Les Adams-Aussie Hawaiian Steeler

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 7 May 2011 11:49 pm

These five snappy dressers were the nucleus of several Hawaiian music clubs in Australia during the 1930s and 40s. Johnny Wade, uke and vocal, Les Adams on steel guitar. In those days American instruments were not available in Australia. The Rickenbacher B6 in the photo was the product of two crossings of the Pacific Ocean by steam ship. I have forgotten whether it was Les or one of his friends who brought it back from the USA. The band's line up changed from time to time as did the name. At the time of the photo (Mayfair Theatre, Sydney 16 Aug. 1938)they were Les Adams and the Hawaiian Club Boys. You can hear them at this link.

http://soundcloud.com/drazjan/song-of-t ... -les-adams

Song Of The Islands was extremely popular in Australia during WW2. That's not hard to understand considering the historic events taking place in the South Pacific then. It is obvious that Les was a student of the Andy Iona style of playing, and I think he did a fine job. I am also interested in the painted theatrical backdrops used in the vaudeville era. The one behind the band in the photo was made in sections for transportation. Nifty huh?

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 8 May 2011 5:04 pm

Great pic and post, David, never heard of him.
I'm curious about earlier Aussie amps and steels, maybe that's one behind Les, they had fab amps available in the late 50s to 70s.
Love the tropical backdrops that many groups used to use, they often were very large and well done, usually revealing a wildly incorrect fantasy. The Hawaii State archives had a few cool shots of these, some with famous steelers, but they're probably all ripped off by now.

Jeff Spencer · Post by **Jeff Spencer** » 13 May 2011 2:02 pm

That is great David. Thanks.
Ron, This is my Moody 6 stringer made here in Oz in the early 60's I think. I was a brighter red however the obviously. This is my favorite, even against my own made ones. Moody made some loverly amps and I think these laps were made to assist in selling the amps. I have a mate who has the perfect matching Moody amp complete with matching knobs. He wont sell it to me and I wont part with this lap steel, it has a supurb tone. I bought it for $20 25 years ago and only started learning c6th instrumentals about a year ago on it.

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 13 May 2011 5:12 pm

Hi Jeff, greetings from FNQ. That guitar was a score even 25 years ago. Ron, I don't have anything on early amps but I think a lot of those early players used to build their own radios and amps ala Freddie Tavares. Here are a couple of pre-consumerism Australian steel guitars. No prizes for guessing their inspiration.
The first one is a Maxi owned by bluesman Johnny Green.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 13 May 2011 7:56 pm

Wow, on both counts!

Thanx for the post Jeff, now I'm intrigued with Moody's, that PU looks like a Bigsby clone.

David, those look like a birdseye homemade job I posted about years back, maybe it was common to copy the bakelites. Cool stuff guys!

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 13 May 2011 9:11 pm

That was a nice recording. The bakelite tone was there too. Kinda sounded like a C#m tuning...? If it was a 30s recording, it may well be.

Jeff Spencer · Post by **Jeff Spencer** » 21 May 2011 6:39 pm

Thanks Ron. Sorry for the delay but had virus attack my PC when my firewall expired.

I will take a closer photo of the PU. It certainly is the major key to the tone. Moody in their day made the PU's for Maton Guitars who are now a major player in the Aust made guitars here. Thanks David, they are sweet looking steels. I love the proportions of the shape. Is it possible to get a tracing on paper??
How do they sound?

Cheers
Jeff

Jeff Spencer · Post by **Jeff Spencer** » 21 May 2011 6:54 pm

There you go Ron.

Jeff Spencer · Post by **Jeff Spencer** » 24 May 2011 10:00 pm

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 24 May 2011 11:05 pm

Jeff, sorry if I gave the impression I owned those ricky lookalike guitars. The only one I have heard is the Maxi. It sounded pretty good but it was in an electric blues context which is a rotten setting to judge a guitar.

Mac McKenzie · Post by **Mac McKenzie** » 25 May 2011 3:02 am

When I was 19 and playing steel guitar, I won some money from a building society and went to Oz on the old Wanganella. First up, find the Hawaiian Club in Sydney and found it closed. I only had one night before I went to Brisbane. And so, I did not find out anything about the Club nor meet any of the steel players. We could buy records by the Hawaiian Club Quartet from time to time but never heard them on the radio, nor did we know who played the steel guitar, the only info. we had was vocal - Charles Wade. Until Isa Lei. The boys came back from the war with a lot of songs in their memories and Neville Khan's beautiful deep intro., his beautiful playing and Johnny Wade's singing put that one on the hit parade and request sessions for months. The only other steel player to make the request sessions was Keith Branch with his Manu Rere. They set a very high standard. Even now, I still get the same thrill when I hear those recordings.

Jeff Spencer · Post by **Jeff Spencer** » 26 May 2011 4:22 am

No worries David. Gee there must be some lap steels hiding under beds in this country!!

