PREMIERS PHOTOS & MEMORABILIA

<Home>  <Bands>  <Musicians>  <Venues & Places>  <Reunions>  <Contacts List>  <Anthems>  <Search>

First published in 2007, last updated May 2016

(Hover over thumbnails for captions, and click on thumbnails to enlarge photos)

The Premiers - Wellington 
The Premiers - Auckland 

THE PREMIERS - WELLINGTON

Photos of Barry Millage, Ken Cooper, Mike Shackleton, Peter Hindmarsh, Neil Harrap, Andy Shackleton, Jim McNaught, Rochelle Vinsen

From the Barry Millage Collection

From the Rochelle Vinsen Collection

From the Judy Girvan Collection

From the Peter Hindmarsh Collection

April 1961, Teddy Bennett wins the Naenae Boys' Talent Quest, backed by the "Swamp Revellers(sic)"  
From left - Neil Harrap, Peter Hindmarsh, ??, Teddy Bennett, Mike Shackleton, Andy Shackleton, Ken Cooper

(August 1961, flyer)
By Popular request:- Ken Cooper’s Fabulous “PREMIERS” of Hi-Fi club fame are returning to Karori on Saturday 5^th August (after the 2^nd Rugby Test) for another night of revelry at the Karori School Hall, Donald Street at 8pm.

Football Fans! Fun Lovers! Friends! – after following a feast of Football by the fleet-footed flying Frenchmen don’t forget to roll up to the brightest spot in Wellington and rock your cares away.

Popular Prices  5/- single
                          7/6 double

Schoolgirls in uniform----Free!!!!

Fruity Fanta and Cooling Coke on sale.

(Early 1962, source unknown)

LOCAL BOYS HIT THE HIGH SPOTS. 

Eastern suburbs residents have reason to be particularly proud of four local boys --- Neil Harrap, Peter Hindmarsh, and Mike and Andy Shackleton who, together with pianist Barry Millage of Khandallah form what is perhaps the top band in Wellington-The Premiers.  Formed in March 1961 and managed by Ken Cooper, the Premiers whose ages range from 16-21 years were all original members of two other bands, The Swampdwellers and the Librettos bands, particularly active in the Miramar and Seatoun areas. 

The first big break for the boys came in April of last year when they backed popular Maori singer Ted Bennett in the Naenae Boys’ Talent Quest.  Ted who won the quest, received an HMV recording contract enabling him to cut his first bigselling disc, "Clap Your Hands" backed by "Wimoweh".  It was the Premiers who supplied the big band backing sound to this recording - a disc which became almost the New Zealand equivalent of a Gold Disc.  Following the release of "Clap Your Hands" a wealth of engagements arose for the band - appearances in Ted Bennett shows and with Des Britten and his popular Hi-Fi club dances. 

It was in July last that the band played to an audience of nearly 4,000 - the occasion being the first large scale Hi-Fi Club dance at the Wellington Town Hall with proceeds going to charity.  Another highly successful event was the Hi-Fi Club’s Otaki barbecue sponsored by the Catholic Schools in that area at which the Premiers were the guest band.  During the past year the Premiers have been a familiar sight at Sunday afternoon youth clubs in the Wellington district.  Regular playing engagements were fulfilled at Lower Hutt’s Capistrana (sic) Club and the Taita and Miramar youth clubs where in an atmosphere of youthful friendliness the boys have left a deep impression. 

Further big events in the past year were a November weekend spent in Dunedin as guests of entertainer Joe Brown and a Christmas engagement playing to holiday crowds at Paraparaumu Beach.  In Dunedin, the boys received several encores playing to a capacity audience in the Town Hall and were fortunate in having their programme broadcast that same evening. 

At Paraparaumu they again proved their popularity entertaining at St Patrick’s Hall, The Blue Moon and Palm Grove.  A rather novel event was their dance held on the Paraparaumu skating rink—in the pouring rain!  As for plans this year….. There is to be a TV radio session in the near future, hopes of new recordings and a New Zealand tour with one of the big shows later in the year.  Already the boys expect to be busier than ever filling their regular round of youth clubs and dances.  Let’s hope that the Premiers have another very successful year ahead of them.

From the Andy Shackleton Collection

From the Colin Lock Collection

THE PREMIERS - AUCKLAND

Photos of Mike Shackleton, Peter Hindmarsh, Jimmy Ellyett, Andy Shackleton, Tommy Adderley, and Mike's Fender guitar (found in a music shop in Henderson, Auckland - after almost 40 years).
YouTube link to video of Dinah Lee singing "Don't You Know Yokomo", backed by the Premiers - the only known video of the Premiers playing.

From the Jimmy Ellyett Collection

From the Andy Shackleton Collection

Click the play button above to listen to a scratchy copy of the "'Top 20 Theme".  The only record ever made by the Premiers in their own right.  Original, written by Peter Hindmarsh & Neil Harrap.

From the Judy Girvan Collection

From the NZ Musician Magazine - (June/July 1995) "Chris Parfitt looks at Kiwi bands of the 1960s"

From the "Teen Scene" magazine, June 1964

<Home>  <Bands>  <Musicians>  <Venues & Places>  <Reunions>  <Contacts List>  <Anthems>  <Search>