MILESAGO – Groups & Solo Artists

The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band
Melbourne 1969-1980

STOP PRESS!

A very happy Birthday to Mic and Jim’s Aunty Lyla
an original “Tivoli tapper”, who turned 103 on Sept. 30, 2001

Personnel

Jim Conway [harmonica, kazoo, vocals]

Mic Conway [vocals, washboard, ukelele]

with:

Tony Burkys [guitar] 1978-80

Stephen Cooney [guitar] 1978-80?

Chris Coyne (sax, flute) 1979-80

Mick Fleming [banjo, mandolin, guitar, vocals] 1969-73

Dave Flett [electric bass, slide dobro, backing vocals, ukelele] Nov 1973 – Nov? 1976

Geoff Hales [drums, washboard] Nov 1973 - 1975

Dave Hubbard [guitar] 1969-73

Peter Inglis [guitar, vocals] 1969-73

Graeme Isaacs [drums, washboard] 1976 -?

Rick Ludbrook (guitar, sax) 1976-?

Eric McCusker (guitar) 1979-80

Gordon McLean [banjo, mandolin, guitar, vocals] 1976-

Peter Mulheissen (bass) 1976-?

Jim Niven [piano, pedal organ] 1969-76

Fred Olbrei [violin, vocals] Nov 1973-1976

Manny Paterakis [drums, washboard] 1974-76

Robert Ross [drums] 1979-80

Jack Saram [violin, vocals] 1976-?

Peter Scott [tea chest bass] 1969-73

Jon Snyder [guitar] Jan? 1974-?

Chris Worral [banjo, mandolin, guitar, vocals] 1975-76

Biography

If asked to name Australia funniest and best-loved band of the 70s, chances are most people who lived through that period would say The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band. This lunatic Melbourne-based ensemble played a uniquely zany brand of jug-band blues, spiced with jazz, swing, popular standards, cabaret, sideshow chutzpah and vaudeville routines including slapstick, tap dancing, juggling, magic and even fire eating.

An obvious overseas point of reference is The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, but it would be quite wrong to label Matchbox as mere copyists. The Conway brothers were born into a family with strong background in music and popular entertainment, particularly vaudeville theatre and opera -- their grandfather was an original vaudevillean, and their Aunty Lyla, as noted above, was a dancer on the famed Tivoli circuit. As related in the film THE JIM CONWAY BLUES, Mic and Jim’s father (a wool buyer) tried to dissuade his children from the uncertainty of a musical career, to no avail. The greasepaint obviously ran in the veins of his illustrious scions; as well as Mic and Jim’s well-know exploits, their sister Janie is also a noted musician whose credits including the late 70s Melbourne new wave band Stiletto with Jane Clifton.

As teenagers at Melbourne’s Camberwell High School, Mic and Jim formed the forerunner to Matchbox, The Jellybean Jug Band. This early venture was captured on film by their neighbour Chris Löfvén, who went on to be a pioneer in Australian music video. (Chris made the classic film-clips for Spectrum’s I’ll Be Gone and Daddy Cool’s Eagle Rock in 1971, and directed the cult road 1976 movie OZ). After high school this evolved into The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band, which centred throughout its life on the Conway brothers. Their inspirations came from their family background in vaudeville and in particular from Mic’s fascination with the family collection of vintage 78rpm records of music by Fats Waller, Jelly Roll Morton and other classics of jazz, swing and “hot” music.

Billed as “Australia’s loudest jug band”, their unique, irreverent style was a hit on the theatrically inclined Melbourne underground scene and they became a regular attraction at venues like the TF Much Ballroom and Thumpin’ Tum, alongside the likes of Spectrum, Daddy Cool and Jeff Crozier. Their popularity with “head” audiences was no doubt enhanced by their repertoire, which was liberally spiked with covers of classic jazz and blues numbers that contained thinly-veiled dope references -- songs like Smoke Dreams, That Cat Is High and My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes.

