▁and ▁cab aret ▁and ▁had ▁TV ▁appearances ▁on ▁The ▁Don ▁Lane ▁Show , ▁The ▁M idd ay ▁Show ▁and ▁Hey ▁Hey ▁It ' s ▁Saturday , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁hosting ▁his ▁own ▁show , ▁Ten ▁on ▁the ▁Town ▁( 1 9 6 6 ). ▁ ▁Biography ▁▁ ▁May ▁was ▁born ▁as ▁Richard ▁Ernest ▁May ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand ▁in ▁One hung a , ▁A uck land ▁of ▁M ā ori ▁descent . ▁His ▁father , ▁Keith ▁May , ▁was ▁a ▁jazz ▁band ▁leader ▁and ▁played ▁alto ▁sa x oph one . ▁May ▁grew ▁up ▁with ▁sib lings ▁and ▁from ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁he ▁performed ▁at ▁Pic asso , ▁a ▁c afé , ▁night ▁club ▁in ▁A uck land . ▁A part ▁from ▁vocals , ▁May ▁played ▁drums ▁and ▁piano ▁but ▁generally ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁variety ▁ent ert ainer . ▁He ▁would ▁introduce ▁un con vent ional ▁voc alis ations , ▁impro vis ation ▁and ▁the ▁spoken - word ▁into ▁performance . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁jazz ▁pian ist , ▁Ron nie ▁Smith , ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁group ▁to ▁play ▁at ▁the ▁Sor rent o ▁Club , ▁Well ington . ▁Smith ' s ▁group ▁had ▁Tommy ▁Tam ati ▁on ▁bass ▁guitar ▁and ▁May ▁joined ▁on ▁drums ▁and ▁backing ▁vocals . ▁May ▁become ▁a ▁regular ▁with ▁the ▁group ▁and ▁sometimes ▁provided ▁lead ▁vocals . ▁Bruno ▁Lawrence , ▁an ▁English - born ▁jazz ▁music ian , ▁who ▁was ▁regularly ▁in ▁the ▁audience , ▁often ▁got ▁up ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁drums ▁when