Jim Keays facts for kids

James "Jim" Keays (born 9 September 1946 – died 13 June 2014) was a famous Australian musician. He was born in Scotland. Jim was the lead singer and songwriter for the rock band The Masters Apprentices from 1965 to 1972. He also played guitar and harmonica. After leaving the band, he had a successful solo career.

Jim Keays also worked as a journalist. He wrote for a music newspaper called Go-Set. He was their correspondent in Adelaide in 1970 and in London in 1973.

The Masters Apprentices had many popular songs. Some of their Top 20 hits included "Undecided," "Living in a Child's Dream," and "Turn Up Your Radio." The band reunited several times over the years. In 1998, Jim Keays and The Masters Apprentices were honored. They were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

As a solo artist, Jim Keays released several albums. These included The Boy from the Stars (1974), Red on the Meter (1983), and Dirty, Dirty (2012). He also wrote a book about his life and the band in 1999. It was called His Master's Voice: The Masters Apprentices: The Bad Boys of Sixties Rock 'n' Roll. From 2000, he performed with Cotton Keays & Morris. This group included other musicians from the 1960s, Darryl Cotton and Russell Morris.

In 2007, Jim was diagnosed with a type of cancer called myeloma. This caused his kidneys to stop working well. After treatment, the cancer was in remission by 2009. Sadly, he passed away in 2014 at age 67. He died from pneumonia due to problems from his cancer.

Jim Keays' Early Life

Jim Keays was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 9 September 1946. He was adopted when he was six months old by James and Jessie Keays. They were a couple from Clydebank. In 1951, just before Jim turned five, his family moved to Australia. They traveled on a ship called RMS Asturias. They settled in Beaumont, a suburb of Adelaide.

Jim went to Burnside Primary School and then Norwood High School. He enjoyed playing Australian rules football and golf. His love for rock music began when he was 11 years old. He heard songs like "Rip It Up" by Little Richard and "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis.

Starting with The Mustangs

In 1964, a band called The Mustangs formed in Adelaide. They played surf music and instrumental songs. The band members were Mick Bower, Rick Morrison, Brian Vaughton, and Gavin Webb. After the Beatles toured Australia, The Mustangs decided to change their style. They looked for a lead singer, and Jim Keays joined them.

With Jim as the singer, the band played two types of music. First, they played instrumental cover songs by groups like the Shadows. Then, they played their own original songs in the beat style, with Jim singing.

The Masters Apprentices' Journey

In late 1965, The Mustangs changed their name to the Masters Apprentices. Mick Bower chose the name. He said they were "apprentices to the masters of the blues" like Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. Many of their early songs were written by Mick Bower, or he helped write them. These included hit singles like "Undecided" and "Living in a Child's Dream." A music journalist, Ian "Molly" Meldrum, praised the band.

When Jim turned 20 in 1966, his birthday was chosen in a ballot for national service. This meant he might have to join the army. However, he was able to avoid this by joining the Citizens Military Force (CMF). He even kept his long hair by pinning it up under his hat during CMF sessions!

By early 1967, the band moved to Melbourne. After Mick Bower left the group in September 1967, Jim Keays became the main leader. The band's members changed several times. Jim also chose their stage clothes, which were often made of velvet, satin, and floral prints.

In 1968, Colin Burgess joined on drums, and Doug Ford joined on lead guitar. Jim Keays and Doug Ford started writing songs together. Their song "Brigette" became a Top 40 hit. Glenn Wheatley also joined the band on rhythm guitar.

By 1969, the band started wearing leather stage outfits. This was because fans would often tear their expensive clothes during performances. The leather outfits lasted much longer and saved the band a lot of money.

In April 1970, the band released their most popular song, "Turn Up Your Radio." Jim Keays and Doug Ford wrote this song together. It was meant to be a loud and bold song. It came out just before a big argument between radio stations and record companies. This led to many songs being banned from the radio. Even with little radio play, "Turn Up Your Radio" became a huge hit, reaching No. 7 in Australia. During this time, Jim Keays also worked as a correspondent for Go-Set newspaper in Adelaide.

