Ticket NZ Rock Band Reforms

Archive:

The New Zealand show – 5th November 2011
@ the “Powerstation” Auckland, with Dragon and Hello Sailor.

Ticket ‘steals’ the show, with rave reviews from the NZ Herald: read the review here.

TICKET New Zealand’s ultimate acid blues band dominated the underground music scene from 1971-73 down under.  With searing Hendrix inspired guitar from Eddie Hansen, soaring vocals from Trevor Tombleson and a driving rhythm section (Paul Woolwright – Bass & Rick Ball – Drums) they produced two highly sought after LPs, ‘Awake’ and ‘Let Sleeping Dogs Lie’ during the original line up.  These LPs are collectors items the world over and mint copies sell in excess of $300-400.

Ticket MKI parted company in 1973.  Eddie Hansen, disillusioned and tired of the music industry struggles and rip-offs, had decided to call it quits.  Hansen eventually reformed Ticket temporarily during 74-75; the MkII line-up including ex-Space Farm bass player Billy Williams and drummer Glen Absolum. [For the record there was never a Steve Gunn in the band.] In MkIII Absolum was replaced with Danny Davidson.  But no album was released and the band eventually went their separate ways.

Trevor Tombleson moved to  the UK (with Ticket MKIII members Williams and Davidson). The ex-pats auditioned for Keef Hartley’s former band ‘Dog Solider’. Tombleson was offered a place with the band but turned it down when it transpired his antipodean friends had been rejected. He then toured Europe with a number of bands during the mid 70s (including the Eagles and Chicago) but returned to Sydney when called back by (now) ‘Monsoon’ band members Williams and Ray Goodwin (Dragon-Guitarist & Song writer). At the end of the 70s he left the music industry for 30 years.  These days he resides in the Cook Islands.

Ricky Ball and Paul Woolwright hooked up with ‘Hello Sailor’ and their various solo acts that followed (Dave McCartney & the Pink Flamingos, Graham Brazier’s Legionnaires and Harry Lyon). For 30 years they remained the top rhythm players in NZ, in constant demand.

After the demise of Ticket, Eddie Hansen joined forces temporarily with Link’s Dave Kennedy (in Rock Squad) but that didn’t last and Kennedy moved to the UK.  Hansen took a break, but he couldn’t stay away and eventually formed “Living Force” with ex-Space Farm guitarist and good friend Harvey Mann, with drummer Glen Absolum and several others.  The band was together during 1978-79. Absolum went to the UK in 1979 and was replaced by Mike Fisher and that year the band played the 1979 “Nambassa” festival alongside Split Enz and Little River Band. This was followed by a trip to the US to record their second album under the hand of Santana’s producer in LA. Nothing came of the US venture and Living Force disbanded when the band collectively chose to turn down a rather draconian US record deal. Hansen, Mann and Absolum now live in Australia and formed “Mantra” a band based more on spiritual Krishna style arrangement and they still occasionally play in that configuration today (albeit on a purely casual basis).

In 2010, after 38 years, the classic 1972 album “Awake” has been reissued on CD with additional bonus tracks.

The original band have reformed and are touring again.  The reunion concerts kicked off in Christchurch and Auckland November 2010.  The 2011 tour was cancelled due to the Christchurch earthquake (the venue was wiped out in the second quake, which destroyed the city) and their headline appearance at the ill fated ‘Grassroots Blues Festival’ scheduled for April 2011 (with B B King) never happened because the festival was cancelled [reportedly because ticket sales to the event plummeted upon the second quake.]  In November 2011 they played a triple bill gig at Auckland’s POWERSTATION with Hello Sailor and Dragon.

Other tour dates/details to be posted as they come available.

Please BOOKMARK this page and check back regularly.

Both TICKET albums have been remastered and are for sale now.

Ticket Mk I (now touring again) – Paul Woolwright, Trevor Tombleson, Rick Ball, Eddie Hansen.