Toons
After he’d finished playing with The 69ERS for the final time, Peter Knox bounced around the Sydney music scene for a while, filling in on bass and making guest appearances with various bands, until he became bass player and co-comedian with a club ‘show’ called Country Scratch (based around the Caswell family – featuring a young Allan Caswell, his brothers, and his father). After that show came to an end, from it Peter Knox and Ian Willis joined The Kaye & Kyffin Band, which also featured Gavin Hodel on drums (along with Kaye Taylor on vocals and Phill Raymond on rhythm guitar and vocals). It’s possible that outfit did its last gig at the NSW Leagues Club (Sydney) on Friday, March 5, 1976 (though the evidence is sketchy).
From there, Ian Willis, Gavin Hodel and Peter Knox decided to form a three-piece band. They experimented with names – doing their first two gigs as Briquewall (see table below) – then auditioning at The Clique Wine Bar in Surry Hills as I.C. Delite (see table also). By the time they took up a residency at The Clique, they had become Toons, much to the annoyance of the venue owner, who had distributed a whole bunch of flyers promoting I.C. Delite. This gig list represents most of the performance history of Toons, who ended as they had begun – using a number of different names.
Much like Peter Knox’s New Improved 69ERS had done at the end of their history, Toons began theirs with a series of residencies, and residencies were significant throughout their tenure. They got very close a number of times, but Toons never really sprouted wings.
Known gigs for Toons
(Editors note: This gig list is not yet complete but I’m getting them in as fast as I can!)
| Date | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 30/04/76 | Ramsgate | Hawaiian Night (Club?) |
| played as “Briquewall” | ||
| 08/05/76 | Cronulla, NSW | Youth Club |
| played as “Briquewall” | ||
| 22/05/76 | Surry Hills, NSW | Clique Wine Bar |
| played as “I.C. Delite” | ||
| 04/06/76 | Cronulla, NSW | Fiddler’s Vine Winebar |
| 05/06/76 | Cronulla, NSW | Fiddler’s Vine Winebar |
| 11/06/76 | Surry Hills, NSW | Clique Wine Bar |
| 12/06/76 | Surry Hills, NSW | Clique Wine Bar |
| 17/06/76 | Cronulla, NSW | Fiddler’s Vine Winebar |
| 18/06/76 | Surry Hills, NSW | Clique Wine Bar |
| 19/06/76 | Surry Hills, NSW | Clique Wine Bar |
| 24/06/76 | Cronulla, NSW | Fiddler’s Vine Winebar |
| 25/06/76 | Surry Hills, NSW | Clique Wine Bar |
| 26/06/76 | Surry Hills, NSW | Clique Wine Bar |
| 01/07/76 | Cronulla, NSW | Fiddler’s Vine Winebar |
| 02/07/76 | Surry Hills, NSW | Clique Wine Bar |
I use to see Toons every thursday night when they played at the Greystanes Inn back in the late 70’s .I even have a EP somewhere with Bumsweat , Nose-picken’ boogie, Little red riding hood on it . They were great times , I even met my wife at one of these nights and we have been married for 29 years ! I still tell people about this band who were not only great muso’s but also put on a great visual show. Is there any footage of Toons out there ?
Hey Anton,
The only video footage of Toons I can remember being recorded was in a TV studio somewhere over North Sydney way (maybe the ABC studios?) – a group of students were making an episode of a music show as a pilot for TV. I think the year would have been 1976 or so – maybe it was Film & Television School stuff; we did two songs. I think that footage still exists somewhere, but I lost touch with the fellow who has it. As far as live show stuff goes, I don’t remember any being filmed. There was a fair bit of video done of The Zarsoff Brothers later on, but I haven’t been able to find any of that.
Anton,
Were you the swarthy ethnic dude with the hairy back that chased the underage girls around? I have to agree though great times watching Toons and later Zarsoff Brothers who were both top bands.
Hi Anton,
I’m sure you didn’t have to chase too hard remembering how fast you were over the hurdles back in the 70s.
I went to school with Gav Hodel, I lost track when he went to Denmark. If anyone has a contact for him, I am going to Denmark shortly and would like to see him
An unconfirmed rumor suggested the Zarzoffs had a dog called Licki
G’day Tony Rat(cliffe)
Been living in Malmö Serden,
Just across ”the pond” from Copenhagen, for abt 35 yrs now.
All well here, hoping the same for you.
Cheers Gav 🤠🎶🍺
Gavan!!! I’ve searched for you on various sites over the years but this is the first time I’ve had any luck.
Oh, I suppose I should reintroduce myself…. You knew me as “Brett the DJ” Jailbait’s No. 1 Groupee 🤣🤣🤣
Back in the days of the Long Jetty Hotel and The Lakes Hotel.
I hope you’re well, mate? How’s the fire breathing going? 🤣 No word of a lie, I can’t play Bob Seger’s ‘Fire Down Below’ without remembering you on that tiny stage at The Lakes Hotel (The Entrance) and being so close to burning the place down. Your roadie (Chris) was always worried but you were the master of the Kero cocktail, 🤣
Would love to keep in touch, mate if you feel so inclined. You were always kind to this little DJ and loved it every time you were booked (by Wiggo) to play the Central Coast.
Kind Regards,
Brett (the DJ)