Clinton Walker
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PRE-DIGITAL DEEP ARCHIVE (journalism)

There are rock journalists - and there's Clinton Walker...
- Chris Boyd, Australian Financial Review (2005)
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What follows here is a semi-random cross-section of just some of the millions of words I pounded out as a freelance journalist between the late 70s and the mid 90s, when I started to pull back from journalism to concentrate on writing books, since books offered me a way to try and tell the stories I wanted to tell that the mainstream media didn't seem to be interested in.
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It is an adjunct to the archive of my stuff at rock'sbackpages, the definitive repository of post-war pop music journalism, an even more personal take than my personal/general history of the Australian music media that you can read here. Casting my eye over this listing naturally gives me pause to reflect and I can only now see the patterns and connections I couldn't when I was so deeply immersed in actually pushing it all out, and I will soon enough post some of those observations at the bottom of this page.
Meantime, enjoy a trawl through, it's a trip! Not included is any of my material already reprinted in either edition of Inner City Sound - meaning a lot of early stories on the GoBetweens, Boys Next Door-cum-Birthday Party, Laughing Clowns/Saints, Triffids, post-punk elektronika, lots of other stuff - and only a small amount of my non-music stuff is included in its own section further down. Probably what's collected here amounts to barely half of my full output, and if some pages are a bit short on legibility I'm still cleaning everything up for clarity:
  • Review (bad!) of Radio Birdman's Burn My Eye from SSA, April 1977, here
  • Item from Pulp #1 on the Leftovers, August 1977, here
  • Item from Pulp #3/4 on the Leftovers, February 1978, here
  • "Punk Rock Riot!" report in Pulp #3/4 on Blondie's Brisbane no-show in December 1977, here
  • Review of the Saints' Eternally Yours album in Semper, July 1978, here
  • Review of Kraftwerk's Man Machine album from Semper, August 1978, here
  • "The Morality of Punk," thinkpiece from Semper, August 1978, here 
  • First-ever story on the Laughing Clowns, Roadrunner, August 1979, here
  • 2 live reviews (Manikins, Tactics) from Roadrunner, October 1979, here
  • 2 jazz-rock record reviews (Chicago, Quasar) from Roadrunner, November/December 1979, here
  • First-ever GoBetweens feature, from Roadrunner, December 1979, here
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Melbourne, 1978: "If Peter Tosh was white...
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... he'd be a superstar."
  • First writing I got paid money for, first publication in a real newspaper - the Adelaide Advertiser - 24 January 1980, here
  • First publication in RAM, Boys Next Door news story, 20 February 1980, here
  • First Birthday Party feature from RAM, later that same year, November 24, here
  • 3 electronik rock rekord reviews (Tolley & Dara, Laughing Hands, Severed Heads) from RAM, 1980, here
  • 2 punk record reviews (Dead Kennedys, SLF) from RAM, 1980, here 
  • 2 post-punk record reviews (Associates, Magazine) from RAM, 1980, here
  • Adelaide Advertiser item on the Ramones on tour in Australia, 10 July 1980, here
  • Church item from the Adelaide Advertiser, 1980, here
  • Jimmy Witherspoon (!) interview from RAM, 30 May 1980, here
  • Sydney Shout feature on the New Race, June 1980, here
  • TAGG live review of Toy Love at French's, 1980, here 
  • RAM review of the Machinations live at the newly-opened Trade Union Club, 1981, here
  • Adelaide Advertiser item on Paul Kelly and his debut album, March 1981, here
  • First Rolling Stone publication, and a major feature, on post-punk elektronika, 14 May 1981, here
