Billboard was formed in Melbourne in 1970. The original lineup was Roy Rennie on vocals, Geoff Wright on guitar, Graham Beggs on drums, Graham Twist on bass and Nikki Woods on keyboards. Their musical inspirations were Spectrum, Chicago and The Band. They gigged around Melbourne and appeared at all the major establishments like The Thumping Tum, Sebastians, Berties etc.
Paul Meaney from The Paul McKay Sound became the band’s manager and he secured them a one-off record deal (with an album option if the single was successful) with the Festival label. The band cut two sides for the Festival’s imprint label, Infinity. Both tracks were written by the band’s guitarist, Geoff Wright. The song “Three And Three/A Day In The Night Of A Roadie” was released as their debut single in 1971, in which the band promoted it on ABC TV’s Hit Scene in April and July of that year.
Even though the single charted in Melbourne, vocalist Roy Rennie would depart the band. His replacement was a black Englishman by the name of Jim Brown. Unbeknownst to the band members, Brown was a sailor in the British Navy and during their visit to Australia had gone AWOL. One night, when Brown didn’t show up for a gig, it was because he had been apprehended by the Military Police and escorted away. Geoff Wright told me, “it wasn’t funny at the time, but it’s incredibly funny now looking back.”
In 1972 the band called it quits when some members wanted to go in a different direction. Geoff Wright would go on and join Doug Parkinson’s Mantis and then Max Merritt and The Meteors. As for the other members they disappeared in to the ether but I would love to know whatever happened to Jim Brown (if that was his real name).
Members
Roy Rennie (vocals), Geoff Wright (guitar), Graham Beggs (drums), Graham Twist (bass),
Nikki Woods (keyboards), Jim Brown (vocals)
SINGLES
Three and Three
10 JAN ’72
#71
References
Geoff Wright
