1985...

In the beginning there was "The Reserve". Graeme Brill, Mick Sharpe, Craig Gordon, Darren Moffitt and Rob Hollis. Five mates who couldn't play a note between them, until a man named Casey Tanner came along. It was he who guided and taught this line-up through the ensuing 12 Months to a point where they all became competent and confident enough to perform and with the addition of a new lead singer, Frank Kohegi, write their own material and finally, branch out and find new challenge's. Graeme went on to drum with "Cyanide 6", a great 70's rock'n'roll band featuring Nelson (Hendrix) on guitar and Slav (12 gold bars) Melinz on bass.

Originating from the Blacktown district this band already had a strong following, which only grew once they hit the Hawkesbury. Craig was invited to play guitar with "Toxic Waste", an original band with some history and which featured David (Mouse) Hazeltine on vocals, Greg Reynolds on screaming Les Paul, Todd Hibbert on guitar and bass, Marc Davidson on bass and Greg (Tortoise) McGrath on the skins and through time would grow to become "Mullet Milkshake" and eventually "Thundering Mullet" recording with Alan Thorne and playing alongside bands such as "The Sunnyboy's", "The Lime Spiders" and "The Trilobites". Performing from Kurrajong Heights to Surry Hills this band had developed a loyal and excitable crowd of followers. Mick would eventually end up playing with Mouse in "Crapulous GeeGaw", a continuation of the undoubtable original sound created by Mouse and all his bands.

 

Casey found himself linking up with an old friend in Dean Duncan and formed the successful duo "Rhythm and Booze" performing hundreds of shows and growing a formidable fan base all over the Hawkesbury and beyond, with their extensive song list, the introduction of Andrew Geason on harmonica and their trusty roady/manager Carl (Chucky) Jones providing the odd comic relief.

 

1990 -'91...

During this time of discovery, both musically and personally, there were many celebrations, parties and other excuses for impromptu performances and which would see different line-ups, song choices at both conventional and not so conventional venues, but along the way the seed was planted with the inevitable line-up of Graeme, Slav, Craig and Casey being the last on stage and the first to put their hand up for the next one. While all still playing in their respective bands, these four found time to put together a tight unit, by drawing on their diverse musical tastes, experience and their now realised hidden desire to play together once more.

By early '91 the music scene in the Hawkesbury was on fire with all local venues contributing, from "Rhythm and Booze" carving up Sunday afternoons at Pitt Town, "Cyanide 6" dismantling the Heights Pub on Friday nights and "Thundering Mullet" terrorising any venue they entered, crowd numbers were at a premium. The boy's could sense this and with a lot of persistence, they finally persuaded Dean, with his great vocals and unmistakable charisma, to be the front man they needed. With the timing just right, a few well-planned performances at The Heights Hotel (1st June 1991), at The Jolly Frog Hotel, known then as the Windsor Tavern (21st June '91), at East Kurrajong hall (29th June '91) and a few quick successive name changes ("Home Brew" and "One More For The Road" among others), "Mr Breeze" was born.

 

1991 - '92

The last six months of '91 saw Mr Breeze build and polish their live show, as well as writing and performing their own songs, which in turn led to several recording sessions at Tracking Station Studio's.

 

During these session's, an original penned by Craig and titled "Feel" was recorded and would later be released on their debut Cd as a mystery track and is still the only released recording of this original line-up.

By early '92, Mr Breeze had raised it profile and with the injection of some very welcomed sponsorship, had acquired state-of-the-art production and it was with this and a song list that consisted of tunes drawn from their Southern Rock influences, that the band made serious inroads into the live music scene with the confidence and consistency that good production brings.

 

Playing just about every venue in the Hawkesbury, starting with the Royal Hotel in Richmond, the Kurrajong Heights Hotel, Bligh Park Tavern, The Tourmaline Hotel, The Jolly Frog Hotel, The Pitt Town Sporting Club, The Tropicana Hotel, The Wiseman’s Ferry Inn, The Fitzroy Hotel, and The Macquarie Arms Hotel, Mr Breeze held the attendance and bar takings records at all of these venues and probably still do.

                            

Armed with this and the addition of a manager and agent (Premier Entertaimment), the boy's were, by the end of  '92, playing at all the venue's around town including Temptations, North Richmond Sporties, Illawarra Champion Hotel, The Blacktown Inn, Windsor Leagues Club, Camden Tavern, Glenorie R.S.L, Rooty Hill R.S.L, The Sound Factory, The Pine Inn, Samantha's, The Galston Club, Kellyville Country Club, Cream Nightspot, The Collector Tavern, The General Bourke, The Forest Inn, Guilford Leagues, The Argyle Tavern and The Vauxille Inn as well as regular tours around the state, travelling south to Griffith, Temora, Cooma, Leeton, Canberra, Goulbourn, Mollymook, Harden, west to Bathurst, Mudgee, Cowra, Lithgow, and north to Gosford, Ettalong, Kincumber and as far as Beachmere in Queensland, but this did not come without a few hiccups.

 

In July of '92, Casey made the decision to move to Queensland and thus Dean's younger brother, guitarist, Marc Duncan was introduced to a screaming Bligh Park crowd, and by November, Graeme was replaced on drums by Greg (Tortoise) McGrath who made his debut in front of a wild Hawkesbury crowd at The Macquarie Arms Hotel and two weeks later found himself supporting The Fargone Beauties at the Collector Tavern!

 

TO BE CONTINUED... ...