James Music to close its Sturt Street shop after 45 years

It started as a hobby but for decades James Music supplied instruments and amps to some of the biggest bands to tour Adelaide. Now the show has come to an end.

Maurice James, 81, who started James Music which will close after 45 years on Sturt St, city.. Image/Russell Millard Photography

Landmark instrument shop James Music will close its doors after 45 years at the same Adelaide location when its founder and owner retires next year.

Maurice James, 81, has already sold the building 164 Sturt St in the city and said that it was no longer viable to continue the business, which will close on February 1.

Maurice James, 81, who started James Music which will close after 45 years on Sturt St, city. Image/Russell Millard Photography

“I used to have three or four other people here, but now I’m here by myself,” Mr James said.

Sales had been slowing even before the Covid pandemic closed down much of the local music performance industry, but Mr James continued to offer repairs and maintenance.

“Business is absolutely disastrous … I thought it’s time that I pulled the pin. I’ve got at least 120 vacant hooks that guitars used to be hanging on.”

The business also operated in Waymouth St for about four years from the mid-1970s before moving to its present location.

Mr James began his career aged 14 as a radio technician and electronics engineer at 5KA, where he stayed for 16 years.

“When the Beatles were here in Adelaide in 1964, I started a business called Pako Amplifiers and we started supplying sound equipment to all the various bands that came out of the woodwork,” he said.

The Twilights, with singer Glenn Shorrock third from left, formed in Adelaide in the mid-1960s and were among the first bands Maurice James helped supply sound equipment for.

The Masters Apprentices with singer Jim Keays, far right, in 1966. Picture: Messenger Press, courtesy of Graham Longley and State Library of South Australia.

In 1972, Mr James went into partnership with another famous music store name, John Reynolds, hiring equipment to bands for four years, before branching out on his own.

James Music gradually moved into selling, servicing and even pawning musical instruments and sound equipment.

“The amount of money that we used to get out of hire was just absolutely astronomical,” Mr James said.

“We used to do concert tours with Gerry and the Pacemakers, and The Platters, and Johnnie Ray back in the old days. We had a bus with guys that would go out doing that all around South Australia.

Merseybeat pop band Gerry and the Pacemakers toured South Australia in the late 1960s using sound equipment from Maurice James’ company.

American singer Johnnie Ray, pictured with young Teresa Moss of Parafield Gardens, on arrival at Adelaide Airport for his 1967 tour.

“It goes right back to 1965 when The Twilights first started … bands like the Easybeats, Masters Apprentices.”

He also hired and maintained permanent sound systems at venues including Bojangles, the Newmarket Hotel, Fiesta Villa, the Bridgeway, The Octagon on Saturday nights, and Shindig at the Brighton Town Hall.

Australian rock band The Easybeats also played in South Australia using sound equipment from one of Maurice James’ companies.

Maurice James, 81, who started James Music which will close after 45 years on Sturt St, city. Image/Russell Millard Photography

“The hire business kind of fell away as more and more people got access to cheaper guitars and amplifiers and PA systems,” Mr James said.

Over the years, Mr James also took over Wright Amplifiers, began repairing electronic organs and keyboards, had a video shop at Morphett Vale, was partners in another business which put ducted vacuum cleaners and intercoms in multistorey buildings, and even installed and serviced patient call buttons in hospitals.

Mr James said he still intends to keep his hand in the music industry after the shop closes.

“There will be certain customers that I’d still look after, and I might set up a workshop at home just to keep me going.”