30 Facts About Jim Keays

James Keays was a Scottish-born Australian musician who fronted the rock band The Masters Apprentices as singer-songwriter, guitarist and harmonica-player from 1965 to 1972 and subsequently had a solo career.

Jim Keays wrote for a music newspaper, Go-Set, as its Adelaide correspondent in 1970 and its London correspondent in 1973.

Jim Keays published his memoirs, His Master's Voice: The Masters Apprentices: The Bad Boys of Sixties Rock 'n' Roll, in 1999.

In July 2007, Jim Keays was diagnosed with myeloma, which caused his kidneys to fail.

Jim Keays was born on 9 September 1946 in Glasgow, Scotland, where his unwed mother put him up for adoption at six months old.

Jim Keays attended Burnside Primary School and then Norwood High School.

In late 1965, the Mustangs with Jim Keays aboard renamed themselves the Masters Apprentices.

Whilst a member of the Masters Apprentices, Jim Keays was one of hundreds of potential national service conscripts whose 20th birthday, 9 September, was picked in a 1966 ballot.

Jim Keays was able to legally avoid the draft by signing with the Citizens Military Force and eluded a "short back and sides" haircut with the aid of a girlfriend, who pinned his long hair up under his slouch hat whenever he attended CMF sessions.

Jim Keays chose their "velvet, satin and floral-print psychedelic gear", which they wore on stage and for photo shoots.

Jim Keays stated that there was a backlash from the interview: the roadway outside his flat in East St Kilda was daubed with the slogan "Band Moll's Paradise" in one-metre high letters, threats of physical beatings were made by male audience members and press claims that they were "sex maniacs" were regularly printed.

Jim Keays wrote an article about the festival for Go-Set, which was printed to coincide with its first day.

Also during that year Jim Keays wrote for Go-Set as their London correspondent, providing "News and gossip from within the music industry".

In January 1974, Jim Keays compered the fourth annual Sunbury Pop Festival.

Jim Keays then oversaw the Masters Apprentices' compilation album Now That It's Over, drawing on their later career.

Jim Keays designed its cover, with liner notes written by Howard Lindley, a freelance journalist and film maker.

In December 1974, Jim Keays released his debut solo album, Boy from the Stars, on EMI.

Jim Keays provided lead vocals for Cybotron's Steve Maxwell Von Braund's debut solo album, Monster Planet.

Jim Keays followed with a single-only release, "Give It Up", an anti-drug song, and subsequently toured with the line-up of Allardice, Bridgeford, Creighton, Elliot and Garcia in his backing band.

The band started recording an album but Jim Keays left the project, which continued as Manning.

Also that year Jim Keays relocated to the United States' West Coast, where he lived for almost two years.

Jim Keays worked as a radio DJ from 1983 to 1987, and was a producer of Melbourne music program, Performance which was renamed as Night Life, during 1984 to 1985.

Jim Keays participated in various reunions of The Masters Apprentices from later 1987.

Jim Keays wrote his memoirs, His Master's Voice: The Masters Apprentices: The Bad Boys of Sixties Rock 'n' Roll, in 1999.

Jim Keays died on 13 June 2014,3 months short of his 68th birthday.

Jim Keays had been working on his next album, Age Against the Machine, prior to his death.

Early in 1970, Jim Keays married his pregnant girlfriend Vicki in Plympton, South Australia.

In 1981, the couple separated; Jim Keays is grandfather to James' son, Will.

Jim Keays and his second wife, Karin, were parents of two daughters and a son who was born on 1 November 2003, but only survived for six hours.

In July 2007 Jim Keays was diagnosed with myeloma, which caused his kidneys to fail.