Duncan Stuart

(aka John)

Guitar/Harmonica/Vocals

Duncan began his musical journey playing the bagpipes! However, on leaving school a growing interest in The Beatles and 60’s music drew him to the guitar. From 1984 through to 1988 along with 3 friends he gigged around the pubs and clubs in the Midlands of England. Throughout the 90’s he played with various muso’s in and around Melbourne doing 50’s to 90’s covers. BackBeat came about as a result of visiting the Beatles Festival in 2004 & 2005 and realising that no one was covering the Beatles Cavern / Hamburg era, the rest they say is history…

He is a keen collector of Beatle related Instruments (Rickenbacker, Gretsch, Hofner etc) and rates some of his favourite guitarists as George Harrison, Brian Setzer, Chris Cheney, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Carl Perkins and Chuck Berry.

Wayne Woodman

(aka Paul)

Bass/Vocals

Wayne father was a jazz drummer in the 1950's playing around the dance clubs of Melbourne. Despite dad's best efforts Wayne never really wanted to be a drummer and had always wanted to play bass. Wind forward to a party in late 2005, Duncan convinced Wayne that it wasn't too late to learn bass and form a band. Four month later after lots of hard work he played his first gig! A brilliant effort.  Despite his late entry to public performance, Wayne is making up for lost time and can often be seen dancing with the audience whilst playing!

Patrick Hannan

(aka George)

Guitar/Vocals

Patrick first picked up a guitar at the tender age of 12 and hasn't put it

down since. In the early days he aspired to play like his heroes Jimmy Page,

Angus Young and other classic rock and 70's guitarist’s. Soon after he bought

his first real guitar he started to jam with friends and various bands,

becoming majorly influenced from 90's rock and metal. When he moved house in

mid 2005 he met neighbours Lisa and Duncan, and this was where he was first

properly introduced to the tunes of the Beatles. Since the formation of

Backbeat Patrick has taken a keen liking to singing and piano, along with

guitar, and has become a massive fan of the Fab Four's entire repertoire.

These days Patrick has developed an eclectic taste in music and incites

John, Ringo, George and Paul as some of his most inspirational role models.

He also currently plays in an experimental/metal band called Narscenic.

Patrick's biggest music role models would be John Lennon, Jimmy Page, Jimi

Hendrix, Jeff Buckley, Daniel Johns, Greg Howe, Adam Dutkiewicz and Thom Yorke.

Lisa Stuart

(aka Peta)

Drums/Vocals

Lisa started play bass guitar 12 years ago when the idea of a band came up, a bass player was needed because the drummer position was already spoken for by her dad, an ‘original’ drummer from the 60’s supporting acts like Brian Poole and the Tremloes, Eric Burden and the Animals, I mean how could she even get close to doing what her dad did behind a kit! From 1995 Lisa, Duncan and her dad with various other muso’s who came and went gigged around Melbourne doing 50/60’s rock n roll music at Weddings, parties, anything really !

Her heart & soul, however, was always with drums and when BackBeat started up early 2006 after Wayne and Duncan had visited the 2005 Beatles Festival, Adelaide, came up with the Cavern/Hamburg era idea, there was no stopping her….  Some of her favourite drummers include Cindy Blackman (Jazz drummer also rocks for Lenny Kravitz), Keith Moon (The Who) and of course Ringo.