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| 1973 | Oct 23rd | Mark, Noel and Ian meet together for the first time. go to see a movie (The Poseidon Adventure) |
| Have dinner at Centrepoint Tavern in Sydney city - forming a band is not mentioned. | ||
| * The Sydney Opera House is officially opened by the Queen on this same day | ||
| Dec-Jan | Ian and Mark discuss forming a band during Christmas school holidays. | |
| Noel and Ian meet separately and also discuss forming a band. | ||
| 1974 | Feb | Noel, Ian and Mark meet on a rainy weekend and decide to definitely go ahead with forming a band |
| (they haven't learnt to play instruments yet!) | ||
| May | Mark and Noel leave the band - Mark returns same month | |
| June-July | Ian buys a guitar - Philip Buchan joins the band - Noel returns | |
| Nov | Noel leaves again | |
| Dec | Noel returns | |
| 1975 | March | Mark buys electric piano |
| May | Noel leaves and returns again | |
| June 11th | Philip is kicked out of the band [nobody remembers why now - sorry Philip!] | |
| Nov | Mark, Ian and Noel play together at Mark's place for the first time - having no real idea how to play | |
| they make a lot of stuff up and play along to records | ||
| Early Dec | Ian leaves for overseas trip at the end of high school | |
| [Editors note: Mark and Noel had left school earlier and were already working full-time jobs at this point] | ||
| 1976 | Jan | Noel and Mark go on holiday together to the Snowy Mountains |
| Feb | Noel, Mark and Philip jam together at Philip's place | |
| Early Mar | Ian returns from overseas | |
| Mar 30th | Mark, Ian and Noel practice above Mark's parents shop in Maroubra | |
| June | Practices cease above Mark's parent's shop | |
| Oct | First practice in basement under St. Paul's Baptist Church, South Coogee | |
| Rest '76 | Practices continue at church in South Coogee | |
| 1977 | Mar | Aly Bursztyn joins on guitar, promptly grows beard |
| Apr | Start Saturday morning practices at Studio 20, Taylor Square, Sydney | |
| Jun 26th | First practice in a hall - Matraville Soldier's Settlement Primary School | |
| many complaints from local residents! | ||
| July | First of regular Sunday practices at Daceyville Police Boys Club Hall | |
| Sep 13th | First gig (band now named Rain) Crows Nest Hotel, Crows Nest, North Sydney | |
| Sep 27th | News of upcoming gig at Quadriplegic Enterprises fete, Prince Henry Hospital, Little Bay | |
| on November 27th - much excitement ensues | ||
| Oct 1st | Start heavy practice schedule to prepare for more gigs | |
| Oct 7th | Ian and Aly buy new equipment - amps and guitars | |
| Oct 11th | Record entire repertoire at Studio 20, Taylor Square - everyone sings and plays badly | |
| Oct 14th | Second gig - back at Crows Nest Hotel (show ended by fist fight among patrons) | |
| Oct 21st | Third gig - Hillsdale Bowling Club (lots of older patrons, try to tone things down- | |
| Noel's parents attend) | ||
| Oct 23rd | Last practice at "rat-infested, pigeon-laced, flea-full dump" - Daceyville Police Boys Club | |
| everyone celebrates with a post practice shower | ||
| [Editors Note: This club later burns down in about 2 minutes in the mid-1980s; Mark happens | ||
| to witness the event as he his driving past at the time] | ||
| Oct 26th | Fourth gig - Coach & Horses Hotel, Randwick (We were there but the audience wasn't!) | |
| Nov 5th | Auditioned at Bacchus Wine Bar, Bankstown, Sydney | |
| Nov 6th | Noel moves in and shares flat with Mark | |
| Nov 7th | Noel moves out! | |
| Nov 19th | Fifth gig - Regent Hotel, Kingsford | |
| Nov 26th | Practiced once more at Daceyville Police Boys Club - hired huge PA, practice is filmed | |
| by Les Pozniak (friend of Aly's), sound mixed by Roger Dilernia. Noel is accosted | ||
| by a very large, aggressive man! Almost lost our drummer!! | ||
| Nov 27th | Played open-air show at Quadriplegic Association fete (6th gig) | |
| Much merriment, people in wheelchairs had a blast spinning around - a great time! | ||
| Dec 5th | Rain is on the brink of breaking up - much behind the scenes drama ensues..... | |
| Dec 12th | Aly decides to leave the band bringing it back, yet again, to Mark, Ian and Noel to | |
| ponder their collective future | ||
| 1978 | Feb 2nd | Ian leaves the band.... |
| Feb 4th | Mark and Noel part company musically speaking....to quote Noel "at the the time of | |
| writing, 11.45am 5/2/1978 there are no plans for a reformation but just as the wind | ||
| blows and the oceans roar, our paths might meet again to join together our minds so | ||
| our dreams might be as one again and my life shall be his and his life mine...." | ||
