Visitors and new arrivals to Cairns may only know Johno as the slightly odd solo guitarist banging out off-key notes and riffs outside McDonalds on the Esplanade.

But dig a little deeper into Johno's career, and a remarkable story of a music legend emerges.

Like this nugget of music video gold from the 1980s.

Featuring Johno and his Blues Band - not to mention some dodgy fashion and haircuts - the footage captures a rare slice of tropical north musical history.

The song called "Don't Knock The Croc" was quite a hit when it was released in 1988 and was featured on the band's acclaimed "Don't Knock The Rock" album.

The cinematic quality of the music video is a little grainy, but that only adds to its charm.

So sit back, turn up the volume, and enjoy the music!