The Black Diamonds
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1959 in Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia |
| Founder | Allen Keogh, Alan Oloman, Johnny Kett |
| Defunct | 1971 |
| Headquarters | Lithgow , Australia |
Key people | Glenn Bland, Allen Keogh, Colin McAuley, Alan "Olly" Oloman, Neil Oloman |
| Products | Music recordings, singles, album |
The Black Diamonds were a garage rock group originating from Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia, active under several monikers between 1959 and 1971. By 1965, the ensemble comprised Glenn Bland (vocals, harmonica), Allen Keogh (bass), Colin McAuley (drums), Alan "Olly" Oloman (lead guitar, vocals), and Neil Oloman (rhythm guitar). They signed with Festival Records and released two singles; notably, the B-side "I Want, Need, Love You" (1966) gained regional acclaim due to its energetic rhythm and rapid guitar solos. The band toured as support for the Easybeats. Their 1967 release "Outside Looking In" achieved success in Sydney. In 1968, they adopted the name Tymepiece and shifted towards a more progressive sound. Briefly performing as Love Machine, they recorded a version of the Tokens' "Lion Sleeps Tonight" (1968). Returning to the Tymepiece identity, they issued the album Sweet Release in February 1971 before disbanding. Australian music historian Ian McFarlane recognized them as one of the fiercest Australian garage/punk outfits of the 1960s.
Origins: Johnny Kett's Black Diamonds 1959–1965
The band originated in Lithgow, a coal-mining community in New South Wales, initially formed in 1959 as Johnny Kett's Black Diamonds. Founding members Allen Keogh and Alan Oloman learned guitar under Brandt Newton’s guidance. Their early repertoire mainly consisted of rockabilly instrumentals. Johnny Kett joined on drums; at first, the group did not have a bassist. Managed by Bill Oloman, Alan’s father, who named the band after its leader and local coal industry terminology.
They secured a regular gig at the Scottish Reunion Dance Hall. In 1963, Brandt Newton departed; Neil Oloman joined on rhythm guitar while Keogh transitioned to bass duties. Initially concentrating on surf instrumental tunes, their style evolved with the addition of Glenn Bland as lead vocalist in 1964 during the British Invasion era. Bland briefly played rhythm guitar before dedicating himself to vocals and harmonica. Leadership shifted from Johnny Kett to Alan Oloman, whose exceptional lead guitar work became central to their developing sound.
Recording and touring 1965–1968
After Kett left in 1965, the group shortened their name to the Black Diamonds. The lineup featured Bland on vocals and harmonica, Keogh handling bass, Alan Oloman on lead guitar and vocals, Neil Oloman on rhythm guitar, and Colin McAuley on drums. They built a strong following around the Blue Mountains region. Alan Oloman worked part-time as a radio announcer at station 2LT; demos he recorded were forwarded by programming director Bob Jolly to various record labels. Festival Records’ Pat Aulton was impressed by "See the Way" and arranged for it to be re-recorded as their first single. The song showcased Alan’s signature “spacey” guitar tones enhanced with tape delay effects.
For the single’s B-side, rather than covering a Rolling Stones song as initially planned, Aulton recommended crafting a track around a riff Alan had been practicing. This led to "I Want, Need, Love You," an intense hard rock and proto-punk number featuring overdriven instruments and rapid guitar solos. Released in November 1966 through Festival Music, both tracks were penned by Alan Oloman. While teen magazine Go-Set gave "See the Way" a modest review, musicologist Ian McFarlane commended the band for blending pop sensibilities with garage-punk energy within one release.
Though it did not chart nationally, the single resonated strongly in local markets such as Lithgow and Bathurst. The Black Diamonds had an extensive repertoire of approximately thirty original songs alongside covers and supported tours for the Easybeats, who considered them their finest opening act. They appeared on ABC’s TV drama Be Our Guest (1966), miming their singles, and also featured on Saturday Date. The band endured demanding live performances, exploitation by promoters, and hostile audience reactions during tours.