Great story Mac.Thanks

Jeff

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 28 May 2011 12:32 am

Mac, the first of these new links is to a 1946 recording of Isa Lei, the Fijian farewell song. The other three tracks show Les's playing in later life. The 1965 LP Hawaii. Alf Barrie, another great Aussie player is on second steel. Les has a some Rock infuence with On the beach, and there is Bebop touch on In A Little Hula Heaven.

http://soundcloud.com/drazjan/les-adams-01-isa-lei

http://soundcloud.com/drazjan/les-adams ... e-beach-at

http://soundcloud.com/drazjan/les-adams ... onut-grove

http://soundcloud.com/drazjan/les-adams ... ittle-hula

Allen Hutchison · Post by **Allen Hutchison** » 1 Oct 2012 9:26 pm

G’day all, Had to bump this thread to share, and have a bit of a skite as to my recent good fortune!
But first, some background:
In 1938, the late great Les Adams, an early instructor and pioneer of Hawaiian lap steel in Australia, imported 6 Rickenbacher B6 lap steels into this country.
One he kept for his own use and the remaining 5 he sold off to his students.
I have been very fortunate in being able to buy one of the 6, from a friend and former student of Les in Melbourne.
Not only a beautiful guitar in almost pristine condition, but an historic and tangible link to the earliest lap steel playing in Australia. I consider myself to be a guardian of this historic instrument.
I presume that one B6 is in the care of the Les Adams family estate? That leaves another 4 kicking around Australia somewhere!
The former owner, Alex, personally had Les Adams verify this guitar as one of his original 6, by its head stock serial number. #C1729
Alex played lap steel in his own group “The Hungarian Trio” in and around Melbourne during the 1960’s/70’s, but gave up playing, to concentrate on married life and family.
But wait, there’s more: When Alex decided to let his treasure go, he retrieved it from under his bed, where it had been for the last 17 years. Would you believe that it was still in tune!!! and that the strings, which had been on it for at least 3 years prior to storage, are as good as the day they were put on. I doubt a wood body instrument could stand that test of time under tension?
I was also given a digital copy of Les Adams and his Fabulous Hawaiians second album “Hawaii” vol2, (circa 1971) there may have been a 3rd album, but I can’t swear to that.
Below are photos of the instrument in question and 3 tracks of Les playing his B6 Rick from the aforementioned album. Isa Lei – Blue Hawaii – Pearly Shells
I doubt I’ll ever be able to play like Les Adams, but I do hope to be able to do it some justice when it comes back from its professional lefty conversion.

http://picosong.com/waPb
http://picosong.com/waPD
http://picosong.com/waPd

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 2 Oct 2012 1:19 am

Hi Allen, What a great story. If you ever come to Cairns, look me up. I have those two LPs Les Adams and his Fabulous Hawaiians. I had a third which was 60s pop and not all that interesting. However, I did find the earlier 10 inch LP Les Adams and his Honolulu Boys "In Hawaii" Spotlight SV26 Recorded in 1953. If you don't have it, I can mp3 it for you. Aloha.

Allen Hutchison · Post by **Allen Hutchison** » 2 Oct 2012 2:17 pm

Hi David, glad you liked the story & if I ever get up to Cairns again, I'll do that.
The Les Adams story (as a whole) really deserves to be told on a Wikipedia page.
Unfortunately, that's beyond me, & sadly those with memory of those times, are fast disappearing.
Cheers, Allen.

PM sent.

Christiaan van der Vyver · Post by **Christiaan van der Vyver** » 9 Oct 2012 2:58 pm

hey allen wonderful story and beautiful guitar so jealous. i'm pretty sure the amp in the picture is a paling, here's one on ebay (albeit a 50's one) - it has that distinctive rounded top. id be very interested in doing a wiki page on les actually, i might start collating info, would you guys be interested in helping out?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VINTAGE-1950 ... 1e731ab18a

Allen Hutchison · Post by **Allen Hutchison** » 9 Oct 2012 10:20 pm

Hi Christiaan, yes I'm a very lucky guy indeed.
I'd be glad to help out in any way I can.
Alex tells me that Les had two of the same type of amp & depending on the size of the room, he would use either one or both.
I'm not sure of the brand or size but Alex may know that detail?

PM sent.

Sam Conomo · Post by **Sam Conomo** » 10 Oct 2012 1:47 pm

thanks for that guys ,interesting .blast from the past/
sam.
up the road

Jeff Spencer · Post by **Jeff Spencer** » 15 Oct 2012 4:03 am

I can vouch for this guitar folks as to it's condition - BRILLIANT. This guitar has found it's rightful place in Alan's care. I hope more old lap steels are uncovered from under beds everywhere!!!!

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 15 Oct 2012 6:53 am

The late Bruce Clarke had some interesting comments about Les when I interviewed him for my book, Lap Steel Guitar. He talked about Les' fluency on the instrument, his service during WWII and the fact that Les's style was considered a bit passe' after the war - a similar reaction that Django faced by the early 50s after his Hot Club days were done; this despite doing some of his most adventurous playing. Bruce admired Les' touch on the instrument.

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 15 Oct 2012 1:10 pm

Hi Andy, It is interesting you mention this post war attitude. I think it was a problem most hawaiian guitarists and hawaiian musicians in general faced, especially after the advent of Rock and Roll. But even beforehand, say between 1945 and 1955, their recordings show a bop-ish Les Paul influence as they tried to sound more current. Of course the whole genre fell from grace with the 1960s generation, until with a little maturity we rediscovered it. The irony for me is that I now prefer prewar music.

Allen Hutchison · Post by **Allen Hutchison** » 15 Oct 2012 1:15 pm

G'day Andy, What's the name of your book & where can I get a copy please.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 15 Oct 2012 4:20 pm

It's called "Lap Steel Guitar"

http://www.volkmedia.com/Volkmedia.com/ ... _Book.html

Shipping to Au costs an additional $16.95 for the Priority Mail® International Flat Rate Envelope. Arrives in 6-10 business days.

Mac McKenzie · Post by **Mac McKenzie** » 29 Nov 2012 12:02 am

Dave, I have just enjoyed Isa Lei again. Do you have any information on Neville Kahn? Hopefully, a photo?He did some local compositions by Iris Mason which was good no matter which way you look at it. Also some Maori numbers. He was an excellent player and gave me something to try for. Thanks for the sound clips, it is nice to be able to hear them again.

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