GJW in AUSTRALIA

GERRY JOE WEISE was born in 1959 in Sydney, Australia. He learned to play the guitar at the age of 4, and received his first electric guitar at the age of 11. During the 1970's he supported bands AC/DC, Rose Tattoo, The Angels (Angels City), Dragon and Midnight Oil at venues like the Bondi Lifesaver and Chequers with bands The Class and Siren. With The Class at the age of 17 he appeared for the first time on Australian television with their Video Clip. At 18 he joined the progressive Corroboree that had drummer Craig Collinge (ex Manfred Mann) and keyboardist Cezary Skubiszewski (film composer "Two Hands", ex Alexis Korner). In 1980, before turning 21, Gerry Joe Weise took a big step forward and moved to Europe, living in several different countries, France, Germany and Switzerland, until 1999, before moving back to Australia.

GERRY JOE WEISE has toured Australia, Europe, USA, Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji, Polynesia, Azores Isles and Scandinavia.

The GERRY JOE WEISE Trio at The 2008 SANTA MARIA BLUES FESTIVAL on the AZORES ISLES in the middle of the ATLANTIC OCEAN. Slideshow http://s364.photobucket.com/albums/oo89/blues-alive/?albumview=slideshow

GERRY JOE WEISE

Throughout his many concert & festival tours, GERRY JOE WEISE has jammed with B.B.King, John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins, Noel Redding, Micky Finn, Deborah Coleman and Eric Clapton. His trios have had musicians from Mick Taylor, Roy Buchanan, Savoy Brown, Tower Of Power, Ravi Shankar, Big Ed Sullivan and Otis Grand. Gerry Joe Weise has guest supported Ray Charles, B.B.King, Buddy Guy, Iggy Pop & The Stooges, The Scorpions, Eric Clapton, The Yardbirds, John Lee Hooker, Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin, Noel Redding, Albert Collins, Joe Louis Walker, Matt 'Guitar' Murphy, Canned Heat, Luther 'Houserocker' Johnson, Chick Willis, Jerry McCain, Van Wilks, Dave Hole, Billy Branch, Calvin Russel, Nine Below Zero, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Luther Allison, Maurice McKinnies, Ron Thompson, Deborah Coleman, among others... He has released the solo albums : 1994 "Live In Paris", 1996 "A Letter To Jimi", 1999 "Bushman Boogie", 2005 "Sydney-Paris Blues", 2009 "Blues Down Under" (Alien Records). Compilation : 2009 "Jaguar" ("Long Train Blues" by Gerry Joe Weise) with 7 other artists (Leaping Cat Records).

Gerry Joe Weise's "Long Train Blues" was Song Of The Month December 2007 at Songweavers NYC. In 2008 "Dreamtime Shuffle" climbed to n°8 on the Radio charts in New Zealand. Gerry Joe Weise became N°1 on the "Top Artists Electric Blues" charts (for 9 consecutive months) and N°1 on the "Top 100 Artists Blues Rock" charts in Australia 2008 and 2009. He was featured Artist Of The Month April 2008 at Lizard Lounge Radio Australia, also in 2008 he won the "Strat Master" USA title.

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The CLASS Infos

Photo: Dale Jenner (drums), Gary Conlon (vocals), Gerry Joe Weise (guitar), Bruce Gibson (guitar).

The CLASS 1972 / 1978 Sydney rock band.

