THE GUTBUCKET JUG BAND

The Gutbucket Jug Band was formed in about 1964 by Colin Stevens, Rick Ludbrook and Rick Amor, three teenagers with a shared passion. Their love of roots music, especially of the Jug Band variety inspired them to emulate and invent their own takes on Jug classics, played by such bands as Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers, Memphis Jug Band, Dixieland Jug Blowers and many others. Arguably the first jug band in Australia, they hit the folk scene and jazz scene simultaneously as Jim Kweskin's music O/S was making the genre popular as well. Colin played mandolin, harmonica, kazoo and vocals, Rick Ludbrook 12-string guitar and vocals and Rick Amor guitar. The latter left the band when he won an art (travelling) scholarship from the Victorian National Gallery and put his musical career on hold to pursue his art. Shortly after, Tony Dunn on jug joined and Brent Davey on banjo.

Ron Davis joined as a washboard player until the band realised he played fantastic guitar. Bruce McNicol joined as well, violin, guitar, washboard and vocals. The dates when members joined and the comings and goings of various band members are a bit hazy, but the group played to loud acclaim during the 60's/70's, doing the pub, club, festival, uni, protest rally, folk and jazz circuit. Marni Sheehan, guitar, mandolin, vocals and Teana Schifferle, washboard, vocals, joined Col, Brent, Tony and Ron in 1968/9 and when Ron moved to Sydney with his work, Rick Amor rejoined as one of the new guitarists. Romance blossomed and Rick and Teana married.

A recording was made at East Studios during this time, and this has now been converted to CD. Bits and pieces of tapes have come to light over the years and have been saved to disc. Janie Conway took her two younger brothers, Mic and Jim along to a concert at the Kew Civic Centre in about 1965 and inspired by the raw, gutsy blues of Gutbucket and other roots music they heard; they formed the Jelly Bean Jug Band which later became Captain Matchbox. The band split up in about '71. When Victoria celebrated its 50th Jazz Convention in 1995, Tony Dunn called Gutbucket members together again to reform for the occasion and the band slayed them in the aisles. Gutbucket were later joined by Tim Shaw on reeds and Ken Farmer, washboard/percussion. The band released three albums in the 2000's - Pussyfooting (2003), Engruntlement (2004) and Raunchy, Paunchy, Rootless and Blue (2006).

Members

Colin Stevens (mandolin, harmonica, kazoo, vocals), Rick Ludbrook (guitar, vocals), Rick  Amor(guitar), Tony Dunn (jug), Brent Davey (banjo), Ron Davis (washboard), Bruce McNicol (violin, guitar, washboard), Marni Sheehan (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Teana Schifferle (washboard, vocals), Tim Shaw (reeds), Ken Farmer (washboard, percussion)

ALBUMS

'Pussyfooting' 2003 Yandoo Productions
'Engruntlement' 2004
'Raunchy, Paunchy, Rootless and Blue' 2006

References

http://www.franktraynors.net.au/groups-at-traynors/gut-bucket-jug-band