He released a solo album Shot of Rhythm and Blues in 1977 under the James pseudonym, which provided his only top 40 single, "Roxanne".
Ronald Robert Peel[1] (9 August 1946 – 1 November 2020)[2] began his career in music in the early 1960s as bass guitarist for Port Macquarie surf band the Mystics.
[3][4] In early 1964 Peel on bass guitar and harmonica and Mystics' lead guitarist Dave Boyne joined the Missing Links.
[3][5][6] The band members were known for their long unruly hair, destructive stage performances and pioneered the use of audio feedback and reverse tape effects in Australia.
[3][5][6] With a New Zealand recording contract and a club residency, they soon relocated to Auckland where the group released hit singles and developed significant local following.
[6][11] Peel left in 1972 and One Ton Gypsy disbanded in 1973, without recording any material,[15] due to maintenance costs for the extended line-up.
[18][19] In July 1973 the band's equipment truck was involved in a serious collision on the Hume Highway near Holbrook – both Peel and their roadie John Brewster were hospitalised and the group's gear was destroyed.
[19] Peel and Borich had joined vocalist Stevie Wright's Allstar Band in 1974 together with Johnny Dick on drums and Warren Morgan on keyboards (both ex-Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs).
[23][24] During 1976–1979 Peel resurrected his Rockwell T. James persona to release further singles and a solo album, A Shot of Rhythm and Blues (October 1977) on Razzle Records/Festival Records.
[2] As of 2017 Peel and Fletcher were also members of Redback with Morgan on keyboards, Les Gully on drums and Grahame Perkins on bass guitar.