Larry McKay

John R Campbell Collection

Larry McKay - at Flaxwood Festival 2014

Larry McKay was born in Christchurch on November 11th, 1946, joining The Vigilantes at the early age of 12 years in 1959.  The band played weddings and 21sts in dance halls, which included a regular but short-lived gig in Timaru (replacing The Downbeats).  The Vigilantes hit the big-time when they became the second band at The Laredo Nitespot (with Johnny Campbell and The Detours, and Les Stott) around 1963.  The band stopped playing at The Laredo in 1965, but continued making records, accompanying The Southerners on such hits as Don't It Make You Feel Good // South Wind, as well as making a few other records, most notably Come Tomorrow // The Cruel Sea and And I Love Her // Everybody Come And Clap Your Hands.

Larry McKay circa age 17

The Vigilantes - Laredo line-up

Larry McKay 2006

Larry McKay with Page One

Larry McKay 2006

The full line-up for The Vigilantes was: Brian Thomas (lead guitar, band leader and occasional singer), Larry McKay (rhythm guitarist and occasional singer), Dixon McIvor (vocalist), Derek (Willy) Withers (bass guitar and occasional trumpet), Tony Mason (drums), Bob Wilcock (tenor saxophone).  The Vigilantes were resident second band at The Laredo Nitespot from 1963 to 1965, and subsequently appeared on The Des Britten Coca Cola Show  A tour to Pohara Beach Motor Camp was an epic, and the band played lots and lots of dance halls and church halls.  Spencer Street and the reek of Old Spice is a particularly strong memory.  Recording was very demanding and nerve wracking, but yet strangely satisfying.

The Detours

Beam

Page One

Friar Tuck

Gillette-McKay

Soul Agents

Larry contributed to many bands over the course of his extensive career, and these included Johnny Campbell and The Detours, Beam, Page One, Chasing Paper, Friar Tuck, Larry and Peter, Opposition, Icebreakers, Soul Agents, Bob's Yer Uncle and Gillette-McKay.  He was resident at innumerable venues, with the most significant being The Laredo Nitespot, The Pride Of Place, The Thunderbird Inn, The Mon Desir, The Redwood Hotel, The Sandridge Hotel, The Russley Hotel and latterly The Papanui Tavern.  He toured the South Island with Craig Scott (Page One), and featured on TVNZ's Free Ride in 1974.

Additional Larry McKay and Vigilantes information is available on the Johnny Campbell and The Detours official website .....

www.johnnycampbell.co.nz/vigilantes.html