GERRY JOE WEISE joined The Class early 1977 as lead guitarist after Siren broke-up. But before Gerry Joe Weise and Gary Conlon the vocalist joined the band, Class was a trio, with Michael Tann on vocals/guitar. The rhythm section with Dale Jenner on drums and Bruce Gibson on bass, used to be Graveyard (concerts at the Sydney Hordern Pavillion - they would dress up like the groupe Kiss, even before they existed !), then they were Rockit driving around in a Buttercup Bread van, and finally they became The Class. The Class had been together for 4 years (ed. later 6 years with Gerry Joe Weise), during which time they had collected a few symbols of fame. In 1972 they won the Wollongong Battle Of The Sounds, they had played support to quite a few top Australian bands (Sherbet tour), and they had made a film clip for a TV music show. With numbers like All Shook Up and a liberal lacing of Status Quo type material, they were obviously rock'n'rollers, and Ram Magazine compared them to "shades of another grassroots band, Radio Birdman !". Michael Tann left The Class shortly after the Queensland leg of the Sherbet tour, and Gerry Joe Weise with Gary Conlon joined the band. The repertoire changed to heavy, melodic rock - mostly originals written by Conlon and Weise, but with some Deep Purple, Queen and Trapeze numbers. When they played at the famous Bondi Lifesaver in Sydney on June 17 1977 with The Angels, Juke Magazine hailed The Class as "a heavy metal band with high volume, they were entertaining and fresh !". The Class owned their own purple 6,000 watt P.A. system and a purple truck, and spent years paying it off. They released a Video clip with Gerry Joe Weise and Gary Conlon in the band, which was featured on channel 10, channel 9 and channel 7 on Australian television.

The CLASS 1977 / 1978

GO SET Magazine May 20 1977.
"Could you please print info on the band Class. Apart from knowing that they replaced TMG on the Queensland leg of the Sherbet tour, I know nuthin' of the band, or the guys involved."
Ex Queensland resident, Tasmania.
CLASS as you saw them in Queensland, were a three-piece band. Guitarist/vocalist, Michael Tann has left and a new guitarist, Gerry Weise (aged 17) and Gary Conlon on lead vocals has joined to make the lineup four-piece. The other two members are Bruce Gibson on bass and Dale Jenner on drums. The Class perform mostly original material and cite their influences as Rainbow, Deep Purple and ZZ Top.
Go Set Magazine, Sydney.
JUKE Magazine June 3 1977.
Suzy Dickinson (of Redhead Management) manages up and coming Sydney rock band The Class. Last year they supported Dragon and Sherbet, but have since had line up changes - with Gerry Weise (17 years old) on guitar, and Gary Conlon (aged 19) on vocals - they are preparing for the long haul to the top. They do heavy, melodic rock - mostly originals but with some Deep Purple, Queen and Trapeze thrown in, The guys are pretty good ! Class Fan Club c/- Debbie & Karen, 42 Railway Str, Southport QLD 4215.
Juke Magazne, Sydney.
CLASS INTERVIEW 1997 for NME.
Gary Conlon (Taurus) - Lead vocal - ex-bass guitarist of 19 with engaging personality that drives the chicks wild on stage... (so he says). What are your ambitions ? To be good and to know I'm good. What are your interests ? Raging, drinking, sleeping, listening to records and foxy ladies - in any order ! Also song-writing and music. What are your musical influences ? David Coverdale, Robert Plant and Jazz influenced Rock. What are your bad habits ? I spin a good line - almost believable ! Favourite colours ? Black and blue !! The Band's comments ? He's sloppy - and it is the older women he goes for... that is, any over 14 !!!
Gerry Weise (Taurus) - Lead guitar (plays also bass and drums). Gerry at 17 has firm ideas and opinions which come over quietly but with conviction. He left Siren as rhythm guitarist to take up the lead guitarist post in Class. He's a great success with the ladies, looking so good on stage. What are your ambitions ? To be the greatest, but seriously, I want to be recognised as a good musician and established song-writer. What are your interests ? Just music - any music played well especially jazz-rock, and naturally, song-writing. What are your musical influences ? Jimi Hendrix, Tommy Bolin, Paul Kossof, Robin Ford and John McLaughlin. What are your bad habits ? I talk too much at the wrong time ! Favourite colours ? White and red. The Band's comments ? He quotes a book "How to be a successful Rock'n'Roll Star", we laugh, but it seems to be working !!!
Bruce Gibson (Gemini) - Bass player of 24 with quiet but strong manner, determined and ambitious. Previous bands during his 6 years of musical experience include Graveyard with drummer Dale. What are your ambitions ? To be part of a successful Australian Band. What are your interests ? Bourbon & Coke, watching colour TV, playing squash, watching football (rugby) and listening to good bands. What are your musical influences ? Queen, Bad Company, David Coverdale and some Blues. What are your bad habits ? I'm too kind-hearted, and I worry a lot. Favourite colour ? Brown. The Band's comments ? He's the 'good guy' in the band, and did you know it takes an hour to dry his hair ! Seeing is believing !!!
Dale Jenner (Pisces) - Drums, backing vocals (plays some guitar) - at around 23, Dale is open and expressive with that big appealing smile. Dale has been playing in bands for around 6 years, has been with Bruce for five years both in Graveyard and now in Class. What are your ambitions ? To entertain people and be respected by other musicians. What are your interest ? Squash, tennis, dining out, driving fast and sensible women ! What are your musical influences ? Ian Hunter, sophisticated rock, but I like to support Australian bands and talent. What are your bad habits ? I eat too much ! Favourite colour ? Blue. The band's comments ? He certainly eats too much food, mostly other peoples !!!

