|
Please can anyone assist in tracing a certain Brian Geyser, who was guitarist in the "Rebels" and "Aces" rock bands in Zambia around the mid to late 1960's?
Also, if anyone can assist in tracing a certain Mickey (Mike)
Stagg, who was the drummer in the same "Aces" band with Brian Geyser.
Thanking you,
Chris
|
|
have you tried google it may have up to date info on them
|
|
he was still posting up to 2002
Lusaka Bands
From Great North Road
Lusaka Bands with Brian Geyser
By: Brian Geyser
These are a couple of articles and photos of Brian Geyser's bands in Lusaka in the 50's and 60's.
Both these newspaper clippings are of The Aces in the 1950's. The first clipping is The Aces performing at the Scout Hall in Lusaka.
The Aces news clip.
The band members from left to right are as follows:- Brenda Petzer (vocals), Johnny Decock (drums), Brian Geyser (lead
guitar), Geoff Mossop (bass guitar) and Gordon Herder (rhythm guitar). All these band members were The Aces original line-up which I formed after my band The Rebels was axed from performing in Lusaka.
The Aces news clip.
L to R: Brenda Petzer and I performing at the M.O.T.H. Club in Lusaka.
On reading the old archives on the message board some members were discussing the Federal Rock Till You Drop Competition which was held at the Central Sports Club in Lusaka. It was The Aces who played at this function and we broke the Federal Record for the longest time a group has ever played non stop at this time in the Federation.
The Dance Competition was won by one of my friends Ronnie Gordon and Lesmarie Postma. What a long haul it was for us and all the competitors.The Competition was also filmed by the Federal Spotlight and I remember seeing all of us on the movie screen at the Carlton Cinema.
The Aces band members then changed and Mickey Stagg took over from Johnny Decock on Drums, Veldin Bekker took over from Gordon Herder on rhythm guitar. Brenda's family moved to the then Southern Rhodesia and Cheryl Flemming and John Brown joined the group on vocals.
It was with the earlier Aces that I won the Stars of The North Rock Band Competition (as Best Lead Guitarist) held in the OB Bennett Hall in Kitwe.
When The Aces eventually broke up Geoff Mossop and I formed the Kingpins of which there is already a posting and picture on the board.
Best regards
Brian Geyser (Posted to GNR: Thursday, February 07, 2002 at 08:59)
[edit]======================================================
Hi Northerners
Paudie Coughlan.
I think that you are correct. The reporter was confused in calling us a teenage jazz group. We were a Rock n' Roll band. But with all problems we were having in Lusaka at this time with parents saying our music was driving their children in their words crazy and down the wrong track, I am not surprised at the reporters confusion.
Yes it is good to see the changes in styles over time. My time in the music business ranged from the 1950's to the late 1970's in firstly Northern Rhodesia (and the The Federation) to Zambia. By the way I have had a long email from Mike Thomas yesterday. He is still in the music game singing in Durban and his daughter is following in his footsteps.
If you look carefully at the photo I posted of the old Crusaders with Jimmy Mackromallis in which was a triple session with The Kingpins and another unknown Group at Charter hall. Manuel Marques pointed out to me that if you look below his large cymbal you will see my wife looking towards the group and me sitting next to her in my Kingpins getup with a fag hanging out my mouth. This year we have been married for 38 Years.
As my previous groups The Jeanagers, The Rebels, The Aces and then The Kingpins were mainly Rock n' Roll ie:- Elvis , Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Shadows and Cliff, Stones etc., I saw the potential of the Crusaders different style. It was at this session I decided that the time had come for a change and so joined the Crusaders.
The Crusaders
I joined this group shortly after independence 1965-1966 I think.
Below are two photo's when we were playing at Charter Hall in Lusaka shortly after I joined up with them.
The Crusaders, Charter Hall, Lusaka.
The Crusaders, Charter Hall, Lusaka.
On both photo's from left to right are:- Roger Sheard on rhythm guitar, Kosta Constantinou on bass guitar and Brian Geyser on lead guitar.
Unfortunately Manuel Marques on drums cannot be seen in these photo's.
Regards
Brian Geyser (Posted to GNR: Saturday, February 09, 2002 at 11:32)
[edit]=======================================================
Text & photo contributions by: Brian Geyser.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Retrieved from "http://www.greatnorthroad.org/boma/Lusaka_Bands"
This page has been accessed 5,199 times. This page was last modified 20:08, 13 April 2006.
|
|
http://www.northernrhodesia.org/lusakanews/2001-01/
this was posted by Brian in 2001
Brian Geyser - Brian and Julia (nee Phillips) and we live in a small village in Oxfordshire.
My Wife Julia and I have now been married for 37 years, our only child is a daughter Tammy, she is 31 this year, married for 4 years and also living in UK. No grandchildren yet.
**********
My companies web site is www.marshalls-industrial.co.uk this site also links us to our customers and VW Germany.
**********
Check it out. We cover the supply of VW industrial engines and OEM parts for the UK and Ireland. This year we formed another company called Energy Pollution Control Ltd. I know it is difficult for people who once knew me to see that I now own part of a successful company, given my wild past history but I have proved that it can be done.
You asked me about my bands in Lusaka. The first group was "The Jeanagers" Jim Buchanan (publisher's note... Buchanan was so good he went on to become a electrician!) and also Mike Judd I was the vocalist. Jim played Rhythm and Mike played lead. I eventually took over lead from Mike.
My 2nd Band "The Rebels" were Tony Vanrooyen on Rhythm, Ches Zydp on Bass, John Decock on Drums and I played Lead. This Group was Axed by the NRP as there was a riot at the Scout Hall one night, and they said that our music was a bad influence on the teenage population (Publisher's Comment - so was mellowood brandy but that was never banned...damn NRP...so maniacal.)
The 3rd Group Was "The Aces" with Geoff Mossop on Bass, Veldin Bekker on Rhythm, Mickey Stagg on Drums, my Niece Brenda Petzer was a vocalist, she was later replaced by Cheryl Flemming and John Brown on vocals, I played lead and also covered vocals.
The Fourth Group Was "The Kingpins" with Geoff Mossop on bass, Doug Donation on Rhythm, Mickey Stagg on Drums and I covered Lead and vocals.
The Fifth Group was "The Crusaders" I played keyboards, Lead Guitar and back up vocals, Kosta Constatino on Bass Guitar and back up vocals, Roger Sheard on Rhythm guitar, keyboard and vocals, Manuel Marques drums, vocals and band leader. Hans Kuenzle managed this group. Later Jim Facey joined us as a vocalist when we were entering our psychedelic era.
I moved to the Copperbelt met with Jock Hampton (anyone know where he is?) and we formed another group "Instant Karma". Tom Caine played bass guitar, Roy Darvell rhythm guitar, Gary Taylor drums, Jock Hampton main vocalist. I have not been in, or formed any bands in the UK, my main objective was to survive in a country where I knew nobody.
We left Lusaka in 1968 for Chingola. Then moved to Kitwe in 1969. Left Zambia in 1978 for Malawi. Arrived in UK January 1st 1980. For two years we were on the financial borderline, until I got a job with a VW Dealership in Reading. This dealership was a family business they also owned other VW dealerships and a body shop. It was with one of the brothers with whom I formed a partnership on the 5th November 1995.
I still have loads of electrical equipment, PA's and have a room for my music. Some years ago I managed to acquire a genuine Hank b Marvin fender Stratacaster, echo chamber and a 1963 Vox AC30 Amplifier. I do treasure this equipment as it was always my ambition for me to play with his gear. I'm a happy man.
|
|
Thank you so much for the information that you have kindly sent to me. I have also gone onto the Great North Road site, which is quite amazing!
I have not had any luck yet in tracing Mickey Stagg, who was a buddy of mine from school, and I had thought that I may have been able to contact him through Brian Geyser. However, I will now try to establish through Brian's website that you have provided in your reply as to where Mickey might be.
I am sorry that I have taken so long to reply to your messages, but I am a total rookie on this site and the festive season has also limited my time on the internet.
Thank you again for your detailed information and I wish you and your family a very happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year for 2010.
Kindest regards,
Chris
South Africa
P.S. I was also a drummer and the lead singer in a band in the 60's and I'm sure that Mickey will be interested to hear that, when I find him.
|
