In this episode of Vinyl Vibes, Jack is joined by John Bisset, founding member & organist of Fraternity. Fraternity are best known as being the band Bon Scott was lead vocalist of before his AC/DC days.  

John grew up in New Zealand listening to the likes of The Shadows and The Beatles. He formed his first group The Shadracks while still in High School playing songs by the likes of The Ventures and The Shadows. He joined motown group, The Action in 1966 and the group left for Sydney, Australia. It was with this group John gave up guitar to play organ. In 1968, John turned up to play a gig with The Action and was told the band no longer existed. Luckily, the organist in Levi Smiths Clefs left at the same time and John soon joined. After recording an album the group, he and other members of the Clefs left to form Fraternity in 1970.

Fraternity recorded their first single  "Why Did It Have to Be Me" in October 1970. During the recording the bands album Livestock, In early 1971 Bon Scott joined as lead vocalist. In 1971 the group won Hoadley's Battle of the Sounds, winning a trip to the UK. After the release of the group's second album Flaming Galah and a disastrous trip to the UK, John left Fraternity in early 1973. Bon Scott would remain in the newly re-named Fang till 1973's end when the group returned from the UK. In September 1974 he would join AC/DC.  

Jack called John to talk about his early musical beginnings, his first group The Shadracks, the impact the Beatles had on him, his time in his group The Mods, why he and The Action moved to Australia, his time playing the Hawaiian Eye nightclub with The Action, why he started playing organ, how he came to join Levi Smith's Clefs, the recording of The Empty Monkey album, the formation of Fraternity, the recording of Livestock, the arrival of Bon Scott as lead vocalist, Bon's first performances with Fraternity, the recording of Flaming Galah, the bands trip to the UK, John's music work with his band Dimond Cutter in the '80s, and his recent music output.  

"He (Bon) was on another dimension as a singer...we played at this night club called Burties...I did the best organ solo I've ever done that night and the crowd was just packed...all of Bon Scott's Melbourne fanbase were there...in my whole music career that night at Burties when Bon first appeared in front of a Melbourne audience, that was the best night of my life playing in a band" - John Bisset on this episode of Vinyl Vibes talking about Bon's first appearance with the band in Melbourne 

Episode Hosted and Produced by Jack Hodgins

To hear the full on-demand version of this program, go to https://www.2nurfm.com.au/shows/vinyl-vibes

The website for Vinyl Vibes. 

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