THE BYRON SHIRE ECHO Advertising & news enquiries: Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au http://www.echo.net.au VOLUME 21 #47 TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2007 22,300 copies every week $1 at newsagents only
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Sad riff for garage band as much loved mentor dies
School of rock seeks teacher Story & photo Lou Beaumont If I was to ever entertain the notion of regret it would be with regard to quitting ballet when I was seven. My inspiring and compassionate teacher had died and with her my desire to continue. A young local garage band, made up of three boys of 11 years; Will Peters (drums), Sam King (guitar) and Nathaniel Wareing (bass guitar) and one 13 year old, Talib Bench-Kanjou (guitar); have recently lost their band leader and mentor, Bill Crooks. Bill, a private guitar tutor to three of the boys, helped form the four boys into a garage band only months ago. They were meeting each week at Bill’s house in South Golden Beach to perform rock ’n roll’ covers and were doing really well. However, several weeks ago their motivating teacher passed away suddenly at 46 years old, leaving the boys missing their friend and with limited guidance to continue their passion for music. Bill also had a plan to add a vocalist to
the group, and the boys agreed they needed the melody. Guitarist Sam said, ‘I was crying my head off when I heard. It was really weird, I didn’t believe it at first, it was all so sudden. He was so keen to get us into music and really encouraging of our stuff.’ The boys and their parents all agree Bill was a multi-talented musician. Bill played guitar, sax and drums and played in a band himself when he was younger. The boys told how he ‘really felt’ the music and loved music. His passion for music was obviously contagious with all four boys keen to continue in the band and find someone a mentor who is as Nathaniel put it, ‘as experienced and inspirational as Bill.’ Thirteen year old Talib said, ‘His solos were amazing, so fast you could barely see his fingers.’ Drummer Will said, ‘Bill was such a nice guy, all of us liked him immediately.’ Will’s mum, Virginia, said ‘Bill
A mellow MardiGrass
was so energetic, he had so much full on energy to give. It was a big shock to the boys when Bill passed away. They lost a rare mentor and it seemed inevitable the band would fall apart. They are still meeting, in some ways to honour Bill’s memory, but it is not the same without Bill.’ ‘He really made them believe in themselves and their musical ability’, said Talib’s mum, Linda Bench. Anne Wareing, Nathaniel’s mum, agreed, ‘He was incredibly dynamic and inspirational. He made the boys feel like they could all be superstars. The band is so important to them. It would be everything to them if they could just stay together and play music. Bill was the glue that held them all together.’ ‘Bill was just so giving – so unbelievably generous with his time and energy’, commented Fiona King, guitarist Sam’s mum. continued on page 2
The street parade was one of the highlights of the annual Nimbin MardiGrass last weekend. By most accounts it was a mellow event, with police regarding the crowd as generally well behaved. Among the festival themes was ‘Hemp Cools Global Warming.’ Michael Balderstone, spokesperson for the MardiGrass Organising Body, said, ‘In Nimbin we are acutely aware of the global warming issue, the whole reason Nimbin’s alternative community happened was because of our concern for what we were doing to the planet. Were hippies the first tribe to warn of global warming? Maybe, acting as the canaries for the environment our warnings went largely unheeded, now look at the mess we’re in!’ Dr Keith Bolton led a forum at the hemp expo in Peace Park explaining the role hemp could play in reducing greenhouse gases. ‘If only our politicians would let us,’ added Mr Beaumont. For more detail see www.nimbinmardigrass.com. Photo Lou Beaumont
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The garage band in need of a teacher, from left, Nathaniel Wareing, Will Peters on the drums, Sam King and Talib (front) on guitar, and groupie and mascot Rosie are jamming in the Peters’ shed until further arrangements can be made.
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