The “Mighty Rock” Mick Pealing and his band return to Sunday Soultrain this Mothers Day as the big names keep rolling out each week from 3pm at Davey’s Hotel in Frankston. Sunday Soultrain just keeps getting bigger and bigger with some fantastic artists headed our way including Wilbur Wilde, Chris Wilson, The Detonators, Sammy Owen, Rod Paine and many more.
Mick Pealing was born in the 50’s in Adelaide, South Australia to an English migrant father and a local girl mother, both music lovers, Mick along with three sisters and a brother were brought up on a healthy menu of jazz and the eclectic playlist of 60’s commercial radio, which would play everything from Motown to Mersey and all stops in between.
Not actually knowing he could sing, or have a voice that might be pleasing to the ear, Mick decided one afternoon in the early 70’s to go to a local concert put on by some local musos, where he reluctantly got up to sing after being pointed out as someone who might know the words to “Alright Now”. Although he sang with his back to the audience, Mick sang the song well enough to be asked to join the band. This band contained two members, which in a couple of years would become “Stars”.
A reputation as a singer soon emerged and Mick, after trying his luck with local acts “Flight” and “Nantucket”, eventually came together with members of “AstraKhan” which featured Mal Eastick, Glyn Dowding and Andy Durant (who was about to go overseas for some time). Along with Graham Thompson, this became a 4-piece band known as “Flash” which specialised in hard rock covers from “Free” and “Deep Purple”, along with some original material.
After a year or so of supporting interstate acts at Hindley Street’s “Countdown” among other venues in South Australia, Beeb Birtles saw some potential and recommended the band to Michael Gudinski of Mushroom Records. A deal was signed and the band by this time known as “Stars” went on to record two singles, “Quick On The Draw”(produced by Beeb) and “With A Winning Hand”.
Realising they might not have the ability or time to come up with enough songs for their first album, Andy Durant, who by this time had returned from overseas with a clutch of self penned songs, was approached and re-joined the band. Former Little River Band bassist Roger MacLauchlan replaced Graham Thompson resulting in Stars first album, “Paradise”. Stars hit the road touring with acts like The Beach Boys, Linda Rondstadt, ELO also performing their own sold out headlining shows.
Andy Durant passed away in early 1980 from cancer and a fitting tribute was held later that year at The Palais Theatre in St Kilda, Melbourne. Being one of the first of its kind “The Andrew Durant Memorial Concert” featured Andy’s songs performed by the remaining members of Stars, Cold Chisel, Renee Geyer, Richard Clapton and basically the cream of Australia’s rock talent at the time. The concert live double album topped the charts around the country, with all proceeds going to The Peter McCallum Cancer Clinic.
Over the next three decades Mick continued to front his own bands, The Ideals, The Method and The Spaniards with former “Feretts” singer/songwriter Billy Miller. A single “God Is A Shield”, produced by Molly Meldrum, and mini album “Locked In A Dance” was released.
Today, “The Mick Pealing Band” continues strongly, featuring music from Mick’s past and his two solo albums, “Precarious” and “Grand Hotel”. Mick says, “the time seems right to get these great songs back on stage and performed live, after all… we have all the time in the world”.
“The Mighty Rock” Mick Pealing is joined by band mate’s including Chris Wilson (Broderick Smiths Big Combo, Buster Brown, Ideals, Angry Anderson, The Giants) at Davey’s Hotel Frankston as part of their Sunday Soultrain sessions on Mothers Day Sunday May 8. The show starts at 3pm and is a free event. For further details visit daveys.com.au
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