THE RAMRODS

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 Treasurer 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 on EMI's Parlophone label in 1966. The Raven label combined them on the EP 'Enfield Energy' released in 1988. The band backed a few artists including The Bee Gees. 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.

Members

Barry Connors (vocals), Brian Hall (guitar), Barry Brady (guitar), Gary Moberley (keyboards), Ken Kramer (bass), Quentin Chadwick (drums)

SINGLES

''Since You Broke My Heart / Since I Don't Have You'' 1966 Parlophone
''You Shoulda Held On / Get Back'' 1967 Parlophone

References

http://www.milesago.com/artists/ramrods.htm