A  FLASHBACK  TO  THE  SIXTIES!! THE BERNARD-TREVOR ERA. When I started at the Old Mutual in March 1962, one of the guys working in the particular department was a chap by the name of Trevor Keet.   Trevor was the (left-handed) rhythm guitarist and some-time vocalist for a local band called "Alpha Set". The next photo taken in 1963 shows me with my Les Paul Gibson Gold solid-body single- cutaway guitar and on the table behind me is my Gibson Les Paul Amplifier. In those days the big event for the local bands was an event called "Battle of the Bands" and I seem to recall that "Alpha Set" usually did well at this event each year. Trevor stayed in Green Point and on a couple of occasions I would take the guitar and amp, get on a train at Pinelands station (about 400 metres from my home).  At Cape Town station I would wait in Adderley street and Trevor would arrive with his cousin in his cousin's little Ford Escort panel-van and take me to Trevor's parents' place. The cousin (I cannot recall his name) was a keen drummer and his kit would already be set up in the kitchen.  The 3 of us would then proceed to "jam" - when we played "rock" Trevor usually played lead and I rhythm and when we played Jazz and Bossa Nova etc., I usually played lead and Trevor rhythm.  In those days I also had a "Watkins CopiCat Echo Chamber" so we were able to get many of the sounds in those "early" days that we heard on the records. Trevor left Old Mutual roughly around 1966 and the last time I saw/spoke to him was in R Muller's in Long Street around 1966/67. In July 2002 I was browsing thru our local evening newspaper (Cape Argus) and came across an article with a colour photo of a group who were still playing after all these years.   The band of course was Alpha Set!!  I did not recognise Trevor in the picture until I read the caption!! I went to the group's web site and sent an eMail to say that I would like to contact Trevor Keet - but did not ever get a response. On 15th July 2003 I managed to track down some telephone numbers for Trevor via some contacts in the band scene and on 16th July 2003 I chatted to Trevor on the phone for the first time since I last saw him!!! He was sooo pleased to hear from me!!  His day job is in the car trade in Bellville.  Apparently his group had revived "The Battle of the Bands" for the groups from the Sixties and Seventies.  Trevor and his band mates were going to be very busy organising and participating for the ensuing 3 weeks so he suggested we get together after that.  Apparently they will be producing DVDs and CDs of the "Battle". On 21st July 2003 I visited him at his place of work in Bellville.  He was pleasantly surprised and we chatted for about 30 minutes.  I asked him to let me have a photo some time of him playing in the Sixties so that I could put in on my web site "Flashback to the Sixties".  Lo and behold he had one in his drawer and gave it to me!!  I show the photo below - it was taken one Saturday at R Muller in Long Street Cape Town some time mid-to-late Sixties!!  (Trevor is the one turned around towards the camera). Next Era

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