Australian Music History

Roadie Stories

  • “Weckwess I’m not weally a woadie”

    10 April 2012

    This guy amazed me but pissed me & a hell of a lot of people off. I can’t remember his name even though I ended up working on the same gigs as him too many…

  • Highway Robbery

    25 September 2011

    Mad Gorilla used to do a song called Highway robbery and it was a true story, very freaky but true. The highway was The Highway Hotel at Wentworthville which is gone now. There’s a super…

  • How to get rid of the Vice Squad

    26 May 2011

    Bombay Rock – October 81 During our residency we were having a ball. Spent the days hanging around surfers then a soundcheck in the arvo or if we were doing a support that night help…

  • WTF Is That?

    29 March 2011

    I think it was feb’80 when Mad Gorilla went to Adelaide for 2 weeks ( I’m sure someone has a better memory than me & will correct me ) Anyhow we were staying at a…

  • Dead Roo’s & Red Dust

    08 March 2011

    Have a quick look on Google earth and you’ll see that Cobar is a bloody long way from Sydney. So in his infinite wisdom the booking agent organised a gig out west the night before…

  • How I Got My Nickname

    01 June 2009

    G’day, Well first up I should start with a disclaimer for all aspiring crew & the young & impressionable. My stories come from a time in the industry that was pretty wild & I was…

  • The Best Truck In The World

    31 May 2006

    A decent truck can mean the difference between a great gig and a night full of grief. Back in the eighties I went back to work for Rick Doolan who was the original drummer in…

  • The Wombat Switch – Mad Gorilla

    07 October 2005

    The Wombat Switch. I don’t even know if it is a term that is still used. Back about 20 years ago “Wombatting” was something you did to the support band to sabotage them. You know,…

  • Stage Diving at Sawtell – Hoodoo Gurus

    19 September 2005

    Stage diving and crowd surfing is a phenomenon that has become popular over the last 10 or 15 years. The idea being that after diving from the stage, the crowd will catch you and you…