Biography
Following the 1971 breakup of the Master's Apprentices in the United Kingdom, Jim Keays redirected his career by returning to Australia. There he contributed to Go-Set magazine, launched the Rock On Agency, and performed at the Mulwala Rock Festival in April 1972.
He took the starring role in the Australian production of the Who's Tommy during March 1973 and joined the third annual Sunbury Festival the following January.
Keays next focused on his own recordings, issuing the debut solo album The Boy From the Stars. The concept work portrayed an extraterrestrial visitor warning humanity of Earth's approaching destruction; performing as that visitor, Keays wrote most of the music and every lyric. The singles "Kid's Blues"/"&Inter-Planetary Boogie" (December 1974) and "The Boy From the Stars"/"Take It on Easy" preceded an ambitious tour limited to three concerts by production scale.
The anti-drug single "Give It Up"/"Love Is" appeared in June 1975. Keays then assembled Jim Keays' Southern Cross with Mick Elliot, Rex Bullen on keyboards, George Cross on bass, and Rick Brewer on drums. A reworking of the Masters Apprentices' "Undecided"/"For Someone" was released in December 1975, by which point the lineup had shifted to Peter Laffy on guitar, Ron Robinson on bass, and John Swan.
In 1977 he formed the Manning/Keays Band with Phil Manning. The Jim Keays Band followed in 1978, featuring Ron Robinson, James Black on guitar, and David Rowe on drums. John Moon and Geoff Spooner replaced Black on guitar, and by 1979 the group had become the Keays with Moon joined by Bruce Stewart on guitar, Peter Marshall on bass, and Nigel Rough on drums. Early 1980 sessions for an album ended unfinished because of Stewart's illness; the single "Lucifer Street"/"The Living Dead" was issued before the band dissolved.
The abandoned recordings surfaced in 1983 as the solo Jim Keays project Red on the Meter, accompanied by a re-release of "Lucifer Street." Keays subsequently worked as a DJ until a 1987 Virgin contract took him to the United Kingdom to record with producer Craig Leon (the Ramones, the Bangles) and ex-Sweet guitarist Andy Scott. The sessions yielded the singles "Undecided"/"Dubcided" (July 1987) and "Reaction"/"Bates Motel" (October 1987).
A Masters Apprentices reunion preceded Keays' second solo album, Pressure Makes Diamonds, released on the Gemstone label in 1993. BMG reissued the album in mid-1994, after which Keays again revived the Master's Apprentices.
Keays and his Master's Apprentices bandmates entered the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 1998. His first book, His Master's Voice, appeared in 1999 and recounted the Masters Apprentices story. Raven Records reissued the 1974 solo album The Boy From the Stars in January 2000 with five bonus tracks added. The Mavis's contributed a cover of "The Boy From the Stars" to the Sample People film soundtrack in May 2000.
He took the starring role in the Australian production of the Who's Tommy during March 1973 and joined the third annual Sunbury Festival the following January.
Keays next focused on his own recordings, issuing the debut solo album The Boy From the Stars. The concept work portrayed an extraterrestrial visitor warning humanity of Earth's approaching destruction; performing as that visitor, Keays wrote most of the music and every lyric. The singles "Kid's Blues"/"&Inter-Planetary Boogie" (December 1974) and "The Boy From the Stars"/"Take It on Easy" preceded an ambitious tour limited to three concerts by production scale.
The anti-drug single "Give It Up"/"Love Is" appeared in June 1975. Keays then assembled Jim Keays' Southern Cross with Mick Elliot, Rex Bullen on keyboards, George Cross on bass, and Rick Brewer on drums. A reworking of the Masters Apprentices' "Undecided"/"For Someone" was released in December 1975, by which point the lineup had shifted to Peter Laffy on guitar, Ron Robinson on bass, and John Swan.
In 1977 he formed the Manning/Keays Band with Phil Manning. The Jim Keays Band followed in 1978, featuring Ron Robinson, James Black on guitar, and David Rowe on drums. John Moon and Geoff Spooner replaced Black on guitar, and by 1979 the group had become the Keays with Moon joined by Bruce Stewart on guitar, Peter Marshall on bass, and Nigel Rough on drums. Early 1980 sessions for an album ended unfinished because of Stewart's illness; the single "Lucifer Street"/"The Living Dead" was issued before the band dissolved.
The abandoned recordings surfaced in 1983 as the solo Jim Keays project Red on the Meter, accompanied by a re-release of "Lucifer Street." Keays subsequently worked as a DJ until a 1987 Virgin contract took him to the United Kingdom to record with producer Craig Leon (the Ramones, the Bangles) and ex-Sweet guitarist Andy Scott. The sessions yielded the singles "Undecided"/"Dubcided" (July 1987) and "Reaction"/"Bates Motel" (October 1987).
A Masters Apprentices reunion preceded Keays' second solo album, Pressure Makes Diamonds, released on the Gemstone label in 1993. BMG reissued the album in mid-1994, after which Keays again revived the Master's Apprentices.
Keays and his Master's Apprentices bandmates entered the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in 1998. His first book, His Master's Voice, appeared in 1999 and recounted the Masters Apprentices story. Raven Records reissued the 1974 solo album The Boy From the Stars in January 2000 with five bonus tracks added. The Mavis's contributed a cover of "The Boy From the Stars" to the Sample People film soundtrack in May 2000.
Albums