  • Rolling Stone feature on Don Cherry and Old & New Dreams (!!), 14 May 1981, here
  • Equal Local feature from RAM, 26 June 1981, here
  • Review of Tactics' My Houdini album from TAGG, 1981, here
  • "Intensely Original:" Laughing Clowns item from the Adelaide Advertiser, 1981, here
  • Review of Laughing Clowns' Reign of Terror/Throne of Blood LP from Rolling Stone, 1981, here 
  • Parrish Hall Post-Punk: TAGG live review, 1981, here
  • 3 coldwave album reviews (Laughing Hands, David Chesworth, Dead Travel Fast), 1981, here
  • 'Brisbane Despatch' from RAM, 17 October 1981, here
  • 1982 - a sole entry! - interview with Blurt's Ted Milton for Fast Forward, October '82, here
  • From Inner City Sound to 'Sedition': mega-feature from Stiletto, July/August 1983, here
  • Feature on Phantom Records from Rolling Stone, October 1983, here
  • Feature on X from Rolling Stone, October 1983, here
  • John Cale feature from Stiletto, October 1983, here
  • Review of Reels' Unreel album from Rolling Stone, November 1983, here 
  • First story for the Age, on Saint Christopher Bailey going solo/acoustic, 25 November 1983, here 
  • Stiletto feature on the Gun Club (partly) in Australia, November 1983, here​
  • Rolling Stone review of the Triffids' Treeless Plain album, December 1983, here
  • 1983 end-of-year Best list, from Stiletto, December/January 1984, here
  • Review of the Birthday Party's Mutiny from Rolling Stone, January 1984, here
  • Triffids news story from the Age, 6 January 1984, here
  • INXS news story from the Age, 13 January 1984, here
  • SPK news story from the Age, 27 January 1984, here
  • "Sad Nick:" Stiletto feature on Nick Cave, February 1984, here
  • News story on Pel Mel from Sydney Morning Herald, 10 February 1984, here
  • Johnnies news story from the Age, 17 February 1984, here
  • 'Fear and Loathing at the Tamworth Country Music Festival' from Stiletto, March 1984, here
  • Rolling Stone 'Around the Traps' item on Laughing Clowns, 1984, here
  • Mental As Anything news story from the Age, 16 March 1984, here 
  • Violent Femmes feature, from Stiletto, April 1984, here
  • ​Rolling Stone review of Laughing Clowns' Law of Nature, April 1984, here 
  • Sydney Morning Herald news story on Upside-Down House, 13 April 1984, here
  • Lighthouse Keepers news story from Sydney Morning Herald, 19 April 1984, here
  • Item on 'non-diversionary Oz post-punk' in Sydney Morning Herald, 26 April 1984, here
  • Wet Taxis news story from the Age, 27 April 1984, here
  • Review in Rolling Stone of the Celibate Rifles' eponymously-titled second album, May 1984, here
  • Uriah Heep (!!) album review from Rolling Stone, May 1984, here
  • Scattered Order news story from Sydney Morning Herald, 18 May 1984, here
  • 'The Rough and the Smooth' from Melbourne, news story in Sydney Morning Herald, 25 May 1984, here
  • "Year of the Triffids" feature from Follow Me, June/July 1984, here
  • Review in Rolling Stone of the Moodists' Thirsty's Calling, June 1984, here
  • Review of the Beasts Of Bourbon album The Axeman's Jazz from Rolling Stone, 1984, here
  • News item on Roger Knox written for Rolling Stone but not run, 1984, here 
  • Hoodoo Gurus news story from the Age, 8 June 1984, here
  • Died Pretty news story from the Age, 22 June 1984, here
  • Rolling Stone 'Around the Traps' item on Scritti Politti, June 1984, here
  • Breaking news story on Warumpi Band, from the Age, 27 July 1984, here
  • Reviews of Hallowed Ground and Raining Pleasure, from Rolling Stone, July 1984, here 
  • "All Peter Milton Walsh Wanted:" Rolling Stone 'Around the Traps' item, 1984, here
  • 'Sekret History': Sekret Sekret item from Sydney Morning Herald, 13 July 1984, here
  • Flaming Hands news story from the Age, 1 August 1984, here
