Books by Stuart Coupe

Australia's best music writer examines the life of the Australian music legend - honest, revealing and a must-have for any Paul Kelly fan.Until now, no one has written the definitive biography of Australia's best-loved singer, song writer and poet. Taking us from Paul Kelly's family life as the sixth of eight children in Adelaide, Stuart Coupe, with Paul's blessing and access to friends, family and band mates, shows us the evolution from a young man who only really picked up a guitar in his late teens, to an Australian music icon. As Paul's music career took off he had to juggle the demands of rock'n'roll with real life and it wasn't always pretty. As Paul's manager for a time, Stuart Coupe has seen or heard it all - the good and the bad (like Paul being told by an audience member that his was the worst band ever!). The book will look at Paul Kelly's personal relationships and the impact they have had on Paul's career and his storytelling. It will also highlight his generosity to other artists, like Archie Roach. In 2017 Paul Kelly received an Order of Australia acknowledging his distinguished service to the performing arts and the promotion of the national identity through his contributions as singer, songwriter and musician. At the foundation of it all is his storytelling. PAUL KELLY: The man, the music and the life in between will give us an unfiltered examination of it all.

This is your backstage pass to the hidden side of the music industry - the tantrums, the fights, the tensions, the indulgence, the sex, the alcohol, the drugs. The roadies see it all, and now they are sharing their secrets. Roadies are the unsung heroes of the Australian music industry. They unload the PAs and equipment, they set it all up, they make sure everything is running smoothly before, during and after the gigs. Then they pack everything up in the middle of the night, put it in the back of the truck and hit the road to another town - to do it all over again. They know everything about the pre- and post-show excesses. They bear witness to overdoses, the groupies, the obsessive fans. They are part of - and often organise - all the craziness that goes on behind the scenes of the concerts and pub gigs you go to. From The Rolling Stones to AC/DC, Bob Marley to Courtney Love, Sherbet to The Ted Mulry Gang, INXS to Blondie - these guys have seen it all. And now they're stepping onto the stage and talking.The Roadies' Creed: If it's wet, drink it. If it's dry, smoke it. If it moves, **** it. If it doesn't move, throw it in the back of the truck.'Fabulous . . . a bold portrait' SYDNEY MORNING HERALD on Stuart Coupe's GUDINSKI