Thanks Kym.

Describe the Australian Scene then and the type of music being played?
The Australian scene then was dire. Artists from the sixties Easy beats, Masters Apprentices ( more about them later) really world class acts had expired. Worst of all "British " influence had been replaced by the "West Coast" laid back sound. The background to this was the end of the Vietnam war . The drama of that war had thrown up some wonderful talent not only music. Barry humphries  came out of that era but when the war was over and the real prospect of being conscripted went away, things had got a bit flabby by 74.

Were there any bands like yourselves and if so whom? How was the band viewed and what was the audience reaction to you? Did the Saints get any success in Australia and what was their aim?
No there was  no one like us. Everyone hated us except for a small dedicated following. Most audiences seemed non plussed by us  except for our followers. We realised we would get no where in Australia. Our only hope was to make the record and send it to England.

Were you aware of punk  in the UK and USA at all and if so how did it influence the band and its sound?
We were not aware of "punk" as at of late 75 it wasn't defined. We knew of and played iggy, mc5, velvets, Lenny kaye records

You released I’m Stranded which is an all time Punk rock classic. Why did you choose to release this and on Powerplay. Was this your own label?
I don't remember how the power play thing happened. It was originally released on fatal then emi.  Some one must have done a licensing deal with them

What made you choose to locate to the UK?
Because we had our success here. After 77 for a number of personal and professional reasons I decided to stay here

You arrived there at the height of the Punk scene there. What were your first impressions? Great there’s music like ours or not so positive?
Being in England in some ways made us feel, yes people understand a bit more here but I felt let down that so many of the acts were obvious fakes and free loaders. The pistols, gene October, generation  x, Wayne county, the vibrators. I met and spoke to Johnny rotten He came across as a fake. He talked a good fight but really it was a put together band with the creative input coming from some one else. History proves my point. The genuine articles were the captain, the clash, ramones, talking heads, stranglers

If you have read the interview on the site or any of Chris’s later comments he is extremely down on Punk Rock and the uk in general. I think he hated the country, th4e reaction to the band and saw punk as a fad. I found this disheartening. It was a scene that welcomed music like yours and even gave you a hit and a tv appearance.
I can't explain chris's reaction. My personal view is that at the time it was a Renaissance of the musical revolution that began in London during the sixties. It threw the saints a life line without which we would have sunk without trace. it was only after those reviews in the English press that emi knocked on our door. England effectively launched the saints to a wider world which enabled Ed and chris to make a career in music they may not other wise done

How did you find it. Exciting, fun punk rock times or Chris’s more jaded view of events. What do you remember of doing Top Of  The Pops and This Perfect Day?
Exciting would not be the word I would use in fact I find it difficult  to describe how it felt. I don't know with some one from my background  being pitched from the suburbs of Brisbane to the middle of the cauldron of the British music scene.  confused and over awed might describe it better

Did the Saints fit in the punk scene or were they outsiders? How did the UK punk crowd react to the saints? Notice any differences in reaction outside London to the band?  Did the band encounter violence and spitting?
In some ways we were outsiders especially image wise. I don't know about the others  but I certainly had no "show bizz savvy" Our manager was south African  and had no idea how things worked in London unlike (say) Bernie Rhodes. Audiences outside London were ok Of course there was spitting. The one really bad  show was sunderland where there were hells angels with axes as security by the side if the stage. That night we crammed as many fans as possible into our van to escape otherwise they would have been badly beaten up

Did the Saints ever play the Roxy or Vortex and if so what can you remember about it?
Ee played the roxy and we met Mark P and the captain there  Top geezers

You were clearly a cut above other bands but did you feel like inferior bands with more image than content were getting the plaudits? How did you get on with other bands on the scene?
Yes gen x were fakes  but their image and management were spot on

At the same time the Saints really had no image. Do you think this was one of the reasons why you were not more successful?
yes

When and why did you leave the Saints?
I left at the end of their uk tour in 77. It was the end of an era.

The Lurkers
So you then went straight to a bona fide 100mph punk band.

What made you join the Lurkers? What did you know about them and their songs?
It was something to do. They had a couple of good songs

How did it compare to the Saints and what were the differences?
They were totally shambolic and their song writing was mostly limited. Pete stride wasn't good enough to tie eds' shoe laces

Why and when did you leave?
I was sacked officially because I was "too Professional" Basically I don't think Pete  liked the fact that I was starting to write better songs than him

And finally to King

How did you come to join the band?
The captains manager knew me and the captain asked me to come down for and audition  in chalk  farm The drummer was from Johnny Moped and the key board player came fron wreckless eric A punk super group

Was the band always going to be temporary?
I think so. We never talked about making  an album It really was a vehicle for the captain to try out some new ideas

You did one peel session? How did you find this and did the band ever gig
The peel session remains a monument to the band. It is simply extraordinary and it is a crime that it hasn;t been released to a wider audience. Peel said it was one of the best sessions he ever did. I second that. We did a mad  week's residency in a night club in Paris. On the way back the captain nearly got me deported and himself arrested at the immigration at ramsgate. Mad bastard

How did you find working with the Captain?
The captain was  a genius musically he taught me a fw soul grooves which led to the Small Hours ((see below)

How did King end?
I don't know. One day rehearsals were booked then cancelled I get no phone calls next week I read that captain reformed the damned C'est la vie

You were involved in punk rock from its main time of 1977-79. A jaded view says it was a fad and industry manipulated. The romantic among us say it was fresh, youthful and invigorating. Which do you think or a combination of both perhaps? What did punk rock give us?
Punk was not manipulated by the industry the industry hated it As soon as they got control of it by the end of 77 they set about destroying it. The scene was to some extent set up by Malcolm mclaren, Bernie Rhodes, Stuart Joseph and jake Riviera. But there was a genuine punk movement starting at the roxy led by the captain  and a few others before those dubious afore mentioned persons came on the scene. I know this because for two years I worked with the guys who did the sound system at the Roxy......the Thompson brothers who.......................

What have you been up to since? Still involved in the music biz?
Joined me in the Small Hours in 1979 to play on the Mods May day album and go onto perhaps be the greatest example ever of under achievement. How can a band that is offered a number of  6 albums deals from the likes of emi and phongram with huge advances fail? We did. see our website

I left the music scene in early 1982. I was 28 and didn't feel like going through all the shit I'd gone through over the past 6 years. So 20 years later I get this phone call from a bloke called Dizzy who wants to release an album of unreleased stuff by "Les Petites Heures" Lo and behold after some tweaking in the studio we have an album which is actually not bad

So there we are from me watching Australia's answer to the Small faces (The Masters Apprentices) in 1968 through to punk in Brisbane and London, the captain, mods mayday and dizzy.

Its a funny old life
 

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