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Nice Day! A chronicle of Donga Dan's Derelict Band

This blog has inspired the publication of a book! The small chronicle of Donga Dan's Derelict Band will be published using the tools available through blurb.com

It will be 30 pages in colour and feature 38 different photographs and images of the band and its members, and of early promotional material. The book will cover all the stories in the blog and more! It will provide an overview of the story of the band that became a family.

Copies in soft cover will be available in early December at a price of $A30.00 each. If you are interested in ordering a copy please post a comment on this blog.

Proceeds from the sale of the book will be sent to the Nyankunde Fund. A Christian Brethren fund supporting children orphaned in the war in Congo. This fund has NO administrative expenses levied on it and ALL funds go to help the children.

The country and western guys

Trevor Gunter and Graeme Bardsley-Smith joined the band in 1978. This pair of guitarists had been playing together for years and had a really tight, sweet sound. They became the heart of a recreated Donga Dan that specialised in bush dance. With Robyn Rodger providing melodies, Ray Christison, Glenn Rodger and Peter Aroney running rhythm the band developed a tight sound that was perfect for dancing. 

Trevor and Graeme brought a good slice of country and western, old time gospel, Chad Morgan and Australian folk music to the music mix. The new band was an instant success.

Bush dance mania sets in

The early 1980s saw everyone focused on building their families and careers. Allan Chard was pursuing his calling as a professional musician and the rest of us were buying homes and the domestic stuff. 

Over time many of the original band members moved to the Lower Blue Mountains and started attending Blaxland Gospel Chapel. It was here that a new chapter of the band's history was to be written. 

At Blaxland we teamed up with a few of the local musicians who had a bent for both kinds of music (Country and Western) and in July 1987 we revived the concept of the Big Nite Out. After that we decided that we should do bush dances. 

A gig at the Nepean Christian School led to bookings from people who wanted to pay us money to play. This was too good to pass up. 1988 and 1989 became a blur of bush dances from Katoomba to Arcadia. We raised enough money to buy a new pa system for the church at Blaxland.

In the 1980s Gordon Gecko said: "Greed is good." Donga Dan said: "Heel and toe!" and then some more ....

Donga Dan members - 1974 to 1978

One of the wonderful things about Donga Dan's Derelict Band has been the great inclusiveness of the band. More than a band, it's a family - and there's always room for more.

The year 1978 effectively marked the end of the first era of Donga Dan's Derelict Band. As lives changed and new paths were followed the members of the band drifted apart. At the end of that year it seemed to be the end for the band. Who knew what the future would bring?

At different times many people have brought their musical talents and enthusiasm to augment the core of the ensemble. A roll call of band members from the early years is as follows:

• Ray Christison - donga board, knife and fork, plumbing, washboard, jug, vocals, kazoo, aquaphone.


• Allan Chard - guitar, vocals, kazoo, autoharp, banjo-mandolin.


• Graeme McWilliams - guitar, banjo-mandolin, jew's harp, kazoo, harmonica.


• David Ryan - bass, drums, bongoes.


• Glenn Rodger - lagerphone, kazoo.


• Robyn Aroney (Rodger) - vocals, recorder, autoharp, tambourine.


• Richard Ollerton - vocals, guitar, twelve-string guitar.


• Peter Aroney - bass, kazoo.


• Ross McLachlan - washboard, jug.


• Graeme McLachlan - harmonica, bass, lagerphone.


• Glynn Lamb - piano, vocals.


• Sandra Neale - vocals, twelve-string guitar.

Who can ever forget Glynn Lamb. Her hair pulled up in a bun, looking quite prim, but banging on an open fronted upright piano like it was the only thing keeping her alive!! Awesome.

For one night only - The Donga Dearies

Every band must have its backup vocal group. Donga Dan's Derelict Band had the Donga Dearies. A lineup of beautiful boiler-suited young women who gave the band a hint of sweetness and a bit of class!

Donga Dearies:

• Robyn Aroney,
• Donna Parnell,
• Joanne Quarmby,
• Joanne Stacey,
• Kerry Taylor.

One night only - Drift Inn Cafe 15 October 1975. Forever etched in Donga history.

