Dig

An in-depth history of Australian rock and pop music from the 60s to the mid-80s, taking in all the big names, from the Easybeats to AC/DC to Nick Cave, and many more besides, written in a style as engaging as it is informative

David Nichols tells the story of Australian rock and pop music from 1960 to 1985 - formative years in which the nation cast off its colonial cultural shackles and took on the world.

Generously illustrated and scrupulously researched, Dig combines scholarly accuracy with populist flair. Nichols is an unfailingly witty and engaging guide, surveying the fertile and varied landscape of Australian popular music in seven broad historical chapters, interspersed with shorter chapters on some of the more significant figures of each period. The result is a compelling portrait of a music scene that evolves in dynamic interaction with those in the United States and the UK, yet has always retained a strong sense of its own identity and continues to deliver new stars - and cult heroes - to a worldwide audience.

Dig is a unique achievement. The few general histories to date have been highlight reels, heavy on illustration and short on detail. And while there have been many excellent books on individual artists, scenes and periods, and a couple of first-rate encyclopedias, there's never been a book that told the whole story of the irresistible growth and sweep of a national music culture. Until now...

“'Thank you, comrade. From a player. Someone had to wrestle this shit down.'--from the foreword by Dave Graney 'Nichols possesses one of the best bullshit detectors around.'--Sophie Cunningham”

'Thank you, comrade. From a player. Someone had to wrestle this shit down.'--from the foreword by Dave Graney
'Nichols possesses one of the best bullshit detectors around.'--Sophie Cunningham

David Nichols is the author of several books on Australian music and contemporary culture, including The Go-Betweens and The Bogan Delusion; he is also the coauthor of Pop Life and Trendyville. He teaches urban and cultural planning at the University of Melbourne.

Dave Graney is an Australian rock musician and the author of 1001 Australian Nights: An Aesthetic Memoir (Affirm Press, 2011).

An in-depth history of Australian rock and pop music from the 60s to the mid-80s, taking in all the big names, from the Easybeats to AC/DC to Nick Cave, and many more besides, written in a style as engaging as it is informative David Nichols tells the story of Australian rock and pop music from 1960 to 1985 -- formative years in which the nation cast off its colonial cultural shackles and took on the world. Generously illustrated and scrupulously researched, Dig combines scholarly accuracy with populist flair. Nichols is an unfailingly witty and engaging guide, surveying the fertile and varied landscape of Australian popular music in seven broad historical chapters, interspersed with shorter chapters on some of the more significant figures of each period. The result is a compelling portrait of a music scene that evolves in dynamic interaction with those in the United States and the UK, yet has always retained a strong sense of its own identity and continues to deliver new stars -- and cult heroes -- to a worldwide audience. Dig is a unique achievement. The few general histories to date have been highlight reels, heavy on illustration and short on detail. And while there have been many excellent books on individual artists, scenes and periods, and a couple of first-rate encyclopedias, there's never been a book that told the whole story of the irresistible growth and sweep of a national music culture. Until now...

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