The Masters Apprentices | |
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Also known as | The Masters, The Mustangs |
Origin | Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
Genres | Pop rock, psychedelic rock, progressive rock |
Years active | 1964–1972, 1987–1991, 1994–1995, 1997, 2001–2002, 2014–present |
Labels | Astor, Columbia, EMI, Raven, Virgin |
Members |
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Past members |
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Website | themastersapprentices |
The Masters Apprentices (or The Masters to fans) are an Australian rock band fronted by Jim Keays on lead vocals, which originally formed as The Mustangs in 1964 in Adelaide, South Australia, relocated to Melbourne, Victoria, in February 1967 and attempted to break into the United Kingdom market from 1970 before disbanding in 1972.[1][2] Their popular Australian singles are "Undecided", "Living in a Child's Dream", "5:10 Man", "Think About Tomorrow Today", "Turn Up Your Radio" and "Because I Love You".[2][3] The band launched the career of bass guitarist Glenn Wheatley,[3] who later became a music industry entrepreneur and an artist talent manager for both Little River Band and John Farnham.[2]
The band reformed periodically, including in 1987–1988 and again subsequently; they were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame at the ARIA Music Awards of 1998.[4][5] Both Keays, with His Master's Voice and Wheatley, with Paper Paradise, wrote memoirs in 1999 which included their experiences with the band.[1][2] Onetime guitarist Peter Tilbrook also released the biography A Masters Apprentice, Living In The Sixties in 2015.[6] Keays died from pneumonia related to his multiple myeloma on 13 June 2014.[7] Wheatley died from complications of COVID-19 on 1 February 2022.[8] As from 2020 original members Mick Bower, Brian Vaughton, Gavin Webb and Rick Harrison performed as the Masters Apprentics with Bill Harrod on bass guitar and Craig Holden on lead vocals.[9] Bassist and founding member Gavin Webb died after a cancer battle on 16 April 2024, at the age of 77.[10] Dan Matejcic replaced Rick Harrison on guitar in December 2023.[11]