KEVIN BIBLE AND THE BOOK

When The Riddles went to St. Claire Studio at Hurstville NSW to pay to have a recording made, the studio owner, Ossie Byrne, asked them back to record some more. Dennis Wilson and Russell Barnsley both recorded several sessions with the Bee Gees, whom Ossie was producing, as well as backing tracks for singers who were appearing on TV shows. Ossie brought in Kevin Bible, a young pop singer, to replace John Murray, and the band was given a contract with Down Under Records. ''Rockin’ Pneumonia'' is a spirited cover of Huey “Piano” Smith and the Clowns’ New Orleans classic. ''I Found a New Love'' had been a 1960 Australian hit for Lonnie Lee. Lee and Nat Kipner were the writers. At the time of its release, the Sydney Sun wrote, “Kevin Bible and the Book are a group which fortunately shows more talent in its playing than in its picking of a name. Their first record, on Down Under, is a savage “Rockin’ Pneumonia” backed with a catchy version of “I Found A New Love.” (Sun 7/71966, p. 32) 

The Book’s line-up was drawn from a local Sydney high-school band, The Riddles, with Kevin Bible replacing John Murray as vocalist. For whatever reason, Nat Kipner and Ossie Byrne thought the band needed a singer other than Murray. With some misgivings the group went along with that assessment. Murray and The Riddles had recorded their entire repertoire at St. Clair, about 16 songs in all. These included ''Louise'', ''Beautiful Delilah'' and ''Gloria'' by, respectively, The Yardbirds, Chuck Berry and Them. The backing tapes were eventually used for other singers on the TV show Saturday Date. Drummer Russell Barnsley says, “Even though Kevin was a nice bloke and a fair enough singer, John Murray had been a mate of all of us. It was the wrong thing to do. I never saw him after he left the band, not once, and it’s something I really regret. I’ve hoped one day to catch up with him and tell him, but so far it hasn’t happened.”

Members

Kevin Bible (vocals), Dennis Wilson (guitar), Mike Cutrupi (guitar), John Jones (bass), Russell Barnsley (drums)

SINGLES

''Rockin' Pneumonia / I Found A New Love'' 1966 Downunder

References

http://www.denniswilson.com.au