‘The Original Sin’ were the first of three 1960s bands to feature iconic Wellington Soul-man Rick Bryant…

[Transcript]
THE ORIGINAL SIN
1967-1968

Original line-up was:
SIMON MORRIS – lead guitar
BILL LAKE – rhythm guitar, harmonica
ALASTAIR (AFF) FRASER – bass guitar/vocals
NORM MCPHERSON – drums
ROD BRYANT – harmonica,/vocals
RICK BRYANT – lead vocals

Here was a band who are fondly remembered for their determination (or so
it seemed) to adopt a less contrived, rawer approach to their music. But this attitude often gave one the impression that everything could collapse into -utter chaos at any moment. In a way, Original Sin became the patron saints of the numbers of revolting, also-ran R’n’B groups of the
time.

They were heavily influenced by the blues, tackling a wide spectrum from the
wastelands of rock and soul to the more earthy exorcisms of Muddy Waters, plus a generous smattering of lengthy, meandering originals. Fuelled by generous nips at mysterious brown-paper-bagged bottles, and driven on by Rick’s hollering of various blues laments, they appealed enormously to the university set, and were often spellbinding in their attempts at extended jams. They appeared frequently at the Hard concerts up at Vic, and also
featured at all the Mystic gigs – even, in the early days, entering a Battle of The Bands.

As with every band, members came and went. Norm McPherson departed and was replaced by Jeff Kennedy, later to find fame as a restaurateur. Then Aff left, and was replaced by an old pal from their school-days band (Us Five), Steve Robinson. By 1968, they’d called it quits. Rick, Bill and Rod were to re—emerge in due course in another Uni band – Mammal – with Simon.

Grateful acknowledgment to Roger Watkins for allowing us to use this material from his book When rock got rolling : the Wellington scene, 1958-1970.