Vale Ian McLean

by Trevor Sinclair, Afternoon-Drive Presenter, Classic Hits 2CH.

I’ve been asked to put a few words together in tribute Ian McLean who passed away at his home in Carey Bay on Tuesday August 11^th at the age of 77.

Many readers of CX would be familiar with Ian’s work in sound and lighting over some six decades as well as his contribution to the LGBTQI community for many years. I’ve been told that Ian has collected and filed every edition of CX Magazine and although I’ve known Ian for some 25 years, I thought it better to let some of his friends and colleagues speak. Rick Hawthorne, David Reynolds, Gary Backhouse and Mark Taylor have all shared some thoughts.

Ian’s love affair with sound had started by the age of 17 when he was a DJ for Purvisonic Sound at St. Hilda’s Ladies College in Perth back in 1959. Anyone who has known Ian would have a memory of Ian behind a turntable and a microphone. That early friendship with Perth businessman and mentor Bob Purvis became a foundation for Ian to go on to build his own businesses over the years.

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Ian’s last job working for someone else was at Seeburg Music at Annandale NSW. In 1977 he left to run his own mobile disco, sound and lighting hire business from his home’s detached double garage in Crick Street, Chatswood. That business would go from strength to strength.

As David Reynolds recalls, Ian would instil in all those that worked for him the respect for process and documentation. There was always a checklist. Before it went out all gear had to be checked, and checked properly. Dependable reliability of your hire from Sound Affair was an extension of the man Ian was as a person.

Ian’s Sound Affair business outgrew the double garage in Chatswood so he took the risk of a commercial lease on a unit at Warrane Road, Willoughby. It was a risk worth taking. He went on to buy the unit he had leased and over the years would go on to purchase several of the units in the four-story commercial complex with parking on top.

Gary Backhouse was a personal friend of 51 years and also worked with Ian for a few years at Sound Affair in the early days at Warrane Road. Sound Affair supplied P.A. systems, lighting, DJs and music for home parties, weddings, dance parties, and outdoor events. Gary remembers that Ian was very professional in his work ethics and would go out of his way to please his clients, every order had to be perfect not a lead or a plug missing. In the seventies Sound Affair was providing sound gear for some of Australia’s biggest touring acts like Marcia Hines and Hush.

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In the crowded marketplace of the sound and lighting hire business Ian’s business prospered whilst others did not because Ian knew that he had to diversify and keep a keen eye on the bottom line. Hence, Ian also had several other business ventures where he was not as visible as he was with Sound Affair – like SAVI (Sound And Visual Innovators), Tech Sound and a Chinese restaurant in the Caltex Building in North Sydney.

In 1987 Ian briefly returned to Perth as a Director of Purvisonic Sound to oversee the audio contract for all the sound from the Royal Perth Yacht club defence of the America’s Cup.

Rick Hawthorne has known Ian for over 50 years. They met at some wild party where they drank flagons of Claret and Ian slipped his business card in his pocket. The friendship developed over the years, with not really a cross word between them, and Ian was instrumental in Rick’s success. He mentored Rick in many ways including finance. As a successful businessman, Ian was very good with his money. Rick has been living overseas for 38 years and Ian helped him by monitoring his business affairs, something that you can never replace. Ian had the skills to guide people to success.

Mark Taylor recalls Ian as a legend of the industry as well being highly regarded for his contribution to the LGBTQI community. From being founding member #001, and Life Member of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Business Association to support and regular DJ for The Pollys Club, the Cronulla Gay Group to Pink Drinks Network Cairns & Newcastle-Lake Macquarie, Helix on the North Shore to the Life Membership  of the Three Sisters Social Group, who ran the annual Queens’ Ball in the Blue Mountains, he is fondly remembered by all.

In all of Ian’s business and personal life he was a facilitator, a co-ordinator of people and social groups, even if a turntable wasn’t involved. However, if there was a microphone around it would invariably and unsurprisingly pass through Ian’s hands.

Gary Backhouse remembers Ian as a fabulous DJ who had an incredible collection of music that would keep the crowd on the dance floor all night and it wasn’t uncommon for the people on the floor to burst into applause after some of the songs Ian played, he knew how to read the crowd. Gary would take over the console so Ian could have a break and socialise.

We have all lost a true friend, an incredibly talented man and clever businessman. May he keep them dancing in heaven.