The CLASS Photos

SYDNEY ROCK GROUP, THE CLASS 1977 / 1978.
Gerry Joe Weise - guitar, Garry Conlon - vocals,
Bruce Gibson - bass, Dale Jenner - drums.

GERRY JOE WEISE 1962/1980

GERRY JOE WEISE in SYDNEY














Gerry Joe Weise aged 3 in 1962.



1974 aged 14. Gerry Joe Weise's first electric guitar, a 1969 no name black Les Paul copy. His father bought it for Gerry's 11th birthday, for $95 in 1970, Gerry later sold it in 1974 for $100. Gerry's comment: "A great learning guitar, a lot of fun, and I wish I had it today !".






1974 / 1975 SKID ROW

Concert Saturday 13th December 1975, Ibrox Hall, Leichhardt, Sydney.

Photo: Michael Kennedy - lead guitar, Brett Edkins - bass/vocals, Smithy - drums, Gerry Joe Weise - lead guitar.

Gerry Joe Weise's first local newspaper photo clipping of a concert with Skid Row at St.Fiacre's Young Set Dance at Ibrox Hall in Leichhardt, Gerry is 16 years old.

Gerry's comment: "This was a great 500 crowd concert and all our friends were there to check us out, but we didn't know we were playing for a Socialist movement until we arrived to set up our gear. I just got kicked out of 5th grade High school for misbehaviour, as I was a real rebel-rocker-surfer back then, and I was treating the band as a semi-professional stint. The group started around 1974, and by 1975 we were playing a lot of local concerts. With Michael Kennedy, we were taking turns on lead guitar. He would dress up in black, being influenced by Ritchie Blackmore and play a white Ibanez Stratocaster; and I would dress up in white being influenced by Tommy Bolin and play a red 1971 Fender Mustang. We were born on the same day, same month, same year, only a couple of hours apart, and we started playing guitar around about the same time. We were forever trying to outdo each other, but bless his soul, I sure did learn a lot of guitar with him !"

The original concert ticket. Text: "St. Fiacre's Young Set cordially invites you to a dance to the music of: Skid Row, Saturday, 13th December, 1975, 7.30pm - 11.00pm, Ibrox School Hall, Derbyshire Road, Leichhardt, refreshments on sale at hall, (ticket) N° 301, members $1.00, single $1.50, double $2.00".


Note: The St. Fiacre's Young Set Dance was held at the 2nd Ibrox Hall on the other side of Leichhardt, away from the High School. The 1st Ibrox Hall, is situated in the Ibrox Park High School and is a different venue. Gerry played at the 1st Ibrox Hall several times too with Skid Row, and so did AC/DC ! ...Just before Gerry got kicked out of that High School and was still wearing the school's uniform; Bon Scott had recently joined AC/DC as vocalist, and one of there very early concerts together was at the Ibrox Park High School. Gerry's comment: "AC/DC with Bon Scott played at our school in 75. They parked their van right in the middle of our playground ! Angus and Malcolm were only several years older than me, they knew my school Ibrox Park High in Leichhardt, was a badly reputated school (as they were living in Burwood a neighbouring suburb). All the kids were making fun of them in the van, when Angus popped out the door, the kids in the van went wild, it was like "The Lord Of The Flies" ! Until weightlifter Carlos jumped in to calm things down, the kids ran off and Angus went back in. I was so embarrassed of my school ! Nevertheless AC/DC played an excellent concert in our school hall - Angus didn't wear his school uniform, I had to though !."









