Street Press has been part of the Australian music scene for a long time. People of Sydney would pick up a copy of Drum Media to read who was playing where in town and in Brisbane it was Time Off.
But the music street press was more important than just a gig guide it gave an independent view giving unheard of bands a presence and before the mobile phone and wireless internet gave you something to do whilst you had your first beer and wondered how late your friends were going to be.
Off The Record captures the feel of Street Press, short sharp interviews that focus’ on the music rather than celebrity and maybe this is why the book is filled with such famous musicians who hardly ever give interviews such as Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and Robert Smith as well as a whole bunch of people before they were famous such as the now no longer Powderfinger.
This book is filled with interviews that vary from superstars such as Bruce Springsteen and Michael Stipe to young and virtually unknown Australian Bands such as Yves Klein Blue and Angus and Julia Stone.
For many readers of a certain age this is like a trip down memory lane or a revisitation of their youth with the 1990’s featuring prominently with interviews with pearl jam, Nick Cave, Inxs and others.
Off The Record with its bite size interviews is a great read for all music lovers and definite stocking filler for a few of my friends and family this Christmas.
Off The Record
25 Years of Music Street Press is out now through UQP
RRP $29.95
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