Just So Stories

Allen & Unwin

August 2026
ISBN: 9781760879792

RRP: $34.99

I will openly admit I was not particularly a fan of Aussie Crawl back in the day. For one thing, I was more absorbed raising small children but my musical tastes, though eclectic as they still are, veered in other directions.

But let’s face it, it’s basically unAustralian not to start bopping and singing along to Boys Light Up [NB, the clip I’ve linked is deffo the best one I found . Live gig I think – it’s got the rougher tougher look and sound about it].

And I will categorically say that I was never one of those who thought James Reyne was hot – not in my books anyhow. After reading Jeff Apter’s absolutely superb insight into the Australian Crawl story – and no wonder he titled it a ‘saga’ because it truly is – I am priding myself on my good taste with regard to Mr Reyne I think.

But there is no denying that Australian Crawl was one of the biggest, brashest and most popular bands in the 80s, despite a somewhat slow start out of the blocks until it all came crashing down, falling in many broken pieces.

Growing from their knockabout friendship all attending The Peninsula School (now Peninsula Grammar) in Mt Eliza, loving swimming and surfing and music, a group of young guys who weren’t all that sure a ‘profession’ was the right track for them, started to think just maybe they could make it as rock&roll musicians.

Easy, right? Play a bit, sing a bit, goof around a bit? Helps to have talent and there’s no denying that they did have that, and as the band members ebbed and flowed, and the gigs increased along with the cred and the fame and the screaming girls, somewhere down that line friendships and camaraderie started to slip away.

There were problems with personalities, and egos and, of course, money and no denying there were definitely some troubles when drugs and drink became too useful a ‘go to’ especially for the late Guy McDonough – a gifted muso who just didn’t make it past his 28th birthday. The loss of Guy really drove a final wedge into an already splintering group whose run of success over around seven years, had started to falter.

I found it incredibly sad to read that once the band had split, Reyne did not speak to any of his former friends and bandmates for over 20 years. And then to find out he declined any input or interview during the writing of this book and writes off Australian Crawl as though it was some sort of youthful frolic of no consequence and yet continued to and is STILL trawling pub and club gigs trotting out all the Crawl hits while flexing the copyrighted name to promote them, quite the affirmation of my original opinion of him from 40+ years ago.

Jeff Apter’s examination of Neil Finn’s life and career was one that I relished reading, having been a long-time fan of the Finn brothers and Crowded House [I was thrilled to see that a line from that review of mine was used in the front pages of this book!]. This volume is just as engrossing and pertinent to read, providing insight into what made Oz Crawl so successful as well as what provoked it’s messy and rather ignominious ending.

There is no doubt that artistic temperaments can easily become inflamed. For these guys who started as a bunch of school mates to live pretty much cheek-by-jowl for seven years, all the time working and travelling, creating and rehearsing, always searching for the next big gig must have been a real strain and would certainly set a dynamite charge under any relationship let alone one with such (mostly) volatile temperaments.

And while some members such as the late Brad Robinson and Bill McDonough come out of this memoir looking pretty much blameless for the chasms that opened up, that can’t be said for all. This is why I love music memoirs. The particular music may not have been exactly ‘my’ thing, though easy to listen and not unlikeable by any means, it’s this behind-the-scenes ‘what was their driver/focus/inspiration/downfall’ scenario that really intrigue me.

The 80s were big for music. You only have to stop and listen in supermarkets and elevators and advertising to realise just how much it has permeated our popular culture. For any band to reach such dizzying heights even if relatively short-lived is a great accolade.

Again I want to thank Allen & Unwin especially for allowing me the privilege of reviewing this. And thanks to Jeff Apter himself, whose skill in writing these memoirs in such an even-handed but telling way is remarkable. His ability to dig into the pysche behind the actions is once again to the forefront in this one, not to mention the what’s left unsaid – love that in several places.

It’s particularly timely given the remnants of the band are mounting a ‘reform’ tour this year as part of the Red Hot Summer tour 2026, having challenged the copyright of the band’s name [interesting read in Rolling Stone not sure of the veracity of all the ‘facts’ given] which was held solely by Bill Robinson.

I think anyone who is a hardcore Crawler or even just keen on the line-up for that tour would enjoy this. But I believe it is those of us who are interested in the backstory of any of our great bands and musos that will relish it the most. It’s a lit up 5🎼🎶🎵🎤🚬rating for this. Don’t be reckless and miss out – read it!