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Ronnie Charles & The Retro Bandits
Party time! Ronnie Charles and the Retro Bandits play so many great tracks - the hits and the album favourites - that baby-boomers just cannot resist tempting coronaries all night long on the dance-floor.
Featuring three guitarists, keyboards, a rock-solid rhythm section and five singers who deliver soaring vocals harmonies, the Retro Bandits rekindle the magic of legendary acts including The Traveling Wilburys, Roy Orbison, Dylan, Elvis, Procul Harum, Tom Petty, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Steeley Dan and The Band, Beatles, Eagles, Animals, Rolling Stones and more.
They've been playing clubs, pubs, private parties and corporate functions around Melbourne since 1999 when Ron and David Herzog joined four friends who'd been playing together since 1984.
Front man Ronnie Charles was the voice of the chart-topping Melbourne band The Groop (with which he rode the first wave of international Oz rock success into London in the 1960s). Ron went solo after recording hits including Such A Lovely Way and Woman You're Breaking Me. He was featured vocalist on Gerry Rafferty's Ravenscroft album and sang and recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra. Ron is a sought-after Melbourne session singer who is involved in his own recording projects when he's not fronting the Retro Bandits.
On lead guitar is Dave Herzog, who first came to fame in the 70s hit band Kush. His composing credits include the ABC's Countdown theme. Dave is a highly-regarded session player whose guitar wizardry is featured in the soundtrack of the Oscar-winning Jim Carey film The Truman Show and HSV7's 2000 and 2004 Olympics themes.
Fabian Fitzgerald is on vocals, guitar, slide guitar and keyboards. He recently toured with Angry Anderson, Matt Taylor and other Oz rock luminaries of the 70s and 80s. Fabian combines the Retro Bandits with a solo career composing music for film, TV and corporate clients.
Fab has played for the past two decades with Jef Riner, who grew up listening to the rhythm and blues greats of Chicago, Memphis and New Orleans. As well as playing guitar and mouth organ and singing with the Bandits, Jef is a songwriter and occasional solo performer who has penned many advertising jingles.
The Bandits' drummer is Noel Hyslop (another Bandits vocalist and a founding member of The Zodiacs). He and bassist/vocalist Peter Becker have played with Fab and Jef since 1984 - and with each other since the late 70s. They've developed a tight understanding of each other's styles that only long-standing musical partnerships achieve.
Robbing from the past and giving to the present, Ronnie Charles and the Retro Bandits cover classic hits and iconic album cuts that dare you not to dance!
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