| Feb 7th | Ian, Mark and Noel get back together again! | |
| Feb 9th | Aly rejoins!! | |
| Feb 20th | Aly resigns for the final time leaving Mark, Noel and Ian who decide, come what may, | |
| that "this is the band that will be famous...." | ||
| Feb 25th | A guy named Nick calls and arranges a date to meet to possibly become fourth member | |
| Feb 27th | John Salway calls in response to a classified ad looking for a fourth member. Mark, Noel | |
| and Ian spontaneously drive to meet John at his home in Epping (perhaps sensing that this is | ||
| 'the guy'?) | ||
| Mar 5th | First practice with Mark, Noel, Ian and John (in rehearsal studio) | |
| Mar 11th | Practice in basement of St Paul's church, South Coogee - the band is now officially | |
| christened The Clones at John's suggestion........ | ||
| Mar 12th | Practice at Soundlab Studios, Canterbury (things are going well) | |
| News of a possible fete gig on May 6th. Positive feelings about The Clones and | ||
| their new direction abound | ||
| Apr 8th | John buys a new guitar (SG Gibson) | |
| Apr | Frequent rehearsals continue at Soundlab Studios - friends regularly attend and | |
| appear impressed with the new direction since John joined | ||
| Apr 30th | The four Clones decide to purchase a vocal PA through Soundlab Studios - this will serve | |
| as the band's official PA for many future gigs until they start playing with other bands who | ||
| have proper PA systems (this vocal PA has no foldback!) | ||
| May 3rd | What was to be The Clones premiere live performance on May 6th is cancelled as | |
| Mark is stricken with tracheitis (severe infection of the windpipe) and the gig is cancelled | ||
| on doctor's orders! | ||
| May 8th | News of definite first gig coming up May 25th at the Venturer Scout Hall in Epping | |
| May | Continue rehearsals through May | |
| May 25th | First gig happens at last!! Scout hall at Epping - The Clones wear all-black for the first and | |
| last time on stage.....John meets future first wife on this night | ||
| June 23rd | 2nd gig - this time at a bloody pinball parlour in Kogarah!! Last time we fall for that one.... | |
| June 26th | The PA we bought from Soundlab blows up and The Clones resort to heavy handed | |
| tactics to get gear replaced........it is done with a lot of wheeling and dealing | ||
| July 7th | 3rd gig - Imperial Hotel, Erskineville. When The Clones arrive they discover this pub has | |
| a very "heavy" atmosphere: | ||
| "The men's toilet has blood on the floor - not a great sign".........the boys are slightly | ||
| nervous but begin loading their gear in amidst much staring and curiosity - | ||
| The owner reassures the four young lads all will be okay and, sure enough, the crowd | ||
| loved the band - the beginning of our very first residency!! | ||
| July-Aug | More gigs at Imperial, Erskineville plus Coach & Horses Hotel, Randwick | |
| Aug 21st | The Clones have now played exactly fourteen gigs, learnt exactly four original songs and | |
| next week will be seen by potential manager David who is looking for a Beatles revival band | ||
| Sep 1st | 2nd last regular gig at the Imperial marks the arrival of David Keogh as potential | |
| Clones manager - immediately offers four week residency at Arthur's Court Wine Bar, | ||
| North Sydney - we are impressed. The owners and bar staff of the Imperial are saddened | ||
| that The Clones will no longer be playing there but they seem to understand the band | ||
| has to move on.......... | ||
| Sep 2nd | End of an era - last night at the Imperial........a sad evening | |
| Sep 8th | Gig at the Regent Hotel, Kingsford. David offers his management services - he's been | |
| looking for a Beatles revival band a la Beatnix [boy was he ahead of his time!!] but seems | ||
| very keen on The Clones and interested in the original material | ||
| One of David's first acts is to get the band a gig at the Callan Park Mental Institution!! | ||
| Excellent!! | ||
| Sep 16th | Played two shows in one day for the first time - afternoon at Denison Hotel, Bondi Junction - | |
| evening at Whitehall Hotel, Rushcutter's Bay (where a guy pulled his pants down and stripped!) | ||
| Last night was The Clones first official meeting with David Keogh as manager | ||
| Sep 29th | Back at the Regent Hotel, Kingsford. Annie Keogh (wife of David) sees The Clones for the first | |
| time and is promptly given the ace nickname, Mrs. Clones Manager | ||
| Sep 30th | Mark gets the flu - again!! | |
| Oct 20th | Aly returns from an overseas trip and auditions for David's Beatles band! | |
| Oct 28th | Debut performance of The Clones' alter-ego band The Aardvarks at Arthur's Court | |
