Having written two books about pop music in the 1960s and ‘70s in the western world (Freak Out and Vinyl Dreams) which sold well in Australia and internationally, Noosa writer Tony Wellington decided he needed a change of scene.
He pitched his idea for a book on politics to his publishers at Monash University Publishing but they were keen for another book about music– this time in the 80’s. “You go ahead and we’ll publish it,” they said.
The result—Mixtapes and MTV – Triumphs and Tragedies in 1980s Music —is now finished and, like Tony’s previous books on music, is a blockbuster of 120,000 words. It will be launched by the author at the official Friday opening of the inaugural Eumundi Writers’ Festival, August 22-25.
“The 80’s was the golden age of heavy metal and by the end of the decade 40 per cent of the best-selling albums in the US were with groups like Metallica, Guns and Roses, Motley Crew all at their peak,” he told Noosa Today.
Asked if Ozzy Osbourne, who died last month aged 78, and his group Black Sabbath got a mention. Tony said, “You bet. He’s all over my book.
“Ozzie was very extreme. He was very much driven by alcoholism and a desperate desire to appear to be the most dangerous rock band on the planet.
“And then the time he ate the head off a bat. The bat was thrown on stage and he assumed it was another rubber bat that got thrown on to the stage regularly.
“He said it was the worst taste he had ever had. He had to have rabies shots for the rest of the tour.”
He said, the 80’s was an incredible era in many ways as it was the last era of great innovation in popular music because synthesisers and drum machines were taking over and hip hop, house music, synth-pop and new-age music was developing.
“There was also this incredible shift from listening to music to watching it. When MTV cable television took off in 1982, music became a visual medium. Performers had to be able to dance, look pretty and all the rest of it.”
He described how music purchasing went from vinyl to cassette to CD’s. Also, how synthesisers (which first came into play in the 60’s) would replace instrumental music, making the sound novel and exciting.
Tony said the introduction of the Sony Walkman in 1980 not only turned music listening into a private rather than a shared experience but also encouraged physical fitness. People could go jogging, go to a gym and listen to their own music.
“Before that gym membership was a very minority affair. Suddenly, gyms and jogging boomed and combined with that you had Olivia Newton-John releasing her song ‘Physical’ which was the biggest selling song of the decade in America.”
Michael Jackson dominates. “He was a really important force in the decade and his ‘Thriller’ and ACDC’s ‘Back in Black’ are still the two largest selling albums of all time.
“Cyndi Lauper whose big hit was ‘Girls just want to have fun’ stood on Bondi Beach and thought I can’t bear to go back to America. She wanted to live in Australia.
“She was a depressive character but she couldn’t kill herself because she didn’t want headlines to read, ‘Girl who wanted to have fun just didn’t.’”
Tony Wellington is well credentialled to write this book. A musician (he has played lead guitar in pop bands and recorded a CD of original songs). He has hosted his own radio show, been a writer for music magazines and a scriptwriter in the film and television industries. He has also lectured in media studies and film craft.
In his other life he is a photographer, has written illustrated books about wildlife, is president of Noosa Parks Association, an artist and a former Mayor of Noosa.
I asked Tony if he was planning a fourth book Music of the 90’s. “I haven’t put my mind to it. I have to think of promoting Mix Tapes. A trilogy sounds about right so I will probably stop there.”
Mixtapes and MTV – Triumphs and Tragedies in 1980s Music may be ordered now at bookshops. It will be available for sale at the Eumundi Writers’ Festival August 22-25. Price $39.99
