Dave Miller Set - Mr. Guy Fawkes

Mr Guy Fawkes/Someone Is Sure To/A Bread & Butter Day/Get Together



 When Brian Ringrose went back to Christchurch and Al Dunster also departed after a personal tragedy in 1967, the remaining members of Dave Miller and the Byrds renamed themselves the Dave Miller Set and moved to Australia. Not long after their arrival, the band fell apart and Dave put together a new line-up with John Robinson on lead guitar. John had previously been with the Lonely Ones and Monday's Children. Harry Brus, who had been with the Amazons, was added on bass, and Ray Mulholland, previously with Gene and the Dynamites, the Seakers and the Rayders, on drums.


A recording contract was negotiated with Spin Records and in November 1967 a single, "Why? Why? Why?"/"Hard Hard Year", was released. This was followed in May 1968 by "Hope"/"Having A Party" and "Let's Get Together"/"A Bread and Butter Day" in September 1968, along with a self-titled EP containing the first two singles.

Harry Brus left in 1968 and he was replaced for a short time by Bob Thompson. In 1969 Leith Corbett, from Heart 'n' Soul, took over from Bob, while Mike McCormac, from Sect, replaced Ray Mulholland. With this new combination, John Robinson emerged as a fluid and inventive guitarist and the Dave Miller Set attained prominence as one of the first heavy rock bands on the local scene in the Led Zeppelin mould.


Under the direction of Festival's in-house producer Pat Aulton, the band cut its fourth single, "Mr Guy Fawkes"/"Someone Is Sure To" in July 1969. "Mr Guy Fawkes" was a cover of the song by English band Eire Apparent and rates as one of the great Australian psychedelic classics of the sixties. A second EP called "Mr Guy Fawkes" was also released and contained the third and fourth singles.


By 1970 the group was near its end. In March 1970, Dave Miller issued a cover of Chicago's "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is" with "No Need To Cry Mama" as a solo single. Meanwhile Robinson, Corbett and McCormac formed Blackfeather with vocalist Neale Johns. Corbett and McCormac soon abandoned Blackfeather to work with Miller on an album. Issued at the end of 1970, the "Reflections Of A Pioneer" album was credited to Dave Miller, Leith Corbett and Friends. The album's diverse sound was exemplified by the single, "Reflections Of A Pioneer"/"353527 Charles", released in November 1970, which mixed country-tinged psychedelic pop on the A-side with heavy rock on the B-side.