Gerry Joe Weise's 1971 red Fender Mustang, that he used in 1975 with Skid Row and 1976 with Siren.




1976 SIREN



Gerry Joe Weise left Skid Row to join his first professional rock band Siren as rhythm guitarist in 1976, when he was 16. They played important venues in Sydney and Woolongong, before Gerry left Siren as rhythm guitarist to join his next professional rock group, The Class as lead guitarist in 1977, at the age of 17.


Note: The famous Sydney Chequers Club's June poster has Siren, a whole lot of AC/DC concerts, Buster Brown (Angry Anderson's band before Rose Tattoo), Chain (with Australia's legendary blues guitarist, Phil Manning), Stevie Wright Band (ex Easybeats singer's new group, nb George Young, Angus and Malcolm Young's big brother, used to play rhythm guitar in the Easybeats).


Gerry's comments: "It is hard to remember much of this period, as everything was one big rush and a bit of a blur. I was very young, and being thrown in with a bunch of raging adult musicians in a pro-rock band, can only lead to be feeling a little intimidated. I had to learn all their songs in 3 days before the first concert. I was told what to do all the time by the lead guitarist, and I had the feeling I only got chosen for the group because of my red guitar (ed. Fender Mustang), which matched the lead guitarist's red guitar (ed. Hagrstom Suede). I was feeling very insecure at 16."


1978 / 1979 CORROBOREE


Gerry Joe Weise at 18, left the rock band, The Class, to join the progressive rock / a.k.a jazz-rock quintet Coroboree, with Craig Colling on drums (ex Manfred Mann) and keyboardist Cezary Skubiszewski (film composer "Two Hands", ex Alexis Korner). Gerry was playing an all maple 1976 Gibson L6S throughout his tenure with Corroboree.


Gerry's comment: "For Corroboree, I needed a guitar with a different feel and different cutting-edge from the Strats. The Gibson L6S just recently came out, I was really into maple at that time, and I saw Carlos Santana, Angus and Malcom Young of AC/DC use them. So I bought a second-hand one, I put a Dimarzio humbucker pick-up in the rhythm position and I was ready to play John McLaughlin influenced guitar !"













AC/DC's Angus Young in 1976 with a double-cutaway maple Gibson L6S, Bonn Scott is on vocals.






















AC/DC's Malcolm Young in 1975 (far left), with a maple single-cutaway Gibson L6S. Yes that is Angus Young in the middle !





STRATS

1977 / 1978 The CLASS


After playing rhythm guitar for Siren, Gerry Joe Weise joined the rock group The Class as lead guitarist in 1977 at the age of 17. He used two different Fender Startocasters for The Class, a 1965 sunburst rosewood neck, and a 1973 sunburst maple neck.


Gerry's comments: "My first Fender Startocaster, was the rosewood necked 1965 one I bought in late 1976 while still playing in Siren. A great vintage guitar, which would be worth a lot of money these days if I still had it now ! I would plug that guitar into a 400 watt Overeem Australian made amplifier with 4 quad cabinets (the cabs I sold later to the Angel's guitarist). We were playing at high volume, I had musical freedom, we were touring around in our purple truck, we had a big fan club following, and lots of groupies - what else can a 17 year old guitarist hope for !"





