Australian musician (drummer) Merv Rowston from Perth, Western Australia started his music career in 1928 playing with local bands.
1943: ACE DANCE DRUMMER CAUGHT IN 4 a.m. RAID
Merv Rowston’s Girl Friend Was Wearing His Pyjamas; Ace dance band drummer Merv Rowston, who was divorced this week.
Remember ‘Merv’ Rowston in pre-war days at Rottnest? Remember how he used to slip on that infant’s suit, and while he kept his drums throbbing, he’d make himself a small boy in stature, then as suddenly seem to grow to giant’s height? Of course you do! But ‘Merv’ never cut a smaller figure than he did when wife Jean Mains Rowston caught him with his girl-friend (she was wearing a pair of ‘Merv’s’ pyjamas), in a guest-house in Hay-st. one night. Though the Rowston marriage beat first went awry in April, 1942, and a separation order was drawn up, wifie Jean began to hear still more rumours. You know the sort of things that pals like to pass on to the wife of a popular dance-band artist? Hubby was then working at the Coconut Grove, making the drums speak a mouthful. And late one night his wife saw him leave the dance with two girl friends. She and a cousin trailed them to a hamburger joint, then back to the one-room flatlet ‘Merv’ calls home in Hay-st. Wifie and her cousin saw ‘Merv’ and his pals enter the house, kept watch from 1.30 a.m. until a little after 4 o’clock. All this time, the wife told the Chief Justice, via Mr. Dave Walsh in the Divorce Court this week, the two girls and her hubby were having a high old time, ‘spotting’ and laughing. Suddenly she heard a girl’s voice ask: ‘Whose pyjamas have I got on?’ Back came the voice of ‘Merv’: ‘They’re mine mind you take care of ’em, too — they’re worth 8 coupons!’ Next wifie heard another girl’s voice say loudly: ‘I feel like Greta Garbo — I -want to be a-lone!'” Nothing loath, ‘Merv’ and, his sweetie saw the other lass into her bedroom, next door. Then shortly afterwards the light in the drummer’s room went out, but the dulcet tones of his inamorata could still be heard. So wifie got in touch with Alf Sleep, and very soon they were marching down the corridor to the tympanist’s’r oom. But just as they reached it, the door opened and there stood ‘Merv’ and the girl-friend, both in pyjamas, ‘Merv’s’ hand lovingly caressing her shoulders. When they saw the unofficial deputation, ‘Merv’ found his tongue first. ‘Quick — beat it down those stairs’.’ he told hie sweetie, and she fled— in ‘Merv’s’ pyjamas. Beeline For Bedroom While all this was going on, ‘Merv’ had moved into the adjoining room, where there was a girl asleep. ‘She’s sick,’ remarked the drummer unnecessarily. ‘I’ve come to try and fix her up.’ But shaking failed to rouse the sleep, so they all trooped out again. ‘Merv,’ ever quickminded, made a bee-line for his bedroom, shot inside and locked the door. Then from a table drawn up against the door, he harangued his visitors, by way of the fanlight, using his torch as a ‘spot,’ alternately on his wife Jean and Sleep. ‘You’ve got nothing on me!’ was the burden of his song. And he refused to open the door or tell them the girl friend’s name. A similar refusal to tell came later from WAAAF I Avis Richards, who had been in ‘Merv’s’ room while the drinks were on tap, according to evidence. Chief Justice granted the wife a decree, while ‘Merv’ will have to foot the costs.
Mirror (Perth, WA : 1921 – 1956), Saturday 12 June 1943, page 1
George Reid conducted the original Perth Symphony Orchestra and his son Harold gave lessons to Sammy Sharp, Ken Murdoch and Merv Rowston. [1].
[1] Andrew Bisset, Black Roots, White Flowers, p.57
JAZZ JAMBOREE 28 OCTOBER 1951
Band members:Roy Delamare (piano), John Stirling (Tenor sax), Wally Smith (bass), Mick Bartlett (1st Alto sax), Norm McMahon (1st Trumpet), Mick Bourne (2nd trumpet), Merv Rowston (drums).
“Lover”, “Kinda on the Lonesome Side” (Mick Bartlett – sax), “By the Waters of Minnetonka” (Special Feature Arrangement – arranged for Merv Rowston by Wally Hadley).
