Wheats

Wheats

Melbourne band Masters is on the radar as a pivotal rock band on Melbourne’s music scene in the late ‘60s/early ‘70s.

Fronted by the great Jim Keays and including the bass player Glenn Wheatley, The Masters Apprentices had a clutch of hits including Undecided and their most favourite song It’s Because I Love You. The song features the brilliant chorus …

“Do what you wanna do,

Be what you wanna be, yeah.”

It is one of the greatest rock songs by a band based in Melbourne.

The film clip is sensational, shot in luxurious cinematic black and white featuring outdoor scenes filmed in the middle of winter, and studio footage of the band playing the song.

The talismanic twins Jim Keays and Glenn Wheatley (aka Wheats) are featured during the chorus, with Glenn Wheatley playing the bass guitar and singing the catchy chorus with Keays, both filmed from cinema left.

Wheatley’s prowess as a bass player can be seen near the end of the film clip where the camera pans from the drummer to Wheatley, and then zooms in on his right hand as he is finger picking the strings. The man can play.

At the end of the film clip as the band walks along the river on a misty, overcast day Wheatley makes room for a band member to walk side-by-side with the rest of the band. Ever the team player. 

Years later as an entrepreneur and manager he orchestrated John Farnham’s comeback with the Whispering Jack album. There is a photo from that time showing Farnham and Wheatley sitting in a large theatre. Farnham is pointing to Wheatley with his right hand, and Wheatley is holding a bass guitar smiling. A sign that the bass player within was present. You’re The Voice, Burn For You and Pressure Down all have great bass lines with the bass being prominent in the mix. A secret to Farnham’s success perhaps, Wheatley’s attention to the bass guitar sound.

The Masters Apprentice Glenn Wheatley passed away on February 2, 2022. Condolences to his family and friends; an immense loss.

One of Melbourne’ s favourite rock bands Camp Cope will be releasing their third album on
March 25 entitled Running With The Hurricane through Poison City Records. After receiving much adulation for their second album there is much excitement and anticipation to this new material from Camp Cope.

The Melbourne trio formed in 2015, their song Jet Fuel Can’t Melt Steel Beams was a crowd pleaser in their early days. Singer songwriter Georgia McDonald has a vocal style akin now to Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, Janet English of Spiderbait and Melbourne troubador Kirsty Stegwazi (there is a chance of Kirsty Stegwazi being involved in recording a song with cult folk musician A G Cole in Adelaide for a 7-inch single with stylish artwork).

Georgia is again joined with Kelly Dawn-Hellmrick on the bass guitar and Sarah “Thomo” Thompson on drums and percussion. The album was recorded at Sing Sing Studios in Richmond around March 2021 by Anna Laverty and mixed and produced by Laverty and Camp Cope.

Before the album’s release two tracks can be heard on the band’s Bandcamp page, the title track and a song called Blue. They are very catchy songs. The title track is a killer. It really kicks off and elevates in an instantaneous moment when the big chorus kicks in. It’s almost as sensational as Olivier Giroud’s second goal for the Rosoneri against Inter Milan in the Milan Derby. Almost, and that is something.

Camp Cope had a highlight performance on America’s CBS Morning Show just recently, performing Blue. Watch it on Youtube. And keep Running With The Hurricane •

Since Labor has been in power …

Since Labor has been in power …

March 20th, 2024 - Evan Mulholland
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