The Australian Local Music Press

My beloved chum Dave the Scot alerted me to this astoundingly rubbish assessment of the Australian music press, as penned for The Guardian by UK rock critic Everett True who has moved to Brisbane and found himself bitterly disappointed by the local street press. Now, I’m not saying we have the greatest music rags in the world, but the following opening paragraph is just complete shit.

Australians don’t have much respect for the music press – it runs counter to their culture. Australian rock is all about “Good on ya, mate – well done for getting up on stage and switching that amplifier on”. The idea of anyone actually daring to criticise musicians for the sound they make is almost heresy. Everyone is treated equally, which means no knocking anyone back, however great the temptation. (That’ll be why Australian rock is best known to the outside world for such musical abominations as Silverchair, the Vines and Savage Garden.) Sport is the predominant culture here, and music is similarly viewed as a leisure activity – it’s all about “work rate”, “dedication” and “goals scored”. Unsurprisingly, Australians get the music press they deserve.

I mean, really – does that actually sound like how the music scene works around here? Good on ya, mate? No one criticises musicians for the sound they make? God, and there I was thinking we were somewhat infamous for our Tall Poppy syndrome and tearing everyone back down to earth whenever we felt they’d lingered at the top for too long.

Go and read the whole thing for yourself (and applaud Everett’s research skills when he talks of “Melbourne radio station” Triple J – not only is it a rather well known national radio station, but if anything, it’s often accused of being Sydney-centric…). And then revel in the comments.

Highlights include:

Blimey Everett True is still alive? And people are still paying him to spout his sub six form drivel? It almost makes me want to emigrate to Australia!

In this new blog, does the Guardian intend for The Legend to inform us on the latest musical happennings from our antipodean cousins, or do they just expect him to spurn his egocentric musings untill he thinks of an idea for his next novel?