The Band
RUNAWAY TRAIN
Runnaway Train is a band of seasoned musicians delivering a full steam ahead brand of rock and roll. Their electrifying performances personify the music that they represent. Catch their next gig and experience the raw energy of their music that will leave you forever wanting more.
Charlie Farrugia
Charlie (Choppy) Farrugia, is an Australian bass player and vocalist
whose solid playing style has seen him perform with the cream of Australian
rock bands.
A stalwart performer from the early 70”s, he has performed consistently over
the years, achieving glowing admiration from his peers. He has done multiple
tours of Australia, The Philippines and Vietnam. During these tours of the war
zone, he performed with American Blues legend Wiley Reid for the troops
during the Vietnam conflict.
Since then, Charlie has continued to perform with elite Australian musicians
such as Pete Wells, (Buffalo, Rose Tattoo), Mick Cocks, (Rose Tattoo, Ted
Mulray Gang, Heaven), Chris Turner, (Buffalo, Rose Tattoo and The Cavemen)
not to mention Jeff St John. He was a member of the infamous Chris Turner
and The Wolftones on the sellout album “No Bollocks – Just Rock!”
Jim Finn
Jim has a diverse musical background, having collaborated with a wide range of artists from
various genres. His extensive discography showcases his versatility as a musician, with his
involvement in multiple aspects of the recording process. Additionally, Jim's passion for
music started at a young age, as he began honing his drumming skills at just five years old
with the Adelaide Irish pipe. He did first professional gig at 11.
In addition to his extensive touring experience, Jim has also recorded several albums as a solo artist and collaborated with various musicians from different genres. His versatility as a musician has allowed him to explore different styles, ranging from blues and rock to jazz and folk, making him a sought-after performer in the music industry.
Jim has taken his band to Memphis and to Europe. He is constantly touring racking up over140 gigs per year+
Jim Finn is regarded as one of the best singing drummers in Australia and has played with a swag of greats including Lucky Petersen (US), Charles and Cyril Neville (US Neville Bros),Phyllis Diller (US) and Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones) and Redd Volkaert (US) as well as most of Sydney’s elite, including 2 years with Doug Williams’s band, 3 years with ‘Bridie and the boogie kings’, and a stint with Chris Turner (Ex Buffalo, Rose Tatoo).
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Click to see full bio: https://jfinn.net/about/
Doug Brown
Doug Brown is a Sydney based blues guitarist and songwriter. He joined his first band at the age of 15 cutting his teeth on blues rock standards on Sydney's Central Coast.
He then joined The DA's, an Innerwest Sydney power pop band supporting established acts: Lime Spiders, New Christ's, ME262 and The Hoodoo Gurus also co-writing their first single.
After short hiatus, where he started a family, Doug founded and was the primary song writer for The Old Brown Boot Band. A blues rock band whose debut extended EP "Boots N All" saw it's track "You Don't Know What it's Like" reach No 42 on Regular Radio's Hottest 100.
Around this time Doug also started travelling to Japan and meeting established musicians. This resulted in a flow of guest spots whenever he was in Tokyo at well established clubs: Rock Bar Bauhaus, Rock Bar Free Bird, B.E Club, Tokyo Hit Studio and the McCartney Club.
Back in Sydney Doug would perform in various house bands supporting Blues Jams at a local Innerwest venue in Glebe The BED Bar. As a result of this Doug was invited to join Django Blackheart, a 5 piece blues and roots band. The band starting crafting well written and arranged songs and released their debut EP "Unlocked" during COVID. This quickly moved on to the band recording their highly acclaimed album "Blues Roots and Other Fruits", which simultaneously debuted at No 2 on the Australian Blues airplay charts and the UK Blues airplay charts and continues to remain in the ABARAC charts after 18 months of airplay. Doug contributed 2 songs to the album. "On Your Mind" and "Cruising and Grooving", the latter of which was used by the BBC in promotion of the Womens World Cup tournament in 2023.
During COVID, Doug was approached by the Rock Bar Bauhaus Tokyo house band to perform and appear in a video expressing the life of a musician during COVID. This well crafted 12min video featured over 40 musicians worldwide. It's purpose was to express to musicians and audiences to "Don't Stop Believing' we will come back. (Hit the link to see the video).
Doug continues to perform with Django Blackheart and is currently writing for a planned album in 2024. In addition he runs a blues jam every Friday night at Sydney's Staves Brewery in Glebe and performs with FTB (Finn, Todd, Brown) belting out great Aussie Classics and originals.
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Chris Turner
Chris Turner is a blues and rock performer. He has played and sung his way through life playing with not only his own Chris Turner Band but with heavyweights like Buffalo, Rose Tattoo, Jeff St John and Stevie Wright, to name just a few.
He has recorded dozens of albums and is currently recording with The Cave Men, The Noisy Bastards, Runaway Train and The Blues Pirates.
He has toured the UK, Australia, New Zealand, The Philippines and Vietnam with his various bands. He has appeared on the same bill as David Bowie, Steve Marriot, Rainbow, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry.
He has twice featured on the “The Sydney Blues and Roots Festival” and is currently working live with The Cavemen, The Blues Pirates and new rock band Runaway Train.
Go to www.bigrockrecords.com.au to buy CD’s, see Clips, Bio and Discography.
A Chris Turner show is a mixture of rock, subtle blues and good time pub music. His mix of original songs with hard hitting lyrics combined with clever versions of favourite's, means for a great night of rock entertainment in the grand tradition. The late Pete Wells summed up Turner's lyrics as"Fraught with significance!"
Described by Glenn A. Baker as “A national treasure”, Chris Turner and his bands
are a part of Aussie folk law.From The Enmore Theatre to the smallest Pub a Chris Turner night is one toRemember.
Click to see Full Bio www.christurner.com.au/about