A VACANT LOT 

Circa: 1966 - 1968
Home town:  Salisbury
Members:

• Frank Dologhan - Lead guitar & vocals (Ex "Theme Thyngs")

• Terence "Taffy" Whelan - Rhythm guitar & vocals

• Keith Rivers - Bass

• Stuart Palmer - Drums

A VACANT LOT  

1967 Rock Band Competition  
  L - R: Stuart Palmer (drums)/Taffy Whelan (Rhythm) &  Keith Rivers (Bass) 
 

The band played mainly covers of what was then known as "Underground" music - Cream, Hendrix et al.  On one Easter occasion, they travelled to Beira where they incurred the wrath of the RLI who wanted to assault them because of their long hair!   Clearly, due to the length of their hair they were seen as draft dodgers, as was often the case in those days!   The band broke up when Frank left to join THE EXECUTIVES in South Africa, followed by Stuart Palmer who also moved to South Africa where he joined ORANGE TANGERINE.  In due course,  Frank  returned to Rhodesia and did a few gigs with Keith and Taffy (Taffy switching from guitar to drums!) before the band finally folded. 

The last gig this band played as the VACANT LOT was at The Disco with the PEANUT BUTTER CONSPIRACY.  The evening was reportedly a rave second-to-none with Taffy boasting a Second World War German tin helmet (which apparently belonged to Keith Rivers' Dad!) on his head as they worked their way through popular rock covers such as "Third Stone From The Sun", "Tales Of Brave Ulysses" and a 25 minute version of "Gloria"!  Sometime later Stuart returned to the country and teamed up with Frank and Keith to form the CHROME PLATED MEGAPHONE OF DESTINY.  In 1968,  Frank and Stuart moved to London where they played in a band for a time before going their separate ways.   Taffy was conscripted to the army, later forming the CLAXTON MOOD.   Keith continued to play in Rhodesia before moving to South Africa via England!  Frank has since returned to Zimbabwe where he runs the Kadoma Theatre and tunes pianos whilst Taffy is a member of a top-flight blues-rock band in Germany called COLD SHOT.

A VACANT LOT  - EASTER BEIRA TOUR 1967

 

Bottom to Top: Stuart/Keith/Taffy & Frank	Coca Cola Powered Combi - Frontier Marketing! L-R: Stuart/Keith/Taffy & Frank	L-R: Stuart/Frank/Taffy/Clive Newsome (joining in) & Keith

(See also CLAXTON MOODCHROME PLATED MEGAPHONE OF DESTINY - In the BANDS section - & COLD SHOT - In the IN THE TRADITION pages).

ACES WILD

Circa:  1977

Participated in the Texan Rock Band Competition at Trade Fair Rhodesia in 1977.

AMBAR (Added 10/12/12)

Circa:  1978
Home town:  Bulawayo
 

Members:

• Hugo Rijpstra - Lead guitar, blues harp & vocals
• Ken Harvey - Rhythm guitar, piano & vocals
• Ian Blyth - Bass guitar & vocals
• Kelvin Killoran - Drums & vocals (deceased)

The band's name was an amalgamation of the companies for whom the band's members worked - Ames (Ian and Kelvin) and Barclays Bank (Hugo and Ken). 

FOUR SQUARE!
Back Standing L-R:  Ken Harvey & Kelvin Killoran
Front Seated L - R:  Ian Blyth & Hugo Rijpstra 

TUNE FELLOWS UNITED!
L - R:  Ian Blyth, Hugo Rijpstra, Kelvin Killoran & Ken Harvey

TAKIN' IT EASY

ANVIL played mainly covers by bands such as Black Sabbath, Ten Years After and Steppenwolf.  As was the case with some many bands of the era, their routine was interrupted when Jim Dawson was called up for military service.  During his absence the band was "mothballed".  When he returned to the band a new drummer in Ian Pace was recruited to replace Graham Mondo who had now been called up!  The band gigged on the circuit for about a year before Jim Dawson decided to leave and head for London, England, to follow his musical aspirations.  This is where he remains to this day.

Circa:  1977

Participated in the Texan Rock Band Competition at Trade Fair Rhodesia in 1977.

The Astronauts played, mainly, in their home town of Gatooma although forays further afield to Umtali, Salisbury and Que Que were not uncommon.  The Umsweswe Hotel, well known to many party-goers of the era, was one of the Astronauts' favourites haunts and gigs there always gandered lots of support from their Que Que followers.  Amongst this group of fans was a fellow who, apparently, used to remove his glass eye after a few drinks and chase the girls with it!

John Allen played in other bands, too, including THE NIGHTHAWKS with Bob, Earl and Joy Mundell and the Schofields (Ken and Marie).  Amongst John's recollections is of an evening when he was playing as a member of a dance band at the local school charity dance when some dunce - we know the type! - tripped over the backstage wiring disconnecting the guitars.  This was particularly obvious to the audience as they were halfway through a Shadows number!  Frenetic action by John, however, saved the night in getting the band "re-connected".  Could this has been the first time the Shadows had ever been covered unplugged?

Another memory of school dances is the occasion where the band were paid in "kind", rather than in cash.  On this occasion the "kind" comprised of a carton of cigarettes and an ashtray each.  It is with no so small amount of pride that John is able to state that, whilst the cigarettes may be gone, the ashtray has survived the years and is lovingly cared for!

John Allen and his wife and family live in Port Elizabeth.  Mike Wildman passed away some years ago and the present whereabouts of Sonny Boy and Charlie are unknown. 

Circa:  1960'S
Home town:  Gwelo
Members:

• Aubrey Bedingfield - Saxophone
• Roy Jenkins - Saxophone
• Kathleen Bedingfield - Piano
• Brian Steane - Drums (on an occasional basis)

Aubrey and his band were very active on the Gwelo scene during the 1960's.  Generally speaking, they were a dance band featuring two saxophonists, double bass, piano and drums.  Aubrey's son, DAVID BEDINGFIELD, was also a pianist and performed regularly.  He was often a member of a trio which included a double bass and Brian Steane on drums forming a popular residency at the Midlands Hotel's Grill Room.  Sadly, David's death at the very young age of 21 was to deprive the Rhodesian music scene of one of its most promising talents.