An early photo of a four-piece lineup of Captain Matchbox on stage at Melbourne’s
Thumpin’ Tum disco ca 1971, possibly prior to the arrival of Jim Niven and Peter Scott.
The violinist at left is unknown. [Photo © 2001 Harley Parker]

Their first mainstream exposure came through an appearance in Tim Burstall's 1971 film STORK, starring Bruce Spence and Jackie Weaver, and during the year they also performed in Sydney at The Yellow House, the famous multimedia gallery set up by artist Martin Sharp which operated during 1970-71.

The band signed to Image Records in 1972 and issued their debut single My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes, which was a Top 40 hit in November. Also during that year their TF Much Ballroom act was immortalised (in colour) by film maker Peter Weir in his short documentary THREE DIRECTIONS IN AUSTRALIAN POP MUSIC, which also included performances by Spectrum and Wendy Saddington & Teardrop. Matchbox also featured in an episode of interview with GTK reporter Jeune Pritchard and a live-in-the-studio performance of Mobile Line.

Their next single I Can't Dance (Got Ants in My Pants)/Jungle Dance came out in April 1973 and their debut album Smoke Dreams was released in June. The album was comprised entirely of 1930s and 1940s jazz, blues and jug-band standards and the lineup for these recording was Mic (vocals, washboard, ukelele), Jim (harmonica, kazoo, vocals), Dave Hubbard (guitar), Peter Inglis (guitar, vocals), Peter Scott (tea chest bass), Mick Fleming (banjo, mandolin, guitar, vocals) and Jim Niven (piano, pedal organ). Image licensed the album to the ESP label for release in the USA, where it was also issued in Quadraphonic, and in this format it has become something of a cult item with overseas collectors.

In November 1973, the line-up had changed to the Conway brothers, Jimmy Niven and Mick Fleming with new members Geoff Hales, Fred Olbrei and Dave Flett (ex-Lipp and The Double Dekker Brothers, Armadillo). Jon Snyder (guitar) joined at the beginning of 1974, and their next single Your Feets Too Big came out in February 1974, followed by their inimitable version of the classic Hernando's Hideaway in July. The B-side Wait For Me Juanita, written by Mic and Dave Flett, was one of the band's first original compositions to be released.

Another Conway–Flett song, Wangaratta Wahine, became the title track to and single from the band's breakthrough second album, which came out at the end of 1974. It featured the classic cover design by cartoonist Michael Leunig which won the award for Album Cover of the Year in 1974. Assisted by their memorable first appearance on COUNTDOWN playing Wangaratta Wahine the album reached #4 on the national charts by August 1975. During 1975, Fleming and Hales left to be replaced by Chris Worral (ex-Pelaco Brothers) and Manny Paterakis (a former member of Armadillo with Dave Flett and The Ferrets’ Bill Miller).

Mushroom signed the band after their Image contract expired and they issued the single Australia in October 1975 and the album Australia. Another “entertaining mix of originals and covers” the album included songs like Cocaine Habit, Sweeny Todd the Barber and Noel Coward's classic 20th Century Blues. In keeping with the band's loopy sense of humour, the album credits listed Mic as “Microphone” Conway and Worral was “Christmas” Worral.

There were more line-up changes in 1976 with Jack Saram replacing Olbrei, Graeme Isaacs replacing Paterakis, Gordon McLean replacing Worral, and Jimmy Niven leaving to join the newly formed The Sports. The band's old label, Image, issued the perennial compilation album Making Whoopee (October 1976), which combined the first two albums, and it is still widely available today on CD.

Captain Matchbox had a long association with the theatrical scene centred on the Australian Performing Group and Melbourne’s La Mama and Pram Factory theatres, and in late 1976 the two forces quite naturally combined as a new performing outfit, The Soapbox Circus. By this time Flett had left (he went to a stint in Redgum in 1980s) and two new members, Peter Mulheissen (bass) and Rick Ludbrook (guitar, sax) had joined. The new group recorded the live album The Great Stumble Forward, the single If I Can't Hav-Anna in Cuba / Chiropodist Shop, and appeared in the play SMACKIN' THE DACKS. In 1978 Soapbox Circus became the now world famous Circus Oz, of which Mic was a founding member.

