The definitive and fascinating biography of the musical trailblazer who was the influence behind countless legendary hits, a rock and roll legend in his own right, and the original rockabilly cat—Carl Perkins.He was the King of Rockabilly, and one of rock and roll’s true pioneers. A groundbreaking guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Carl Perkins inspired countless musicians in country, rock, and pop music. As Paul McCartney said, “If there were no Carl Perkins, ther...

He was the pop star with the raccoon eyes who sang ‘Hollywood Seven’ and ‘Six Ribbons’; the swashbuckling Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance; the rocker who packed beer barns across Australia; and, in the words of Tim Rice, ‘a brilliantly judged and truly exciting’ Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar. On the small screen he was as comfortable portraying Bobby Rivers in All Together Now as he was Jonathan Garrett in Against the Wind.But there was a lot more to Jon English. He was a ...

The incredible inside story of the iconic band behind 'Reckless', 'Boys Light Up' and many more hits, by Australia's bestselling music biographer.When Australian Crawl first appeared on Countdown in August 1979 performing 'Beautiful People', no one knew what to make of them. Certainly not the TV crew, who thought the song was called 'Beautiful Beach Ball'. The band was quirky, charismatic and unmistakably different. But they quickly proved they were no nov...

The definitive biography of one of music history’s most beloved, versatile, unforgettable icons—Roy Orbison, the singer-songwriter of legendary hits including “Only the Lonely,” “Crying,” and “Oh, Pretty Woman”—from his chart-topping highs and tragic lows to his momentous comeback.He didn’t look, move, or sound like his contemporaries, but Roy Orbison, king of the emotionally charged, slow-burning, drama-ballad, struck a worldwide chord. Now, from acclaimed mus...

Post-war Australia didn't know what to make of promoter Lee Gordon. To some he was a typical Yank: crass, loud and outspoken, focused on just one thing - making money. But to others, such as rocker Johnny O'Keefe, Lee Gordon was a mentor, a guru and a lifeline to the big time. One thing is undeniable: without Lee Gordon, there would be no billion-dollar entertainment industry in Australia today; and names like Michael Gudinski, Harry M. Miller and Michael Chugg would mean little. Gordon wa...

A comprehensive biography that documents how Keith Urban lived out his childhood dream - and the price he's had to pay to reach the top.Four Grammys. 20 US Number Ones. A Hollywood marriage. Who wouldn't want to be Keith Urban?Keith Urban came from humble origins. His father worked at the local tip and Keith was a high school dropout. But Keith had a plan: conquering Nashville. 'It's my destiny,' he said. And Keith was hell-bent on scaling that musical Ever...

Don’t Dream It’s Over is the first biography to focus exclusively on Neil Finn, the man who wrote the timeless hits of Split Enz and Crowded House.In early 1980, 21-year-old Neil Mullane Finn wrote 'I Got You', which became the signature song and biggest hit for the Kiwi band Split Enz, co-founded by Neil's big brother Tim several years earlier. Over the next four decades, Neil not only nurtured one of the finest heads of hair in music, but crafted hit aft...

The rollercoaster careers of the brothers Gibb – Barry, Robin, Maurice and younger brother Andy – is perhaps the greatest saga in Australian music history. The Bee Gees as a group, and the brothers individually, enjoyed several rebirths over careers that spanned many decades, but it seemed that tragedy followed them at every turn. For every incredible career high there seemed to be a hefty personal downside: divorce, drunkenness and early death are as synonymous with the Gibbs as falsetto ...

The life, death and rock'n'roll rollercoaster career of AC/DC frontman Bon Scott.Bon Scott was once asked if he was AC or DC. 'Neither,' he grinned, 'I'm the lightning flash in the middle.' And that's how he lived his life.No one had the same skill with lyrics as Bon, who called his words 'toilet poetry', his 'dirty ditties'. He could also vividly depict life on the road, best heard in the AC/DC classics 'Long Way to the Top' and 'Highway to Hell'.W...

'Jeff Buckley was a pure drop in an ocean of noise.' – BonoIt was his take on John Cale's cover version of Leonard Cohen's song 'Hallelujah' that made the number famous and his album – Grace – that caused everyone from Led Zeppelin and U2 to Radiohead and Coldplay to look up to Buckley as an illuminating spirit. But who was the man behind the music?Buckley’s many personal letters are revealed for the first time. His struggle with writers block is explored,...

Teenage punk, self-taught musician, bandleader, session man, smoker, drinker, multi-millionaire, David Grohl has achieved a rare feat, a rock ‘n’ roll double crown having been a member of two hugely successful and influential bands – Nirvana and The Foo Fighters.Loaded with candid interviews and hard truths about Grohl’s life in music, this is the first comprehensive biography of an icon whose career charts rock and roll’s rise and fall over the past two decades.Detailing h...

The Cure emerged in the post-punk 70s and defied all expectations to launch a marathon career marked by hit records and a string of sell-out arena shows. Never Enough traces The Cure's roots in middle-class Crawley, Sussex, and tracks their gradual rise, revealing how their first major album Pornography, almost ended the band well before their multi-platinum career began. Also documents Robert Smith's escape into the Siouxie & The Banshees camp during the 80s, and his experimentation with ...