The Embers / Dig Doug!

Mastered from the original master tapes and released on CD for the first time. Before Beatlemania, Ray Columbus & The invaders, Max Merritt & the Meteors and Dinah Lee-there was only one local group: The Embers. Primarily an instrumental covers band, the Embers didn't just copy the originals, they completely reinterpreted everything that they played and recorded.

The Embers were formed in 1962 as the backing band for the waning pop star Ronnie Sundin. This association only lasted for a few gigs. Signed to Viking Records the band were used extensively to back most of the top recording artists of the day including, Ray Woolf, Jimmy Sloggett, The K. Dons, Jan Dalton, Lou & Simon, Jimmy & Anne Murphy, The Hi-Brows, Des Gibson, The Deuces etc. Constant changes during their early career eventually led to a settled line-up based around guitar virtuoso Doug Jerebine, Mike Perjanik (piano), John (Yuk) Harrison (bass), Willie Schneider (sax) and original member and drummer Mike Kelly, The death knell came for the Embers and many others when firstly Beatle mania started to obliterate all that had gone on before, followed by Ray Columbus & The Invaders relocation to Auckland from Christchurch, armed with their tougher R & B sound, matching suits and Fender guitars. The Embers released three singles during their career, 'Rinky Dink' on Viscount records followed by 'Planet 10' and 'Metropolis' on the Viking label. In 1963 they released a self-titled album and in 1964 the posthumous 'The Embers Dig Doug', which was originally intended as a Doug Jerebine solo album.