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Saturday, 21 September 2013

THE GLOBES


Newcastle band from the 80s. Guitarist Larry Shone remembers ''The first lineup of the 'Globes' was me, drummer Mark Robinson and bassist Roger Koller.....we approached Bob Hanley ...(older and respected muso that we thought was cool because he was 2 years ahead of us at school and had been playing in bands...'Bluegrass' etc for years already)....in a pub at East Maitland and to our amazment he left what he was doing and he joined us...first 'Globes' 4 piece with Bob on rhythm guitar....then he left for Melbourne and we got Mick Armitt....shortly after that we got runner up in Raworth Battle of the Bands at the Palais, and Ross 'Rex' Melville who had been with 'Harliquin' for years, walked up to us and said he wanted to join ....so away we went again!

Drummer Mark Robinson adds ''It must have been early 1980 when Ross 'Rex' Melville became the new frontman for 'The Globes'. Mark Robinson remembers: "I fronted Ross down at Rayworth's music store and asked him to join our band, he told me he was happy playing in 'Harlequin'. It wasn't till some months later, when we were supporting 'Heroes' out at Blacksmiths Sportsman's Club, that Ross walked up and said I want to join the band". As soon as Ross joined we started getting real gigs and a lot of them. It wasn't long before we updated our P A and acquired a roady, that being Peter Whollahan''.

''We then went on a wage, which was $70 bucks a week. It was nothing to do The Palais on a Wednesday, The Shortland pub on a Thursday, Muswellbrook Workers on a Friday, The Castle on Saturday and rock up and do the Charmhaven Hotel on a Sunday. We became 'Heroes' favourite support band because Ross knew how to work a room, and warm up the crowd. Other supports included, INXS, The Reels, The Radiators, Russell Morris and The Rubes, Dallimore, Mother Goose, Outline and countless others. It was a great learning curve we learnt a lot about professionalism from the touring bands, we eventually bought a truck, leather pants, bright clothes and started dyeing our hair''.

''It was the 80s and we loved every minute of it. We were very fortunate to have a talented songwriter in the band that being the very dry witted Michael Armit. 'The Heroes' Mark Tinson quickly saw an opportunity and we headed into the Cordial Factory Studios to record our first single. It got a good review in Ram Magazine at the time, and with a reasonable amount of airplay it made it to #22 on the 2NX chart, and no 14 on the 2KO chart. And the same week no 91 on the Australian National Chart for the week of 11 may 1981''.


Members

Ross 'Rex' Melville (vocals) Michael Armitt (guitar) Larry Shone (guitar), Roger Koller (bass)
Mark Robinson (drums), Bob Hanley (guitar)



SINGLES
The Girl With the Smiling Hair

11 MAY '81#91



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