|
|
Bushwackers - where it all beganDave played with the early Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band and later founded the Original Bushwackers and Bullockies Bush Band in 1971 whilst at Latrobe University, Melbourne , Australia. He was joined by original members Jan Wositzky and Bert Kahanoff and later expanded to a professional 5 piece band which became the world's leading band performing Australian Bush music and dance tunes.
The Bushwackers as they are now known is still going but with no original members. Recording and touring
After The Bushwackers Dave co-founded The Sundowners Band with Peter McDonald from Mulga Bill's Bicycle Band and recorded the Colonial Classics LP which became a gold record. Dave and Peter then worked extensively throughout Australia with the Victorian Arts Council's All Australian Pub Show with actors Gary Gray and James Wright. Later performing solo as Dave's Bush Music Show.
Dave toured schools extensively particularly with the Queensland Arts Council and then in Victoria, not only in schools but bush dances, functions of all kinds and citizenship ceremonies for local councils.. At this time there was no entertainment agency specialising in folk music/ bush bands in Victoria. So Dave formed “Colonial Entertainers” which became very active in supplying the demand for for bands to play at bush dances and a multitude of other social events, festivals, schools, weddings, parties, anything ! Dave has recorded with The Original Bushwackers and Sundowners Bands and has done 4 solo albums and one single, Roll on Republic. ( see discography) Currently Dave is busy running the Newport Bush Orchestra after the retirement of Greg O’Leary. This community group enables Dave to help less experienced performers gain some confidence in playing music in public and especially for bush dances. He is taking the NBO to becoming a credible dance band specialising in tunes and songs from our Anglo Celtic Tradition. |
