Background
Ham was born in Melbourne and attended Camberwell Grammar School from 1964 to 1971.
composer Guitarist saxophonist
Ham was born in Melbourne and attended Camberwell Grammar School from 1964 to 1971.
In addition to the saxophone, he played flute, organ, piano and the synthesizer. According to the school"s year books, he was remembered for his acting talent in school plays, particularly The World We Live In (the insect comedy) in 1969 where he played the "parasite". In 1970 he played Mr Seekamp, editor of the Ballaarat Times, in Lola Montez and, in 1971, Puff in The Critic.
In 1979, Ham on flute, saxophone, keyboards, and vocals.
Joined the original lineup of with Hay, Ron Strykert and Jerry Speiser. Ham and Hay formed the core of the band from 1979 until 1985 when Ham left, with the band disbanding shortly afterward.
Ham returned to when they reformed in 1996 to tour the United States. As a multi-instrumentalist, Ham played saxophone, keyboards, flute and harmonica for the group as well as performing vocals.
He performed the saxophone solo in the song "Who Can lieutenant Be Now?" (a rehearsal take was used in the final mix) and improvised the flute riff in the song "Down Under".
Larrikin Music bought the rights to the 1930s children"s song "Kookaburra" in 1990 for $6100.00. In 2009, music publisher Larrikin Music, then headed by Norman Lurie (now retired), sued and their record label Electric and Music Industries for plagiarism, alleging that the flute riff copied the 1934 nursery rhyme "Kookaburra", to which they owned the publishing rights. Several appeals by Electric and Music Industries and were unsuccessful.
In an interview with The Age newspaper, Ham said that he was deeply affected by the judgment and felt it had tarnished his reputation, saying: "I"m terribly disappointed that that"s the way I"m going to be remembered—for copying something."
Ham played brass and keyboard with the Rhythm & Blues band Relax with Max, with frontman Max Vella, girlfriend Linda "Toots" Wostry, on saxophone, James Black on keyboard, David Adam and Ross Hannaford on guitar and John James "JJ" Hackett on drums.
Relax with Max played at the Metropol in Fitzroy and on American Broadcasting Company"s television comedy While You"re Down There and at the Falls Creek music festival. They supported Australian artists including Kylie Minogue and American soul singers James Brown and Bo Diddley.
Later in life, Ham taught guitar at Carlton North Primary School and assessed music students for the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE). Ham was found dead on 19 April 2012 at his home in Carlton North, Melbourne, having suffered a fatal heart attack.
An obituary for Ham by Glenn A. Baker appeared in The Age newspaper on 24 April 2012.
Ham"s private funeral was held at the Fitzroy Town Hall, in Melbourne, on 2 May 2012.