ROCKONZ - Rock Hall of Fame Profile

MERIT AWARD 2007
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			Full Name: Neville Claughton Born: November 13th, 1943 Hometown: Christchurch Musical Background: Brass instruments and bands Instruments Played: Bass Guitar, Brass Instruments, Organ Career Began: 1965 Groups: The Viscounts, 5 Degrees, Pete Ward and The Prophets > Inspiration, Tradition, Page One, Link, Rock 'n Roll Spinach, Shannon, Remedy, The Solid Gold Band, Classic Hits Band, Mr Music Allstars, Steve Flemming Quintet, Z Inc. (with Zoe Jackson) Tours: Mr. Lee Grant with 5 Degrees Television: Onwards, Popco, Norman and Opportunity Knocks Residencies: The Scene, Pride Of Place, Montmartre, Valley Inn, Sandridge, Black Horse, Gladstone, Benheim Road Motor Inn, Christies Career: No sign of waning as yet !		Merit Award 2007


	*Neville Claughton ... in his own words*

	I started in 1965 with Greg Mooney evolving to join The Viscounts with Neville Wilkins and his brother. 1966 I became an original member of 5 Degress on bass then organ. 1969 I was on bass with Pete Ward and The Prophets which evolved to Inspiration (John Storey, Allan Brown and Royce Richards). 1971 at the White Heron with Harry Voice and Dean Howe, latterly playing bass for Tradition with Dave Whiting and eventually playing organ. 1972 I joined Page One with Larry McKay, Mike Mitchell, Mike Lewis and Don Gutry and that same year formed Link with Dave Kennedy, Dave Gillies and Craig Nicholson. 1973 in Rock 'n Roll Spinach with the Sammons brothers and Doug Petrie. 1975 saw me in Shannon with Kevin Toneycliffe, Ross Nichol and Maurice Sammons. From this point through to the late 80s I was with various bands recording with Tandem and ending with Remedy before a shift to Auckland in 1988 from which time I worked Clubs and Functions with a quartet. In 1998 I shifted to Nelson and am still currently working, having formed The Solid Gold Band with Radioworks, currently running and performing with 4 groups, NZ's Classic Hits Band, Mr Music Allstars Function Band, a 6-piece jazz group and a 5-piece Function Band with Zoe Jackson and others. 2007 sees me fronting the Classic Hits Band as bassist/vocalist, Mr Music Allstars, Steve Flemming Quintet and Z Inc. with Zoe Jackson and others.


	I am semi-professional now, earning a steady income from performance and running my music business. Throughout my career I have had many highlights - lots of television work, being invited to join Link and Shannon with top musicians, recording at EMI with Link, Radio Band Work with top jazz players in Christchurch, seasons at Mount Cook with Inspiration and other bands, performances at the Nelson Jazz Festival and running Nelson's leading function band performing throughout the Nelson/Marlborough region. Biggest highlight has to be, being invited to perform at the Spencer Street Revisited '06 in Christchurch Cathedral, and being invited to perfom in the up-coming 50 Years of Rock 'n Roll (ROCKONZ) Anniversary spectacular. After a career including playing in dance bands from the age of 9 and performing on brass instruments in the Woolston Brass Band, then entering the Rock 'n Roll market, my time spans some 45 years. I am currently more pro-active than ever before and showing now signs of slowing up. Long live the industry.