Jim Keays and Doug Ford wrote four of the band's Top 20 hits: "5:10 Man," "Think About Tomorrow Today," "Turn Up Your Radio," and "Because I Love You." They also wrote songs for other bands. In July 1970, The Masters Apprentices moved to the United Kingdom. They hoped to become famous there, but they broke up in 1972 without having any hits in the UK.

Jim Keays' Solo Career and Other Bands

After leaving The Masters Apprentices in 1972, Jim Keays returned to Australia. He helped promote their new single, "Love Is." He also started a company called Rock on Agency. Jim was a host, or compère, for several music festivals. These included the Meadows Technicolor Fair in Adelaide and the Mulwala Festival.

In 1973, Jim played a role in the Australian version of the Who's rock opera, Tommy. He also wrote for Go-Set newspaper as their London correspondent. In 1974, Jim hosted the Sunbury Pop Festival. He also helped create a Masters Apprentices compilation album called Now That It's Over.

In December 1974, Jim Keays released his first solo album, Boy from the Stars. This was a concept album, which means all the songs tell a story. The story was about an alien coming to Earth to warn people about misusing power. Jim wrote all the lyrics and most of the music for the album. Many talented musicians played on it, including Marcia Hines and Lobby Loyde.

Jim performed songs from Boy from the Stars at the Sunbury Pop Festival in 1975 with his band, Jim Keays Band. Jim was one of the few Australian artists who got paid for performing at this festival. He had arranged for a sponsor. Many other Australian bands were not paid because the festival lost a lot of money.

Later, Jim formed Jim Keays' Southern Cross. They released a new version of "Undecided" in 1975. In 1977, he formed the Manning/Keays Band with Phil Manning. Jim also lived in the United States for almost two years.

By 1978, he formed another version of Jim Keays Band. In 1979, they changed their name to The Keays. This band released the single "Lucifer Street" in 1980. His album Red on the Meter was released in 1983. From 1983 to 1987, Jim worked as a radio DJ. He also produced music programs for TV.

In 1985, Jim Keays joined The Incredible Penguins as a guest musician. They recorded a cover of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" for charity. This song reached No. 10 in Australia.

In 1987, he signed with Virgin Records and recorded new versions of "Undecided" and "Psychotic Reaction". Jim also took part in several reunions of The Masters Apprentices. His next solo album, Pressure Makes Diamonds, came out in 1993. In 1998, The Masters Apprentices were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. Jim wrote his life story, His Master's Voice, in 1999.

From 2000, Jim toured regularly with Cotton Keays & Morris. This group included Darryl Cotton and Russell Morris.

In 2001, Jim Keays appeared in the ABC-TV series Long Way to the Top. He talked about The Masters Apprentices' early music and their hit songs. The TV series led to a national concert tour in 2002. The classic lineup of The Masters Apprentices reunited for some of these concerts.

Jim continued to tour with Cotton Keays & Morris and with The Masters Apprentices. His album Resonator was released in 2006. He released his last solo album, Dirty, Dirty, in 2012. Jim Keays passed away on 13 June 2014. He was working on a new album called Age Against the Machine before he died.

Jim Keays' Personal Life

In 1970, Jim Keays married his girlfriend, Vicki. They had a son. They separated in 1981. Jim later had two daughters and a son with his second wife, Karin. Jim also reconnected with his birth mother in 1984.

Health Challenges and Passing

In July 2007, Jim Keays was diagnosed with myeloma, a type of cancer. This caused his kidneys to fail. He received dialysis and chemotherapy treatments. He also had stem-cell transplants. After treatment, the cancer was in remission by February 2009. Jim returned to performing with Cotton Keays & Morris.

Sadly, Jim Keays died on 13 June 2014, which was his birth mother's birthday. He passed away in a Melbourne hospital from pneumonia. This was a complication from his cancer.

Discography

The Masters Apprentices

Studio albums

Singles

Cotton Keays & Morris

Awards and Nominations

EG Awards / Music Victoria Awards

The EG Awards (now called Music Victoria Awards) celebrate music from Victoria, Australia. They started in 2006.

Go-Set Pop Poll

The Go-Set Pop Poll was a survey run by the teen music newspaper Go-Set. Readers voted for their favorite artists each year from 1966 to 1972.

See also

In Spanish: Jim Keays para niños