PETER BAZLEY (d. 1999)
A true
rock'n'roll veteran, New Zealand-born guitarist Peter Bazley
died in his sleep at his home in Kurri Kurri NSW, in December
1999.
Peter
started his career in New Zealand in the late 1950s as a member of The
Devils, the backing band for seminal Kiwi rocker Johnny
Devlin. He came
to Australia with Devlin, and after leaving The Devils he became a
member of Lonnie Lee's band The Leemen,
one of the top groups of the rock’n’roll era
1959-64. Peter was famed for his lead guitar work on The
Leemen’s album Johnny
Guitar
which became Australia's first national #1 record by a rock band. The
Leemen went on to make three more great instrumental albums. Over the
last
20-odd years Peter had become known as one of the finest guitarists in
the country music scene.
He had been an invalid since 1994, when he suffered a
massive stroke on his way to a show. Tragically, this left him unable
to play or speak for the
remainder of his life.