The Naturals

Tony De Jong Collection

The Naturals began as Blenhiem-based Beats Incorporated in 1965.  The members were Rodney (Pixie) Brown (Bass/Vocals), Tony de Jong (Guitar/Vocals), Fred Bower (Guitar/Vocals), and a variety of drummers that came and went.  The longest serving and principal drummer was John (Moose) Lang, and he delivered at least one vocal performance  —  Mule Skinner Blues (originally by The Fendermen).

The following historical information is from Tony de Jong ......

Pixie, Fred and Moose had been with Beats Incorporated in an earlier form at Blenheim/Christchurch before moving to Auckland and reusing their old band's name.  There is no known photograph in existence of The Naturals, but some ephemera remains.  A Galaxie Nightclub newspaper advertisement in which The Layabouts share Saturday night with The Naturals.  The Naturals guest at Surfside Ballroom, an old movie theatre converted into a dance hall at Milford on Auckland's North Shore.  At the time it was run by entrepreneur Joe Wheelhouse.  The Naturals featuring prominently - the venue is the Trades Hall Jive Centre in Auckland.  Popular NZ singer Dinah Lee was in attendence but she did not perform.

The Naturals also appeared at the Top Twenty Nitespot at least twice and on one occasion their drummer failed to show up so drummer Nooky Stott of the main-act, Larry's Rebels kindly sat in.  At a midnight dance at the Oriental Ballroom, The Naturals played the first hour, opening for The Keil Isles (who had probably played at another gig elsewhere, earlier).  After The Naturals, Fred Bower gained greater success with the band Le Frame.  Both Pixie and Fred Bower lived near one another in Te Atatu, Auckland, where they tried to re-start their old band by recruiting Tony de Jong on second guitar.  Recruiting a permanent and reliable drummer was much harder.  Previously drumming with Beats Incorporated, John (Moose) Lang was persuaded to also move from Blenheim to Auckland, where he boarded with the de Jong family at Henderson for a while, before returning to Christchurch and possibly a girlfriend!  The Naturals band members are shown here in the profile picture as they appeared immediately before or after The Naturals name was chosen - they are, from the left: Tony de Jong, (c1968), Fred Bower, as he was when he started off with Le Frame (c1966/67), Pixie Brown, with Steam Packet (c1968) and John (Moose) Lang, with Beats Incorporated, before moving to Auckland.  At the time of the photo, Beats' fourth member was Barry Leef (Guitar).  The Auckland Star newspaper advert above, announces both Fred's and Pixie's bands, appearing with others, at a Sunday all-night-rave at the Galaxie Nightclub, Auckland.