Wildwood were: Rob Van Beek (lead vocals, flute), Mick Willens (lead guitar), Steve Heard (organ, vocals), Ken Connor (vocals), Terry Stacey (bass), Jeff Horsnell (drums)
Wildwood were from Sydney, Australia.They released one single record, "One Bad Thing" on the Banner (Festival) label in 1971. They were a typical band of the era playing the Sydney teenage dance & disco scene. One of a number of bands in Sydney that, inspired by Three Dog Night, followed the trend of having 2 or more male lead vocalists. Bands such as Elm Tree, Maple Lace and Pyramid all had this type of front-line.
The band became Wildwood when they came under the wing of TV/radio personality Dal Myles's DME agency. This was a major step up into the local rock big league for the band as DME were one of the major Rock band booking agencies in Sydney at that time with a number of major acts on their books and a high profile because of Dal Myles fame as a TV newsreader/compere as well as having his own Saturday morning rock/pop music TV show "Happening '70" (or "71/72 depending on the year). The latter was used by him to promote his own acts & record releases.
Under their original name of Everybody's People, they were well known around the Campbelltown/Sydney's South-Western area, whence they were centred.They had played there for 3 or 4 years, doing the latest hits such as The Grassroots, "Midnight Confessions". They had also competed in a local Battle of the Band competition in early 1970 (although that was won by another band, Flaxman Sag).
Above - Grooving into "My Days Are Numbered" at Hornsby Police Boys Club Dance 1970
Bass player Terry Stacey & guitarist Mick Willens had played together in a string of evolving bands for 5 years. These bands included the 21st Century Love Band, who were well known in the Liverpool/Fairfield (Sydney) area for their self-run/promoted dances at Fairfield, and Port Jackson, who had won an episode of TV's "New Faces" and did a number of TV appearances. Steve Heard had also played organ in Port Jackson for a time. He had been previously with Everybody's People and after returning to them decided it was time that band needed a change. When Everybody s People joined up with the DME agency, a lineup change and a name change were required and Mick Willens was bought in to take over lead guitar duties from Ken Connor who switched to dual lead vocals with Rob Van Beek. In April 1970, just after this, Terry Stacey joined, and with Jeff Horsnell on drums, the lineup was then as it was to remain basically for the next 2 years.
The band firstly, briefly however, changed its name to Judas under which moniker it did its first ever & only performance in July 1970 under that name, at a heat of Australia's national, Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds (their best ever result in that battle, coming 4th!). With the then popular rock musical, Jesus Christ Superstar in production in Sydney, the band decided to change its name again to avoid any association with that show. Wildwood was finally born. The band, although from Sydney's South West area, achieved its most popularity on Sydney's north side where it gained a good following. The band's music was influenced by bands such as Yes, Three Dog Night, Blood Sweat & Tears and Steppenwolf. Although the single and the bands image were developed and encouraged by Dal Myles in a more teenybop lighter image, stage performances were much raunchier and more progressive than that.
On stage the band was fronted on main lead vocals by Rob Van Beek who projected a more thoughtful, serious image. Steve Heard added to the performance by giving out wild and fiery performances on his Hammond B3 organ. However, the showman of the band was Hendrix-inspired lead guitarist, Mick Willens, who was renowned for his raunchy improvised guitar solos, wild hair and often played bare-chested except for a sheep skin waistcoat. He was known to play solos using an empty vodka bottle as a slide (after recently emptying it!). This image was particularly appreciated at open air concerts such as at the Fairlight Blues & Music Festival, a weekend long festival held near Mittagong, 120 km SW of Sydney.
Wildwood ernestly and thoughtfully in rehearsal !
