Missing Links

Without much dispute, the Missing Links are the wildest group Australia has ever produced. They were also pioneers; the first true rebels of Australian rock, the first Australian band known to use feedback, the first Australian band which can be labelled "punk". They were wild on stage and record, but they were also irreverent innovators.

Strangely enough there were two entirely separate Missing Links. The only thing they had in common was the name and their reputation. When the curtains opened on this group, audiences took a few steps back from the stage.

It started in early 1963 when jazz and blues fan Peter Anson formed a nameless rock trio playing Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and early Beatles numbers. He took his music career a lot more seriously after hearing an EP by the Rolling Stones. An ad was placed in the newspaper, which saw Peter and drummer Danny Cox joined by Ronnie Peel and Dave Boyne, both from a surf group called the Mystics. One of Dave Boyne's workmates, Bob Brady, started tagging along at rehearsals, joining in singing and playing maracas. It was inevitable that he would become a permanent fixture, and Peter Anson happily shared vocal duties with Bob. Peter had the longest hair of any male in Sydney. One venue owner took a look at Peter and the rest of his long-haired group, remarked that they looked like a cross between man and ape, and the group decided to call themselves the Missing Links.

Anson's older brother Cliff found work as Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs' roadie, opening the doors to the Aztecs' management and the string of Sydney venues they ran. Sometimes the Missing Links alternated sets with the Aztecs themselves. Record companies were starting to take interest. The band recorded demos for Festival but it was an approach from Ted Albert and the Parlophone label, home of the Aztecs (and the Beatles), which interested them most. At the same time Ted Albert was also in negotiations with another band, the Easybeats.

When this version of the Missing Links gave their first and only TV performance on an ABC program the group themselves helped answer the phones from outraged viewers. When Johnny O'Keefe famously announced he wouldn't have any "long haired" groups on his 'Sing Sing Sing' show, it was the Missing Links he had in mind. When they auditioned to open for the Rolling Stones' first show in Australia, promoter Harry M Miller happened by, took one look, and made sure they didn't get the job.

The Missing Links' first single 'We 2 Should Live' (note the pioneering spelling), was released in March 1965, a month ahead of the Easybeats' 'For My Woman'. Neither was a runaway hit. One critic said the Missing Links' record put Australian music back five years. While it was the beginning of bigger things for the Easybeats, for the Missing Links it was the start of an end, but not because people either hated or loved their record. Some of the band members were starting to lose interest.

So began an era where one by one the original band members left and were replaced, not immediately by a permanent replacement. For a while it looked like every time the Missing Links walked on stage they had a different line-up. At one point in July 1965 they even stopped existing. But in a relatively short time a completely new line-up took the Missing Links' name and reputation. 19 year old guitarist Doug Ford was the oldest member. On vocals was New Zealander Andy James, who originally joined on drums. Finally on drums and bass were two former members of a group called the Showmen, Baden Hutchins and Ian Thomas. Rhythm guitarist John Jones used to be a member of the Mystics, the surf band that had given the Missing Links two of its original members. At that time there was no room for Jones, but he used to hang out with the band anyway. Now he was an official Missing Link. For an extra dimension they introduced keyboards, played by Chris Gray.

The new group was almost immediately signed to Philips, whose only other Australian act at the time was Kamahl. In August 1965 the band recorded its power-charged 'You're Driving Me Insane', a "love" song delivered with the power of the Who's earliest records. Like every other band of the day they recorded in between live performances. In the Missing Links' case it showed.

The group's shows were wilder than any other band anyone can remember, much wilder than the original Missing Links. Andy James was the kind of performer legends are made of. Iggy Pop was still years away as a reference. When Andy climbed the walls and hung from the rafters, or put his head through the drums, he was doing things audiences had not only never seen before, but never heard of being done before. The band did its best to match Andy's performance. Guitars were thrust into speaker cabinets. They competed with each other to wear strangest clothes they could think of. Legend has it that at least once there was a gun on stage.

'You're Driving Me Insane' wasn't a "hit", but Philips perservered anyway, releasing a second single, 'Wild About You', and following it with 'H'Tuom Tuhs", the group's stage favourite 'Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut' recorded backwards (!). An album recorded in bits and pieces over the course of a couple of months. Including the group's singles, the Missing Links album is now considered a garage-punk masterpiece. The Saints recorded 'Wild About You' on their 'Stranded' album.

Again relationships within the band kept them from taking the next step. One after the other the two ex-Showmen left end rejoined their old group. For a while the Missing Links battled on, but early in April 1966 it was announced that the group had broken up. Within weeks Philips released an EP, 'The Links Unchained', comprising four unreleased tracks.

Doug Ford and Andy James went on to form Running Jumping Standing Still. But that's another story!