  • Rock on TV: Stiletto feature on ABC's Sweet and Sour, August 1984, here 
  • Rock on film: Stiletto feature on Purple Rain and others, September 1984, here
  • Review of the Nick Cave album From Her to Eternity from Rolling Stone, September 1984, here 
  • Review of the Saints album A Little Madness to be Free from Rolling Stone, September 1984, here
  • Rolling Stone review of Hunters & Collectors' Human Frailty album, 1984, here
  • Interview from The Next Thing with Chris Bailey, 1984, here
  • Interview from The Next Thing with Ed Kuepper, 1984, here
  • Interview from The Next Thing with the Sunday Painters, 1984, here  
  • Chapter on new groups from The Big Australian Rock Book, 1984, here 
  • Sydney Morning Herald item on Mose Allison in Australia, 5 October 1984, here
  • Rolling Stone album reviews of Lawson Square Infirmary and Bo Diddley, November 1984, here
  • Review in Rolling Stone of Au-Go-Go's Melbourne compilation album Asleep at the Wheel, November 1984, here
  • Salamander Jim item from Sydney Morning Herald, 16 November 1984, here
  • "Aborigines Express Hope:" item on The Indulkana Suite from the Age, 23 November 1984, here
  • Rolling Stone item on GoBetweens' return Australian tour, December 1984, here
  • Rolling Stone reviews of albums by Lighthouse Keepers +, December 1984, here
  • Review of Nick Cave's The Firstborn is Dead from Rolling Stone, January 1985, here
  • RAM item on Joe Ely on tour in Australia, 13 February 1985, here
  • Hold on, They're Coming to Australia: Sam & Dave on tour, from the Age, 15 February 1985, here
  • 6 (count 'em!) news items, from Nick Cave to Coloured Stone, in one issue of Rolling Stone, March 1985, here
  • Triffids news story from the Age, 1 March 1985, here
  • Age news story on A.T. Wells, 8 March 1985, here
  • Review of Warumpi Band album Big Name, No Blankets from Rolling Stone, April 1985, here
  • News item on Bo Diddley on tour in Australia, Rolling Stone, April 1985, here 
  • Rockmelons news story from the Age, 26 April 1985, here
  • Review of Paul Kelly album Post from RAM, 1985, here
  • No Fixed Address in between Euro-tours in 1985, not published I don't think, here 
  • Woman & Children First news item from Rolling Stone, May 1985, here
  • Paul Kelly news story from the Age, 17 May 1985, here
  • ​Mullanes live review from RAM, 3 July 1985, here
  • Hoodoo Gurus news story from the Age, 19 July 1985, here
  • Do-Re-Mi album review from RAM, 28 August 1985, here
  • Review of Mortal Sin album Mayhemic Destruction from Rolling Stone, 1985, here 
  • Died Pretty news story from the Age, 1985, here
  • Rolling Stone 'Around the Traps' item on emerging Aboriginal music, September 1985, here
  • Rolling Stone 'Around the Traps' item on government grants in rock, September 1985, here
  • Rolling Stone 'Around the Traps' item on Oz post-punk 'supergroups', September 1985, here
  • News story on John Cooper Clarke on tour in Australia from the Age, 6 September 1985, here
  • Lighthouse Keepers news item from Rolling Stone, October 1985, here
  • Age news story on Jonathan Richman on tour in Australia, 18 October 1985, here
  • Age news story on Los Lobos on tour in Australia, 8 November 1985, here 
  • Triffids news story from Rolling Stone, January 1986, here
  • Violent Femmes breaking new ground, from the Age, 31 January 1986, here
  • Meeting Nico in Bondi, from the Age, 21 February 1986, here
  • Grant McLennan interview from Follow Me (Gentleman), March-May 1986, here
  • Craven Fops item from RAM, 12 March 1986, here
  • GoBetweens item from the Age, 14 March 1986, here
  • RAM cover story on the GoBtweens, 26 March 1986, here
  • Review of 2 Flying Nun records from Rolling Stone, April 1986, here
  • Age news story on Jeffrey Wegener joining Chris Bailey's Saints, 25 April 1986, here
  • Peter Blakeley news story in RAM, 7 May 1986, here
