From In the mid-1960s, was one of the biggest names in New Zealandmusic with hits like 'Daylight SavingTime But after a meteoric rise, she gave itall up, trading the celebrity life for one of marriage,travel and a retail career in Australia. Rock'n'rollreporter John Baker reflects on the British-born popsinger's short but memorable music career and suddendisappearance from the scene. Sandy Edmonds - born Rosalie Edmondson- grew up in Liverpool and moved to Auckland with her familyat 15.
After attending Takapuna Grammar for six monthsand a stint as a dental assistant, Edmonds was discoveredsinging at an Auckland cafe. Soon after, music managerand "canny operator" Phil Warren saw her potential and "tookover the managerial reins", Baker says, shortening her nameto 'Sandy Edmonds'. Although Edmonds didn't have anexceptional singing voice, her appearance and charisma madean impact on Warren.
"A teenage mod face in 1965,great looks. She can sing okay, she can hold a tune. Andthen he worked it from there.
" Warren, who was "noslouch when it came to getting publicity", got his newclient a range of interesting promotional gigs. Shebecame the mascot for a New Zealand Navy ship, the face ofNapro hairspray, an Air New Zealand poster girl and aregular on the cover of Edmonds' cover of The Pretty Things' hit'Come See Me' was the first song Baker heard of hers - at afriend's flat in Parnell in 1986. "Sandy was a hugePretty Things fan.
She liked her rock and roll wild and youcouldn't get much.
