Colleagues fondly remember rocker
New Zealand’s musical fraternity turned out in droves to farewell Hello Sailor frontman Graham Brazier.
Brazier died last Friday after suffering a heart attack in August. His funeral was held at Auckland’s St Matthew in-the-city yesterday. Hundreds turned out, with standing room only. Among the mourners was Th’ Dudes’ Dave Dobbyn, The Exponents’ lead singer, Jordon Luck, record producer and radio host Paul Ellis, and television presenter Susan Wood.
Speakers talked about Brazier’s love for poetry and boxing; his early life as a gardener, and his ability to ‘‘charm the pants off anyone’’; his loves, marriages and engagements; his four children and their children; his skill as a harmonica and tambourine player; his bear hugs. He was a genius, a ‘‘man’s man’’ with a soft side, Hello Sailor musician Rick Ball said.
He loved Liverpool Football Club, and would wag school to drink sherry and listen to Bob Dylan as a teen, school friend and Pink Flamingos band member Paul Woolright said.
Ball recalled his first performances with Brazier at gritty Auckland venues in the 1970s, playing to ‘‘city desperadoes’’ and prostitutes. Brazier showed a temper back then, on one occasion ripping a lead off a mike and throwing it on the ground, Ball said.
The pair went on to travel the world together, playing at Hollywood’s famous club Whiskey A Go Go.
Broadcaster Karyn Hay officiated, remembering Brazier as shy, polite, respectful, aloof, gregarious and ‘‘missing – as in, where’s Graham?’’
Her most vivid memory was meeting him outside the High Court at Auckland, where he was lazing on the grass ahead of an appearance.
Hello Sailor band mate Harry Lyon began by simply saying he would miss his friend Graham. ‘‘His voice.
‘‘And his amazing ability to perform and entertain.’’
Many remembered Brazier’s friendship with Hello Sailor guitarist Dave McArtney, who died in 2013.
The two were rarely seen apart, Lyon said.
‘‘It wasn’t where’s Graham? It was where’s Dave and Graham?’’
Lyon closed the speeches by performing Hello Sailor’s famous Gutter Black.
‘‘Graham you in my brain, you in my heart,’’ he said.