Unofficial anthem echoes through time, space

Image of giant log at the genuine Pub With No Beer.

THE song that country music superstar Slim Dusty took to the top of the charts more than half a century ago was destined to get ingrained in Aussie culture. However, the popularity of the catchy tune and lyrics of The Pub With No Beer spread far past our borders and to other countries.
The song had already echoed around the world for more than a decade when a boy, barely into his teens, started learning guitar in Durban, South Africa.
The Pub With No Beer was in fact the first song that Glen Stuart learnt to play. He wondered what life was really like in Australia, and in 1979 he migrated here.

GLEN now lives at Thornlands and works as a sales representative in the fibreglass/composites industry. That's his day job, of course, because he is still a keen rhythm guitarist, picks up his instrument at every opportunity, enjoys jamming and has played in bands.
A few years ago he joined his lead guitarist-uncle Brian Jones in a band called Sneaky Pete, with Brian's son Warren on drums.
Brian and Warren also came from South Africa to make the Redlands their home.
Glen has a musical project on the boil and has used the Classifieds to recruit a bass player for his new band, which will play blues, rock and rock 'n' roll.

OVER about the past year, Glen has been playing with a lead guitarist, Aiden Battenally, drummer Rob Greatrex and singer Amanda Reynolds and they now need the right bass player to hold it all together.
"Basically we all have day jobs and we get together because we simply love playing music; it's our passion," he says.
"At this stage we are looking to get a CD together by the end of the year then starting into gigs.
"We are looking for someone (on bass) who is willing to grow with the band."
The first applicant auditioned last Monday and another will have a try-out next week.

AFTER mastering The Pub With No Beer, Glen's gaze actually turned 180 degrees to North America and rockabilly became his favourite style.
However, the new band will play everything from rockabilly to Led Zeppelin, he says. Unfortunately, it's too early to give a band name for advance notice of the debut in 2012. About all I can say is: watch this space.

Thanks for joining me to meet the great people in the marvellous community of classified advertising; this column has appeared in The Redland Times.