THE EMBERS

The story of the Embers starts in 1965 when 2 Student Teachers Doug Trevaskis and Ian Woods saw an ad on the notice board at Adelaide Teachers’ College for a band audition.Doug being a rhythm guitarist and Ian being a bass guitarist thought, “why not?” At the audition they met with lead guitarist Brenton “Snowy” Dinan (an upholstery apprentice) and drummer Bob Snewin (a bank teller) as well as other sundry players and singers.

After many practices and exits of players from the line up the “Slaves” were born, later to become “Ian Wood and the Splinters” in a time when it was trendy to change names. After a period of playing together the boys finally settled on the name of The Embers. The band had a lot of fun practicing in garages and lounge rooms and ultimately playing gigs at many different and varied venues around Adelaide, South Australia.

This was the era of Vietnam War/flower power/hippies and the boys enjoyed the period and played all functions with great enthusiasm. Whilst not having the best instruments and equipment, they certainly gave it everything they had when on stage. The Embers played at cabarets, dances, balls, weddings and parties till all hours of the night - indeed at one function at the Adelaide Parade Ground hall they did the midnight to 4.00am time slot. Their most memorable night was playing at the Princeton Club at the Burnside Town Hall and also as support band to the Masters Apprentices at St. Augustines in Unley one Sunday night.

After 3 years together Doug and Ian finished at Teachers College and were sent on country postings to Minlaton and Keith respectively. At the same time Bob was sent by the bank to Lucindale in the South East and with the band now broken up Brenton started a working holiday around Australia.

Doug and Ian continued to play in some bands over the years but Brenton and Bob sold their instruments and finished with music for good, or so they thought.

Through an extraordinary co-incidence in 2005 Doug made contact with Bob through Bob’s cousin Rachel Snewin. After talking for over 2 hours on the phone they decided to track down Ian and Brenton and get together for a lunch. This was achieved relatively easily and the date was set for a lunch at Bob’s home at which (after much red wine) the decision was made to have a jam and a bit of fun. Doug found some of the old play lists which were attacked with great gusto at more practices and the boys re-discovered the hunger to have a go and reform the band. Brenton and Bob had not played for 35 years so new instruments had to be purchased and practice became really focused.

Ultimately the boys played their first gig in November 2005 re-launching the Embers and the old friendships were (dare I say) re-kindled.

Since that has happened the boys have worked hard to get back their playing abilities and the purchase of first class equipment has ensured their sound is the best it can be. The gigs have flowed and the Embers still get the buzz from “being up there.”

The boys remain great mates and enjoy each others company as well as embracing the freedom of playing the music they love.

BRENTON “SNOWY” DINAN – Lead Guitarist

In his own words Brenton says “I started with nothing and I still have most of it.”

I was born in Unley in 1947 – (Go the Blues).

I got to know Bob Snewin through our parents friendship when we were both about 12 years of age. At that time I begged my parents for 2 Pounds and sent away to Sampsons Music College in Sydney and received an acoustic guitar and learnt by correspondence for 6 months. Unable to read music I learnt to play be ear somehow mastering the chords along the way.

I met Doug and Ian through Bob and we progressed as a group together and helped each other along the trip. They were fun days but as often happens people go their ways for many reasons.

After completing my upholstery apprenticeship of 5 years I traveled around Australia and learnt a lot which helped me start my own business which still trades today – “Ezy-Rest Recliners.” In the preceding years I got married, had kids, then grand kids and never playing a guitar for 32 years until the “Lunch.” It was an amazing experience to get together with the boys again. With our new equipment and professional attitude I know we sound better than we did in the old days.

I really hope we can last longer than our last stint together as a band in the 60s because it sure beats wood carving, crosswords and train spotting.

I invite you to hear us play at a venue near you someday soon and we think you will enjoy our sound and style.

PS Play a Stratocaster and become a Fender Smith.

PSS You are never too old to try anything in life.

BOB “STIX” SNEWIN - Embers Drummer

I started my musical career when I was 10 years old in the Adelaide Drum and Fife band.

