David Virgin History and Stories: Part 2

IN SEARCH OF JOHNNY DOLE.

I was told Johnny Dole lived in Forbes St, Darlinghurst. I wasn't given
a house number but I headed
over there regardless to see if I could find him. Just as I crosssed
Burton St, I saw a lone figure all
dressed in black, barefoot, pastey english skin, with greasy rocker
hair. I went straight up to him
and asked...." are you Johnny Dole? ". He said yes, he was on his way
to the shop to get his milk.
I walked with him and asked if I could play a gig at the Grand Hotel.
He said yes and in fact I could
have every Thursday night asa well as book my own supports. After
playing a few gigs at The Grand
Hotel as ' The Broken Toys ', my brother John could no longer continue
to play the drums in the
band under pressure from my parents. The same kind of problem was
happening with young Lyndon.

Peter Mullaney from ' Johnny Dole and the Scabs ' offered to play lead
guitar as the ' Scabs '
weren't gigging at that time and his friens Paul Cosgrove would take
over the drums. Soon after I
moved into Forbes St with Johnny Dole, Peter Mullaney and Paul
Cosgrove. We were now a more
grown up ' Broken Toys '. It was a great house and Dan Rumour moved in
with us shortly after.
Dan's band ' Black Runner ' had just split up as his brother , Jim, was
sick with cancer. Jim was
meant to die but he didn't. He went on to become Jim Bedhog of ' The
Bedhogs ' and ' The Kelpies',
two great hard punk bands. Dan kept himself busy playing lead guitar
with ' The Urban Gurillas '
when Bob Short went to London. Dan also filled in on guitar with the
all-girl band, ' Friction '. (Helen
Carter from ' Friction ' was later in ' Do-Re-Mi ' ). Forbes St was an
amazing place at that time.
' The Urban Gurilas ' and 'The Thought Criminals ' lived across the
road, and it seemed every other
punk band was near by. ' Mental as Anything ' lived on Forbes St. There
was even street tennis
on weekends. Everybody shared the same musical equipment and everyone
was very generous
in helping with posters and gigs. Dan Rumour called it Happytown. (
When ' Sekret Sekret ' later
released " Charity ", it was released on Happytown Sounds ).Dan used to
say, " these were the
good old days ".