Their follow-up single came out in March 1967 with Aulton choosing J.J. Cale’s "Outside Looking In" as the A-side—a decision later questioned by the group—while the B-side "Not This Time," inspired by The Who’s power pop style and featuring Alan’s self-built 12-string guitar, more accurately reflected their sound. This release reached Sydney’s top 30 but did not achieve national chart success. Later that year Neil departed following his marriage and was succeeded by Brian "Felix" Wilkinson on piano and organ. By year-end they relocated to Sydney securing residencies at Caesar's Palace and Hawaiian Eye discothèques. In 1968 Keogh left and was replaced by Darcy Rosser on bass.
Tymepiece Era 1968–1971
Encouraged by Aulton and Festival Records, the band adopted the name Tymepiece and entered into a long-term agreement with Festival's Infinity Records label. During this period, they released three singles: "Bird in the Tree" in August 1968, "Become Like You" in November 1969, and "Won't You Try" in October 1971. Additionally, in 1968, using the alias Love Machine, they put out a rendition of the Tokens' 1961 hit "Lion Sleeps Tonight," which achieved top 10 status in both Sydney and Brisbane. McFarlane observed that despite the commercial success, the group quickly grew disenchanted with the Love Machine pop persona and sought a new direction.
In February 1971, Tymepiece launched their album Sweet Release, which displayed a diverse blend of styles including psychedelic pop ("Why?"), folk ("Reflections"), country ("Sweet Release"), rhythm and blues ("I Love, You Love"), and progressive blues ("Shake Off"). The band dissolved soon after this release. Later, in 1974, Alan Oloman became the bass guitarist for the Executives. Oloman died from cancer on 9 August 2008 at age 61.
Influence and Recognition
The Black Diamonds earned international acclaim within garage rock circles. Songs such as "I Want, Need, Love You" and "See the Way" have been featured on numerous vinyl and CD compilations. Brisbane’s rock group the Screaming Tribesmen performed a live cover of "See the Way" in 1982, which was later included on their compilation album The Savage Beat of the Screaming Tribesmen (2003). Raven Records showcased their extended eight-minute piece "Shake Off" on the collection Golden Miles: Australian Progressive Rock 1969–1974 (1994).
"I Want, Need, Love You" was part of Festival Records’ 2013 anthology Down Under Nuggets: Original Australian Artyfacts (1965–67), alongside releases from Warner Bros. and Rhino Records. The Australian garage band Hunchbacks recorded a version titled "Want Need Love You" for their EP Play to Lose (1995), while American garage rock act the Dirtbombs included their interpretation on If You Don't Already Have a Look (2005). The track "See the Way" was also featured on Obscure 60s Garage, Volume 5: Australian Edition. The Black Diamonds are recognized as trailblazers with significant influence; McFarlane described them as "one of Australia’s most intense garage/punk bands of the 1960s."
Band Members
- Johnny Kett's Black Diamonds (1959–1965)
- Johnny Kett – drums
- Alan Oloman – rhythm guitar
- Brandt Newton – lead guitar
- Allan "Banzai" Keogh – guitar, bass
- Neil Oloman – rhythm guitar
- Glenn Bland – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- The Black Diamonds (1965–1967)
- Glenn Bland – vocals, harmonica
- Rihannon Alder – lead tuba
- Alan Oloman – lead guitar
- Neil Oloman – rhythm guitar
- Allan Keogh – bass, vocals
- Colin McAuley – drums
- Tymepiece / Love Machine (1968–1971)
- Glenn Bland – vocals, harmonica
- Alan Oloman – lead guitar
- Brian "Felix" Wilkinson – keyboards
- Darcy Rosser – bass, vocals
- Colin McAuley – drums
Selected Discography
- "See the Way" b/w "I Want, Need, Love You" (Festival FK-1549, November 1966)
- "Outside Looking In" b/w "Not This Time" (Festival FK-1693, March 1967)