| Wine Bar, North Sydney featuring: John Salamander, Ian Disgustering, Mark Malicious | ||
| and Noel Smash. Songs include: She's Only Half There, Some Other Turd, Steppin' Rock | ||
| and Oh Enid | ||
| Oct | John leaves his job at the Commonwealth Bank | |
| Nov 4th | Play French's Tavern | |
| Nov 17th | Played at punk venue, The Grand Hotel, Broadway, Sydney city.....tiny room and stage, | |
| lots of people and gobbing aplenty | ||
| Nov 19th | First Clones recording session at Soundlab Studios. Recorded John's One Day Long Ago, | |
| Mark's You're Only in My Way, Ian's Oh Tina, John's Somehow You're Different | ||
| plus covers of The Who's Substitute and the Bee Gees' I Want Home | ||
| Nov 20th | Everyone takes the day off work to mix the recording | |
| Nov 21st | Played function at the Wentworth Hotel ballroom in Sydney city - HUGE! | |
| Nov 22nd | First show at Dr. Redbird's wine bar, North Sydney - the stage is the size of a matchbox! | |
| Nov 23rd | Governor Bourke Hotel, Camperdown - Rob Younger from Radio Birdman turns up and | |
| is complimentary.....nice bloke too | ||
| Dec 30th | Pre-New Years party at Regent Hotel, Kingsford (see pix in Photo Gallery) | |
| Dec 31st | New Years eve morning spent at Mark's place after Regent show | |
| 1979 | Jan 16th | Debut gig at Hopetoun Hotel, Surry Hills |
| Jan 26th | Infamous French's Tavern show - so much gobbing, Mark cops a huge gob in the eye | |
| and goes a little "spare" on the audience. Stories have varied over the years but certain | ||
| pieces of band equipment were hurled about the stage....no major damage but the next | ||
| French's gig was packed with punters expecting more destruction - it was not to be.... | ||
| Feb 2nd | BOMBSHELL MOMENT: John announces he his quitting The Clones!!!! | |
| The other band members eventually decide to continue, auditioning countless | ||
| prospective fourth members before settling on Mr. Andre Massoud | ||
| Mar 4th | First practice with Andre. John continues playing with The Clones live which is | |
| big of him | ||
| Mar 16th | After rehearsing almost all night, The Clones turn up at Channel 9 TV studios to tape | |
| five songs live to be shown on the following weeks Super Flying Fun Show. Due to | ||
| extreme lack of sleep and exhaustion, the performance is barely adequate - we | ||
| were upstaged by the emu and Smokey Dawson! | ||
| Apr 14th | Debut at Bondi Lifesaver with Broadway and Mental as Anything. This turns out to be Andre's | |
| last show with The Clones as they collectively decide they cannot go on without John... | ||
| so they ask Mr. Salway to return to the fold and if he doesn't The Clones will end. | ||
| With much grovelling and apologising to Andre out of the way, the guys anxiously await | ||
| John's response | ||
| Apr 17th | You guessed already!! He said "yes" and has regretted it ever since! | |
| May 4th | First show with the returned John Salway at Manning Bar, Sydney University. The infamous | |
| night of the 'attack of the feminists' who misunderstood The Clones' quoting old Monty | ||
| Python skits as a direct offensive! Nasty stuff but nonetheless entertaining if you like | ||
| that sort of thing........ | ||
| May 18th | Supported famed hard rockers Rose Tattoo at the Local Inn, West Ryde - they are | |
| nice blokes! | ||
| May 26th | Recorded at Now Studios. A bunch of originals plus a cover of The Easybeats' | |
| Baby I'm A Comin' | ||
| May 30th | Radio Interview - 2CBA-FM on the Captain Midnight show | |
| Clones sign to the Nucleus agency | ||
| Stories on The Clones coming up in Roadrunner and RAM magazines | ||
| June 15th | Play at the New Brighton Hotel, Kiama (since demolished, that'll teach 'em) | |
| Fielding offers of interest from Piranha Brothers records | ||
| June 25th | Clones officially offered contract with Piranha Brothers records | |
| First single will eventually be released an entire year from now!! | ||
| June 28th | Stagedoor Tavern with Loaded Dice | |
| July 3-7 | Five shows in a row - Doyalson RSL with Flowers; Selinas; Regent Hotel; | |
| Willoughy Town Hall and Rags (formerly Chequers) | ||
| July 13th | Support Dragon at Newcastle University. Complete balls-up from beginning | |
| to end. A night best forgotten apart from Noel singing 'Konkaroo' right in the | ||
| face of Dragon's lead singer (the guy who wasn't Marc Hunter) | ||
| Aug 2nd | Comb & Cutter Hotel, Blacktown......the audience threw stuff at the band | |
| Aug 8th | Record demo at Festival Records with Glenn A. Baker at the producer's desk | |
| Aug 11th | The Sydney Cove Tavern fiasco! A disagreement between The Clones and Outlaw | |
