a successful session musician and musical director with credits including The Sweet, ABC, The Bee Gees, Mick Taylor, Prefab Sprout, Wet Wet Wet, Fine Young Cannibals, The The, Jody Watley, Talk Talk, Terence Trent D'Arby and The Damned.
Discography
Singles
1966
"Since You Broke My Heart" / "Since I Don't Have You" (Parlophone A-8201)
1966
"You Should Have Held On" / "Get Back" (Parlophone A-8241)
References / Links
Ian McFarlane
Encyclopedia of Australian Rock & Pop (Allen & Unwin, 1999)
Vernon Joyson
Dream, Fantasies & Nightmares - Australia (Borderline Books, 1999)
The Record Collector
http://users.bigpond.net.au/reccol/Singles/r.html
Australia's Prime Ministers: Paul Keating
http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/meetpm.asp?pmId=24&pageName=before