Tony Backhouse


Over the past half century, people will have encountered Tony Backhouse in many different musical roles. He has been a bass player, guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, sideman and bandleader for rock bands (Mammal) and madrigal groups, psychedelic happenings, R&B ensembles (Rough Justice) and new wave combos (The Crocodiles), film and television soundtracks.

But it is surely as a singer and arranger of voices that he has connected with the widest and most diverse community. Over the past couple of decades he has conducted more than 2000 choral workshops around the world.

Tony Backhouse, Paris workshop, 2009.
Jenny Morris with fellow former Crocodiles member Tony Backhouse (and the Heaven Bent Gospel Choir) at the 1999 APRA Silver Scrolls
Douglas Singers anniversary poster 2018.
Nets of Mercy flier, 2011.
The Crocodiles Mk.1: Tony Backhouse, Jenny Morris, Fane Flaws, Tina Matthews, Peter Dasent and Bruno Lawrence, 1979
Tony Backhouse.
Photo credit: Graham Hooper
Mammal, 1972 (at Lucifer's Nightclub). Left to right: Rick Bryant, Bill Lake, Patrick Bleakley, Mike Fullerton, Tony Backhouse, Robert Taylor
Photo credit: Rick Bryant Collection
Mammal, 1972. Left to right: Bill Lake, Mike Fullerton, Rick Bryant, Patrick Bleakley, Tony Backhouse, Robert Taylor
Photo credit: Rick Bryant Collection
The Café Of The Gate Of Salvation 'Deluxe' CD, 2004.
Tony Backhouse, 1979.
Photo credit: Rick Bryant Collection
Tony Backhouse, singing in an Australian gorge, 2010.
Mammal, 1973. Left to right: Tony Backhouse, Julie Needham, Kerry Jacobson, Mark Hornibrook, Robert Taylor, Rick Bryant
Photo credit: Rick Bryant Collection
Mammal recording at NZBC's Broadcasting House, Wellington, 1972. From left: Patrick Bleakley, Robert Taylor, Rick Bryant, Bill Lake, Mike Fullerton and Tony Backhouse. 
Photo credit: Bill Lake collection
Tony Backhouse and Jann Hing with Rev Malcolm Collins, New Orleans 2018.
Mammal mark one, 1970. From left, Bill Lake, an audience member, Simon Morris, Tony Backhouse. 
Tony Backhouse
The final Crocodiles gig, Bondi Astra, Sydney, July 1981. Left to right: Rikki Morris, Barton Price (drums), Fane Flaws, Jonathan Zwartz, Jenny Morris, Tony Backhouse.
Photo credit: Richard Morris collection
The Crocodiles (Mark I) - Peter Dasent, Tony Backhouse, Bruno Lawrence, Jenny Morris, Tina Matthews, Fane Flaws
Tony Backhouse - a capella workshop, Glasgow 2017.
Mammal, 1971 or 72. Tony Backhouse pictured with beer.
Photo credit: Rick Bryant Collection
A Capelle Gospel Explosion, Sacred Heart.
The Wide Mouthed Frogs and friends sing madrigals at a Wellington Summer City event, 1979. From left, unidentified, Jenny Morris, Michelle Scullion, Bronwen Murray, Tony Backhouse, Katie Brockie, Michael Mulheron. 
Photo credit: Matthew McKee
Nick Bollinger and Tony Backhouse, Brown Trout Festival, Dannevirke, 1980
Mammal, 1973. From left: Mike Fullerton, Robert Taylor, Bill Lake, Rick Bryant, Tony Backhouse and Mark Hornibrook. 
Photo credit: Bill Lake collection
Café of the Gate of Salvation, self-titled album, 1991
Heavenly Light Quartet CD cover, 1997.
A Café Of The Gate Of Salvation poster.
Mammal, 1974. Left to right: Julie Needham, Mark Hornibrook, Kerry Jacobson, Rick Bryant, Robert Taylor, Tony Backhouse
Photo credit: Rick Bryant Collection
Tony Backhouse, right, with Rev Frank Campbell and Delois Barrett Campbell, Stellar Awards, Chicago 1988.
Rough Justice 1979, left to right: Denys Mason, Rick Bryant, Nick Bollinger, Tony Backhouse
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
Sheila Chandra and Tony Backhouse, 1993.
The Wide Mouthed Frogs and friends at a Wellington Summer City event, 1979. From left, Tony Backhouse (sitting), Sarah Mulheron, Katie Brockie, Jenny Morris and, in a cape, Paddy Neville singing 'Twist and Shout'.
Photo credit: Matthew McKee
Tony Backhouse, Café Of The Gate Of Salvation, 20th anniversary, 2006.
SPATS recording 'New Wave Goodbye' at Harlequin Studio, Mt. Eden Rd, Auckland 1977. L-R: Patrick Bleakley, Michael Knapp, Fane Flaws, Tony Backhouse and Peter Dasent.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Fane Flaws and Michael Knapp
Tony Backhouse
At the Apra Silver Scroll, 1994 (L-R): Mike Chunn, Simon Morris, Steve Robinson, Bronwen Teuton (RNZ), Tony Backhouse, and Kaye Glamuzina (RNZ)
Tony Backhouse, Summersong, 2016.
The Crocodiles Mk.1: Tony Backhouse, Jenny Morris, Fane Flaws, Tina Matthews, Peter Dasent and Bruno Lawrence, 1979
Peter Dasent and Tony Backhouse: as Design for Living they released the Blessed Relief album in November 2017.
Mammal, c 1971. Tony Backhouse with hand on chin.
Photo credit: Rick Bryant Collection
Tony Backhouse and Fane Flaws, Spats, 1977
Photo credit: Fane Flaws Collection
The Crocodiles (Mark II) - Ian Gilroy, Tony Backhouse, Jenny Morris, Tina Matthews, Peter Dasent
Tony Backhouse, Blessed Relief CD launch, 2017.
Tony Backhouse, Outback tour, 2019.
The Café Of The Gate Of Salvation - Wade in the Water, 1990.
Tony Backhouse - a capella songbook, 1997.
The Crocodiles, late 1980 - Tina Matthews, Peter Dasent, Tony Backhouse. Jenny Morris, Ian Gilroy
Tony Backhouse, Arthur Baysting, and Nick Bollinger, Grey Lynn, Auckland.
Photo credit: Arthur Baysting collection
Design for Living is Tony Backhouse and Peter Dasent. Their 'Blessed Relief' album - 30 years in the making - was released in 2017.
Rough Justice - Tony Backhouse and Martin Highland
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
Tony Backhouse (right), Vulgar Beatmen, 1984.
The Umbrellas billed with The Elevators, Sydney, 1989.
Bunny Walters sings 'Welcome Back' on Ready To Roll backed by players including Kevin Bayley, Carl Evensen, and Clinton Brown, with Val Murphy, Tony Backhouse and Beaver on backing vocals.
Tony Backhouse in Heavenly Light Quartet, Sydney 2019.
Tony Backhouse recording with Spats at Harlequin Studio, Mt. Eden Rd, Auckland 1977
Photo credit: Tony Backhouse collection
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