About Tommy Bolin.
Gerry's comments: "I got this really easy playing 73 maple necked Strat, in late 1977. It was the closest guitar I ever had to getting Tommy Bolin's sound. I was a big fan of Tommy Bolin in the 70's. Tommy Bolin had three sides to him, rock, jazz and blues. His James Gang, Deep Purple rock records influenced me with Skid Row, Siren and The Class. The jazz-rock Billy Cobham "Spectrum" album which featured Tommy Bolin on blistering lead guitar influenced me in Corroboree. Tommy Bolin toured as second guitarist for Albert King, so there is a blues aspect of Tommy's, that you can hear on all the above mentioned records, as well as with Zephyr and his solo records, that later influenced me in my blues career. I saw Tommy Bolin in 1975 at the Sydney Hordern Pavillion when he was playing with Deep Purple, a year before he unfortunately died."











Gerry Joe Weise 1990s/2000s

Today GERRY JOE WEISE plays a stock vintage 1963 L-series rosewood neck Fender Stratocaster, that he acquired in Paris 1993; and a 1960 Silvertone twin pick-up he bought in 1996. Since 1991 he tours under his own name as a blues-rock trio, he has played with B.B.King, John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins, Noel Redding and Eric Clapton.

For further recent information about Gerry Joe Weise

http://www.myspace.com/gerryjoeweiseblues

http://www.myspace.com/jimitribe

http://www.gerryjoeweise.blogspot.com/

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CORROBOREE

1978 / 1979 CORROBOREE
SYDNEY JAZZ-ROCK GROUP.
















Photo left to right: Naomi - vocals, Craig Collinge - drums, Cezary Skubiszewski - keyboards, Phil Parli - bass, Gerry Joe Weise - guitar.

Gerry Joe Weise and Corroboree.

Early in 1978 when Gerry Joe Weise was still 18, he left rock group The Class to join the progressive-rock (or what some people were starting to call it back then, jazz-rock) Sydney based band Corroboree (The Class and Corroboree both had the same manager, Redhead Management, so that was the connection between those two bands). Gerry Joe Weise replaced the original guitarist (one of Australia's best studio guitarists) who declined being a member after being angry when his Mesa Boogie amplifier fell out of the back of the drummer's Ford Escort station wagon. Gerry Joe Weise was only too happy to have a chance to cut-it with such dignitary musicians as Craig Collinge on drums (ex Manferd Mann) and Cezary Skubiszewski on keyborads (ex Alexis Korner). Later on after Corroboree's first studio recordings, when Craig Collinge was in England in a recording studio, Billy Joel listened to the Corroboree tape, and commented that he liked very much the guitar-work of Gerry Joe Weise. Joel was not the only major artist to appreciate Gerry's guitar playing though. !

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ARTICLE
"Five talented, creative, energetic and vibrant musicians project their whole personalities onto producing sounds both wondrous and brain straining in Corroboree. Imaginative, unique and free-ranging, their original music covers a broad spectrum with many influences ranging from 76 Trombones to New Wave. Their material shows a good contrast, from the flowing synthetic, through to hard driving powerhouse rock, onto soft sweet thoughtful ballads. These musicians and their music really shine, with their unlimited capacity for producing new alive mind blasting sounds !"
Annie Fleetfoot, Musician's Club Sydney concert, 1979.

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PROFILES

Cezary Skubiszewski: Born in Poland, Cezary Skubiszewski spent 10 years learning classical piano. He played in various Warsaw bands and formed a Blues group which appeared in the movie "Pageant". In 1971, Cezary worked with Alexis Korner touring Europe, he was also selected to record a radio special with the Fifth Dimension. A n°1 chart success followed in Poland with the group Bemibem who also charted in and toured Germany. During these former years Cezary was moving towards to progressive / free jazz. It wasn't until after gigging with the soul band Enigmatic in Paris, that Cezary finaly moved to Australia. These different music forms were necessary for the diverse keyboard manner developed by Cezary. His songwriting and arranging talents, contributed to the musical expressions and expertise of Corroboree. While with Corroboree, Cezary played a Fender Rhodes electric piano, a Hohner electric clavinet and a Moog synthesizer. He was very influenced by Jan Hammer, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and John McLaughlin in the those years. Later in 1991, Cezary composed, performed and produced his album "SOUNDeSCAPE" for group and ensemble, commissioned by Art-Ed, the Victorian Arts Centre. He then became a prominent Australian film soundtrack composer/arranger, most notably for the films "Two Hands" and "A Clap In The Hand".

Craig Collinge: Craig Collinge was born in Sydney. With the band Procession, they had the honours of being the first Australian band to release a stereo LP. In 1968 Craig left Australia with Procession to record in England. Craig later joined the famed Manfred Mann and Mike Hugg to form the Chapter Three Band, who recorded 3 albums and toured the United States. Since then, Craig has been the replacement drummer in the Shadows, he has toured with Jim McCartey of The Yardbirds and he has played with Paul McCartney. When Craig returned to Australia, he joined Marcia Hines and later Flinders (with original Corroboree bassist Mike Dickinson). Craig has participated in many Drum Clinics, and appeared at the Expo 77 (with fellow bassist Dickinson) at the Sydney Show Grounds for a jazz-rock Drums and Band Clinic, Gerry Joe Weise was in the audience and enjoyed their Billy Cobham tribute. The rhythm section at the Expo 77, later became the base for the future Corroboree. Craig Collinge's drum style at that time, could be best described as a mix between Billy Cobham, Jack De Johnette and Tony Williams Lifetime !

Gerry Joe Weise's original Corroboree 1978 profile: Born in Sydney, Gerry is the youngest member (aged 18) of Corroboree. He has had a strong background of good Sydney rock bands, playing with Skid Row, Siren and The Class. Although standardising his natural abilities to an extent in the past groups, Gerry's ambitions have always been to discover great musicians, both interested and capable of producing the kind of free musical sophistication on which he based his ideals. This ambition has been realised with Corroboree. In which Gerry's unique talents on lead guitar have completed the five-part combination that allows Corroboree to perform with strength and confidence. Since the 1978 profile: Gerry Joe Weise has toured many different countries with his own blues-rock trio. He has released the albums 1994 "Live In Paris", 1996 "A Letter To Jimi", 1999 "Bushman Boogie", 2005 "Sydney-Paris Blues". While performing at important concerts and festivals, he has played with B.B.King, John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins, Noel Redding and Eric Clapton. He has also guest supported Ray Charles, John McLaughlin, The Yardbirds, Pat Metheny, The Scorpions, Buddy Guy, Iggy Pop & The Stooges, Canned Heat, Joe Louis Walker, the Chicago Blues Festival Tour and the San Francisco Blues Festival Tour in Europe.

Naomi: Born in England, Naomi has had a varied musical existence, which included recording with avant-garde band Rainbow Generator, an Australian Theatre performance with songwriter Ralph Tirrell, and working solo with songwriter Ralph Sneider. Naomi as vocalist, had found in Corroboree an originality of music as stimulating as the material she loves to give her special interpretations, by projecting an intense, aggressive artistic power - which captured the very soul of Corroboree's style and fine instrumentation arrangement.

Phil Parli: Born in New Zealand, Phil Parli moved to Australia in 1967 where he took up playing bass guitar in 1970. He replaced the original bass player - Mike Dickinson: who played with Craig Collinge in Marcia Hines, Flinders and the Expo 77. After Corroboree's early studio recording sessions, Mike Dickinson left the band, due to his heavy scheduled work with computers. Phil Parli: Phil had played with The Vibrants in Melbourne. He formed a band with Rod Stone (formely with Craig Collinge in the 60's) and called it Corroboree ! He had a two year stint playing soft-jazz at the Melbourne West Point Casino, he then came to Sydney in 1977 to join the disco band Karma. He played in the legendary Johnny O'Keefe band, right up until Johnny O'Keefe passed away. Phil then replaced Mike Dickinson on bass in Corroboree, and was the bass player at Corroborre's second studio recording sessions.

Gerry Joe Weise and his all maple 1976 L6S. Corroboree's second studio recording sessions.

Cezary Skubiszewski

Craig Collinge

Cezary, Craig, Gerry.

Naomi

70s MEMORIES

The audience at the Led Zeppelin concert, Sydney Show Grounds, Australia, Feb 27,1972.