By 1978 the band was known simply as Matchbox with the line-up now comprising Mic, Jim, Ludbrook, Mulheissen, McLean, Tony Burkys (guitar; ex-Original Battersea Heroes) and Stephen Cooney (guitar, later of Redgum), who was replaced by Louis McManus (ex-Bushwackers). Matchbox released the Slightly Troppo album, and the singles Sleep (June 1978) and Love is Like a Rainbow (January 1979), as well as making an appearance in Tim Burstall's 1979 feature film version of the Jack Hibberd play DIMBOOLA.

By mid-1979, the line-up of Mic, Jim, McManus and Mulheissen had been augmented by Robert Ross (drums; ex-Manning), Eric McCusker (guitar) and Chris Coyne (sax, flute). That version of the band introduced a more rock-oriented sound, but lasted only about a year, and by September 1980 Matchbox had broken up. McCusker (a former student of Blackfeather guitarist John Robinson) went on to enormous success as guitarist and songwriter in Ross Wilson’s Mondo Rock, penning their 1981 hit State Of The Heart, which was also successfully covered in the U.S. by expatriate rocker Rick Springfield.

The Conway brothers’ next project was The Hotsie Totsie Band in 1981, Carnival in 1983 and The Conway Brothers Hiccups Orchestra in 1984. Carnival comprised Mic, Jim, Palz (lead vocals), the erstwhile Jimmy Niven (ex-Sports), Kim Cook (guitar), Kim Constable (bass; ex-Ratbags of Rhythm) and Warwick Kent (drums; ex-Ratbags of Rhythm).

The Hiccups Orchestra issued a self-titled album on Larrikin in 1987 mixed 1930s and 40s standards with contemporary satire, and they released the song Choo Choo Ch' Boogie as a single. After the Hiccups Orchestra folded in 1988, the Conway brothers pursued separate careers, Jim with The Backsliders and Mic with Mic Conway's Whoopee Band in 1989.

Although reportedly “ordered” to learn harmonica by brother Mic in the founding days of Matchbox, Jim soon developed into one of the most accomplished and respected blues harmonica players this country has ever produced, and his stature and influence is openly acknowledged by younger players like Chris Wilson. Over the years he has toured with blues legends like Brownie McGhee and he is recognised worldwide as one of the masters of his craft. Tragically, in the late ‘80s Jim was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). As documented in Victor Carson’s superb documentary THE JIM CONWAY BLUES (1999) Jim manages the disease with grace and good humour, and despite being largely wheelchair-bound these days, he continues to play, notably with his longtime colleagues The Backsliders, and with Tim Gaze & The Blues Doctors.

The irrepressible Jim in THE JIM CONWAY BLUES

The Backsliders comprises Jim (harmonica), Peter Burgess (drums; ex-Stumblers) and Dom Turner (guitar, vocals; ex-Stumblers), and in recent years the band has featured guest players like Midnight Oil’s Rob Hirst. The group’s hardcore acoustic blues and R&B has a strong following; they are regulars at music festivals around the country and have released seven albums to date: Preachin' Blues (1988), Sittin' on a Million (1989), Hellhound (1991), Live at the Royal (1992), Wide Open (1995) and the ten-year collection Downtime (1998). Their most recent CD Poverty Deluxe features performances by American blues artist Roy Bookbinder and Cold Chisel’s Don Walker and cover art by the legendary Martin Sharp. The Backsliders’ music gained considerable national exposure when three tracks were featured on the soundtrack of the ABC’s hit series SEA CHANGE and the subsequent compilation CD of music from the series. Jim has also cut one excellent CD with the Blues Doctors, Blues Licence, and a new album is reported to be in the works.

