Rea left Sherbet to perform with Maple Lace who covered the UK single "Gimme Dat Ding."
Their cover version reached number 6 on the Australian music charts in 1970.
[1] In the 1980s he relocated to Byron Shire and teamed up with Peter Jaggle.
A car accident in 1995 meant he could not perform live whilst he recovered, but he returned to live music two years later until deciding to retire to the studio in 1999.
However, he continued to play with Tasmanian musicians, Graham Austen (keyboards), Christine Brightman (vocals), and ex-Sydney guitarist Alan Andrewartha and other guitarists and musicians from time to time at Graham and Christine's studio.