During the mid-seventies, a group of musicians used to meet in a house in Naremburn, Sydney, on weekends, to improvise and play music. There were many rough recordings (can they be found?), a few performances, and different players at different times. However, by 1980 ( if not long before ), two of the members had begun to detect an emerging, distinctive style

The names of previous formations had not outlasted the first performances by much, but it was now that the name "Overland Telegraph" became publicly attached to the music. Performances continued to be rare, and the musicians often played extensively with other bands. However, formations of Overland Telegraph re-appeared as the years passed.
Performers....

The style would be hard to name in a nutshell. Certainly the influences included cerftain "laid- back" British rock feels, the blues, folk music, and some aspects of the Western Classical tradition; but variety in textures and specific ideas took us on excursions right away from familiar territory.

There was also an interest in dynamics: rhythm and energy, for example, could be experienced in extremely quiet music. ( In fact, there were speculations about a theatre piece featuring "The Quietest Band in the Universe"... )

Very early in the '80's, the band experimented with theatre and story-telling, as those who remember the "Humpty's" gig of 1981 at Manly could testify. Band members also collaborated with interesting theatre and film projects outside Overland Telegraph.

The first album launch ( "The Open Sea", at Newtown Mission, Sydney, in 1992 ) also had a theatrical edge. Since 1995, the rhythm section of the band has remained constant. Different members can be found when away from their instruments writing short stories, songs and movement pieces (stories told through music and drama, such as mimes with masks).

Through all these things we learn as we go, and through no virtue of our own!

Diary Page...

More of our gigs since the end of the 90's have been up in the Blue Mountains than in Sydney. If you plan to visit (eg) the orchards on Bell's Line of Road, the public gardens, markets, and the shorter walks, it's potentially a nice break from Sydney on a weekend. May see you there...