The Inbetweens

Inbetweens at the Aranui Tavern 1977  —  
Lenny Worthington (Keyboards), Tony Rabbett (Guitar), Dave Bailey (Drums), Neville McCarthy (Bass) and Chris McCarthy (Guitar)

The Inbetweens were originally formed in Dunedin in 1967 as a trio with the a line-up consisting of Tony Rabbett (Guitar/Vocals), Paul Rabbett (Drums) and Roland Farmer (Lead and Bass Guitar).  Soon Martin Platt joined on Bass Guitar, and Tony Rabbett moved to Lead Guitar.  They then expanded to include Murray Newey (Keyboards) and Ken Muirhead (Vocals).  At that time they were all still at school and were aged between 13 and 15.  They were managed by Tony and Paul Rabbett's mother Phyllis, and they managed to achieve some national recognition before any of them had even left school.

Roland Farmer, Ken Muirhead, Tony Rabbett,
Murray Newey and Paul Rabbett

Inbetweens - an early Fan Club promotional shot

Ken Muirhead, Tony Rabbett, Paul Rabbett,
Roland Farmer and Murray Newey

Martin Platt left, and Roland Farmer moved to full-time Bass Guitar.  In January 1968 they entered the Benny Levin Battle Of The Bands competition and won their regional final, which led to a trip to Wellington for the national finals, where they found themselves up against some very stiff competition.  Undaunted, they secured a second placing behind The Fourmyula, and as a result of this success, Mrs Rabbett continued to push the group, which was rapidly becoming one of the top bands in the South Island.  Come 1970, they decided to once again enter Benny Levin's National Battle Of The Bands, but this time they were successful in taking out first prize in the contest which was held at The Auckland YMCA.

1972 prior to move to Sydney
Tony Rabbett, Murray Newey, Rob Guest,
Paul Rabbett and Roland Farmer (standing)

Inbetweens - winning the 1970 Benny Levin Battle Of The Bands (Auckland YMCA)

1972 prior to move to Sydney
Paul Rabbett, Tony Rabbett, Murray Newey,
Rob Guest, and Roland Farmer

Shortly thereafter, Rob Guest joined the group as vocalist, replacing Ken Muirhead, and Benny Levin took over management of the group and shifted them to Auckland where they signed a recording contract and started releasing singles on the Impact Label.  Their first single in 1970 was called Boom-Sha-La-La-Lo // The Night Before.  Boom-Sha-La-La-Lo was an excellent cover of Hans Poulsen's Australian version, and was a finalist in the 1970 Loxene Golden Disc Awards, also reaching number 18 on the National Charts.  The follow-up single, also in 1970, Make A Wish Amanda // While My Guitar Gently Weeps (which because of Ken Muirhead's departure from the band left Tony Rabbett in the vocal spotlight) didn't feature well at all, and neither did the next one in 1971, Living In A Dream World // Easy To Be Hard, which featured Rob Guest on vocals.

Boom-Sha-La-La-Lo
1970

The Night Before
1970

Make A Wish Amanda
1970

45 Single release cover

While My Guitar Gently Weeps
1970

Living In A Dream World
1971

Easy To Be Hard
1971

The Inbetweens KK2 - Front Cover
Album released on Key Label 1976

The Inbetweens Side A
1976

The Inbetweens Side B
1976

The Inbetweens KK2 - Back Cover
Album released on Key Label 1976

The Inbetweens showing their 1975 lineup

I Can't Stop Loving You
Single release from self-titled album
1976

Good Life
Single release from self-titled album
1976

In 1972 The Inbetweens shifted to Sydney, but times were hard over there, and it wasn't too long before they fell apart.  In 1975 Tony Rabbett decided to have another go, and so with keyboardist Lenny Worthington, he teamed up with the remnants of Tramline, and the group based itself in Auckland, moving away from the original bubblegum music they had been playing, to a more mature and much heavier sound.  The Lineup then consisted of Tony Rabbett (Guitar/Vocals), Dave Bailey (Drums), Lenny Worthington (Keyboards), Neville McCarthy (Bass Guitar) and Chris McCarthy (Guitar).

The Inbetweens - Aranui Tavern 1977

Neville and Chris McCarthy

The Inbetweens - Radio Avon Concert, Rangiora 1977

Tony Rabbett

Neville McCarthy

Lenny Worthington

Chris McCarthy

Dave Bailey

They recorded a self-titled album for Eldred Stebbing's new Key Label in 1976.  One great track on it was released as a single - I Can't Stop Loving You // Good Life.  Both the album and the single bombed, and by 1978 the group was no longer all that popular in New Zealand.  Unable to compete on the home-front, they then tried their hand in the USA, moving to Los Angeles were they spent 12 months, managing a few small-time gigs, but gradually running out of money and enthusiasm.  Work permit hassles and complications prompted their demise around 1979.