THE family that plays together, stays together, but nowhere is this more evident than with the SNAPE BROS who have been playing music together for the past 27 years.
Playing tomorrow night at Phoenix, the brothers (from left) RUSSELL, MICHAEL and CHRIS SNAPE, all began playing in Gunnedah at age 13.
While some of the trio's backing is computer-sequenced bass, drums and keyboards, the talent of the trio is its flawless three-part harmonies and three-part layered guitar work.
Russell, the youngest Snape, plays acoustic guitar and sings low harmonies, while Chris plays lead guitar and sings the high harmonies.
'Chris can just really play everything,' Russell says.
'He can pretty much match any sound he hears on a record.'
Mick, who sings lead vocals, also plays electric rhythm guitar and some lead guitar, singing high lead vocals on tunes by RICHARD MARX and JOHN FARNHAM. With about 200 songs in their repertoire, the Snape Bros harmonies have to be heard to be believed.
'You can put this in your story,' Russell said.
'None of our harmonies are sequenced.
'So many people come up to us and say that's on tape".
'If we learn a song now which has three part harmonies, we all know what we're gonna do.'
Playing country, country rock and music of the 1970s, Russell says the trio does some contemporary tunes - 'anything with a bit of feel and rhythm and good lyrics'.
A couple are SUGAR RAY'S EVERY MORNING and the BEE GEE'S ALONE, again highlighting standout harmony work.
But it is the 1970s where the Snape Bros hearts reside.
'The seventies were the good years,' Russell says emphatically.
'I think a lot of the songs back then had feeling. And the chord progressions were interesting.
'These days the chord progressions are ridiculous.'
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