Ric Chadwick, an innovator

One of the musicians who participated in Satellite Train’s experimental years was keyboard player Ric Chadwick. Ric was an innovator in the field of music before his time. He was always experimenting with sample sounds and adding his own distinctive sound to the mix. He has recorded with Australian bands including The Church, The Divinyls, Ian Moss, and Martin Plaza.

Working with Ric always involved a bus ride from Melbourne to Ramrod Studios in Brookvale, Sydney. Herman Kovac owned that studio and was not only hilarious, but also a pleasure to work with.

Ric would show up with a lot of equipment and it was impressive to hear the type of parts he would develop. This would result in a combination of played parts and really interesting program sequences.

Ric is not featured on any of the upcoming recordings, however he was an early influence on the group. When we presented him with demo songs, he provided us with suggestions and recommendations that helped define the current Satellite Train sound.

Hearing his haunting and melodiously beautiful keyboard parts also influenced how keyboards would be used in the future. Working with Ric and Herman was a truly positive experience, and it was always a pleasure.