Mic Conway continues to entertain Australia with his unique brand of musical lunacy. He performs for both adult and child audiences and has appeared widely on TV and film, with credits including THE COCA COLA KID, MOLLY, VIETNAM, PLAY SCHOOL, TRUE STORIES, MR. SQUIGGLE, HOUSE OF FUN, VAUDEVILLE, COME IN SPINNER, THE WIGGLES MOVIE and HUMPHREY BEAR. His theatre credits include THE THREE PENNY OPERA for The Sydney Theatre Company and BLOSSOMS AND WRINKLES for the One Extra Dance Company. Mic won an ARIA for his ABC album Whoopee, and he has recorded and co-written numerous CDs, radio shows, TV scripts and children's theatre productions.

Mic has twice organised the First National Jug Orchestra where some 50 players from several bands were organized into sections (jug section, washboard section), each on its own big band-style rostrum, which played en masse, with Mic doing his fire eating act as part of every performance. Most recently Mic formed The National Junk Band, successfully touring their unique mixture of “juggling, tap-dancing, highly infectious music, hilarious jokes, dazzling magic tricks, fire eating and much clowning around” and they have recorded two CDs to date: Kitchen Sink Music and 21^st Century Sink.

Notes

Matchbox has numerous links to political folk-rock band Redgum. Four ex-Matchbox members -- Stephen Cooney, Dave Flett, Louis McManus and Gordon McLean -- served in that band at various times in the late 70s and early 80s.

Louis McManus was also a member of Noel’s Cowards, the 1988 novelty project put together by Split Enz/Schnell Fenster percussionist Noel Crombie.

Fresh off the Long Way to The Top web forum comes this communiqué from former Matchboxer and Mondo Rocker Eric McCusker:

“I'm alive and well and living in Melbourne still enthused and productive and up to my ears in music. In the last decade I've been parental as anything with two kids Mike and Molly aged 8 and 5. Among other things I taught music business at the Northern TAFE and worked for the Board of Studies here as a music examiner for 3 or 4 weeks of the year. I have also been a director of APRA for 10 years. But my main thing remains writing songs and playing guitars and doing gigs. I'm in a fantastic band at the moment called "Wolfgram" with 3 Wolfgramm sisters currently playing Tuesday nights at the Evelyn Hotel in Fitzroy. We are madly writing and rehearsing songs for an album we are hoping to record early next year. I've also been doing a few gigs with Ross Wilson this year and there are more of those coming up between now and the end of the year to promote his new retrospective album "Now Listen". This year has been really productive, I've written 9 or 10 songs already, some for other people, others for an album I would like to record next year. There have been a few mutterings amongst the Mondo Rock band members about us getting together and doing something next year too. We'll see what happens.
Cheers, Eric McCusker”

Discography

Singles

as The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band

11/72 My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes/Nagasaki [Image]

4/73 I Can't Dance (Got Ants in My Pants)/Jungle Dance [Image]

2/74 Your Feets Too Big / Wait for Me Juanita [Image]

7/74 Hernando's Hideaway/Down Undergroundsville [Image]

?74 Wangaratta Wahine / (unknown) [Image]

10/75 Australia/Christopher Columbus [Mushroom]

As Soapbox Circus

?/77 If I Can't Hav-Anna in Cuba/Chiropodist Shop [Mushroom]

as Matchbox
6/78 Sleep/Victims of Circumstance [Mushroom]

1/79 Love is Like a Rainbow / (unknown) [Mushroom]

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Albums

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as The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band

1973 Smoke Dreams
[Image] Also released on the ESP label in the U.S.A.as ESP-3009, in Quadraphonic sound

side A
I Can't Dance (I Got Ants In My Pants)
My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes
Nagasaki
Sophisticated Mama
Mobile Line
France Blues

Side B
Hotsy Totsy (Everything Is)
Who Walks In When I Walk Out
I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter
After You've Gone
That Cat Is High
Smoke Dreams Of You