The Missing Links (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Defunct | 1966 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Garage rock, R&B, protopunk music |
The Missing Links were a Sydney-based Australian band active between 1964 and 1966, known for their contributions to garage rock, R&B, and protopunk.[1] Renowned for their long hair and onstage destruction of instruments,[2][3] the group experienced a full personnel overhaul in 1965, resulting in two separate incarnations.
The initial formation consisted of Peter Anson (guitar), Dave Boyne (guitar), Bob Brady (vocals), Danny Cox (drums), and Ronnie Peel (bass). This lineup released their first single, "We 2 Should Live," in March 1965.
The second and more widely recognized version featured an entirely different roster: Andy Anderson handled vocals (and initially drums), Chris Gray contributed keyboards and harmonica, Doug Ford provided vocals and guitar, Baden Hutchens was on drums, and Ian Thomas played bass. This ensemble produced their eponymous debut album in December 1965. Music critic Richie Unterberger from Allmusic described this lineup as delivering some of the most unrefined Australian garage/punk sounds of the period—akin to a blend of the Troggs and early The Who, distinguished by pioneering aggressive feedback techniques well ahead of their time.
Formation
The Missing Links originated in early 1964 in Sydney with members Peter Anson (guitar), Dave Boyne (guitar), Bob Brady (vocals), Danny Cox (drums), and Ron Peel (bass guitar, formerly of the Mystics). Their distinctive long hairstyles inspired their band name, which suggested a "cross between man and ape." In November that year, they performed at a benefit concert supporting Oz magazine founders Richard Neville, Richard Walsh, and Martin Sharp during their obscenity trial.
The original group recorded "We 2 Should Live," released as a single by Parlophone in March 1965. By this time, John Jones (ex-Mystics) had replaced Boyne on guitar, and Cox had departed with New Zealand-born Andy Anderson stepping in as drummer. The band briefly disbanded in July. After the split, Anson went on to create the Syndicate (later known as Jeff St. John and The Id), Brady joined Python Lee Jackson, and Peel became part of The Pleazers before adopting the stage name Rockwell T. James and achieving success with singles such as "Come on Home" and "Roxanne."
Second lineup
By late July, The Missing Links had reassembled with Anderson and Jones, temporarily joined by Dave Longmore (vocals/guitar), Frank Kennington (vocals), and Col Risby (guitar). Longmore was quickly succeeded by Doug Ford; Chris Gray added keyboards and harmonica to the mix; Baden Hutchens took over drums, and Ian Thomas played bass, rounding out a more forceful ensemble. Their performances were marked by energetic stage behavior and fashionable attire inspired by Carnaby Street trends.
After signing with Philips Records, they issued "You're Drivin' Me Insane" in August 1965, followed by "Wild About You" in September. Despite their gritty style, veteran rocker Johnny O'Keefe prohibited their appearance on his TV program Sing Sing Sing. Another single, "H'tuom Tuhs," featured reversed tape effects on both sides, preceding similar Beatles techniques. Their first album, The Missing Links, was released in December. Richie Unterberger of Allmusic lauded it as some of the era’s most unrefined Australian garage/punk music.
In 1966, Hutchens left to marry, and Thomas returned to the Showmen. Anderson, Gray, Ford, and Jones then released the EP The Links Unchained in April before the band dissolved in August.
Later developments
Following The Missing Links’ breakup, Anderson and Ford established Running Jumping Standing Still in Melbourne in August 1966. Anderson later embarked on an acting career in Australian and New Zealand television, while Ford became the lead guitarist for The Masters Apprentices starting in 1968. John Jones shifted his focus to become a screenwriter based in Hollywood.
Legacy
Their 1965 self-titled LP saw a vinyl reissue by Raven Records in 1986 and a CD release with bonus tracks by Half A Cow in 1999. Collectors have paid up to A$2000 for original LP copies.
The Australian road movie Oz featured two fresh renditions of The Missing Links’ "You're Driving Me Insane," produced by Ross Wilson. The band’s influence extended to subsequent Australian punk and hard rock groups, notably The Saints, who covered "Wild About You" on their debut album (I'm) Stranded (1977). In 2010, their debut album earned a spot among the top 50 in 100 Best Australian Albums.
Significantly, The Missing Links were trailblazers in applying backward tape effects on both sides of their 1965 single "H'tuom Tuhs," predating similar innovations by the Beatles during the sessions for Revolver.
Members
First lineup
- Peter Anson – guitar, vocals (1964–April 1965)
- Dave Boyne – guitar (1964–March 1965)
- Bob Brady – vocals, percussion (1964–April 1965)
- Danny Cox – drums (1964–March 1965)
- Ronnie Peel – bass, harmonica (1964–April 1965)
Transitional lineup
- John Jones – guitar (March 1965–May 1965)
- Andy Anderson (as Andy James aka Neville Anderson) – vocals, drums (March 1965–May 1965)
- Dave Longmore – vocals, guitar (April 1965–May 1965)
- Frank Kennington – vocals
- Col Risby – guitar
Second lineup
- Andy Anderson (as Andy James aka Neville Anderson) – vocals (May 1965–April 1966), drums (March 1966–April 1966)
- Doug Ford – vocals, guitar (May 1965–April 1966)
- Chris Gray – keyboards, harmonica (May 1965–December 1966)
- John Jones – guitar (July 1965–April 1966)
- Baden Hutchens – drums, vocals (July 1965–March 1966)
- Ian Thomas – bass, vocals (July 1965–April 1966)
Studio albums
| Year | Album information |
|---|---|
| 1965 | The Missing Links
|
EPs
| Year | EP information |
|---|---|
| 1966 | The Links Unchained
|
| 1979 | The Missing Links
|
Singles
| Release date | A-side track | B-side track | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 1965 | "We 2 Should Live" | "Untrue" | Parlophone (A8145) |
| August 1965 | "You're Drivin' Me Insane" | "Somethin' Else" | Philips (BF-213) |
| September 1965 | "Wild About You" | "Nervous Breakdown" | Philips (BF-224) |
| October 1965 | "H'tuom Tuhs" (Part 1) | "H'tuom Tuhs" (Part 2) | Philips (BF-231) |
| November 1998 | "Wild About You" | "Come My Way" | Half a Cow Records (MOO 11) |
Compilation albums
| Year | Album information |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Driving You Insane
|
- ↑ Marks, Ian D. and McIntyre, Iain. They should not be confused with the American band of the same name from the same period, which included Micky Dolenz of The Monkees. Wild About You: The Sixties Beat Explosion in Australia and New Zealand. Verse Chorus Press. Portland, London, Melbourne. 2010 ISBN 978-1-891241-28-4 pg. 7 (McFarland introduction: "garage-punk/R&B/pscyh" describes various groups of the era, with the Missing Links being the first mentioned), pg. 87 ("punk pioneers"), pg. 98 (photo description: "the definitive Australian punk image of all") - Garage rock remains the most accurate genre label. When "punk" is applied to mid-60s bands, it generally refers to garage rock, as early 70s critics initially coined "punk rock" to describe this genre; "R&B" can be a secondary classification, though pure R&B typically involves piano and horn sections characteristic of black music from around 1948-1966, which influenced white beat bands—however, pure R&B usually includes these instruments prominently with less emphasis on guitars.)
- ↑ Marks, Ian D. and McIntyre, Iain. Wild About You: The Sixties Beat Explosion in Australia and New Zealand. Verse Chorus Press. Portland, London, Melbourne. 2010 ISBN 978-1-891241-28-4 pg.87
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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