Johnny and the Phantoms
Fronted by John Stroud (guitar, vocals), Johnny and the Phantoms were an original blues band that existed through the 1990s. Their first release was an EP, Treachery, in 1992. This was followed by the 1997 Under Age and Living in Paradise album on Boat Shed Recordings, Tauranga, which included the popular song Smoke da Weed.
In addition to John, in 1997 Johnny and the Phantoms comprised Ray Stroud (bass, vocals, percussion, digeridoo, guitar) and Tony Van der Putten (drums, percussion, backing vocals). However, the band went through a number of lineup changes, and at other times included saxophone player Scott Towers, now of Wellington's Fat Freddys Drop, Les Beale (drums) and Ray Chaber (bass). The Strouds and Van der Putten also recorded under the name Moby Trip. They are reputed to have averaged three four hour gigs a week in bars all over the country, over a peiod of more than twelve years.
