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Ticket - circa 1972
Eddie Hansen (Guitar), Trevor Tombleson (Vocals/Percussion), Ricky Ball (Drums), Paul Woolright (Bass)

Eddie Hansen was in Christchurch group Revival, along with vocalist Craig Scott late of Dunedin, until the group broke up in April 1970. He then headed north to Auckland to play with Challenge, who had had a couple of successful hits, but were struggling to stay together. On discovering that they shared musical interests in the styles of Traffic and Jimi Hendrix, Challenge drummer Ricky Ball and Eddie decided to form their own group to foster their preferred style of music, and after getting it together with Paul Woolright on bass and Trevor Tombleson on vocals and percussion, Ticket was born in May 1970, but they weren't earning enough to pay their ways, and so Eddie called Trevor Spitz in Christchurch to see if he could come up with a venue - and it was Aubrey's in Christchurch. It was here that Ticket developed a sound that was very different to their original intentions. By mid-1971 Ticket had outgrown Aubrey's and decided to head north, and in October of that year as support act, they performed in front of 20,000 people at New Zealand's first international outdoor concert, held when Elton John debuted at Auckland's Western Springs. They recorded and released their first single Country High//Highway of Love on the Ode label and this was very successful for an underground group at the time, spending five weeks on the National charts in December 1971 - peaking at number 12. This was followed-up with Dream Chant//Awake, released on the Down Under label - unsuccessfully, even though Dream Chant had been one of the group's most popular numbers back in the Aubrey's days.

Ticket back in the day

Ticket opening for Elton John - Western Springs, Auckland 1971

Ticket in Sydney

Chequers - Sydney

TICKET's Debut Album - AWAKE
(Photography by Vince Venditti)

Disc Side 1

Disc Side 2

Whisky a go go - Sydney

	TICKET's Second Album LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE	Disc Side 1	Disc Side 2		Disc Side 1	Disc Side 2		Disc Side 1	Disc Side 2
	TICKET's Second Album LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE	DOWN UNDER Release			ATLANTIC Release			TAPESTRY Release

In May 1972, their debut album, Awake, was released (it was recorded at HMV Studios and released on the Down Under label). A third single Stoned Condition//Then You'll Fly was released on the Down Under label, but it was banned from air-play by the NZBC. June 1972 saw Ticket cross the Tasman, to perform a month long residency at Sydney's Whisky a go go nitespot, and they were a massive hit to the extent that rather than return to Auckland, NZ they accepted another residency at Chequers in Sydney, subsequently perfoming in Queensland and Victoria. Whilst in Australia, a single was released, Awake//Country Radio, on the Atlantic Label. They also recorded their second album, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie in Melbourne. This album was self-produced and recorded at Channel 9's 16-track studio before release in late 1972. Eddie was becoming unhappy with the acid rock life-style and the frenetic beat. Returning to New Zealand in November 1972, Ticket opened the new Auckland venue, Levi's Saloon. Followers didn't seem to notice the growing animosity in the band, but it came to a head at the Ngaruawahia Festival - although the fans loved the performance, Eddie was less than happy, and as it transpired it was their last gig. Another single was released in New Zealand, Mr Music//Let Sleeping Dogs Lie, while in Australia the flip was Them Changes. Mr Music was an uncharacteristic piece of funk which should have been a hit but wasn't. After a few months off, Eddie reformed Ticket, with Glen Absolum on drums, Billy Williams on bass guitar and Steve Gunn on vocals, but the recipe was not the same - even when Tombleson returned to take over from Steve Gunn. Ticket had disbanded by the end of 1973.