Circa: 1974 – 1976
Home town: Salisbury
Members:
- Nigel Dams – Vocals, guitar & keyboards
- Ryan Van Coller – Vocals, guitar & keyboards
- Harvey Ward – Bass & vocals
- Nick Matzukis – Drums & vocals
The band played classic and progressive rock covers, as well as a number of originals. They gigged at local school halls in the main, however, they also made one appearance on Rhodesia Television. Some cynics suggested that this was because Harvey’s father was a senior member of RTV!! One of their fondest memories is the night an amp blew up on the stage of the Borrowdale Methodist Church hall. Witnesses to this historic event claim that the explosion was of such might that the stage also nearly disintengrated! Nigel Dams recalls that the drums were so loud and the (one) amp so weak (supporting two guitars, bass and vocals), that they had to put the drummer in an adjoining room and shut the door. From there he had to listen to the rest of the band’s “strangled cat impressions” through headphones!
The band chose the name Antioch more for its mystical sound and feel rather than its historic links to the Old City.
In subsequent years, after the band had broken up, Nigel Dams moved on to join GUTTER, and later went on to enjoy a successful career in Salisbury/Harare as a solo artist. Harvey Ward went into Gospel recordings and did some wonderful solo work in Canada.
Nick Matzukis relocated to South Africa where he was later to enjoy a very high profile in a couple of South Africa’s leading groups of the day.