Louie + The Hotsticks

Danny Wilson Collection

Louie and The Hotsticks - hot in the 80s
James Walmsley (Guitar), Helen Mullholland (Vocals), Danny Wilson (Saxophone), Wayne Beecroft (Drums), Wayne Jamieson (Bass/Vocals) and Al Park (Guitar/Vocals) in front

Louie and the Hotsticks was born and venues rocked from the get-go with Al out front, Wayne Jamieson on bass, Leigh Perry on guitar, drummer Ronnie Robinson, Danny Wilson on sax and Paul Parkhouse on vocals, harmonica and occasional sax.  Peter Stephen, now a well-known luthier specialising in double basses and acoustic guitars, was sound engineer and they were back at the now skinhead-free Gladstone. As this gig ended and various personnel left, Al and Wayne Jamieson were joined by singer Helen Mulholland, drummer Murray Fisher, and Jimmy Walmsley on guitar.

Poster - The Marine Tavern, Sumner

Louie and The Hotsticks - Stickability

Helen Mullholland and Al Park performing .....

When a Sandridge Hotel residency came up Louie and The Hotsticks auditioned and expected to get the job, but management had chosen Friar Tuck instead.  This came as a huge shock to the band.  Instead, they stepped into the gap that Friar Tuck had left at the Marine Tavern, and they took a large proportion of their following with them and at $3.00 per head on the door were drawing decent, steady incomes.  Danny Wilson had returned on sax with Wayne Beecroft on drums, and Al felt that was when the band really kicked in and made the sound he had always wanted.  Louie and The Hotsticks lasted until the mid-1980s, and when they had one-night revivals at the Ferry Alehouse in 2014 and 2016, hundreds turned up in tribute.  After Louie and The Hotsticks came Big Elvis (1986), The Red Hot Blues Band playing old Rhythm and Blues, Helen and the Hound Dogs, then party band The Latter Day Sinners.

Louie and The Hotsticks back in the day !
Wayne Jamieson, Danny Wilson and Jimmy Walmsley
Helen Mullholland, Wayne Beecroft and Al Park in front

Louie and The Hotsticks reunited in 2015
Wayne Jamieson, Al Park, Helen Mullholland, Jimmy Walmsley and Danny Wilson with
Wayne Beecroft (who sadly passed away in 2018) in the front

Louie and The Hotsticks reunited ......

Louie and The Hotsticks reunited because they could

Additional Al Park and related groups information is available on the Audio Culture Website .....

www.audioculture.co.nz/people/al-park