geof holmes

Geof Holmes is a name you should know, but the reality is that he’s unfamiliar to anyone outside a tight circle of Sydney musicians and followers of a certain vintage.

Holmes was one of the guitarists with Evil Roomers, the 1977 precursor to seminal Australian band X. With his close mate Ian Krahe on guitar, Steve Lucas on vocals and Ed Fisher on drums, they were in rehearsals when joined by bassist Ian Rilen, already on his way out of Rose Tattoo.

For various reasons, that line-up of Evil Roomers never got out of the practice room. Rilen, Krahe and Lucas would hook up with ex-cop Steve Cafeiro on drums to form the first line-up of X. Holmes went on to join Lucas, Rilen and Fisher in a potent 21st Century line-up of X. Last year, he sat in with the Lucas-only version of the band in Sydney for one song.

Ian Krahe, original guitarist for seminal Australian underground legends X, left the planet in 1978 but his influence is still being felt. A celebration of his 65^th birthday is being organised at Sydney’s Crowbar on Sunday, September 25, from 7pm. Tickets are selling here.

Current member of X, Geof Holmes, and friends will play songs by Evil Roomers, which was the original band for himself, Krahe, drummer Ed Fisher and bassist Ian Rilen. Holmes will be on guitar, joined by Jim Dickson (The Survivors, New Christs, Radio Birdman)on bass, John Butler (X) on drums and Ian Krahe’s nephew Luke Edwards, also on guitar. Slack Punks are supporting.

“We’ll be playing music Ian left behind when he died tragically in May 1978,” Geof explains. “You’ll hear some songs he wrote while in X. Unfortunately, Steve Lucascan’t be there so they will be our versions, with material from Ian’s earlier musical adventures with me in Evil Roomers.