Ray Columbus and the Invaders were a significant part of my teenage years. We regularly danced to their live music, and I still have a couple of their records among my collection of 45’s.
I enjoyed the stories of Ray’s Christchurch childhood, but this book disappointed me for several reasons. One was the grammar – I found the use of the present tense for past events annoying, and I missed having quotation marks around direct speech. Another disappointment was that there was not one mention of Auckland’s Top Twenty nightclub, where Ray and the Invaders were the resident band and Stephen and I spent so many happy hours. This seems a glaring omission and I wonder what is the reason for it.
The book has a strong anti-smoking message, and sometimes just too much information. It’s difficult to believe that someone who was a teenage idol could have been that much of a goody goody, even if the 60’s were a more innocent age. Ray’s biography has marred the memories, in much the same way as his performance at the ‘Band Together’ concert did, and this saddens me.
“It may have been a mistake, Ray,
to record your life in this way.”
I'd love to get your thoughts about this post.