Initially the band played songs that concentrated on harmony and melody (tracks they had been doing when they were Everybody's People). Songs such as Amen Corner's "(If Paradise was) Half as Nice", The Four Tops "Walk Away Renee", Rare Earth's "Get Ready", as well as the slow jazz-blues tinged BS & T number "I Love you more than you'll ever Know". However as the band developed it began to concentrate on songs such as Blood Sweat & Tears's "I Can't Quit Her" and "My Days are Numbered", the latter having tempo changes through it. This latter song also allowed them to feature long improvised guitar & organ solos complete with answer back from these two instruments, which led into a long percussion section.
Trying to look grave....but why is Mick laughing so much? .. and Ken, who is sitting down, trying so hard to keep a straight face ?....could it be Steve's safari suit ?
From the beginning Wildwood deliberately adopted a policy to stay away from covers of the latest hits (particularly those by Australian bands), straight rock 'n roll and the usual staple diet of Black Sabbath type stuff usually done by every local garage band. Wildwood uncompromisingly concentrated on more complicated and/or raunchy album tracks. Such as Steppenwolf's opus, "From Here to there Eventually", their raunchy "What would you do (If I did that to you)" and JethroTull's "Teacher", the latter giving Bob Van Beek a chance to show his skills on the flute. On the mellower side the band did songs such as C.S.N. & Y's "Almost Cut My hair", Led Zeppelin's "Thank You", Spooky Tooth's "Society's Child" & Three Dog Night's "Out in the Country", "Lady Samantha" & "Easy to be Hard" which all featured 3 part harmonies from Rob, Ken & Steve, the latter also featuring Rob's flute playing. Occasionally, however, they would throw in an early Fleetwood Mac's blues song, "Long Grey Mare" (sung by bass player Terry Stacey).
Apart from playing lesser known tracks, the band was very keen to establish their own identity playing a number of originals such as Rob's "High Above the Town", itself a stage favourite, a Blood Sweat & Tears influenced song called "Chastity" and another called "Can you see what I can see". All of these were recorded. In its later days the band also did a Santana influenced original called "Why did you go" ( a very rough tape actually still exists).
New Years Night, Bilgola 1970-71
The single "One Bad Thing", backed by "High Above TheTown", was recorded in mid-1971 at United Sound Studios, Pyrmont, Sydney with Spencer Lee producing. It was released in December 1971 on Dal Myles own record label Banner, which was distributed through Festival records (Cat # BK-4436) and in New Zealand on the Interfusion label. As the original idea was to record an album, the band recorded four songs as a start. The two others being both originals,"Chastity" and "Can you see what I can see". Sadly the album idea remained unrealised and only the 2 tracks for the single and the two finished but unreleased tracks resulted from these sessions.The "lost tracks" may well be at the bottom of manager Dal Myles wardrobe for all one knows !
The song "One Bad Thing" was written by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees. It was never officially released by him or on any Bee Gee's album. In the context of the bands live material, it was not a song that the band particularly liked. It was too lightweight, country influenced, and not really the bands style. Which is weird given their uncompromising stance on their live repertoire. As it transpired the song had already been put out as a single by Australia's Ronnie Burns, followed by versions from New Horizon (UK), The Freshman (UK). However in the manner of the day they bowed to their managers wishes, and recorded it. After all, philosophically speaking, if you have a hit record you can get more artistic freedom next time! The flipside, Rob Van Beek’s, "High Above The Town", was more in their style, even though it was a slow song. The song is about a man who is killed in a gunfight but doesn't realise he is dead. The track had a nice flute solo, which although written by Rob van Beek and originally played on the first mixes by him was latter overdubbed by Bob Gunn, the bands personal manager and lead singer/flautist from fellow DME stable mates, the band Melissa. This is the version that appears on the single. All 4 tracks were fully completed and dubbed with a string section, the latter not necessarily to the bands own liking. Just after the recording sessions Ken Connor decided to leave and so the band continued on as a five piece.