| over who was first or second support to The Radiators turns into an all-in | ||
| verbal brawl.....[Ego IS a dirty word - Ed] | ||
| Aug 21st | First rehearsal of new original, Mark's Tired of Hiding | |
| Aug 24-26 | Mini-tour Newcastle area | |
| Sep 17th | Finally signed record contract. Unfortunately it was with Piranha Brothers who promptly | |
| disappeared off the face of the planet for nine months [the first single would not come | ||
| out until the middle of 1980] | ||
| Oct 5th | First interstate gig - in Canberra at the College of Advanced Education | |
| Nov 6-12 | Toured in Melbourne, Victoria...........fabbo!! Eight gigs in eight days with one day off. | |
| Everyone had a blast.....one highlight was meeting James Freud at the Crystal Ballroom | ||
| when he fronted Radio Stars | ||
| Dec 8th | Mark drinks three double scotches in five minutes and throws up over everything | |
| at someone's birthday party - someone told him that scotch whiskey would cure | ||
| his cold! | ||
| Dec 15th | During a day off on 2nd Melbourne tour - Mark, Ian and John are involved in a car | |
| accident....bruises and shaken nerves only but a nasty moment! | ||
| 1980 | Jan 3rd | Played Hunter's Humpy at Earlwood - John gets involved in a lovely fist fight on the |
| footpath outside | ||
| Jan 26th | Finally receive news of recording dates at Trafalgar Studios for first single!! | |
| Feb 11th | Record John's Happy I'm With Her, Mark's Tired of Hiding and John and Mark's | |
| Says She Don't Belong at Trafalgar Studios, Annandale | ||
| Feb 28th | News that RCA will distribute Piranha Brothers records including The Clones | |
| single lifts everyone's spirits somewhat | ||
| Apr 8-9th | Record vocals and mix Tired of Hiding | |
| May 5th | Debut performance of Clones' 2nd alter-ego band The Gumbys (including gaffa tape | |
| moustaches and beards as disguises!) at the Sundowner Hotel, Punchbowl | ||
| June 3rd | Play at Broadbeach International Resort Hotel, Gold Coast, Queensland - after only a | |
| handful of songs the Queensland police turn up and order the show be stopped due | ||
| to noise complaints. David quickly arranges an audition at Juliana's nightclub and | ||
| the band plays only one show before heading back to Sydney extremely | ||
| disheartened by the experience | ||
| June 10th | On turning up at the next scheduled gig, the Australian Heritage Hotel in Kings Cross, | |
| one band member is prompted by the scuzziness of the place to go home again and not | ||
| do the show | ||
| The Clones are becoming gradually more despondent by record release delays, bad gigs, | ||
| nasty interstate experiences etc. | ||
| June 18th | The Clones single is officially released at last! Tired of Hiding/Happy I'm With Her | |
| makes it to 87 in the national charts, eventually selling around 2,000 copies | ||
| June 25th | John announces he is leaving The Clones. Once more he continues to play live shows while the | |
| others consider their future. They decide to continue as a three piece band under the | ||
| same name | ||
| July 11th | John's last show with The Clones at the Chester Hill Hotel is on early evening and then | |
| the other three play their first show as a three piece the same night at Sydney University | ||
| July 20th | Radio interview on 2JJJ-FM | |
| July 24th | RCA Record launch gig at Ryde with The Innocents who have released their single, Sooner | |
| or Later.............it rained | ||
| Sep-Oct | More gigs as a three piece. Hoping to get out of record contract at this point | |
| Oct 11th | Noel announces intention to leave the band | |
| Nov 8th | Last ever Clones gig at the Betsy nightclub in North Sydney. Ironically, John gets married on this | |
| day also........... | ||
| 1981 | Feb 25th | During this period, Mark hooks up with Brent Jeffrey (from Tasmania's Beathoven) and Ron |
| Noshie (from the Rebels) for a possible band project. As this is happening Ian and Noel get | ||
| into Mark's ear about reforming The Clones! | ||
| Even John is keen! A few practices happen during March and April but it was not to be | ||
| in the long run.........the project dies for various reasons before even getting off the ground. | ||
| Oct | Mark joins up with Brent, Ron and Tony Voglino in Turnaround but leaves after appearing | |
| with them in the Gillian Armstrong film Starstruck and recording rhythm guitar and | ||
| backing vocals on their first single, Let's Do It | ||
| Lat '81 | Ian and Noel re-team with Mark for yet another go around the circuit which eventually sees them | |
| morph into The Reasons Why by early 1983.......but that's another story | ||
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