Cosmic Nomads for Falls Festival

Cosmic Nomads
Melbourne progressive rock band biography

Ray Vanderby was born in The Netherlands but grew up in Orange NSW Australia. He started lessons on the Hammond organ when he was 11 years old. At 12 he was the youngest semi-professional organist in Australia.

As a teenager he soon discovered progressive rock bands who had the Hammond organ sound like Emerson Lake and Palmer, King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd, Manfred Man, Uriah Heep and Deep Purple. Acid (LSD) and other mind changing substances were popular in those days and Ray had his share.

In the early 1970’s Ray travelled to Sydney and saw those infamous concerts at Randwick Racecourse featuring, Pink Floyd, Piranha, John Bourke, Free, Manfred Mann, Deep Purple. These concerts had a big impact on Vanderby.
His own progressive rock band Eros were runners up in the NSW country final of Hoadleys Battle of the Sounds, held at the Amoco Hall in Orange at the time, performing their version of Uriah Heep’s Gypsy.

The band moved to Sydney and scored a residency at the Governors Pleasure Hotel Parramatta and The Royal Hotel Bondi. Vanderby became a qualified piano tuner and was summoned one day to tune the piano of ex Easybeats George Young who offered him a tour with Stevie Wright.

Ray scored the gig with little Stevie, toured the Hard Road album and from there went on to perform and record with Blackfeather, Doug Parkinson, John English, Band of Light, JPY, Marcia Hines, Shona Laing and other notable names. Unfortunately Eros disbanded and Ray became highly regarded as a sideman and EMI 301 session muso, working alongside top national and international players such as English players, drummer Bruno Lawrence (Blerta) and guitarist Mick Liber (Ashton, Gardner and Dyke).

After years of substance abuse, drug addiction and alcoholism, Ray could no longer perform and in 1987 sought treatment to straighten out. Since then he has been back on the scene with his new band Cosmic Nomads.

Cosmic Nomads single/album release “Make Love Not war” and their follow up EP “Dreamin’ About You” achieved national commercial FM radio airplay and international radio airplay in Norway, USA, Belgium, France, Holland and other countries. Their 2 film clips “Make Love Not War” and “Calling Mr. Spaceman” have aired on national TV show Rage, and Vanderby has appeared on Countdown Revolution, MTV, Channel 31 and various other television shows.

Cosmic Nomads is a progressive rock band based in Melbourne and includes Vanderby on organ/lead vocals, Gina Woods on piano, Geoff Brown on bass, Con Patogiannis on guitar and Peter Ivosevic on drums. The band features 2 female backup vocalists at all their shows making up a 7-piece band.

Vanderby is the prolific songwriter behind Cosmic Nomads and a filthy, angry Hammond organist. He throws his large Hammond C3 around on stage and has a unique beat-poet punk vocal style. The band rocks as they deliver their powerful show. Check em out!

management/media
03-93557468 / 0428 529 545

www.cosmicnomads.com.au