The Missing Links - The Missing Links (1965)

John Harrigan operated several clubs in Sydney and offered gigging opportunities for several of the Beat scene's leading bands including Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, Ray Brown & the Whispers, and The Easybeats in locales like Surf City or The Pacific. These locations also witnessed the rise of one of Australia's most legendary bands. The Missing Links played music unlike anything produced by the beat scene when they began in 1964, and they were the first band to sport counter-culturally long hair. In fact, Peter Anson's "near-shoulder-length mane was reputed to have been the longest of any male in Sydney at the time". If The Easybeats are oft regarded as the Australian Beatles, it's no stretch to claim The Missing Links as the Australian Rolling Stones.

Peter Anson (guitar, vocals) and Danny Cox (drums) offered the foundation of the group. The two recruited Ronnie Peel (bass) and Dave Boyne (lead guitar) through an advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald. They were able to pick up Bob Brady (percussion, vocals) as he was a friend of Boyne's to round out the quintet. Heavily influenced by early Stones recordings, the band's live set produced hardcore R&B in contrast to the Beat scene that surrounded them. Their local popularity led several labels to offer contracts including one from Parlophone that they eventually accepted.

March 1965 saw the release of The Missing Links's debut single "We 2 Should Live" and, although the band was dissatisfied with the production quality, it did considerably well in the public forum. Unfortunately, the founding lineup was not built to last. David Boyne left to go into the family business and was soon followed by the exit of Danny Cox. Peter Anson left to form his own band while Ronnie Peel left to join another. Bob Brady was the last of the original lineup to leave. The Missing Links did not disintegrate, however, as the founding band members were replaced as they departed. The Missing Links (take 2) soon featured a whole new lineup: John Jones (guitar, vocals), Andy James (vocals, percussion), Doug Ford (lead guitar), Chris Gray (keyboards, harmonica), Ian Thomas (bass), and Baden Hutchins (drums). There were other substitutes, such as Dave Longmore (who introduced the band to the use of feedback), but they did not last longer than a few weeks. In July of 1965, The Missing Links began recording a studio album under "cramped" and "primitive" conditions, after-hours and without a producer. They used the studio's elevator well as an echo chamber. Many of the songs they recorded were cut with limited rehearsal or even made up on the spot.

August saw the release of the new Links's debut single "You're Driving Me Insane" is now considered one of Australia's greatest recordings. This was followed by two other singles "Wild About You", a proto-punk romp, and "H'tuom Tuhs", a cover of Bo Diddley's "Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut" except played in reverse (one of the earliest usages of reverse tape). The band released their debut album The Missing Links in December despite being disappointed with the production of the album. The album saw a limited release and has since garnered the status of one of Australia's garage rock classics. Unfortunately, The Missing Links suffered from a hard case of the internal conflicts and announced a split in April of 1966.

The Missing Links did not last long, but while they were active, they caused quite a stir that awakened the complacent Australian music scene to what real rock and roll sounded and looked like. The group was the first down under to embody the counter-culture of rock in their appearance and their manic performances (that included instrument destruction), and they were the first down under to make good use of feedback and reverse tape in their arrangements. Although the band began as a strict Rhythm and Blues group, The Missing Links quickly found their own sound that had traces of folk, early rock, and especially garage rock. Their sound also had tinges of other genres that the group predated such as punk and psychedelia. It's no stretch of the imagination to visualize the influence The Missing Links held on Australian rock.

Here is the complete discography for The Missing Links:

We 2 Should Live (1965 single)
You're Driving Me Insane (1965 single)
Wild About You (1965 single)
H'tuom Tuhs (1965 single)
The Missing Links
The Links Unchained (1966 EP)
Driving You Insane (1999 compilation album)





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