The Master’s Apprentices
Inducted 11 July 2014
The Masters Apprentices were, initially, an instrumental group, with a line-up comprising Mick Bower (rhythm guitar), Brian Vaughton (drums), Rick Morrison (lead guitar) and Gavin Webb (bass guitar). Settling on the name, The Mustangs, the band obtained a regular Friday and Saturday night gig at a coffee shop at Glenelg. An offer to manage the group by Graham Longley was accepted.
The Mustangs rehearsed at the Vaughtons’ Kings Head Hotel in the city. In late 1965, the band advertised for a vocalist and Jim Keays successfully auditioned. On 15 February 1966, they gave their first live performance as The Masters Apprentices at the Finsbury Migrant Hospital and, on 26 February, were rewarded with a booking at the prized Beat Basement in Rundle Street, becoming regulars and building a large local following there.
In August, 1966 a demo tape was recorded and sent to Astor Records who requested The Master’s to record two songs. ‘Undecided’ and ‘Wars Or Hands Of Time’ were released as the band’s first single on 29 December. Shortly thereafter, Brian Vaughton left the band and was replaced by Steve Hopgood. In the new year, ‘Undecided’ burst into the local charts, becoming a top five hit and, by April, was in the Top Ten in Melbourne where the band had now relocated.
Coinciding with the release of their second single, ‘Buried And Dead’, Rick Morrison resigned from the group and was replaced by Tony Sommers. ‘Buried And Dead’ became a second national hit, topping the charts in Adelaide and was followed by the release of their first self-titled album. ‘Living in a Child’s Dream’ became their first national Top Ten hit. In September Mick Bower, the band’s songwriter departed to be briefly replaced by Rick Harrison, and then Peter Tilbrook. Steve Hopgood and Tony Sommers also left and were replaced by Doug Ford and Colin Burgess. The band’s following two singles, ‘Elevator Driver’ and ‘Brigette’ continued their run of national hits.
Gavin Webb left the group and was replaced by Glenn Wheatley. When Peter Tilbrook departed in early 1969, Jim Keays was the only South Australian remaining. In 1970, The Masters Apprentices were voted Australia’s top group in the Go-Set Pop Poll. The band continued to achieve national hits including ‘5.10 Man’, ‘Think About Tomorrow Today’, ‘Turn Up Your Radio’, ‘Because I Love You’ and ‘Future Of Our Nation’ before breaking up in early 1972. A string of highly inventive albums were released by EMI - ‘Masterpiece, ‘Choice Cuts’ and ‘A Toast To Panama Red’, the latter two recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, together with a landmark live album, ‘Nickelodeon’.
In 1998, The Masters Apprentices were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. Over the years, the band reunited in various forms before permanently reforming with members from the original line-up. The Masters Apprentices are unique in Australian music history in surviving the frenetic musical changes of the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s. Their original music, at various stages, incorporated rhythm ‘n’ blues, garage, psychedelia, bubblegum, fifties revival, progressive rock and heavy metal.