"PEDESTRIANS"
... formed nearly 30 years ago in 1981 in Palmerston North New Zealand, when 3 guys all in their very early 20s namely John, Paul and Tony put an add in the local paper after they walked out on local blues band "Southbound" their female lead singer got so drunk before a gig she never auctually made it to the stage !.
The add had 1 reply and that person was a 17 year old guy with green streaks in his hair who just happened to have the distinction of being born in San francosco and an evin more distinct name of "Forrest'. The 3 lads were impressed by the exotic nature of this "Green haired American, and as he was the only applicant, was duely snapped up.
The band all hit it off right away and not long after that first meeting the band had a gig at a 21st in a garage at a place called Himatangi Beach.The band didn't evin have a name at this stage so it was decided to name the band by the end of the night.
Many names were put forward but it was Forrest who thought of the name "Pedestrians". And so it was that the "Pedestrians " were born.
They played round the lower north island with a year long residency at "The Club Hotel" in Pahiatua in 1991 then played the bigger towns and cities in 1982 until they broke up in 1982.
They played mainly "New wave "covers and other "rocky" songs of the time. Playing pubs, clubs, the ocasional outdoor jams, mini tours round the reigon, also supported some big NZ bands at local university gigs. By the end of 1981 the hard working combo were booked in for many christmas parties by local buisnesses and at their peak they were playing almost 7 days a week on the week on the run up to christmas culminating in a christmas eve and new years eve peformance at the Club hotel in Pahiatua. 1992 saw the band take on more gigs in Palmerston North city and spent most of their time playing the bigger venues round the city. Many weekends were spent "On Tour" in places like 'Wanganui" or Tihape, Levin, Bulls, and Palmerston North.
Some of the most memorable gigs the band played were at the university in Palmerston North where the band would oftern upstage the main acts with their punchy brand of "new wave/rock, those large crowds of well over 1000 sweaty students just couldn't get enough of these 3 local lads.
The local media AKA newspapers and radio loved the band and never gave a bad review. The only time anything but praise was heaped on the band was when the band set up in the back yard of a house in the country for an all day practice and jam, a neighbour about a mile away wrote to the editor of the local paper complaining about the bands "All day effort to disturb the peace" which only suceeded in makeing the band more popular than ever.
As well as the 4 lads there was sound man Warrick Greavesand roadies Steve(Morrie)Sinclair and Peter(Groges)Grogan.
But by the end of 82 for various reasons the band decided to call it a day and so sold up the the P.A system and gear they had only just paid for, and strangely enough to this day no one in the band can auctually pin point the main reason the band split up in the first place !, but split up they did.
After the band broke up in 1982 each member moved on to new musical projects. Forrest joined another band and Tony travelled to England and returned to follow his "folk/rock interists and continued to play. John and Paul formed "Glass Veins" in 1983 before before splitting in 1984 but would eventually meet up in Australia some years later to once again play together in the "Queensland Academy of Music" "Battle of the bands" competiion in Brisbane in 1991 and 93. Of the 100 plus bands in the competition their band "Comming Soon" managed to get in the top ten semi finals.
No video exists of the "PEDESTRIANS" but a few old photos and a few new ones from the recent reunion jams are used here to accompany this and other song posted on u tube.
Their version of "The Passenger" features lead vocals by their drummer Paul, with interisting "Gazoo" accompaiment by John on bass, Tony and Forrest on lead and rythem guitars help out on chorus with John and Paul.
A band reunion in 2008 had the band playing for the first time in almost 30 years. Everyone was back living within an hour or two of each other so over two weekends they thrashed out all their favourite covers they did in the early 80s at Johns studio, "Bassrick studio 2" in Carterton New Zealand.
Considering the band had'nt played any of their old songs together since 1982 they were all pleasantly surprised at the ease at which it all came flooding back to them, Nearly 30 years had gone by since their last paid peformance together but the years apart just melted away and it seemed they had never been apart.
Now since the bands reunion they get together every now and then and have had some great nights jamming together at Tonys and plan to continue getting together when the mood takes them...and they keep on rocking !!
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6:55The Master's Apprentices - Games We Play I.1972by koytro1,427 views
good version
mrleaplea 2 years ago