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BOOK 'EM, DANO
This has probably been the biggest year yet for local music
books. Here are four more titles to consider for Christmas:
LATE, LATE AT NIGHT
It starts with a suicide attempt and many of the following
320 pages deal with Rick Springfield's depression, which
he calls "the Darkness". But Rick's memoir ($35, Simon &
Schuster) is also strangely life-affirming and a celebration
of being a musician. "We are all still 15 year olds at heart,"
Rick writes, "committed to the path of 'girls, guitars and
glory'." He starts in Melbourne as Richard Springthorpe,
but is re-named by bandmate Pete Watson. "No one will ever
understand 'Springthorpe'," said Pete, who was also a member
of Mike Brady's MPD. After stints with the woefully-named
Wickedy Wak, and the Zoot, Rick relocates to the US at the
start of the '70s, where he becomes a poor man's David Cassidy.
By 1979, he's in a cover band, thinking of becoming a professional
stained-glass master. He falls for a woman at the glass
class, the partner of a man named Gary. He writes a song
about her, but changes the male's name to "Jessie", "because
'Gary's Girl' doesn't have enough of a rock 'n' roll ring
to it". A friend recently asked Paul Kelly: What's harder
to write about, heroin or infidelity? "I don't choose to
write about infidelity," Paul replied, "I don't write about
it in the book." But Rick's memoir is a roll call of rooting,
including affairs with Australian pop stars Lynne Randell
and Allison Durbin. It's a fine book, filled with good advice
("Don't listen to all the people who say they know the path
you should be taking," Rick writes. "They are most likely
full of shit"). Rick should be in the ARIA Hall of Fame.
FROM THIS SIDE OF THINGS
Brian Cadd has had a remarkable career. How's this for starters:
He auditioned for the David St Hubbins' role in Spinal Tap.
He made an album with Shel Talmy, who produced My Generation,
You Really Got Me and Friday On My Mind. He was asked to
join the Bee Gees band. He produced an album for Daryl Somers
that was never released. He was the musical director for
the "French Elvis", Johnny Hallyday. He was a latter-day
member of The Flying Burrito Brothers. And he was responsible
for a song that haunted me during my youth, Robin Jolley's
Marshall's Portable Music Machine, a staple on the only
radio station in my hometown. Brian also wrote A Little
Ray Of Sunshine (which he performed at Carl Williams' daughter's
christening), Don't You Know It's Magic, Elevator Driver,
Ginger Man and Woman You're Breaking Me. He's Australia's
Leon Russell, though Molly once introduced him to Elton
John, saying, "Brian is probably to Australia what you are
to England." Brian's book ($33, New Holland) is unfortunately
marred by the misspellings of many major stars' names, but
it's a fun read.
DANNII, MY STORY
Dannii Minogue's autobiography ($35, Simon & Schuster) also
has some inexplicable spelling mistakes: Ramsay Street is
written as Ramsey Street, while her former Home and Away
co-star Craig McLachlan becomes Craig McLaughlin. But this
is not the book's biggest failing. "What kind of girl do
you think I am?" Dannii asked on her debut single, 1990's
Love and Kisses, "is it the plain Jane type?" There's been
nothing plain about Dannii's life - which has included a
Playboy shoot, a boob job and more UK club chart-toppers
than any other female artist - but, sadly, the book doesn't
dig much deeper than this sentence, the start of Chapter
Four: "Being a regular team member on Young Talent Time
was heaps of fun and a dream come true, but it was also
incredibly hard work." Sure, Dannii covers her feud with
Sharon Osbourne, and mentions how her first mother-in-law,
Lady Sonia McMahon, didn't like her. She even writes about
her first kiss (with Young Talent Time co-star Vince Del
Tito). But My Story is simply too nice, lacking any real
spice.
OFF THE RECORD
No, this book ($30, University of Queensland Press) is not
the titillating tale of what goes on behind the scenes at
Brian Wise's RRR show. It's a compilation of articles from
Australia's oldest street press publication, Brisbane's
Time Off (now part of the Street Press Australia group,
publishers of Inpress). From Hunters & Collectors in 1986
to Angus & Julia Stone in 2010, the writing is strong and
informative. But I'm not sure if the format - a conventional
novel size - is right for such a dynamic book. I would have
loved a Time Off scrapbook, reproducing original pages and
covers.
CHART WATCH
Guy Sebastian leaps from 11 to two. And Perth hip hop star
Drapht - who sold out the Prince of Wales last Friday -
makes his Top 40 debut.
Who's That Girl GUY SEBASTIAN (number two)
Somewhere In The World ALTIYAN CHILDS (11)
Saturday Night JESSICA MAUBOY (16)
Plans BIRDS OF TOKYO (26)
Planets SHORT STACK (30)
Freefallin' ZOE BADWI (35)
Rapunzel DRAPHT (37, debut)
Hamish & Andy have a Top 10 debut.
Celebrating 50 Glorious Years HAMISH & ANDY (number six,
debut)
Twenty Ten GUY SEBASTIAN (10)
Down The Way ANGUS & JULIA STONE (16)
Get Closer KEITH URBAN (19)
He Will Have His Way VARIOUS (20)
Vegas Songs From Sin City HUMAN NATURE (21)
The Great Tenor Songbook MARK VINCENT (22)
This Is Bat Country SHORT STACK (24)
Jack JOHN FARNHAM (29)
Birds Of Tokyo BIRDS OF TOKYO (31)
Little Bird KASEY CHAMBERS (34)
I Believe You Liar WASHINGTON (39)
HOWZAT! PLAYLIST
Ginger Man BRIAN CADD
Everything You Need NICK BATTERHAM
Rapunzel DRAPHT
Hot Air ADALITA
Living In Oz RICK SPRINGFIELD
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