THE RAIDERS

The band started off as The Blue Moon Quartet with pianist Lindsay Arnold and occasional trumpet player Jimmy Stokes at the Cammeray Rex Hotel leaning towards a bit of jazz but later morphing into The Raiders in the late 50s. Manager and promoter Royce Smeale being the person to choose the name. The lineup was Tony Stapleton on sax, Billy Green on lead guitar, Brian Godden on rthymn guitar, Howard Leslie on bass and John McIntosh on drums. The band had regular gigs at The Bondi Royal Hotel, The Clifton Hotel, The Enfield Boulevard Hotel and others. In 1960 vocalist Bix Bryant was looking for a band to back him and he managed to get The Raiders. The band was performing at Dee Why beach when they were first talent spotted and offered a five-year recording contract with the Festival subsidiary Rex label. 

Their first two releases ''Move Two Mountains / Let's Have A Party'' and ''Little Miss Muffet / Everlovin Honey Bee'' were raw, raucous rock and roll. The third third single ''Wishing Bell / I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore'' moved away from rock 'n' roll and more into pop. Bix went out on his own soon after and became a solo artist. The band recorded one more single ''Nature Boy / Nightmare'' in 1961. They also backed a few other festival recordings artists at the time. Billy Green left the band and went to become a legend of the Australian music industry. Brian Godden would later turn up in The Grape Escape. Godden and Stapleton have since died.

Members

Tony Stapleton (sax), Billy Green (guitar), Brian Godden (vocals/guitar), Howard Leslie (bass), John McIntosh (drums)

SINGLES

''So Sad'' [with The Dew-Etts] 1960 Rex

''Move Two Mountains / Let's Have A Party'' [with Bix Bryant] 1960 Rex
''Little Miss Muffet / Ever-Lovin' Honey Bee'' [with Bix Bryant] 1960 Rex
''Wishing Bell / I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore'' [with Bix Bryant] 1961 Rex

''Nature Boy / Nightmare'' 1961 Rex

References

John McIntosh