THE RIGHT NOTE: An adventurous tale

THE STORY SO FAR:
Robbie Laven moves to Auckland and joins a crazy rock 'n' roll band and ends up in hospital. He later joins a band called Thymes Four and plays a major part on the 60s Auckland folk scene, before joining a crazy jug band called the Mad Dog Jug Jook and Washboard Band . . . the story continues
ROBBIE worked his way through university by playing in a socials band, and was involved in the folk revival, blues revival and hippy jam things that were happening around the university scene at the time. He was converted to ethnomusicology after seeing Ravi Shankar play in 1965 to an audience of about 30.
Robbie finished his studies at university in 1970 and moved to Hamilton where he had secured a job. Here he formed The 1953 Memorial Society Rock 'n' Roll Band, who played at the infamous Ngaruawahia Rock Festival and who later became a fixture at the Hillcrest Tavern.
It was also in Hamilton where he and Marion Arts first crossed paths.
Marion had been active in the Tauranga folk music scene, but was now attending Waikato University and was booked to play at the Wellington folk festival.
Robbie was frequently sitting in with lots of folk musicians, so Marion thought she may as well have him play along with her too . . . and the rest is history.
Robbie says: "I certainly was impressed with Marion in, ultimately, irrepressible and fatal ways," as 30-odd years later they are still together.
There was a nice little Hamilton band called Ziffel, featuring bass player Paul Baxter, whose lead singer died suddenly in an accident. Robbie persuaded them to get Marion to sing for them.
Then when Helen Phare (or Collinson), from the Hamilton folk scene, left the rock 'n' roll band mid-tour with Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Marion joined with half-an-hour's notice, and morphed from classical guitarist/folksinger into Tina Turner, making Clarence sit up and take notice.
After The 1953 Memorial Society Rock 'n' Roll Band folded, Robbie played with Mike Farrell and Rick Rikka, sax player Andrew Kimber and master drummer Neil Reynolds in a band called Pardon, while Marion continued to play with Swellfoot's Assembly, a Tower of Power-type funk band and who were apparently impressive indeed.
It was at this time that Robbie got to play with one of my all-time favourite New Zealand musicians - the late Mike Farrell (guitar), with whom he and Marion formed the legendary Red Hot Peppers, with Paul Baxter on Bass.
The Peppers were a sort of eclectic concert band with lots of folk influences but also pretty assertive boogie and rock-inspired, especially when Marion and Robbie made up a little horn section. They even performed a rock musical penned by Robbie.
Peppers was Robbie's first fully professional venture, touring New Zealand and then working in Australia, with Robbie's brother Hans playing lead guitar.
The book of The Red Hot Peppers is a convoluted and complicated tale (from my point of view at least) with players leaving and then coming back again and with exciting chapters and adventures on both sides of the Tasman. I will do my best to relate it to you as I understand it.
The photo shown is (as I understand it) Not the original lineup of the Red Hot Peppers (which featured the late Mike Farrell on guitar) but with his replacement - Hans Laven.
Mike was in the original line-up - then he left - then he came back again. Confused? Go to www.sergent.com.au/music/redhotpeppers where you are sure to be enlightened on this fascinating and influential New Zealand band with its roots firmly embedded in Tauranga soil.