Gerry Joe Weise's comment: "I'm somewhere in the audience at my first rock concert ! I was 12 years old at the time, and I had to stand on two beer cans to see above the crowd, Led Zeppelin. The Sydney Show Grounds on Feb 27,1972, had a bit of a windy stage set up for Led Zeppelin. But they played nearly 4 hours, with a 20 minute drum solo by John Bonham, and nearly an hour of acoustic numbers by Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. There were more than 30,000 people, but a lot of people crashed the gates, and it felt more like a near 40,000. Even with a lousy stage set up by today's standards, Led Zeppelin still looked very good, had an excellent open-air sound, and Jimmy Page stretched out on many solos that afternoon. Wow I was really stoked, and you knew straight away you were watching something very special. The last time I saw Led Zeppelin, was in 1980 in Frankfurt, Germany, 6 months before John Bonham passed away."

John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, at the Sydney Show Grounds, Australia, Feb 27,1972.

John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, at the Sydney Show Grounds, Australia, Feb 27, 1972.


Tommy Bolin and Ian Paice of Deep Purple at the Hordern Pavillion in Sydney, Australia, Nov 20, 1975.
(Photo Weise)
Gerry Joe Weise's comment: "I had been looking forward to seeing Tommy Bolin play, as I was a big fan of his, ever since he played on Billy Cobham's 1973 solo album Spectrum. Those great solo leads, trading eights with Jan Hammer on Moog, soloing guitar with just Billy Cobham that sets off the album, soulful slide blues in the quiet funky numbers - wow what a great album that was. Then all at once I had the two James Gang albums, the first Zephyr album, Deep Purple's album, and of course his solo album Teaser. He recorded a lot of good quality albums in such a short time. So I was all geared up, hoping for a good concert with Tommy Bolin and Deep Purple. And sure enough, he gave an excellent performance, outstanding guitar solos, and sang one of his originals off his solo album Wild Dogs. He was using the Echoplex through three Hi-Watt amplifier stacks, as I was right up in front of the stage, the Echoplex made it sound like UFOs were taking off. Tommy Bolin influenced me a lot with his rock-jazz-blues style, in playing with my Sydney bands, Skid Row, Siren, The Class and Corroboree."

Ian Paice and Tommy Bolin of Deep Purple at the Hordern Pavillion in Sydney, Australia, Nov 20,1975.

(Photo Weise)

For further information about Tommy Bolin and Deep Purple on the Australia & New Zealand Tour in 1975 go to http://www.tommybolin.blogspot.com

Jeff Beck (Jeff Beck & Jan Hammer Group) at the Sydney Hordern Pavillion, Australia 1976.
(Photo Weise)
Gerry Joe Weise's comment: "Jeff Beck had said Tommy Bolin's playing on Billy Cobham's Spectrum album had influenced him to do two jazz-rock orientated records. Jeff Beck embarked on a world tour with Jan Hammer on keyboards, performing those jazz-rock numbers. I was very influenced by all that when I was palying in Corroboree, although I stopped using a Strat and switched to using an all maple Gibson L6S for a smoother sound."

Jan Hammer (Jeff Beck & Jan Hammer Group) at the Sydney Hordern Pavillion, Australia 1976.
(Photo Weise)
Gerry Joe Weise's comment: "Jan Hammer probably ended up influencing me more than Jeff Beck, although a girlfriend has said that I remind her of Jeff Beck ?!? I know, but I just went crazy over those incredible notes Jan Hammer was producing on the Mini Moog. While trying to emulate the electric guitar, he came up with something new. At the excellent concert with Jeff Beck at the Sydney Hordern Pavillion, Jan Hammer was strutting around on stage, moving around a lot like Jimi Hendrix - wow talk about liberating the piano player !"
Gerry Joe Weise's final comment: "I'm sure a lot of people will agree with me, that during those mid 70s, it was like a golden period at the Hordern Pavillion in Sydney, by the quality of those international acts that finally made it to Australia. Some of the other notable Hordern Pavillion concerts at that time I really enjoyed were - Rory Gallagher, Black Sabbath, Status Quo, Rainbow and Uriah Heep.