Locals: The Vasco Era returns to Apollo Bay this month.
By Cherie Donnellan
PLAYING the 20th anniversary of Apollo Bay Music Festival is a “homecoming” for the boys of The Vasco Era.
Brothers Ted and Sid O’Neil and good friend Michael Fitzgerald grew up in the town on a diet of music, surfing and football.
Ted O’Neil, the band’s bassist, spoke to the Independent from a school storeroom about music, Apollo Bay and friendship.
O’Neil said each of the trio had an interest in music from a young age but waited until after high school before forming The Vasco Era.
O’Neil said he “hated” Fitzgerald in primary school because he “called me names”.
But a mutual strong interest in music created their friendship, he said.
“We’ve been playing together (along with Sid) as The Vasco Era for over 10 years now.”
O’Neil said Michael Leunig’s cartoon character Vasco Pygama inspired the band’s quirky name.
“We had three hours to make up a name before our first gig because the venue owners wanted to put it on a poster.
“My brother, Sid, was at school reading the newspaper, saw the cartoon character and that was it.
“We planned to change it but I guess we just got used to it.”
O’Neil said differing personalities helped the trio work well as band mates and friends.
Sid’s creativeness made him a good lyricist and vocalist.
“He’s like the brooding artist…but not really,” O’Neil laughed.
He described drummer and best friend Michael as “the funny one”.
O’Neil considered himself “a little bit reserved”.
The band’s music had gone through “many changes” but still liked “being loud and having fun live”.
“We’re bluesy-grunge at the moment but more grunge.”
O’Neil said his brother and Fitzgerald now lived in Melbourne but he was in Anglesea.
“I was in Melbourne during my 20s but I needed to get back to the water.”
The band would always call Apollo Bay home, he said.
“It doesn’t matter how long we’re away, we come back and everyone treats us the same.”
O’Neil said each band member now had careers outside music, with he and Fitzgerald studying to be teachers and Sid in social work.
Music was all they needed outside their careers, he said.
“It fills the void.”
O’Neil said he was still excited about performing at the festival after appearing on the bill many times with various bands.
The Apollo Bay Music Festival runs from April 20 to 22.
