RAR ROCK BAND (Added 09/05/06)

Circa:  1977

RAIDERS

Circa:
Home town:
Members:

(See the ETONIANS)

RAMBLERS 

Circa: Formed in 1962
Home town:  Bulawayo
Members:

• Rodney Share - Vocals

• Dave "Choppie" Laing - Rhythm guitar & vocals 

• Rick Laing - Lead guitar & vocals

• Dennis Laing - Bass guitar & vocals

• Dick Cook - Drums

The RAMBLERS were a very popular, and high profile, band on the Bulawayo entertainment scene during the years of their existence.  They played at most well known clubs and venues on the local circuit, including the Jewish Guild Hall, BAC,  and the McDonalds Club.  On occasion they ventured further afield to Victoria Falls and other smaller towns within easy striking distance of Bulawayo.  In 1967 they won a band competition staged at the large City Hall.  It is believed that Mike Westcott was one of the judges at this event.

The band cut their first single at RTV studios.  Brian Ash, then of RTV, sent the tapes to Dan Hill in South Africa.  Unaware as to how their recordings had been received in the RSA it came as something of a surprise for the band to hear "Carol", penned by Rick Laing, suddenly being air played by LM Radio.  No contract with the band had preceded this and there had been no communication of any kind with the record company which had decided to promote the song!

The band then recorded "The Banana Song" and "At My Window" in Bulawayo under the guiding hand of Jeff Schwegman.  Rick's younger brother and sister, who were just children at the time, joined in by singing backup vocals to "The Banana Song".  They will be remembered for being able to sing an octave above the lead vocalist!  Malcolm Laing went on to have his own band at a later stage and, sadly, Maralyn passed away in 2003 from cancer in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

The group recorded at least another two songs, one of which was entitled "When You Read".

The band made a number of television appearances, working closely with Moolji Parshotam and Brian Ash.  Typically of the technology of the day, their performances would be recorded and they would then lip sync them when the show was actually flighted.  Rick Laing recalls that the frequency of their television appearances would increase whenever they'd made a fresh recording!  He recalls, on another occasion, that Brian Ash arranged a bit of exercise for them when he arranged for them to be filmed from an RTV van they were chasing on foot down Abercorn Street one lunchtime past OK Bazaars, witnessed by many a confused onlooker!

During a visit to South Africa in 1999, Rick Laing arranged for the band's original vocalist, Rod Share, to sing "Carol" and "At My Window" and recorded this on camera.  Returning to the States, he put this recording onto an 18 track digital recorder and added new backing tracks to the raw material.  He also had his son, Trevor, sing a remake of "When You Read".

 Recordings:

Singles

The band recorded the following songs penned by Rick Laing.

Carol/Don't Want To Go
The Banana Song
When You Read/At My Window

ROCK ISLAND LINE (Added 15/06/2009)

Circa:
Home town: Salisbury
Members:

• Benny Miller - Lead guitar

• ??? Jackson - Bass
• Billy Toon - Drums

The band gigged regularly around and about Salisbury, including on the Varsity campus and at the rollerskating rink at the local showgrounds.

ROLLICKING (Added 09/05/06)

Circa:  1977

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

RHODESIANS (See DIAMONDS) (Added 17/09/05)

RUSIKE BROTHERS (Revised 16/09/05)

Circa: 1980
Home town:  Salisbury
Members: