Jim Niven

In the early 1970s David Porter was a contributing photographer for some of the most influential Australian Rock music and underground publications (Go-Set, Daily/Planet, Rolling Stone (Australian Edition), The Digger. Porter was based in Melbourne, his subject the zeitgeist of its Rock/Pop music, underground theatre, and Counterculture scenes, sometimes working as ‘David Porter’, sometimes ‘Jacques L’Affrique’, sometimes ‘Jack Africa’. In 1973 he left Melbourne, stopped working in commercial photography, and pursued a teaching career.

Jim Niven played piano, organ, keyboards for The Pink Finks (1966), Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band (1969-76), The Sports (1976-81). He died in 2012.

CAPTAIN MATCHBOX WHOOPEE BAND (1968-80)
Played jug-infused blues, jazz, swing, popular standards, cabaret, sideshow, and vaudeville schtick, tap dancing, juggling, magic, and fire-eating. Mic Conway (lead vocals, washboard, ukulele), Jim Conway (harmonica, kazoo, vocals), Mick Fleming (banjo, mandolin, guitar, vocals), Dave Hubbard (guitar), David Isom (guitar, vocals), Jeffrey Cheesman (guitar, vocals), Inge de Koster (violin), John McDiarmid (tea-chest bass, flute), Jim Niven (piano/organ).

Popular at Melbourne ‘head venues’ such as the T F Much/Much More Ballroom (filmed there by Peter Weir for Three Directions in Australian Pop Music (1972). Long association with Melbourne alternative theatre scene, notably Tribe, La Mama, and The Pram Factory. Created Soapbox Circus in 1976, which combined the musical and performative talents of Captain Matchbox and the Australian Performing Group (leading to the establishing 0f Circus Oz (1978). Issued four albums (‘Smoke Dreams’ (1973), ‘Wangaratta Wahine’ (1974), ‘Australia’ (1975), ‘Slightly Troppo’ (1978).

This photograph was originally published in:
Smoke Dreams (1973) Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band album centrefold