The Clefs

The Clefs was an Australian pop-rock group that formed in Adelaide in the early 1960s. Under the leadership of keyboardist Tweed Harris the band performed as The Clefs from 1963 to 1967. Vocalist Barrie "The Bear" McAskill took over the group from Harris in 1967 and renamed it Levi Smith's Clefs. Throughout its career, the Clefs was notable as a training ground for young performers and its various line-ups included musicians who went to form many notable Australian rock groups of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The Clefs formed in Adelaide during 1963 by organist Tweed Harris. The early line-up included Trevor Pridham (vocals), Les Tanner (guitar), Michael Atkins (drums), Dennis Marshall (sax) and Bruce Howe (bass). Another early recruit was vocalist Pat Aulton, who went on to become one of Australia's most successful record producers. The Clefs became an in-demand dance band on Adelaide's thriving club and dance circuit. Barrie McAskill (ex-Fabulous Drifters) replaced Aulton as vocalist in 1965 and the line-up became Harris, Howe, Tanner, McAskill, Bob Jeffrey (sax) and Vince Jones (drums, also ex-Fabulous Drifters).

The Clefs issued three singles in 1966, "I Can Only Give You Everything" / "Roberta" and "Last Night" / "March of the Siamese Twins" (both released on EMI's Columbia label) and "A Boy Like Me" / "Bring It to Jerome" (on the Phonovox label). In early 1967 Tweed Harris quit the Clefs to put together a new 'supergroup', recruiting players from several noted bands of the day. Tweed's new band, The Groove, enjoyed great success in Australia in the late 1960s; after its demise, Harris became a noted producer-arranger.

McAskill assumed leadership of the band and at the suggestion of manager Peter Raphael they changed the band's name to Levi Smith's Clefs (a reference to Four Tops' lead singer Levi Stubbs). Scottish-born McAskill earned a reputation as one of the country's pioneering soul-R&B singers. His size, commanding presence and gravelly voice earned him the nickname "The Bear", and he led the ever-changing line-ups of Levi Smith's Clefs between 1967 and 1975.

Levi Smith's Clefs quickly earned a reputation on the Adelaide disco/club circuit as a gutsy R&B band in the vein of Max Merritt & The Meteors. The group also provided a valuable training ground for young players, forging important alliances and friendships; the original line-ups of four later bands – Tully, Fraternity, Southern Contemporary Rock Assembly (SCRA) and Mighty Mouse—all came direct from the Clefs. Throughout the group's career, McAskill encouraged his players to improve as musicians and then to move on when they felt they had outgrown the band. In all, more than sixty performers, including several of the most famous Australian rock musicians of their day, passed through the band's ranks over the years.

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