  • Black Australian music cover story from the Age 'EG', 3 May 1986, here
  • Rolling Stone news story on Crowded House in LA, June 1986, here
  • Saints feature from Rolling Stone, August 1986, here
  • Cramps story from the Age, 15 August 1986, here
  • Age 'EG' cover story on New Country, 3 October 1986, here 
  • Flying Emus news story from the Age, 31 October 1986, here 
  • Age news story on Sandii and the Sunsetz, 21 November 1986, here
  • Age news story on Johanna Pigott's Scribble, 28 November 1986, here
  • Steve Earle interview from RAM, December 1986, here
  • Review of Wa Wa Nee album from Rolling Stone, December 1986, here
  • RAM news item on Tim Gooding's King of Country, 14 January 1987, here
  • Stan Ridgway news story from the Age, 20 February 1987, here
  • Peter Blakeley feature in Rolling Stone, 1987, here
  • Sparklers news story from the Age, 1 March 1987, here
  • Slim Dusty interview from Follow Me (Gentleman), March-May 1987, here
  • RAM cover story on the Hoodoo Gurus, 22 April 1987, here
  • Chris Abrahams news story from the Age, 24 July 1987, here
  • Suzanne Vega feature from the Age, 18 August 1987, here
  • Feature on Australian jazz starring the Benders, from Follow Me (Gentleman), 1987, here
  • Rolling Stone review of Louis Tillett's Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell, 1987, here 
  • Tamworth Country Music Festival preview from the Age, 22 January 1988, here
  • Feature on the Chills for RAM, 9 March 1988, here
  • Two-part special on A&R from RAM, 21 May 1988, here
  • "Radio Now" feature from Stiletto, July 1988, here
  • Rolling Stone reviews of albums by Johnny Batchelor and Pseudo Echo, 1988, here
  • 'Politics in Rock' thinkpiece in Stiletto, September 1988, here
  • Bulletin cover story on INXS in America, 4 October 1988, here 
  • Item on Tav Falco's Panther Burns in Australia, (my last piece for) the Age, 14 October 1988, here
  • Review of the Colors film soundtrack written for the Bulletin but not run, 1988, here
  • Review of Nick Cave's Tender Prey, from Stiletto, November 1988, here 
  • Bulletin item on Run-DMC in Australia, 8 November 1988, here 
  • "Don Walker Breaks In" item from the Bulletin, 13 December 1988, here
  • Review in Rolling Stone of Guns'n'Roses live in Sydney, February 1989, here
  • Review of Alberts Productions' Good Times LP from Rolling Stone, February 1989, here
  • Rolling Stone review of Stephen Cummings' New Kind of Blue, March 1989, here
  • Shane Howard album review from Rolling Stone, March 1989, here 
  • Chris Wilson feature from Rolling Stone, March 1989, here 
  • Live review of Don Walker's Catfish from Rolling Stone, April 1989, here
  • Review of Wa Wa Nee's Blush from Rolling Stone, July 1989, here
  • Patsy Cline record/s review/s from New Woman, August 1989, here
  • Al Green/Neville Brothers record reviews from New Woman, 1989, here   
  • "The Last Rock'n'Roll Band:" X oral history from Rolling Stone, September 1989, here
  • Black Eye Records feature from Rolling Stone, September 1989, here
  • Review of Paul Kelly's So Much Water So Close to Home from New Woman, September 1989, here
  • Johanna Pigott feature from the APRA Magazine, October 1989, here
  • Review of Nina Simone album Nina's Back from New Woman, 1989, here 
  • Feature on Max Q's Ollie Olsen from the Edge, November 1989, here
  • Review of Robyne Dunn album Labour of Liberty from New Woman, November 1989, here 
  • "Face to Face: Johanna Pigott" profile from New Woman, December 1989, here 
  • New Woman music columns, December 1989/January 1990, here
  • Kylie Minogue cover story for the Edge, January 1990, here
  • Peter Blakeley news story for the Edge, January 1990, here
  • Album reviews - Tackhead, Cruel Sea, Collette - from the Edge, February 1990, here
  • 'Talk To' profile of John Foy, from the Edge, 1990, here 