Drift Inn and freak out

Photos from the Drift Inn cafe, Caringbah Gospel Chapel. October 1975

Left to right: Peter Aroney, Richard Ollerton, Allan Chard, Robyn Aroney, Ray Christison, Ross McLachlan, Graeme McWilliams.

Left to right: Allan Chard, Robyn Aroney, Grame McWilliams, Glenn Rodger (in mask)

A prophet without honour in his own country

It took a long time for our home church to accept Donga Dan's Derelict Band. I guess the concept was too radical. Maybe the quality of the music wasn't always the best in the early days but gee people had fun when we played! Our church held regular coffee shops that were a draw for young people from across Sydney. The formats varied but there was usually at least one musical act. In 1974 it was called Drift Inn (how sixties is that!). One of the band's early performances was at Drift Inn. The attitude of some of the church youth group to the band can be summed up in the flyer produced for the event. It proudly exclaimed "Donga Dan, Derelict Band - a night you'll want to forget!"

Within three years Drift Inn had become Salt Mine and the young people who wrote the original flyer were singing as part of our backup band. They had hooked into the fun and become band devotees who accompanied us to many performances. Our greatest local triumph was the Big Nite Out held on 11 December 1976. What a riot that was - music, fun, drag queens and a full Goon Show recitation, complete with crazy sound effects!

The old Caringbah Gospel Chapel is gone now, demolished to make way for home unit blocks, but the good memories and the love remain. It was a good place to make a start.

The identity crisis

The name 'Donga Dan's Derelict Band' was always contentious. Some people in the churches criticised it as being too frivolous. Others questioned the use of the word Derelict. (clearly Derek Zoolander hadn't hit the scene yet.)

When we were planning the first trip to Hillston we decided that we wanted a more serious name. Ray suggested 'Piers the Ploughman'. It was folky and linked to the English folk rock that was popular in the mid '70s.

When Ross McLachlan did the artwork for posters and flyers to publicise the Hillston trip he used the new name. This is a one-off. The name didn't stick - it wasn't us. Besides Ray's Donga board said quite clearly in gold and black 'VOTE 1 DONGA DAN FOR COOK' and Glenn's lagerphone was painted with 'Donga Dan's Derelic Band' (intentional mistake there - there was actually artwork produced that spelt the name that way).

And above all the name had been in Rolling Stone AND endorsed by none other that Bob Hudson. Who were we to argue. Thirty four years later it's still DONGA DAN'S DERELICT BAND.

The Hillston road trips

During 1976 Sandra Neale joined the band, bringing her sweet singing voice and guitar skills. Sandie was a key member of the band that went to Hillston in September 1977 and April 1977.

The image above shows Richard Ollerton, Cathy Olsen (lHillston Central School teacher) and Sandie Neale in the driveway of Rob and Wendy Silver in Hillston in April 1977.

We arranged with Rob Silver, Pastor of Hillston Baptist Church, and his wife Wendy to spend a week in Hillston running coffee shops and activities for teenagers and children. In July 1976 we got together with some other Christian bands from the Sutherland Shire and held the 'Concert for Hillston' at our home church Caringbah Gospel Chapel. That concert rasied money for food and petrol for the trip. Ray Christison, Richard Ollerton, Peter Aroney, Grame McWilliams and Sandra Neale conducted three coffee shops in the Baptist Church at Hillston on 6, 8 and 10 September 1976.

The image above shows Robyn Rodger, Peter Aroney, Ray Christison and Glen Rodger doing the Botabolar Boogie at Hillston Baptist Church on the second trip.

We also helped organise a picnic for the Sunday School children on the banks of the Lachlan River and travelled to Lake Cargelligo for a Sunday evening church service in the CWA Hall. That trip involved a drive of 1.5 hours along a dirt road that followed the Lachlan River. On the way back we had about three kangaroo spotters looking out for the teeming mobs of roos along the river country. On the Thursday we headed down to Griffith for some great pizza and a bit of shopping.

Richard Ollerton and Sandie Neale. What a duo!

The teenagers in Hillston really appreciated that we had gone out to provide them with school holiday entertainment and were keen for us to return. On the Anzac Day weekend in 1977 another team of band members including Ray Christison, Richard Ollerton, Peter Aroney, Glenn and Robyn Rodger, Sandie Neale, Jenni Quinn and Kerry Taylor went out for more fun and entertainment. The trip home proved to be eventful when Glenn's Commodore blew a head gasket between Rankin Springs and Yalgogrin North. The only mechanic was in West Wyalong and he was busy in the Anzac Day two-up game!

