Synopses & Reviews
The bands of the late ?70s Australian punk scene, including the Saints, the Birthday Party, Radio Birdman and the Go-Betweens, are among the most vital of their time. INNER CITY SOUND is the classic documentary account of that scene's explosive development in the inner cities of Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. Reviews, interviews, and 285 photographs vividly portray the creative ferment of the period and the many bands that sprang up in the wake of the pioneers. This new edition includes an additional 32 pages which take the story up to 1985, a period in which the careers of Nick Cave, the Go-Betweens, and the Triffids, for example, began to flourish in a wider setting. Interest in this period is at an all-time high. The success of recent photo collections, memoirs, and histories shows there is a new audience hungry for firsthand accounts of the period. With its punk graphics, high-octane prose, and many rare photographs, INNER CITY SOUND is a crucial part of the culture it portrays
Synopsis
The bands that spearheaded the late '70s punk and post-punk scene in Australia -
the Saints, the Birthday Party, Radio Birdman and
the Go-Betweens - are among the most important of their era, and
Inner City Sound is the -classic account of the explosive development of that scene. Original articles from fanzines and newspapers, together with almost 300 photographs, vividly portray the creative ferment of the period and the dozens of bands that sprang up in the wake of the pioneers, including
the Scientists, Severed Heads, Sunnyboys, Hunters and Collectors and many more.
Inner City Sound was published in late 1981, as the post-punk scene was approaching its zenith, but soon fell out of print. The book became a lost classic, so sought after that it has been bootlegged like the rare singles listed in its discography, and its influence was so seminal it helped shape the Australian indie rock scene of the following decade. For this new edition, editor Clinton Walker has added 32 new pages of articles, photographs and discographical data, which take the story through to its real resolution around 1985, when Nick Cave, the Go-Betweens, the Triffids, and -others began to break through internationally. Its DIY graphics, high-octane prose and many rare images make Inner City Sound a crucial part of the culture it portrays.
Synopsis
The bands that spearheaded the late 1970s punk scene in Australia-the Saints, Birthday Party, Radio Birdman, and the Go-Betweens-are among the most important of their time. Inner City Sound is the classic account of the explosive development of that scene. Original articles from fanzines and newspapers, together with almost 300 photographs, vividly portray the creative ferment of the period and the dozens of bands that sprang up in the wake of the pioneers. First published in late 1981, Inner City Sound soon fell out of print. It became a lost classic, so sought after that it has been bootlegged like the rare singles listed in its discography. This new edition contains 32 extra pages of articles, photos, and discographic data, which take the story through to 1985, when Nick Cave, the Go-Betweens, the Triffids, and others began to break through internationally.
About the Author
Clinton Walker published some of the first Australian fanzines  including Pulp, with fellow punk pioneer Bruce Milne  and has gone on to become a colourful and groundbreaking music critic and cultural historian. His later books include Highway to Hell: The Life and Death of AC/DC Legend Bon Scott, Stranded, Football Life, Buried Country: The Story of Aboriginal Country Music and Golden Miles: Sex, Speed and the Australian Muscle Car.