Phoenix originated when I met Claude
Hatton, he joined a little rock band I had called 'Styx' that
played at the Mawson hotel in the 'Delta'& 'Armaggedon'
days maybe early 70's. Very late in 1975 Claude and I got back together
to form 'Phoenix' or as some of our followers affectionately
called us later on, 'The Bird Band'. The original line up was as follows,
Claude Hatton - Guitar & Vocals
Nick Mandas - Guitar & Vocals (some bass when Frank played the harp)
Frank Brockman - Bass - Vocals - Blues Harp
Gerry Brice - Drums
This line up recorded a single in 1976 at Hadley Studios,Tamworth
Side A -'Something Happened to Me' (CRS-23) - Side B - 'Goodbye
to Hollywood'
Frank left in aprox. late 1977 and we all went our separate ways looking
for 'better things' but in the end reformed in I think mid to late 1978
.
This new 1978 line up was as follows,
Claude Hatton - Guitar & Vocals
Nick Mandas - Bass & Vocals
Greg Sullivan - Keyboards
Terry Lantry - Drums
Kevin Meehan - Guitar & Vocals
Bruce Campbell - Sound & Lights
During or around 1979, Bruce Campbell left and was replaced with Forrest
Goodbar on sound, Kevin Meehan left and was not replaced and Terry Lantry
left and was replaced by Mick Sheedy - aka Mick Crockett. Mick was one
of the Sheedy Brothers cousins so he went under the name of Sheedy but
I believe his correct name was Crockett or Crocket with one 't', anyway
, he liked to be called 'the count'. It was about this time we
picked up a couple of U beaut roadies, Neil Johns and John Reilly.
In 1980, when we won the Battle of the Bands the lineup was as follows,
Claude Hatton - Guitar & Vocals
Nick Mandas - Bass & Vocals
Greg Sullivan - Keyboard & Guitar
Mick Crocket(t) - Drums
Forrest Goodbar - Sound
Neil Johns - Roadcrew
John Reilly - roadcrew
Shortly after this Forrest Goodbar left and Neil Johns took over the
sound and John Reilly did lights, plus they did all the road crew stuff
and drove the truck, they were a great pair to have around.
The band continued for quite a few years with this line up but eventually
like most bands do we went our separate ways somewhere in the mid 80's
I think maybe 85 or 86.
It was great time in our lives, bands those days were like extended
families and for several years after the win in 1980 we made a good
living from our music and loved every minute of it. But I guess all
good things must come to an end.
I might add our other 'claim to fame' if you could
call it that.
Believe it or not, we were the 'other band' at the Star hotel on it's
closing night when the riot happened. As it happened we were to be doing
the back bar, but as it turned out that it was going to be the pubs
last night, she rang me and asked if it would be ok if Heroes did
it, as it was sort of their pub. I said ok and was happy for a night
off, but she rang back a few hours later, said she thought it was unfair
to us and how would we like to do the middle bar with Heroes
in the back bar. Of course I said yes and the rest was in the papers,
it was one hell of a night, we didn't move our gear out of the place
till 4.00 am.
Nick Mandas
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