This band was very much a “military” type band with marching and discipline as well as the music instruction. I enjoyed the 4 years I had in the band I learnt quite a lot highlighted by playing in 3 John Martins Pageants.

Eventually my Mother bought me my first drum kit which was my pride and joy for a longtime. I played with some 60/40 music players before I eventually joined the Embers to play my great love “rock.” I loved playing in the Embers in the 60s we had such a great time and the band always enjoyed playing and the great friendship of each other.

When I was transferred to the South East I did play in a band from Naracoorte but I really did not enjoy playing all that much probably because of the lack of the professionalism of the other members of the band. I also missed the friendship and “team” spirit of the Embers. Eventually because of the amount of traveling and lack of enjoyment I gave away playing in the band and sold the drums believing that was the end for me and music.

The great re-union luncheon 36 years later was something really special when you realize that deep down the other members of the band whilst looking older hadn’t changed at all.

I think the boys were like me we just needed someone to say lets get the band back together and they were in it in a heart beat.

I enjoyed purchasing my new drum kit because I thought if I am going to go back into the band I am going to have the best and I now have. Sure we were rusty when we started but we certainly have worked hard and practiced diligently and we are now playing very professionally. I just love being back at it and the great friendship of my mates.

IAN “SPLINTER” WOODS - Bass player, backing vocals and technical dabbler

(Usually on the right of the stage)

I live in Strathalbyn, a beautiful South Australian rural town, 60 km southeast of Adelaide.

I am married to author Jane Jolly (check her website) and have 4 children.

While my real job was secondary school teaching I’ve always been a dreamer about music providing me with a living.

My musical life began when I was about 10 years old. My musical father decided I should learn piano – lasted a few months – and banjo mandolin – lasted a couple of years. Performance began in my first “band” with dad on big banjo, my older brother on piano and me on mandolin. I also sang in the Primary Schools Choir Festival of Music in the Adelaide Town Hall.

My real passion for music began when I was about 12, inspired by the rise of rock‘n’roll.

I started teaching myself guitar aided by a chord chart and a good ear for emulating what I heard on the radio and 45’s.

My brother was forming a band “The Corvairs” and needed a bass player so I started to find my way around the bass guitar he built (which I still have and may appear at a gig near you). We even had a fan club complete with newsletters.

While at Teachers’ College in the mid 60’s I played in a couple of Adelaide Uni Review orchestras. I also joined a band which metamorphosed into The Embers.

My career started in the South East (Keith) so consequently I parted from The Embers. While there I bought a home-made double bass (which I also still have – but probably won’t appear at a gig near you). I played this at a few local dances at the Marcollat Hall with the family with whom I was boarding.

My next appointment in the early 70’s was Port Broughton in the mid north. From a colleague I bought a Tiesco bass guitar and a Fender Bassman 100 watt amp and quad box. I’m still using the bass and the head (which you will see at a gig near you), but have recently upgraded to a 15” Fender speaker box.

I joined “Country Bumpkin” playing country rock in the mid and far north of the state.

When my job brought me to Strathalbyn in the early 80’s, I joined “Sh-Boom”, working mainly pubs around the Adelaide Hills.

My involvement playing bass in the orchestras of a few original musical stage productions at Oakbank Area School also saw me appearing on recordings of these productions.

For a short time in Strathalbyn I was in a band called “Captain Mandolin and the Corellas”, playing local cafes and parties. I dabbled in vocals, guitar, flute, percussion and very occasionally bass, which was a refreshing and interesting change.

In the early 90’s I decided, far too late in life, it was time to learn to read music, so took flute lessons for a few years, completing Grade 4 AMEB. My playing is slowly developing as a flute-challenged member of the South Australian Flute Ensemble.

A short stint as a member of “Merlin”, a small group of entertainers playing aged care homes added to my CV.

Through my flute playing I have developed a appreciation of and liking for classical music. (Age may have something to do with this as well!).

Through chance associations the four original members of The Embers met up again in 2005 for lunch to talk over old times. The rest is history.

My main musical enjoyment these days is listening to anything with strong vocal harmonies, playing live music and I’m always in for a “jam session”.