Inspired by his charismatic parents Vic and Nellie, who were amateur entertainers (lapsteel & ukelele players with a large repertoire of bush ballads, country-western and hawaiian songs), young Bruce adopted the name Hans Sven as a boy, proud of his danish descent; his grandfather migrated to Victoria at the turn of the 20th century and lived well into his 90s to witness the 18CQ saga unfold. Having formed a school band -The Rimfires -in 1961, Hans frequented the Frankston & peninsula coffee lounges, church socials and other venues playing a wide variety of music: traditional & folk songs, hymns, Buddy Holly songs (he replicated the legendary Buddy Holly better than anybody I ever heard) etc. Soon he had a repertoire of his own works, ethereal preludes, biblical & romantic ballads and virtual skiffle tunes which he played with various local musos, notably
2. Ron Snellgrove (Ronald Malcolm Snellgrove b.Melbourne 20/6/1943)
Ron was a child prodigy as a violinist, with outstanding success at a number of eisteddfodds and classical competitions. He was inspired by Hans' originality and enthusiasm and also took up guitar to provide some of the ancillary parts in the formative group's works created by Hans. Hans loved surfing and went on beach expeditions with a few mates. It was on one of these trips that he conceived of the name and scope of 18CQ at Seaspray (90 mile beach via Sale) when he met a trades apprentice from the Yallourn SEC Power station,holidaying there with his family:
3. Ted Baarda (Theodore Anthony Baarda b.Haarlem, Holland 2/2/1945):
Ted joined Hans in a jam at the surf clubhouse which flared up into a big night of singing, dancing and swinging for over a hundred lifeguards and associated girlfriends and beachcombers. More spontaneous concerts followed and the duo discovered mutual passions for the legendary Hot Club Quintet of France that launched the gypsy guitar god Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelly, greatest ever jazz violinist -as well as many other sources of creative inspiration. Hence Hans came up with "18th century Quartet" (all genres of music from minuets to modern jazz!) and our slogan "It's new! It's 18 CQ!". Ted spent many weekends at the melodious Poulsen Family home jamming with Hans and Vic Poulsen, and playing at seaside venues with Hans and Ron. Their friend Dave Graham (acoustic bass) joined in at times and so it was that 18CQ entered its workshop phase.
Inspired by the magic story of Brian Epstein offering to manage the Beatles, a personable young church friend of Hans and Ron, George Crisp, volunteered time and effort to motivate and steer the new 18CQ in the right direction. He lined up an audition at EAST Records, recording label for Trevor Lucas, later a key member of the brilliant traditional folk band Fairport Convention based in London, and the Red Onion Jazz Band, whose clarinetist Gerry Humphries later fronted The Loved Ones as vocalist. EAST's Bill Hawtin produced the audition, at which 18CQ recorded 11 tracks in one take. It is uncertain if the tape has survived (sent abroad to serve as promotional material for a projected tour of Buenos Aires, Argentina/referred to later) but it contained:
| Kumbaya. (trad. arranged Poulsen) | My hair's in a mess. (Baarda) |
| I know why. (Poulsen) | Runnin' along. (Baarda) |
| Antoinette. (Poulsen) | Ghost Town. (Baarda) |
| Blood-red rose. (Poulsen) | Someday I'll prove my love. (Baarda) |
| The world goes on. (Poulsen) | I'm gonna treat you good. (Baarda) |
| Lonely Blues. (Baarda) |
Even though hopes to ever retrieve the tape are dim, all the tracks have been taped at other times/venues in 1964 and may be hiding somewhere... It was clear that Dave Graham could not fully commit himself to 18 CQ as the rest of us demanded, so we were on the lookout for an acoustic bassist.
Ted was still living in Moe, working at SEC Yallourn in May, commuting on weekends and increasingly intent on dedicating himself to 18 CQ fulltime. Hans worked in the city in the public service and likewise wanted to go all the way into his music career. Ted was invited to join a Melbourne University contingent to play guitar in Andrew Gibson's "Friends of Fats" (a Fats Waller tribute band) after a casual jam when Andrew, brother Frank's uni friend, visited the Baarda home in Moe. Ted took a "sick" week off and went to the national intervarsity jazz convention in Sydney, where he met a lovable eccentric acoustic bass player who persuaded Ted to enter "Ghost Town" in the Original Tunes Competition at the convention (having heard Ted play it during a jam). Judge Don Burrows proclaimed it the winner and so Ted presented it at Sydney Town Hall with Adelaide Uni flute wizard Ian Carig and, on acoustic bass:
4.Steve Dunstan, (Stephen Rodda Dunstan b.Melbourne 5/11/1942):
Steve frequented the jazz scene here and interstate, also occasionally playing piano and, in later years, sarod. He also tinkered with art and inventions which soon made him a pioneer in electronic music (working with the likes of Barry Conningham, Keith Humble, and Nicolas Lyon). His piano piece "Svend's tune" won the original tunes competition at the Hobart Intervarsity Jazz Convention in 1968.
