I started my career, like most people in the industry did, by applying for a job at Crawfords. The year was 1965 and the job was for a music editor. I'll never forget walking through those “Golden Arches” at 475 Collins Street. My meeting was with Ian Crawford, a man who couldn't help but impress a young guy with his friendliness but totally professional attitude. I didn't get the job initially, but was called back a month later to check if I was still interested. Was I ever! The Company had about 45 or so people on staff and everyone was just so friendly. It had a vibe that I knew I was really going to enjoy.

I spent the first week and a half watching John Jacob, (the then head of sound) choosing and cutting music from old 78 records from the library, and putting that music to "Homicide". It was fascinating to see how he could "marry" the music to the images. At the end of my 10 day training period I was given my first episode to do solo, but under some supervision of course. I was thrilled and I think that John liked what I had done. That was episode 41 of Homicide called "Good and Sufficient Reason". That's burned into my mind forever.

Back in those days any young employee who happened to have a driver's licence was a bonus to the Company. It would be quite usual for the intercom to buzz whilst I was putting music to Homicide and for the voice at the other end, usually Miss Diana Howard, to say leave what I was doing as there was a load of rubbish to put into the Kombi van and take it to the Brunswick tip. Ah, the glamour of the industry.

During my time at Crawfords I also did some work as a 1st Assistant Director on "The Sullivans" as well as "Young Ramsay". I did this whenever I felt like a break from the music department. That was the beauty of Crawfords, you could try your hand at anything. During my years at CP the Vietnam war was going on and Australia had introduced conscription to help in the effort after the USA told us we should be there. I was one of those young men called upon to go into the army. It was such a different world to the one I left behind at Crawfords. It was the longest two years of my life and I couldn't wait to get back to Crawfords. When I did, it was a fantastic feeling. I was really made to feel as if I was "back home".

After leaving Crawfords at the beginning of 1978 I went on to become a professional film and tv composer and have enjoyed a successful number of years as such. I will be forever thankful to Crawfords though for my " grounding" in the industry and for the lifelong friendships that came out of my time there. Some people merely worked at Crawfords because it was just a job, others made it the start of their careers.

I started this website as my way of saying thanks to both the management and staff of that era, and to those people that I can still call my friends.

12th June 2004