Ray was born in early 1958 in Sydney. He went to school at Marist Brothers College, where he was two years behind Vince Dale. Ray's older brother was a musician who played in a band, occasionally lending equipment to Ray for projects.
Ray was interested in music, but was not able to play an instrument himself. In 1972 some of his school friends became interested in the local production of "Jesus Christ Superstar", attending it a number of times and hanging around backstage. They were inspired to attempt a school production, eliciting the support of the female music teacher and choir-mistress. In an attempt to widen the participation they posted a notice around the school asking for other students to join. David Stanmore volunteered as director and elicited help from fellow sixth-formers, including Vince Dale as musical director.
Ray played the part of Pontius Pilate in the production, and was basically the producer, pulling together the people and resources needed to mount the production. The school hierarchy made the school hall unavailable, and an alternative venue had to be found. A second, larger production at the local town hall followed later in the year.
Ray assisted Vince and two other musicians in playing at the end-of-year formal and concert with his brother's equipment, and by working the lights.
This seminal experience led to Ray applying for the three-year Production course at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) in 1976, where he met Bryon Jones. Ray sought the assistance of Vince Dale in his application.
Ray and Bryon formed a friendship over the 1976-8 period, working jointly on several productions, and sharing an interest in music. It was during this period that Ray coined the name Rockmelons as a silly name for a fictional band.
Upon completion of the course, both Ray and Bryon worked on the production side of lighting and sound companies and theatrical productions, including for Ellis D Fogg. Both Bryon and Ray were competent in lighting and sound design, including tape editing.
Ray began working at Phantom Records, an import record store and independent label. Following an initial flirtation with Punk music and fashion, he became interested in black urban electronic dance music, as well as reggae music.
Ray introduced Bryon to Vince Dale, when he was assembling a small pop group, "...ish".
Vince was born in Sydney in 1955. He learned piano in primary school. After being shown some guitar chords in his teens, he started to develop his own keyboard style for playing pop, blues and jazz. His inspirations included Leon Russell, Nicky Hopkins, Rick Wakeman, Elton John, Billy Joel and Billy Preston.
Vince went to high school at Marist Brothers College, Auburn, where he was two years senior to Ray Medhurst. Ray posted a notice in 1973 for students interested in participating in a production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" he and his friends were wanting to mount. Vince became musical director and pianist for the two productions that resulted that year.
At the end-of-year concert, Vince performed three numbers with a trio, assisted by Ray on lighting.
Vince went on to Sydney University to complete an Arts degree, and became active in Sydney University Dramatic Society (SUDS) as musician in several productions, and behind the scenes on the committee. Vince kept in occasional touch with Ray, who took over as editor of the student magazine (PIG) started by Vince and his friends two years earlier.
In 1975, Ray asked Vince to assist him in preparing for an application to the National Institute for Dramatic Arts (NIDA), and he subsequently enrolled in their production course (along with Bryon Jones) in 1976.
Vince studied for a Diploma in Librarianship at the Univ. of NSW in 1977. He became a Public Library branch manager at Lake Macquarie Library, three hours north of Sydney, in 1978. Vince purchased an electric piano and performed at a party of friends in Sydney, which Ray attended.
In 1979, Ray contacted Vince asking if he was interested in trying out for a group his friend, Bryon Jones, was putting together, called "...ish". Vince subsequently joined the group, who played at private parties over the summer of 1979/80. In addition to rock and pop covers, the group wrote several original songs. Bryon and guitarist, Gary Kurzer, were given access to some free studio time, and quickly recorded a novelty track, "The Armpit Samba". Gary created an independent label and pressed several hundred singles. A video was created for screening on the TV kids program, Wonder World.
The single was officially launched at a gig at Garibaldi's - a drop-in centre near Kings Cross - that had a performance space. Ray had put together a series of shows early in 1980 at this venue, drawing on a wide range of acquaintances: musicians, actors and comedians, including "...ish", and also Bryon's younger brother, Jonathon (still a student in Canberra), who played drums in a group from his school.
In addition to "...ish", a couple of ad-hoc groups were assembled for some skits, including the Bexley Housewives and the Rockmelons, featuring Ray (synthesizer/vocals), Bryon (bass), Jonathon (drums) and Vince on keyboards. The performance included a spoken word version of Wreckless Eric's "The Whole Wide World".
Vince asked to leave "...ish" early in 1980, amicably, following a car accident during a long drive home, and experiencing hearing loss from the loud volume of the band. The band folded soon after.
Vince helped form a Newcastle pop group "Joe D'Viva" in 1981 which played local pubs and clubs. In 1982 he was approached to accompany a young jazz/pop singer, Jacqui Lawson, and they developed material that was featured at a residency at the Clarendon Hotel, which was also home to the cabaret group, the Castanet Club.
Vince was in occasional contact with Ray, who worked at Phantom Records, an import record store. Ray spoke of going to the US to check out the music scene there. Bryon and Jonathon were involved in various music and theatre projects during this period.
Vince bumped into Ray by accident around 1982, after Ray's initial US visit, where Ray spoke about hearing some exciting electro-dance sounds, and hinted at creating something locally along those lines.
In early 1983, Ray rang Vince to say he was working with Bryon and Jonathon on some music, and they wanted to perform it live at a party, and needed an extra pair of hands to make it work. It was arranged for Vince to visit Ray's warehouse space above Broadway to hear the demo's that had been created.
The tracks featured programmed/pre-recorded drums and bass in a series of repeated long loops, with percussive electrified dulcimer, solid-body flying-V electric ukulele, triggered and electronic sounds from a Korg synthesizer, some cut-up audio snippets, and occasionally Ray talking lyrics or narrating. And some rhythmic synthesizer stabs, which Vince was to duplicate live.
What tied it all together were infectious pop melodies and irresistible dance rhythms.
The new incarnation of the Rockmelons was born.
