History
Clay Paky and MA Lighting ship-shape for Royal Australian Navy International Fleet Review
Imagination Australia has set a new global standard for public events, with one of the most spectacular showcases of projection, lighting and fireworks shows seen anywhere in the world. The Royal Australian Navy International Fleet Review symbolised 100 years since Australia welcomed their first Naval Fleet into Sydney Harbour. It was Imagination’s job to celebrate…
Read MoreRichard Priddle
Cancer takes lives before time, acoustician Richard Priddle made 60 years before departing prematurely at the end of January. He had featured in the very first issue of Channels, the precursor to this magazine, almost 20 years ago. CX knew him for a decade prior and ran into him in unlikely places. One was Hamilton…
Read MorePhil Eastick
Phil Eastick died in Adelaide aged 55 in February, after a very long battle against kidney disease. He had a transplant last year. He fought for around 20 years, but not too many people knew he was ill. CX first knew Phil from the road. Phil attended (very occasionally!) Adelaide University Law School in the…
Read More4 Months in 1979
As the FOH sound operator for Mi-sex, I probably spent more time with Jeff Merryweather than just about Anyone for a brief but incredibly hectic 4 months in 1979. At the time I didn’t Realise that Jeff was the most complete roadie that I would ever witness. Jeff was one of those fortunate people who…
Read MoreIt was 35 years ago today
Expelled from school and having worked briefly as a copy boy for the defunct Sydney Mirror, I took my only $12 and registered my first business on March 1st, 1973. The Certificate of Registration for Zapco Lightshow was framed and hung above my old desk at home. I was 15. Blame Led Zeppelin; whose…
Read MoreI was a roadie
When former Chisel roadie Gerry Georgettis took his life in dramatic style early last year, media from around the world picked up the story. How could a seemingly placid, stable theatre manager go suddenly crazy and burn down a car dealership in Miami; then hang himself in a cramped airplane toilet? What darkness exists in…
Read MoreGary Glitter
Gary Glitter is today better known as inmate Paul Gadd and is doing hard time in a Vietnamese jail for child sexual abuse. But in the early 80’s he was on the revival trail and became the first significant overseas act for a local promoter, who scheduled a run of the east coast of Australia.…
Read MoreGerry Georgettis takes own life
In a tragic tale, ex-pat Australian sound engineer Gerry Georgettis took his own life on board a United Airlines flight from Washington to Los Angeles in early February. The flight was diverted to Denver, after crew discovered Gerry in the lavatory, where he had somehow killed himself. People who knew the 56 year old theatre…
Read MoreSwampie tribute, Little Goose
Dear People, I first met Swampy (Wayne Jarvis) when I was playing drums in the ‘Wild Cherries” in Melbourne and worked with him many times as he was so good at keeping everyone together. The thing that made Swamps stand out from the other guys was his incredible energy and from 1968 to the LWTTT…
Read MoreMy psychedelic lightshow
In 1973 there were two kinds of lighting. Stage Lighting in the Theatre (say it with a prim and proper English accent like this: Thea-a-tRe) or psychedelic lighting. Neither camp spoke with the other. The latter attracted me. The first time I went to a venue and saw a band it was at a place…
Read MoreJack Singe
For those that have only worked in and experienced the entertainment industry of the last ten years, some of the most import people in the history of our industry may be unknown to you. Reg Batram, Dennis Irving, Jack Singe, Roger Barrett are big names from an era of technical production that is still…
Read MoreThe very early days, rock lights
The CX website states that the first custom lighting desk with flash buttons was made in the mid 1970s. There was at least one built as early as 1971. In 1969 I started in the lighting department at GTV9 Melbourne at the tender age of 19. I got the job on the basis of my…
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