Cellar Folk - three floors down

Until the 1980s the Sydney YWCA Building stood in Liverpool Street facing Hyde Park. It was demolished to make way for the Connaught Apartments. Located on a steep site this building had three floors below street level. On the very lowest floor was The Cellar, one of Sydney's premier folk clubs. Cellar Folk hosted folk stars like Jon English, Ross Ryan, Ray Brown (of Ray Brown and the Whispers), the John Curry Folk Review and many more.

During 1975 Donga Dan's Derelict Band were a regular Friday night act at Cellar Folk. Like all other performers at the venue the band was paid the generous performers' fee of $10.00. I guess that was OK given that admission was $2.00 per head and the place could only fit about 50 people!

We actually made it into Rolling Stone Magazine! 17 July 1975. Peter Combe is in the same ad!

Performances at the Cellar were always publicised in the Sydney Morning Herald and on Radio Station 2JJ. Donga Dan's performances attracted a regular crowd of devotees. One Friday Bob Hudson (of Newcastle Song fame), who was an announcer on 2JJ at the time, was announcing the weekend's music offerings in Sydney. When reading the performance list for Cellar Folk he stopped and raved for about 10 minutes about how impressed he was with the name 'Donga Dan's Derelict Band'.

Sydney Morning Herald 12 July 1975.

That night the Cellar was packed with customers who had come to see this great new band. Unfortunately for Cellar Folk and Donga Dan's Derelict Band we had cancelled our booking for the evening. Cliff Atkinson, Cellar Folk's operator, had forgotten this and not removed us from the performers' list. Red faces all around.

Fatty Bacon and His Band of Rind

One Saturday afternoon in 1975 Allan Chard, Ray Christison and Ross McLachlan travelled to Coogee to jam with Fatty Bacon and His Band of Rind. Fatty Bacon were a regular act at a winebar there. It was a lively scene and an extra three bodies really crowded the very small stage. 

The memorable moment from that afternoon was a washboard jam between Ross 'Flashing Thimbles' McLachlan and the regular Fatty Bacon washboard player. As the tension rose and tempo increased washboards heated and thimbles went flying. With no sign on his face of his inner struggle on the path to washboard zen Ross held his own against the other guy, thereby upholding the dignity of the band and cementing a place forever in the annals of Donga Dan history.

A great moment in the history of jugbands!!

The only working jug band in Sydney

In the 1970s Sydney had a very active folk music scene. The churches had regular coffee shops and concerts and folk music was being promoted in pubs and in specialist music venues. Donga Dan's Derelict Band quickly developed a reputation as a novelty act in the church scene. Our success in the 2SM Pepsi Poll provided us a with some notoriety and helped to achieve one of our goals of becoming known outside church circles.

The band quickly linked into the Sydney folk scene and became a regular act at Cellar Folk. This was the era when popular jug bands such as the Melbourne-based Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band were featuring in movies like Stork and releasing Top 40 hits like 'My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes'. 

At one time Donga Dan's Derelict Band was the only working jug band in Sydney. We played at some unlikely places. One such was the Bluegrass and Traditional Country Music Society, which met in the Tin Sheds at Sydney University. What a blast that was. We were absolutely flabbergasted when Ray's jug solo in 'Botabolar Boogie' received an ovation. That was a first and a last.

The 1970s were a weird time.  

Adolph Kong

The insanity (or stupidity) of the band bore no greater expression than in Adolph Kong. Is there any more to say? Gorilla head, army greatcoat, watering can trumpet and the Adolph Kong Rag - hmmmmmmm.

The band grows

Left to right: Ross McLachlan, Glenn Rodger, Graeme McWilliams, Peter Aroney, Ray Christison, Richard Ollerton, Robyn Rodger, Allan Chard

After the 2SM Pepsi Pop Poll we decided to draft new members into the band. Peter Aroney and Ross McLachlan joined in late 1974. Peter took over the bush bass, freeing David Ryan to pursue his desire to play the drums. Ross bought the magic of his hands and a washboard to the band. 

Ross became a washboard legend. He provided a perfect foil to the insanity of the large egos, standing at the back with his hands and forearms being the only things on his body moving as he set a frantic rhythm.

