Jamestown Union
Line-Up:
Mark Ducker (Lead
Guitar)
Arthur Young (Keyboards)
Andrew Waite (Bass Guitar)
Eric Jackson (Drums)
Trevor Keith Tombleson (Vocals)
Jamestown Union actually started out under the name the Cheynes, in 1966. They were a rhythm and blues outfit, who played the local club scene around Auckland, mainly covering the hits of the top British groups like the Who, Rolling Stones and Them. Their local idols were groups like the Bluestars and the Underdogs.
Trevor Tombleson was added to the line-up as vocalist. He had previously played bass for Moses and the Munks and the Select Few. The name of their group, the Cheynes, had troubled them for a while as nobody was really sure how to pronounce it and they really wanted something that was a little bit more fitting for an R&B outfit, so they changed their name to Jamestown Union.
Their lead singer, Trevor, who was also known as 'Myrt', was quite eccentric and quickly gained a reputation because of his on-stage antics. The group got their big break when they scored the support role for the upper North Island leg of the Animals tour. After the tour, they gained a regular spot at the Top 20 nightclub. A television appearance on "C'mon" followed, as did some radio broadcasts.
Trevor's antics did not go down very well with the other members of the group. He was reluctant to alter his act and eventually left the group to pursue a solo career as M.T. Davies in 1967. He was replaced by Shane Hales, who had been with the Pleazers. Shane decided only to stay for a short while, leaving to form the Shane Group, taking Arthur Young with him. After this the group folded later in 1967.
Jamestown Union never released any records, although Zodiac did record a few demo tracks. Nothing ever came of these.
Trevor Tombleson became friends with Ricky Ball, who was drumming with the Challenge. This friendship developed, with both of them later becoming founding members of Ticket.
Mark Ducker, played 6 months with Topaz, before he traveled to Australia and became involved with the Krishna movement in the seventies. He recorded some albums for the Krishna label before his death from melanoma in 1988.
Eric Jackson joined his heroes, the Bluestars.