G'day Rowan,

I hope it wasn't your mate Dave who monstered the organisers of the 2002 (?) Illawarra Folk Festival and threatened them with crippling legal injuctions to stop four of the surviving members of the first and defining "Bush Band: The (original) Bushwhackers Band - 1952 to 1957 from having a 50-year Reunion at the Festival.

They did manage one reunion ... absolutely packing out the second-largest venue at the 2002 [Australian] National Folk Festival ... after taking their original parts in a 'concert' version of the Sydney version (which introduced a bush band' to do the songs, instead of Melbourne's pit orchestra and soloists) of the formative musical play Reedy River ... which started the Australian Folk Revival of the 1950s. I guess the money-gougers missed that one - and weren't able to claim "retrospective rights" to the name nicked a decade later... with the attitude that they could afford to destroy anybody who didn't stump up.

Well, it's all ancient history now ... Chris Kempster died not long after ... Jack Barry is no longer confident to be involved in public performances ... Harry Kay is feeling the years ... Cec Grivas looks after his shop in Bathurst ... and Alex Hood still looks indestructable!

Regard(les)s,

Bob