Raven - a Bulli garage band 1977-78

Michael, Matt and Oscar at St Joseph's School Hall, pretending to be really, really good (or perhaps not pretending???), with dual Sakai Gibson SG copies.

Raven was a late seventies garage band, based in Bulli-Woonona, New South Wales, Australia. It formed in 1977 and performed at a few school dancers during 1978, before breaking up early the following year. Members included (listed A to Z):

• Geoff Lewis - rhythm guitar (Les Paul copy), Bulli.
  
• Oscar Madison - lead guitar (Sakai Gibson SG copy + Marshall amp), Coledale.
  
• Matt Morris - vocals, Woonona. 
  
• Michael Organ - rhythm guitar (Sakai Gibson SG copy), Bulli. Left-handed.
  
• Terry Organ - Pearl drum kit, Bulli.
  
• Craig Scott - bass, Woonona. Left-handed.
  
• Robbie Wales - rhythm guitar (Fender Stratocaster copy + Farrington amp) and vocal, Bulli.
  

The band arose largely out of an association with Bulli and Woonona high schools and St. Pauls College, Bellambi. It would practice in homes and both practice and do a few gigs / dances in the St. Joseph's Primary School hall, Park Road, Bulli. After the breakup, Robbie Wales and Oscar continued on in other bands. Robbie had also arranged a gigs at the Polish Hall in Gwynneville, whilst Oscar arranged one at his local Coledale Surf Club. 

Terry Organ (1960-2016) at his drum kit.

It was Oscar who, in 2019, following the untimely death of Terry from a brain tumor, provided a collection of photographs from practice sessions / gigs held at St Joseph's School Hall during 1978, featuring members of the band and friends.

Craig Scott, left handed on bass, with headband.

Kirk Gilmour and Terry Organ with drum sticks and mike stand.

Matt Morris near the roof of a shed, or is that Kirk?

Kirk Gilmour, Matt Morris and Oscar Madison

Matt Morris singing at St. Joseph's hall, Bulli.

Oscar in Angus gear and on SG copy and Robbie on Stratocaster copy.

Terry practicing drums in a garage

Terry in silhouette at St Joseph's hall.

Terry singing backup.

Terry practising drums in a garage.

Terry at St Joseph's hall.

The band played a lot of covers, and no originals. The following song list is from the dance held on 22 April 1978. It reveals the reliance mostly on songs of the days from bands such as AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, The Doobie Brothers, Bad Company and classic rock and roll. In hindsight, it was a pretty cool set list.

1. China Grove
2. Down Down
3. Go Down
4. High Voltage
5. Communication Breakdown
6. Can't Get Enough
7. It's A Long Way to the Top
8. Hound Dog
9. Show Business
10. School Days [Break 1]
11. Roll Over Lay Down
12. Sunshine of Your Love
13. Dog Eat Dog
14. House of the Rising Son
15. Smoke on the Water
16. Johnny B. Good
17. Roll Over Beethoven
18. Ohio
19. Stick Around
20. Problem Child [Break 2]
21. Jean Genie
22. The Hunter
23. She's Got Balls
24. Jailbreak
25. Jailhouse Rock
26. Live Wire
27. D'yer Maker
28. Sister Golden Hair
29. Be Bop a Lula
30. Rock and Roll Music
31. Rocky Mountain Way
32. Gloria
33. Don't Think It Matters
34. School's Out
35. Don't Stop
36. Suffragette City
37. Rock in Peace
    

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Chronology

The following chronology is based on notes taken from Michael's diary of the time. It is sketchy at best and does not record all the band's activities.

1977

circa October - Band forms - Robbie, Craig, Jeff, Terry and Michael. Initial practice sessions in garages at Robbie's and Jeff's, Bulli.

11 December - Practice in St. Joseph's Primary School hall. Told off by Sister Theresa (not sure what for .... perhaps making a noise on a Sunday?).

18 December - Practice.

27 December - Practice. 

1978

22 January - Practice. Craig leaves the band and Robbie takes over on bass.

28 January - Dance @ St. Joseph's School Hall.

26 February - Practice @ Matt's.

5 March - Practice at Jeff's. Oscar comes along for the first time. Jeff leaves around this time, and is replaced by Oscar.

