Line-Up:
    Wayne Maxwell (Vocals)
    Trevor Dowdell (Lead Guitar)
    Dave Wright (Rhythm Guitar)
    Graham Baker (Bass Guitar)
    Peter Binns (Drums)
    Graham Watson (Saxophone)

Wayne & The Whirlwinds were previously known as as the Vipers until singer Wayne Maxwell joined the group.

With Wayne out front they concentrated on the sounds of Mersey, playing hits of the Beatles, Stones and Kinks. They had a regular gig as support for the Sundowners at the Jive Centre in Hobson Street, Auckland in 1964.

During the year, line-up changes occured with Peter Binns leaving to be replaced by Ross Sutton. Trevor Dowdell was replaced by John Kristian on lead guitar, and Graham Baker was replaced by Allan Dyson on bass.

With these changes, the band was signed to the Kingsway label and a single was released. It was "Say Mama"/"Blue Moon Of Kentucky".

The band gigged around the Auckland region and in Whangarei, where they backed local star Reggie Ruka, who would later form his own band, Classic Affair.

In 1965 Wayne Maxwell left the group, and the saxophone of Graham Watson was also let go. John Kristian was also replaced by Murray Copplestone. Ross Sutton moved out of his drummers seat to go upfront as vocalist, so Ricky Stones took over on drums. They had a new gig at the Paris Boulevard in High Street, but by the middle of 1965, Ricky Stones and Allan Dyson left the group. This left just Murray Copplestone and Dave Wright with a gig, but no band. At the same time, the Riseborough brothers had just left the Sierras, to form the Spectres, so Murray and Dave joined the Sierras and continued the gig at the Paris Boulevard.

Wayne & The Whirlwinds can be found on the following compilations:-

New Zealand Music