It had to happen: Californian imprint PR Press is publishing a ground-breaking new book on Australian punk, “Orstralia: A Punk History 1974–1989” by Tristan Clark, on July 9. And on the same date, Clark will self-publish a companion volume “Orstralia: A Punk History 1990 –1999”.
"Ostralia: A Punk History"will be the first comprehensive overview of the story of Australian “punk”, from its beginnings as an underground movement in the '70s through the emergence of hardcore in the '80s, and extending into its commercial ascent in the '90s.
Both volumes seek to go beyond the music to take in cultural context and sociological concerns. They tell the story on a city-by-city basis with regional centres also covered.
Author Tristan Clark has been involved in the Melbourne punk scene for mor than three decades. He has done his homework. Clark conducted 130 interviews, with members of The Saints, Radio Birdman, Boys Next Door/Birthday Party, Babeez/News, Victims, Leftovers, Fun Things, Zero, Psycho Surgeons and X, through to the likes of Depression, Hard-Ons, Cosmic Psychos and Grong Grong, TheLiving End, Bodyjar and Frenzal Rhomb.
Based in Oakland, PR Press has also published books by Noam Chomsky, Chumbawamba, Ursula K. Le Guin, Michael Moorcock and numerous other literary and radical figures.
“Orstralia: A Punk History 1974–1989” is available for pre-order from PM Press.
“Orstralia: A Punk History 1990–1999” is available for pre-order from the author.