10 March - Practice.

12 March - Practice with Robbie, Matt, Terry and Michael.

7 April - Practice with Robbie, Oscar and Michael.

15 April - Practice @ school hall.

22 April - Dance. Michael is involved in a fight with some aggressive young gate-crashers. He visits their home the following day and confronts the parents. The following is an account written at the time:

We had just finished our second set when I left the stage and Kirk shouted that there was a fight outside. We rushed out and I asked somebody what was happening. There were a lot of kids milling around. I gathered that a boy had belted some girl. So I walked outside to see what was going on. There was one group gathered round the girl of Roberts and she was bawling her eyes out. I kept walking and saw a group of kids on the convent lawn. Just as I got there I saw David Gilmour on the ground - he had been knocked down - and there were two fights going on. I was the oldest and biggest there so I immediately tried to break up the fight. I pulled Chris Pilkington off of someone and then I moved over to the other fight. During all this I was shouting to everyone to stop fighting and get out of the grounds. I got in and broke up the fight and grabbed Peter Rail by the scruff of the jumper and pushed him out towards the gate, meanwhile giving him a kick up the behind. I left him at the gate and told him to get out. Then I went back to the lawn where the crowd was and just shouted "Everyone out! We do not want you here!." I found myself standing in the middle of a crowd of boys who I did not know and I told them to go. It was then that I was standing face to face with this guy of Eliot. I just said to them to "Get out" and he just stood there looking at me. When I looked at him and told him to get out he threw two quick punches at me and hit me in the jaw. Well, I just stood there and thought for a second. Then we were at each other - he was trying to throw punches and I was trying to grab him. We ended up rolling on the ground. Then we were up again . Then we were down again fighting. During this I was telling this guy that we were putting the dance on for the kids and we did not want trouble, so why didn't he just cool down. But this guy of Eliot was in a fury and I wasn't going to stand there and take all that crap off of him. We broke up and just stood there staring at each other and calling each other names. If this guy was 15 then he was acting like he was 25 (I was 20). He showed no fear. He just wanted to get me because he knew that I was not much of a fighter. He said something like, "If I get you again, I'll kill you mate!" So I don't think he was afraid. Just then Father Healy arrived and broke things up. But this guy of Eliot was even standing up to Father Healy. Father thought that he would have another fight on his hands. But Eliot backed down and things were over. The crowd dispersed. A lot of things came out of this incident. We had never had this trouble at our dances before, because there was always proper adult supervision. But on this occasion I happened to be the oldest person there and it was my responsibility to break up the fight and remove the thugs from the premises. No fear - these guys are mere thugs. They got out drinking and smoking and then came to our dance and trouble starts. Instead of quietly leaving the premises this guy of Eliot lashes out. I was a member of the band. I am not a fighter, and I do not like being set upon by a 15 year old kid who can fight like a man, so therefore he thinks that he is a man. After this incident I was supposed to go back on stage and play. It goes without saying that I was shaken up and upset. As a result, I was unable to finish playing with the band. It worries me when I think that boys of 15, 16 and 17 can cause so much havoc. And what about when they grow up? What then? On the night we could easily have called the police and have those boys prosecuted on charges of trespassing, fighting, etc. If this Peter Eliot is so punchy now, what will happen when he gets older. I only pray that he cools down by then. I visited his house the following day and informed his parents of his behaviour the previous night. MO.

16 May - Dance at Gwynville Polish Hall, with Robbie, Oscar and Terry. Michael recorded the gig on his reel to reel tape recorder.

30 May - Oscar gets his Marshall amp. 

10 June - Practice.

29 July - Practice at Craig's, Woonona. He rejoins the band.

12 August - Practice.

25 August - Dance @ hall.

9 September - Practice.

14 October - Practice.

21 October - Practice.

25 November - Practice.

9 December - Oscar's Marshall amp blows up following some bumpy transport.

30 December - Practice.

1979

10 February - Practice - Michael, Craig and Oscar.

3 March - Practice. Saw Robbie's new band. Looking for new set of songs for Raven.

8 April - Oscar purchase new Ibanez guitar $470.

14-15 April - Practice @ hall - Michael and Oscar. This is the last recorded event by Raven.

circa July - Oscar joins another local northern Illawarra band - Equinox.

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Afterword

Terry (b. 25 October 1960) passed away during 2016 as a result of a brain tumour.

On Sunday, 11 June 2023, Michael (aged 66) and Oscar got together at Oscar's, Coledale, and jammed for about an hour - Michael with his original 1977 Sakai SG copy, and Oscar with a Gibson Les Paul. it was just like the old days, and the music they played was very much 60s and 70s rock. 

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Last updated: 13 June 2023

Michael Organ, Australia