Way back in the mid-50s a phenomenon had emerged and Rock and Roll was it's name. By 1952 an American late 40s Country and Western group from Chester, Pennsylvania - Bill Haley and His Saddlemen had morphed into the legendary Bill Haley and His Comets, and in 1954 the group recorded what was to be the defining song of the entire Rock and Roll era - "Rock Around The Clock". Although initially only a modestly successful recording (and actually released as a "B" side), it eventually went on to sell in excess of 25 million copies, and totally eclipsed the band's previous gold record "Shake Rattle and Roll". Over the period from 1954 to 1956, Bill Haley and His Comets placed nine singles into the Top Twenty, one of those notching up a Number One, and three more hitting the Top Ten. A level of sophistication has come about in what we now know as "Rock" music, but the roots of the art, along with those who contributed to it's success, must never be overlooked. We present the historical detail contained in this site for all generations to enjoy, and we express our gratitude to all those who contributed to ROCKHAPPENZ, either by on-line submission or personal contact.
ROCKHAPPENZ is a dedicated look-up resource which showcases all those who were active in Christchurch (and Canterbury), organising, performing, and entertaining the music and dance fans of a bygone era. The objective is to ignore nobody, and there is certainly no endeavour within the main database to highlight tall poppies. It is simply a sincere endeavour to acknowledge individuals and entities who have continued to shape an epoch.
ROCKHAPPENZ now incorporates the ROCKONZ Rock Hall Of Fame, and faithfully lists those artists and entities (some of whom were not specifically Canterbury related), but who received various awards between 2007 and 2010 - within the framework of the now defunct ROCKONZ organisation, and the associated ROCKONZ Rock Hall Of Fame. ROCKONZ (organised by Dion and Cecile Murphy), was intended to perpetuate as an annual event .....
If your name happenz to appear on this site, if you recognise someone or something in the lists, or if you have additional information of any kind - PLEASE fill in the on-line form and submit your valuable data so that we can better represent those elements which were such an essential part of the fabric, and spirit, of the great (continuing) era of Canterbury rock. Cheers. John (Johnny) Campbell |
