INDEFINITE FOUR

Melbourne Uni has always been, and probably will always be, a very musical college. Featuring and celebrating music together has been a huge part of the college experience with many a impromptu sing-along in the Junior Common Room. However, back in the day the uni had its own version of The Beatles. They met  in 1966 and formed their group, calling themselves the Indefinite Four because, in a macabre but classically way, they didn’t know how long they would be able to stay together.They released their debut EP  'Do As They Say' in 1966 on the W&G record label, featuring a song written by Peter Whipple (Do As I Say), the Beatles song ''Rain'', an American folk song called ''I Know You Rider'' and Bob Dylan’s ''A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall''.

The members used their music as some time off from study and used to rehearse within the University. Peter Whipple came from Massachusetts in the USA and came to Australia to do postgraduate work after receiving a Rotary Fellowship. Han Hoon Tan came from Malaysia to study architecture and gained his Australian citizenship in 1965. He played in a harmonica band in high school but then began playing the guitar. Barrie Webster was from Kelowna in British Columbia, Canada and had finished his Master of Science at the University of British Columbia before he came to Australia in 1965 to do his PhD in organic chemistry. He played piano since the age of seven, but his main focus was playing the cello. Enver Bajraszweski came to Australia from Poland and was studying medicine, graduating in 1966.

A band made up of people from three different continents meeting up in a fourth would have been a great challenge to understanding how cultures interact at a time when multiculturalism wasn’t even an official Government policy yet. The Indefinite Four did continue on, releasing a single in 1969 for Astor Records, "Images of Night / Four Strong Winds", and becoming grand finalists in the Australian talent show New Faces in the same year, with the addition of new member Jim Forsyth replacing Barrie Webster. Jim was replaced by Det Thieme in 1975. They continued to perform for the next ten years, and during this time they released two more LP albums – 'Thoughts Captured' in 1975; and 'Second Thoughts' in 1977. Over the span of their career, the Indefinite Four had done over 40 television and radio appearances and released four records, a select number of which are available as collector’s items. The band split up in 1985, after a 20-year run of making music. 

Members

Peter Whipple (guitar), Enver Bajraszweski (vocals/guitar), Barrie Webster (cello), Han Hoon Tan (guitar/mandolin), Jim Forsyth (guitar), Det Thieme (guitar)

SINGLES

''Images Of Night / Four Strong Winds'' 1969 Astor

EPs

'Do As They Say' 1967 W&G

ALBUMS

'Thoughts Captured' 1976 Indefinite Records
'Second Thoughts' 1977 Indefinite Records