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Ray
Columbus and the Invaders A tap-dancing child prodigy Ray Columbus became interested in rock and roll after hearing Elvis Presley's 'Heartbreak Hotel'. He began entering talent quests in his Christchurch home, and in 1959 formed his first group, the Dominoes, playing weddings, 21st birthdays, playing to anyone who would listen, providing stiff competition to the top band in the Christchurch area, Max Merritt and the Meteors. Before long however, Ray found himself groupless, after his bass player Billy Kristian joined the Meteors and his drummer joined a band called the Downbeats, an old-style dance band. One night in 1960, Ray attended an engagement by the Downbeats when their singer failed to show up. Ray was given an opportunity to sing and was so successful he took over as lead vocalist. Now, when someone left the band, it was always Ray who organised a replacement. When the last of the originals left. the band renamed itself Ray and the Drifters, performing mainly instrumental tunes with Columbus providing the vocals when necessary. As part of Operation Deep Freeze Christchurch was playing host to numerous American servicemen. Their attendance at the local clubs started influencing the music being played, including that of Ray Columbus and his group. By February 1962 they'd become so popular they were offered their own TV show, four programs called 'Club Columbus' which were screened nationally, and bringing the group to a wider audience. As a result of those broadcasts they were offered a month's work in Auckland. Not all the group members could go, forcing a couple of line-up changes. The group which travelled to Auckland renamed itself Ray Columbus and The Invaders. They took Auckland by storm. They found that, thanks to their mix of r&b, rockabilly and instrumentals, as well as their Fender gear, fancy routines, matching outfits, and Ray's energetic and extroverted performing style, the Invaders were way ahead of anything Auckland had to offer. Their first single was a song called 'Money Lover', with lyrics originally written by Ray when he was 16 and completed two years later with music from lead guitarist Dave Russell. The dual guitar work of David Russell and Wally Scott was very distinctive and Jansen, a local instrument manufacturer named a series of Jansen Invader electric guitars after them. When that 'Money Lover' went nowhere the group's second single was an obscure Danish instrumental called 'Kupow'. Surprisingly it achieved most airplay in Sydney. In November 1963 the group set off for Australia, armed with a new single, a version of the Rolling Stones' version of the Beatles' 'I Wanna Be Your Man'. Their debut performance was at Surf City, Sydney's top teenage venue, Ray did the promotional rounds, and appeared on the TV programs 'Bandstand' and 'Sing Sing Sing'. In Sydney, as had happened in Auckland, Ray Columbus and the Invaders discovered they were offering something in tune with the times audiences weren't finding anywhere else. Most people still haven't heard of the Rolling Stones and without being a hit the Invaders version outsold the original. They returned to New Zealand in February 1964 happy with what they'd achieved, knowing there was more to come. After another single from the album, in June they released 'She's A Mod'. In the middle of the Beatles' visit to New Zealand it didn't attract much interest. The record could have faded completely if the Invaders hadn't returned to Sydney. The Beatles had come and gone and Australia was mod crazy. Significantly, at the same time as fellow New Zealander was becoming a fashion and pop sensation in Australia, the Invaders' 'She's A Mod' went to No.1 nationally in Australia. Things were going fabulously until, in Perth during their Australia-wide 'She's A Mod' fuelled tour, the Invaders refused to get off stage to make room for Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs by performing 'She's A Mod' nine times. They were dumped from the tour as punishment. Recorded in Sydney, and written by the group themselves, the follow-up single, 'Yo-Yo' failed to chart in Australia, but made Number One back in New Zealand. Despite an Australasian tour with the Rolling Stones, Roy Orbison and the Newbeats, Ray Columbus and the Invaders didn't score another hit until July 1965's cover of Gerry and The Pacemakers' 'Till We Kissed', Top ten in Sydney, their biggest hit yet in New Zealand. It won a Gold Disc Award and was released in the States as 'I've Been Waiting'. By the end of that year the group had been back and forth between New Zealand and Australia six times. All the money they were making was going on airfares. Throughout that time Ray was also, unsuccessfully, trying to get the band over to the USA. When the US Consul denied them permission yet again, and Jimmy Hill and Billy Kristian decided to leave the Invaders and join Max Merritt and the Meteors, Ray Columbus decided to call it quits. From now on Ray Columbus pursued a successful solo career, and eventually made it to America in July 1966, shifting to California with his American wife. After two years with Ray Columbus and The Arc Collection he returned to New Zealand and became involved in the business side of music, establishing his own record label and publishing company. In 1974 he was awarded an OBE for his services to the New Zealand entertainment business. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of She's A Mod Ray Columbus And The Invaders reformed for a farewell tour in 1994, with Dave Russell, Brian Ringrose and Jimmy Hill. Wally Scott sadly died of cancer in 1980. In 1998 Ray Columbus discovered and took on the management of Christchurch rock band Zed. He took part in the ‘Long Way To The Top’ tour of Australia in 2002. Related
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