A Harp Player Called Uncle (TLC FM, Yamba)

By Wayne Hall

From Kings Cross to the Largs Pier Hotel

In Sydney 2000 my mate Budgie was telling me a story of a band that
he saw in Adelaide in 1980. Budgie recalls a harmonica player that
played hard and a band that shook the foundations of the Arkabar
Hotel in Adelaide.

The years go past, and I'm trawling through 7 inch single records
for a jukebox restoration, when I see one from a band called Mickey
Finn. A quick phone call to Budgie confirms that this was the band
that he saw New Year's Eve 1980.

Researching on the internet, there was little about this band, and
even less on the harp player called Uncle. One lead I did have was
that well-known Aussie rocker John Swan (Swannee) had provided
back-up vocals on their album.
When I was in Adelaide about 2 years ago (2012), Swannee was
playing a gig, so I made contact with his agent and arranged to
meet with him. Back then I didn't ask him about the Mickey Finn
band, we mainly discussed ideas for songwriting. Brief as it
was.

But there was a singer I approached earlier that week in an
Adelaide bar, and I asked if he knew of the band Mickey Finn, and
more importantly, did he know 'Uncle' John Ayers the harp player.
He said he thought that maybe Uncle was driving taxis, and had sort
of disappeared from the music scene.

I always felt that someone should do a feature on finding this harp
player. It's all good hoping that someone someday will do the
research, and to just wait for that day. That day might never come.
Thanks to the CTMO and CBAA for providing the support and knowledge
to undertake this journey, I took up the challenge, and during this
time, numerous unplanned events unfolded.

Ron Alphabet, the promoter of bands at The Largs Pier Hotel during
the 70s and 80s fell ill, and a set of bands was united to play a
concert for him. In that line up, some of the Mickey Finn band
would be performing in new separate groups. I got to meet Uncle in
a chance meeting at the concert, and also a planned meeting with
Mauri Berg, the guitar player from The Mickey Finn Band. It seems
Adelaide is a massive breeding ground for the Australian pub rock
sound that we know today.

This band has played and has supported household names like Jim
Barnes, Swannee, Bon Scott, Barrie McAskill and Dutch Tilders. Jim
Barnes recruited Bruce Howe (bass) and John Freeman ( drums) from
the Mickey Finn band when he went out solo this time 30 years
ago.

From this I have discovered old/new Australian music to follow up
on, bands like Headband, Hush, Wendy Saddington, Fraternity, The
Levi Smith Clefs, Billy Thorpe and Lobby Loyde, Kevin Borich, Gwyn
Ashton, David Blight and the Flyers. Also international acts like
The J Geils Band, and blues men Little Walter and James Cotton.
These were bands that influenced Uncle in his style of
playing.

A few of the members have been nominated to be inducted into the
South Australian Hall of Fame later this year (2014). One day I'd
like to sit down with Uncle and re-record an old tune, or even cut
something new.

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