The Simple Image
From small teen clubs in Wellington and national pop package tours to heavier times in the frantic Sydney scene of the late 1960s and early 1970s – every moment of The Simple Image's four-year pop and rock odyssey is in their parting single.
Barry Leef's aching widescreen interpretation of Guy Fletcher and Doug Flett's country soul ballad ‘Goodbye Birds’ (1971) is a wisdom filled lament and cautionary tale recorded by the Wellington band across the Tasman. The little-heard single was issued in Australia and New Zealand.
Barry Leef at HMV Studios
Photo credit:
Photo by Barry Clothier. Grant Gillanders Collection
Harry Leki at HMV Studios
Photo credit:
Photo by Barry Clothier. Grant Gillanders Collection
Gordon Wylie at HMV Studios
Photo credit:
Photo by Barry Clothier. Grant Gillanders Collection
The Simple Image and Gerry Merito in Gisborne in January 1968 for the Miss Gisborne show
Photo credit:
Gisborne Photo News
Barry Leef (second from left) in a pre-Simple Image band, The Shades, in Blenheim
The Simple Image at The Sydney Stadium in 1970 with members of The Four Tops: Wayne Allen is second from the left, centre front is Barry Leef, behind him is Cass Gascoigne and second from right is Harry Leki.
The Simple Image fanclub flyer
Photo credit:
Photo by Barry Clothier. Grant Gillanders Collection
The Simple Image on C'mon '68
The Simple Image's sole album, from 1968 with period psychedelic artwork. It was reissued in 2013 with 13 bonus tracks.
A Silver Disc for The Simple Image. Nowdays 15,000 sales would get you a Platinum Disc
An advert for The Simple Image's debut single in February, 1968
Photo credit:
Grant Gillanders Collection
A plug for the latest Simple Image single, sent out to fanclub members
Photo credit:
Photo by Barry Clothier. Grant Gillanders Collection
Spinning, Spinning, Spinning hits the top ...
Sons and Lovers, late 1960s (L-R): Scratch (Lyn) Rae, Alan (Moony) Moon, Kemp Tuirirangi, Ali Matthews, and Peter Leef. The bus - and Tuirirangi - would soon be inherited by BLERTA.
Photo credit:
Alan Moon collection
Harry Leki at Ali Baba's Wellington, circa 1969
Photo credit:
Kevin Furey collection
Cass Gascoigne at HMV Studios, Wellington
Photo credit:
Photo by Barry Clothier. Grant Gillanders Collection
Cass Gascoigne at Ali Baba's Wellington, circa 1969
Photo credit:
Kevin Furey collection
Cass Gascoigne's first band, The Termites, in Ohakune, 1963. Cass is second from left.
Harry Leki and Cass Cascoigne with The Simple Image, Garden Island, Sydney, 1970
The Simple Image, Civic Square, Wellington, circa 1968
Harry Leki, Barry Leef, Gordon Wylie, Ron Gascoigne
Simple Image fanclub photo - Barry Leef, Gordon Wylie, Ron Gascoigne, Harry Leki
HMV publicity shot of The Simple Image in the Wakefield Street HMV studio, 1968
Photo credit:
Photo by Barry Clothier
Barry Leef
Gordon Wylie at Ali Baba's Wellington, circa 1969
Photo credit:
Kevin Furey collection
Simple Image at Wellington Zoo
Photo credit:
Photo by Barry Clothier. Grant Gillanders Collection
Barry Leef at Ali Baba's Wellington, circa 1969
Photo credit:
Kevin Furey collection
Trivia:
In 1968 The Simple Image provided the "pop" sequence in an Education Department film promoting milk in schools and toured to support it during the school holidays with funding from the department.
Members:
Ron Gascoigne - bass, vocals
Alan Gordon - drums
Barry Leef - rhythm guitar, vocals
Harry Leki - lead guitar, vocals
Doug Smith - vocals
Bruce Walker - keyboards
Gordon Wylie - drums
Wayne Allen - drums
Labels:
HMV