Apart from the normal stable gig diet of High School & CYO dances and Sydney Harbour rock cruises, the band regularly played at all the major teenybopper discos and dances around such as the Spinning Wheel Disco at Narrabeen and Hornsby Police Boys Club supporting major acts of the day such as Daddy Cool, Zoot, Autumn, Flying Circus and Pyramid. They also had regular week-long engagements at inner city disco/night clubs such as Chequers, Whiskey-A-Go-Go & Jonathans.This was still in the days of American R 'n R from Vietnam when Sydney’s discos (and Kings Cross) still did a good trade with visiting US servicemen. Elsewhere they did a a gig or two on Sydney's thriving inner city gay dance circuit including backing well known female impersonator, Tracie Lee on one occasion. As well they catered for the underground music crowd at the Arts Factory. The Arts Factory was located somewhere between Sydney's Central Station and Oxford Street. It was the sort of place where people came to sit down, space out and listen. The sort of place where bands such as surreal jazz/rock band Sun played. The sort of place where it was not surprising to see a band such as Sun on stage with a full light show and smoke going together with scenes from the movie "Far from the Madding Crowd" (without its sound) on the screen in the background.
Wildwood were also called upon regularly to act as backing band for well known local and visiting interstate solo artists such as Hans Poulsen, Ted Mulry, Gene Pierson and Russell Morris. Russell Morris, still at the peak of his hit making career, was the first artist the band had ever backed, which was pretty heady/scary stuff for a band who only six months before had been playing only the odd dance and party out in the western suburbs!
The band did a NSW North Coast tour late December 1971/Jan 1972 with Australia's Velvet Underground & Hot Cottage. The tour was fraught with problems from the start. Firstly drummer Jeff Horsnell was unable to tour for personal reasons (he was temporarily replaced by Kim Bryant, later of Albatross). On the first stage of the tour the bands truck broke down leaving the Hammond organ stranded. This meant Steve Heard had to act only as 2nd vocalist for the rest of the tour.
Hey you chicks !! See how well I play bass after one drop of sherry....(Terry)
Following this tour and the lack of success of the record the band became rather disillusioned. Mick Willens departed early March 1972, replaced by Joe Azzopardi, who also took on some lead vocals. Joe's brother, Mars Azzopardi joined on drums soon after. Both had previously played with Bullett, another DME band. Rob left in mid April, 5 weeks later. Following his departure the band added the Azzopardi's two sisters, Rita & Mary on vocals. The band then changed its music to an Afro/Motown funky/soul style and its name to become Afrika, under which name it continued for nearly another 9-10 years.
Terry left Afrika in early 1973. He and Steve then attemped to get a band together with Malcolm Young, immediately before he formed AC/DC with brother Angus. This didn't work out so Steve rejoined Afrika and Terry joined the outrageous band, The 69'ers (appearing at Sunbury '74). Terry went on to play in a bunch of Cover/Country/R 'n R bands such as with Golden Guitar winner Mike Fox, Shotgun, 78RPM, Bits 'n Pieces (with Steve),The Paladiins and Taking Off until recent years. He has also has done a number of recordings early in the 21st century. These are available on the Internet. Rob went on to play with a number of bands, including playing with Terry Stacey in Tempest in the mid 1970's. Jeff plays currently around Sydney with Gerry & The Atrix.
Mick Willens
Died in a motor bike accident in Nov 1973 at Wallacia NSW
He had been riding with the Gypsy Jokers Motor Cycle club
He was 22
Take a guitar solo Mick !...........
Left Double Click on the underlined links below (and above) to visit some related Websites :
For more information on the song "One Bad Thing"
visit Lyn Nuttall's site "Where Did They Get That Song":
21st Century Love Band
Australia’s Hoadley’s Battle of the Sounds
(The web page "Hoadley's National Battle of The Sounds" was originally published as the book "The Battles of The Sounds 1966-1972" - Moonlight Publishing 1995. Copyright - Terence J Stacey 1995)
The 69'ers
Fairlight Music Festival
(which features a photo of Wildwood playing live)
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