JOHN WILLIAMS

Started playing guitar at 10 years of age....and formed a few groups in those early days playing wherever and when they could....Out of these groups became The Rebels....with many lineups early...including Yuk Harrison on Bass....Then Larry Morris joined and the name was changed to Larrys Rebels...The Rebels took over the residency at the Famous TOP 20 Nightclub in the early 60s from Max Merritt and the Meteors...who were the groups mentors as Max even then was the hottest act in town....before the Rebels hit the scene.....and the rest was history....Rising to be the biggest act in NZ in the 60s...having hit after hit on the charts....At this time...Kevin Borich had formed the La de das....and they were the only act to dominate the charts as much as Larrys Rebels in the next few years. After many tours supporting such names as...The Yardbirds....Roy Orbison....The Walker Bros....Hermans Hermits....Eric Burdon and the Animals.....Tom Jones....the Rebels were brought to Australia...to tour nationally with the homecoming of theEasybeats from england...massive act at that period.....then worked and became a major act in Australia...just then Larry Morris left the group and was replaced by Glyn Mason on vocals...Terry Rouse left too...and was replaced by Mal Logan on keyboards...this lineup remained The Rebels...... The late and much loved Marc Hunter from Dragon fame.....said that Larrys Rebels were the precise reason he and brother Todd Hunter had decided to get into the music business.....Their band Dragon was one of my personal favourite NZ bands.....Mike Chunn from Split Enz....also states that Larrys Rebels played an important role in his life to become a musician too...as well as many others.....The Rebels had more hit singles than any other kiwi band through-out the 60s and 70s and played to the biggest crowd of over 200,000 people in 1968 at the Myer music Bowl Moomba Concert... To celebrate the Rebels success in hit records over the years...EMI released a GREATEST HITS CD in 2003... John worked in many groups including King Harvest...one of melbournes great rock and roll bands...with many of the countrys best musicians playing in it also.....Was origionally asked to join Axiom ....by Glen Shorrock.....but was unable to at the time....Chris Stockley took that roll....went on to be guitarist for the late Yvonne Barrett...and later joined the great Billy Macken in the Rondells.....spent a six month stint as guitarist for the Platters...and works as a session player .....now working with ..... The Retro Boys.....one hot blues boogie group...with many of melbournes great musicians............