Immediately after the "Ghost Town" success Ted quit the SEC and moved to Melbourne, initially staying at the Poulsen residence for 3 weeks. Steve was introduced to Hans and Ron and keenly accepted to replace part-timer Dave. EAST Records decided to re-record 2 of the original audition tracks for release on a 45r.p.m. single on 7/7/1964:
| The world goes on. (Poulsen) | I'm gonna treat you good.(Baarda) |
Despite limited airplay (3DB and country stations) it sold over 1000 copies and made 18CQ popular at college and uni functions, coffee lounges, and other venues all over Melbourne. David Johnston gave it a big plug in his column "Come in spinner" (Listener-in/TV). A 2nd single was never released due to the first of many rows that flared up between Hans and Ted and caused temporary "split-ups" (EAST lost interest):
| Somewhere along the line. (Baarda) | Antoinette. (Poulsen) |
Early in 1965 18CQ appeared on Johnny Chester's "Teen Scene" (ABV Channel 2) and actually clinched a tour to Buenos Aires, Argentina which did not eventuate because Hans refused to be in it after another temporary rift. In between rifts Ted met a young wiz film maker, Chris Lofven (17) who was on the lookout for an original band to provide soundtracks for 3 short movies he had filmed. One, "Gift From a Stranger", actually featured Frank Thring who was impressed with Chris' work. Another was "Forgotten Loneliness", which won 1st prize at the 1965 Milan Film Festival. Ted assembled 18CQ together to rehearse and compile the soundtracks for Chris at Fred Schepisi's Cinesound film studio. There is a dim chance that the original soundtrack recorded at Fitzroy by Ted/Hans/Ron/Steve still survives on a hidden reel somewhere.
Due to the growing repute and prospect for the film at that forthcoming film festival, Telefil's Bill Armstrong offered to record the soundtrack to improve its technical quality. Hans was due to pick up Ted on the recording date but deliberately staged a tantrum at the studio claiming Ted was "unreliable" and decided to go ahead to record the soundtrack without him, and to include Barry Duggan (flute) on the soundtracks. As a result the film credits read: music by 18th Century Quartet: Hans Poulsen/Ron Snellgrove/Steve Dunstan/Barry Duggan (!). Ted waited at home and presumed the session had been postponed (he had no phone or car) until Steve arrived the next day to tell him off for not turning up! So ironically the remake soundtrack of Chris Lofven's prize-winning film does survive, and has been screened a few times on ABC TV over the years...
In spite of that debacle, Ted pursued the Argentine break via prominent family friend "uncle" Salomon Rosenthal (from the Baarda family years spent in Buenos Aires as migrants). Mr Rosenthal received a copy of the first 18CQ single and got it played and winning a competition for most original record from overseas on Radio El Mundo. As a result a promoter offered to pay travel and accomodation expenses for a 4 week tour to Buenos Aires which was to include radio and TV performances. Ted sent the original audition tape, photographs and information for press releases, but petulant Hans refused to agree to negotiations until the promoter withdrew the offer. Another bizarre irony is that "I'm gonna treat you good" was released on a pirate label and did moderately well. "The world goes on" also got equal airplay (on Radio El Mundo as well).
The on-and-off 18CQ played and jammed throughout 1965 until Hans and Ted were approached by promoter Ian Oshlak to play duo gigs in January 1966 at Lorne, Rosebud, and City. Oshlak registered/appropriated the business name 18th Century Quartet and lined up John Pugh and Keith Glass to join Ted & Hans, but Ted decided not to continue without Steve & Ron and left to enrol at Monash Uni. A few weeks later Hans arrived at Ted's place, angry at having his brainchild 18CQ "stolen". The duo resumed and played gigs at places such as Frank Traynor's and the Outpost Inn, sometimes with either Steve or Ron. At this time they also double-tracked a stack of new material which they edited together on a master reel and got Crest Records (Tooronga) to transfer onto an acetate 12" L.P. entitled "The Big Deal". Ted resumed contact with the Argentine intermediary in the hope of reviving the promoter's interest by sending this sample L.P. to Buenos Aires. It didn't, BUT it ended up circulated on the pirate label and getting airplay! In spanish, the Hans & Ted L.P. was dubbed "El Gran Asunto":
1966.THE BIG DEAL (aka El Gran Asunto/Crest and Fantasia)
We lost contact with the Buenos Aires intermediary/pirate label (Fantasia) merchant when the Baarda family's adopted uncle Salomon Rosenthal passed on late in 1966. Sadly Ted lent the master reel to a respected friend and he misplaced or lost it! Even the tape Ted lent to The Twilights on which Ted & Hans had initially recorded a few of the tracks above got lost but not before producer Dave Mackay heard it and selected "Lucky Man" for the Twilights' eponymous first L.P. whose release coincided with their win in the 1966 Battle of the Sounds (at which, absurdly,the takeover 18 CQ also ran) and immediate departure for London with producer Dave Mackay.
