Wild ride: Sand Pebbles are a mixed bunch.
ERIN PEARSON
IT’S been a wild year for Melbourne band the Sand Pebbles: They’ve travelled the country, battled their demons and made a new record.
Recently back from an interstate run with new album Dark Magic; the remarkable group has a plethora of members from all walks of life.
Singer-guitarist Andrew Tanner once recorded an album with legendary producer T-Bone Burnett and wrote music in Hollywood with renowned actor Jeff Bridges.
Guitarist Ben Michael was a child star actor in TV shows Skyways and the Henderson Kids.
Ben Michael, 40, recently completed a doctorate in gender studies while bassist Christopher Hollow once played AFL football for St Kilda.
The father of three also spent many years writing scripts for Australian soapie Neighbours.
Hollow said band members ranged in age from 18 to 50, a unique trait that saw an element born in each rock n’ roll decade from the ’50s to the ’90s.
“It’s very hard to have five people all going in the one direction at completely different parts of their lives. One member is looking down the barrel of being a grandfather when two others don’t even have kids,” he said.
“I think the band will be lucky to survive this tour, I think it could all blow up at any time.”
Despite the ups and downs of recent times, Hollow said he was excited about a return to Geelong regardless of his football allegiances.
Sand Pebbles are at Geelong’s National Hotel on Friday night.