Picture: A bunch of hippies and cesspool salesmen - Donga Dan's Derelict Band in 1978.

A mission statement

When Donga Dan's Derelict Band first formed the members sat down to develop a set of aims. We considered our values and beliefs and the unifying understanding that together we held little of what the world around us would value as talent. After much discussion the group agreed on the following statements regarding the purpose of the band:

• Use our combined 'talents' to the glory of God.
  
• Prepare people for a message.
• Humour and spectacle second.
• Combine Christian and folk songs.
• Promote fellowship.

It's not bad to think that a group of persons, the oldest being 20, came up with a simple mission statement in the early 1970s. Well before the corporate world discovered the value of 'vision' and 'mission'.

Radio Station 2SM Pepsi Pop Poll

In the early 1970s, in the days before FM radio, Sydney's top two rock and pop radio stations were 2SM and 2UW. Each year 2SM facilitated a Sydney-wide search for talented young musicians. Donga Dan's Derelict Band decided to enter the 1974 Pop Poll. We were one of 180 bands that recorded a song at the 2SM studios in Clarence Street, Sydney.

When we arrived we could see that the studio technicians had been rendered almost catatonic by the number of pop music covers they were being forced to record. The morbidly saccharine sounds of 'Bread' and other '70s middle-of-the-roaders were dripping off the studio walls like grease in a fish and chip shop.

The technicians were quizzical when we arrived with our strange array of instruments, and quite obviously elated when we put down our recording of Botabolar Boogie. Immediately after we finished one of the techs ran down the hall and grabbed the station manager. On hearing the playback he made the famous remark: "Sounds like a commercial for acid!"

It was done. We were the novelty act in the finals. One of 10 bands given the privilege of playing in the Concert Hall of the then almost new Sydney Opera house. We didn't get anywhere in the finals but we had a great time!

The Botabolar Boogie

In its early years the Botabolar Boogie was Donga Dan's signature tune. This cacophony of sound based on a 12 bar blues was originally used as a warm up tune for band practices. Over time the band worked up a sequence of instrumentals, creating a crazed experience that built to a spectacular climax. 

After the band recorded it at radio station 2SM's Sydney studios for the 1974 Pepsi Pop Poll one of the studio technicians commented: "It sounds like a commercial for acid." The tune ensured the band a place in the finals held at the Sydney Opera House. It also received airplay on 2SM.

As time went on the instrumental was refined with an introduction borrowed from Elizabethan popular music that said it all:

"The little chirping birds, the robin and the wren they sing a me.

The nightingale bears the treble.

Blackbird, the thrush they bear a tenor.

While the four-footed beasts, with their bleating and bellowing, they sing a bass.

Only man, as being a fierce and wild creature,

Has no certain note or tune.

His instruments are the guts of dead creatures.

A token of his cruelty and a reminder of his riot ..."

Donga Dan's original line-up

The first lineup of the band was as follows:

• Allan Chard - guitar, banjo mandolin and recorder
• Ray Christison - dongaboard, jug and funnel
• Robyn Aroney - recorder, autoharp and vocals
• Graham McWilliams - guitar
• Richard Ollerton - guitar
• David Ryan - tea chest bass
• Glenn Rodger - lagerphone (murrumbidgee rattler)

The name

Naming anything is a difficult task. When we name something we own it. The name evokes the nature of the beast. The name Donga Dan's Derelict Band came out of intense discussion. We wanted a name that was alliterative and memorable. We wanted something that evoked the Australian country - the bush, and we agreed that the word 'derelict' illustrated who we were. We were a group of people without much to give, flotsam on the sea of life, 'derelict' in the face of a perfect God.

The name was born.

Donga Dan's Derelict Band

Following a camping trip to Hill End and Tambaroora in October 1973, and numerous campfire songs, Allan Chard and Ray Christison decided to form a band. This pair of misfits shared a mutual appreciation of a variety of musical genres including folk, blues, country, bluegrass and the amazing 'Self Portrait' album by Bob Dylan. 

During early to mid 1974 Allan and Ray gathered around them a group of young people who were crazy enough to be 'different' and a new jug band was formed. 

The photographs show the campsite on Tambaroora Common where Allan and Ray first explored their mutual appreciation of music and each other.