Jack with Les Hall

On this edition of Vinyl Vibes Jack Hodgins talks with Les Hall, founding member and guitarist of Ted Mulry Gang.

Les grew up in Maitland during the 1950s and early 1960s. Initially pushed into piano by his father, he found his true musical passion when he discovered George Harrison of The Beatles and picked up the guitar. His pivotal moment came in 1964 when he saw The Beatles perform live during their world tour in Australia.

By 1968, Les had joined a Newcastle band called The Velvet Underground. In the early 1970s, he crossed paths with Ted Mulry and began playing as part of Ted Mulry’s backing band. This collaboration led to the formation of the Ted Mulry Gang (TMG) in 1972, with Les on guitar, Ted on vocals and bass, and Herman Kovacs on drums.

In 1974, TMG signed with Albert Productions and released their debut album, “Here We Are,” in November of that year. Initially facing setbacks, including a failed first single, the band found unexpected success with “Jump In My Car” after a Newcastle radio DJ championed the track. The song soared to number one for six weeks, cementing its place as an Australian classic. TMG went on to achieve four more top ten singles and released six albums before disbanding in 1986.

Recently, Les has reunited the band, releasing their first single and album in over 30 years.

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