« Show Larry's pix »
« Show Peter's bio »
His first group was "The Vigilantes" which he joined in 1961, and remained with until 1966 (apart from a stint with "Johnny Campbell and The Detours" in 1965). He formed "Page One" in the mid-late 60s, playing lead guitar and handling lead vocals on the local pub-circuit until turning professional in 1972. He joined "Beam" (official band of the Commonwealth Games) in 1974, playing for the Royal Family in the Christchurch Town Hall on windup, backing 9 top NZ artists. He moved to Auckland with the band and did the first NZ colour TV show "Free Ride" (Saturday nights at 7:00pm on the only channel available) - teaming up with Ray Columbus, Mark Williams, Laurie Dee and The Reflections. Guest bands on "Free Ride" included Blue Mink and The George Baker Selection. Larry returned from Auckland to Christchurch in 1975, joining the popular Soul Agents" at the Carlton Hotel - this turned into Weaver at the Hillsborough Tavern. He then joined "Friar Tuck" whose vocal harmonies with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", The Eagles' "Seven Bridges Road" and The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" packed the Redwood Hotel and later The Russley Hotel until noise problems forced a move to The Sandridge Hotel which was still packed! Guest bands included Midnight Oil and Hello Sailor. The band took a new direction musically when Pete Gillette replaced Eric Robinson on keyboards and the band was renamed "Chasing Paper", specialising in covers of bands like Toto and Jethro Tull. At the same time Larry was rehearsing with a 4 piece vocal group "Shots" with Eric Robinson and 2 outstanding female vocalists, Lynley Evans and Dyan. "Shots" went on to win the group and gospel sections at the Gold Guitar awards in Gore and made the final of the TV talent show Telequest. Then there were two years spent with "Soundtrack" (featuring "Super Cyril" Edwards) at Cokers hotel, followed by a year of playing solo at the Heathcote Valley Inn before he joined forces with Peter Gillette as "Larry and Peter" in 1983 at The Star and Garter Hotel. They played to over-full houses 4 nights a week for 2 1/2 years until new drink-driving laws destroyed the ruling norm at pubs. Larry then joined with Brian Smith (Friar Tuck's bassist now playing saxophone) as "Icebreakers" from which he retired after 2 years. This albeit temporary retirement lasted for 11 years until "The Vigilantes" were reformed for the so-called "Spencer Street Revisited" concerts in Christchurch Cathedral. The following year saw "The Vigilantes" on stage again at the 2007 ROCKONZ concert, and it is coincidental the he should again meet up with his old mate Peter Gillette. The following year "The Viglantes" were awarded the prestigious ROCKONZ Southern Star Award, and Larry and Peter decided to get together again and write some new material. The "Moontide" project is the result. In 2009, Larry received yet another ROCKONZ Southern Star Award when Johnny Campbell and The Detours were honoured at the annual awards presentations. Most recently Larry has been working with a new band called "Bob's yer Uncle" with a residency at The Phoenix Tavern in Papanui, Christchurch. The rumour mill says that Gillette-McKay have written a whole a new album, and are about to take it into the recording studio. Watch this space ......