Hans "sold" "Rachel" to Ian Oshlak for $25 (he was living in poverty at a delapidated old manor in Caulfield named Labassa, now restored) and helped the takeover 18CQ to record it, even including Ron Snellgrove to dub in the violin part. As covers go it was bland but bearable!
Present day Guitar Trader/Pharmacist John Hurlston commissioned Ted to help him put together a 6 member rockband late in 1966. With John and Ted were: Doug Roydhouse, Richard Little, Fred Cass and Ken Davidson. Named "At Large!" the band was the first ever to play its first gig at Festival Hall and played 40 venues in 1967 including Albert Sebastian and Q Club.
Hans meanwhile discovered Johnny Farnham at a Dandenong Town Hall gig and introduced him to the recording industry and was soon rewarded by John who recorded Hans' "Jamie" and "Rose coloured glasses". Ron Tudor signed up Hans Poulsen for Fable Records to pursue his solo music career in 1967.
Steve disappeared in 1984. Some presume he was murdered but I refute that because nobody would or could or had any motive whatsoever. I believe he was beset with financial and emotional problems and planned a flit, a bit like Siddharta Gautama, to find a higher plane of existance. Ted kept up with Steve until he disappeared and had developed a duo act ("Theodore & Svend")in 1968 when they performed for several producers at 3LO studios in Lonsdale street who referred them to Sitmar to do a series of south pacific cruises as entertainers.
Oddly, at the same time ex-Perth bass player Rick Van Dam was commissioned by Sitmar's Manager to form a trio to entertain aboard "Fairsea" from July to August 1968, and since he was doing recording sessions at Bill Armstrong's studio with Hans, asked him to join him. Hans rang Ted and invited him to join which he did, and then they had to decide whether to get Ron and cruise as 18CQ or get Steve to play piano, sarod, and tablas, and call it "Nightowls". The Sitmar Manager decided a trio was what he needed but Ron and Steve were not fussed not to be all at sea with Hans and Ted (other priorities)...
Two months of cruise entertainment followed for the Hans Poulsen Trio - midday and late night shows daily plus guest appearances at Hayman Island, Suva and Noumea venues. In September they recorded two tracks at Armstrong Studio which they presented live on Ross D. Wylie's "Uptight" show (ATV Channel 0). Hans tried to persuade Roger Savage (chief recording engineer) to dub Ron Snellgrove in on this next projected single as the trio virtually sounded like 18CQ minus violin:
| Coming home late again. (Poulsen) | Au revoir, Noumea. (Baarda-Poulsen) |
But Ron Tudor invoked Hans' solo recording contract and that last chance of an 18CQ revival was reluctantly abandoned. "Theodore and Svend" kicked on spaced out onto 1984.
Ron got married and bowed out of the music scene until 20 years later when, as one of the "Back Verandah Boys", he toured and recorded an eponymous CD (with Kevin Doran, Dave Berry, John Truscott and Ray Dunstone). In late 1992 Ron had a stroke which rendered him half blind and fragile but he has rehabilitated himself by playing the fiddle whenever he can -gigs included. Somewhere secluded in Tasmania there's Old Ron, still going!
Ron and Ted met by chance at the Cuckoo Restaurant (In Melbourne's Dandenongs) at christmas 1993 and celebrated 18CQ's 30th anniversary by playing the old songs at a function in Nunawading. Ron found out Hans was convalescing in Caulfield (transferred from the U.S.A where he too had a stroke, in October 1992) and arranged with the rehab. center staff for him and Ted to entertain the patients and to surprise Hans with a reunion. They've been in touch ever since and have compiled an original 18th Century Quartet anthology CD.
2002.ITS NEW! IT'S 18CQ!
An anthology of the original EIGHTEENTH CENTURY QUARTET (1963-68)
Hans Poulsen/Ron Snellgrove/Ted Baarda/Steve Dunstan.
For more info or just to give feedback, email to Ted Baarda: bardo@minkirri.apana.org.au
Page last updated 7 Febuary 2002.