Oct 18 2014
FESTIVAL RECORDS REUNION
COL JOYE and Bob Howe at the Festival Records reunion, 17 October 2014
17 October 2014:
Former employees of FESTIVAL RECORDS gathered together for a reunion dinner at Ryde Eastwood Leagues Club in Sydney. It was a wonderful celebration of the company and its various recording labels that were a major part of the history of Australian music for decades. Rock historian Glenn A. Baker gave an informative speech that highlighted the difference between the innovation of the independent Festival and its rival companies that were subsidiaries of overseas labels.
Festival recording artist NORMIE ROWE made a passionate speech about the family spirit of company and his thrill of watching his first 45rpm singles being manufactured on the vinyl pressing machines in the factory downstairs.
The legendary COL JOYE spoke eloquently of his early hits on the label and in an impromptu performance at the close of the evening, played his ukulele and sang two songs (including his big Festival hit ‘Bye Bye Baby’). Bob was thrilled to accompany him on acoustic guitar.
Congratulation to Meryl Gross and Vicki Eldridge and all concerned for organising this marvellous night, and to Peter Hebbes for a great job as Master of Ceremonies.
You can read about Bob’s time at Festival Records in his online memoirs…
From the archives: Bob Howe, John Nutting and
(Festival recording artist) Jimmy Little
at the ABC Studios in Sydney, 2003
18 October 2014:
The next morning, Bob talked on air with his mate JOHN NUTTING on the ABC North Queensland ‘Saturday Breakfast’ radio show.
They spoke of the reunion and also the glory days of vinyl recording and the fate of the famous 24-track Neve mixing desk from Festival’s Studio ‘A’.
You can listen to that chat here: