Jim Keays, who helped kick off garage rock in Australia and then helped transform the Masters Apprentices into one of the best pop and rock bands of the 1960s and ‘70s, has died.
Keays, who was 67, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma ( a type of blood cancer) seven years ago but released an album of modern garage rock in 2012, recently recorded another album and continued touring with two of his ’60s contemporaries, Darryl Cotton and Russell Morris as Cotton, Keays and Morris.
He died at 10.30 (local time) on Friday 13 June from pneumonia-related complications to the multiple myeloma. He had been admitted to intensive care of The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne a couple of weeks ago when the illness got serious but it was thought that he was on “the road to recovery”.
Keays’ legacy includes Australian standards such as Living In A Child’s Dream, Turn Up Your Radio and Because I Love You, as well as inspiration to a generation of rock frontmen around the country.
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