1952: Among the top line drummers in Perth is Merv Rowston. His career goes back to 1927 when he got his first paid engagement for a performance on the electric pianola and drums. A man who gained his experience during the jazz era, he has had as much experience as probably any other local musician. Keen to improve his drumming technique he went to England In 1934. He learned all he could from leading British drummers and returned to Perth with many new ideas on dance music. Merv has had considerable broadcasting experience and over the years has played at every dance spot in and around Perth. When old time dancing was popular over the air he conducted the ABC old time dance band. Away from music he is a refrigeration engineer. [1]
[1] Mirro Sat 1 November 1952 page 6
1953:
A DRUMMER’S SCRAPBOOK TAKES YOU DOWN MEMORY LANE – OLD TUNES THAT STILL LIVE
A glance through popular Perth drummer Merv Rowston’s scrap book is a musical journey down the years which cannot fail to bring back many a pleasant memory tucked away in the nether crevices of the mind.
Music was Merv’s first love even as a boy, and his book opens up with the musical program for a Parliament House ball in honor of ‘Field Marshal the Right Honorable Viscount Kitchener of Khartoum’ in 1910. Tops In two-steps that night was Teddy Bear’s Picnic. But Merv’s own story really commences in 1910, when he got his first drum kit, an elaborate looking affair lavishly decorated by a painting of a glamor girl in front. ‘The year of corn,’ writes Merv of 1927 on & page reserved for the autographs of musical celebrities right through to 1944 ‘Hot Diggety.’ Few Perth artists of note fail to appear on this page. Merv, top-hatted and really going to town with the drumsticks, is pictured in 1928 when he did a short season at the old Kit-Kat Cabaret. His business card is interesting for the fact that his phone number at West Perth was ‘A5452.’ In 1929 Merv was really in business as WA celebrated its 100th birthday. His first break into the big time came with an engagement in Charles Sheridan’s Piccadilly Cabaret band. With them he did a centenary country tour of 65 towns. At one of the many metropolitan balls of that year the opening waltz was the Vagabond King, the fox-trot Rubinesque. Who will ever forget the blues, Glad Rag Doll? On the list as a request item from the, ‘old days’ of 1929 was the waltz Blue Danube, seemingly immortal. They shook a carefree leg in the old Varsity Drag. Many times have they revived the melodious waltz Honey. Remember how it lilted ‘Im hi love with you, honey, say you love me too, honey. No one else will do, honey, seems funny but it’s true’? What a wonderful old number that one was! Recall the old blues number, ‘Ten little miles from the railroad station, ten little miles from town’? No. 16 on the list was one that made mother drop an odd tear was the fox -trot Sunny Boy. And a program of melody to delight the heart closed with the Desert Song Waltz. Another program of the year featured the catchy Rio Rita, and who will forget the tuneful Carolina Moon? Later that year, Merv made the Capitol Theatre under the baton of Harry Cross. Then there was the Temple Court Cabaret (now Embassy). 1932 it was Fred Nice’s band and Merv’s first radio broadcast from the old 6ML. 1933— underneath the Arches, Can’t We Talk It Over, We Just Couldn’t Say Goodbye, Tiger Rag, Kiss Me Again, Shuffle Off to Buffalo, the naughty number of the year, Farewell to Arms, Play Fiddle, Play, Forty second Street, Just an Echo in the Valley. 1934 Merv was off to England to ‘learn’ from Max Abrams. 1938 he was back with Fred Nice. Next year- saw the opening of the Miami Night Club in National House and Merv formed his first band. 1938 it was the ‘New’ Embassy Cabaret, then the Three Crochets with Jim Riley and Austin Ray. 1939 the P and A Parade through 6IX. 1940 saw Dixieland swing with Merv looking for students and finding plenty. 1941 the ABC’s old time dances with Merv conducting the band. 1943 the club Cabarita Coconut Cabaret, 1944 the US Navy Band and Merv Rowston. ‘Drummer Boy’ Merv, the popular maestro, can refresh some wonderful memories flicking through that scrap book.
Mirror (Perth, WA : 1921 – 1956), Saturday 5 September 1953, page 13