  • Item on Archie Roach from New Woman, 1990, here
  • Beasts of Bourbon feature from Rolling Stone, June 1990, here 
  • Dave Graney live review from Rolling Stone, August 1990, here
  • "Face to Face: Jenny Morris" profile from New Woman, September 1990, here
  • Review of Nick Cave live in Sydney from Rolling Stone, October 1990, here 
  • "Back with Attack:" AC/DC feature from Rolling Stone, December 1990, here
  • GoBetweens album review-cum-obituary in Rolling Stone, January 1991, here 
  • Divinyls feature from Rolling Stone, March 1991, here 
  • Playboy music column on the Divinyls and Falling Joys, April 1991, here
  • Rolling Stone item on Not Drowning, Waving in PNG, May 1991, here
  • Rolling Stone review of the Chantoozies' Gild the Lilly, May 1991, here
  • Rolling Stone review of Anne Kirkpatrick album Out of the Blue, June 1991, here
  • Playboy music column on the Hummingbirds and Chris Isaak, July 1991, here  
  • Mark Seymour feature from the Australian Colour Magazine, September 1991, here
  • Don Walker feature written for the Australian Colour Magazine but not run, 1991, here
  • Damien Lovelock feature from Rolling Stone, November 1991, here​
  • Review of Jimmy Barnes album Soul Deep from Rolling Stone, November 1991, here 
  • "Lunch with 3 Country Girls" from the Australian, 12 November 1991, here
  • Rolling Stone review of Keith Urban album Keith Urban, December 1991, here
  • Rolling Stone review of Yothu Yindi album Tribal Voice, January 1992, here
  • Ed Kuepper feature from Rolling Stone, March 1992, here 
  • 'On the Record' column in the Bulletin, 21 April 1992, here
  • Young Disciples album review from Rolling Stone, May 1992, here 
  • 'On the Record' column in the Bulletin, 16 June 1992, here 
  • Nick Cave feature from Rolling Stone, June 1992, here
  • News story on Dale Barlow from Rolling Stone, June 1992, here 
  • Weddings, Parties, Anything feature from Rolling Stone, September 1992, here 
  • "Big Day Out on Wheels," preview from Rolling Stone, December 1992, here
  • Baby Animals feature from the APRA Magazine, December 1992, here
  • Review of Paul Kelly live album for the first issue of Juice, March 1993, here
  • Archie Roach feature from Rolling Stone, March 1993, here
  • Tiddas news item from Juice, April 1993, here
  • Review of Kev Carmody album Bloodlines from Rolling Stone, June 1993, here 
  • John Prine live review from Juice, June 1993, here
  • Introduction to Beasts of Bourbon songbook From the Belly of the Beasts, 1993, here
  • Peter Blakeley feature from the Australian Colour Magazine, 1993, here
  • Review of Cruel Sea album The Honeymoon is Over from Juice, October 1993, here
  • Gram Parsons 'Discography' column from Juice, February 1994, here
  • Birthday Party 'Discography' column from Juice, March 1994, here 
  • AC/DC 'Discography' column from Juice, April 1994, here
  • '20 Questions' with Bon Scott, from Playboy, May 1994, here  
  • Feature on 5.6.7.8s and the Japanese Invasion from Juice, June 1994, here 
  • Dave Graney retrospective from J-Mag, 1994, here
  • Jimmy Little profile from Real Wild Child CD-Rom, 1994, here
  • Joint review of 2 Jon Spencer Blues Explosion albums from Rolling Stone, 1994, here 
  • Article on Oz punk/post-punk in the global dialogue, from Hot Metal, 31 October 1994, here
  • Spencer P. Jones feature from Rolling Stone, December 1994, here
  • News story on the exotica revival from Rolling Stone, December 1994, here   
  • Feature on NuiPacifican Soul, from Rolling Stone, June 1995, here
  • Book reviews from Rolling Stone, June 1997, here
  • Book reviews from Rolling Stone, October 1998, here
  • Rolling Sone country music columns, 1998, here
  • Very Sorry Indeed: Sydney Morning Herald review of Jack Marx book Sorry, 24 July 1999, here
  • Cowboy poets: Joint album reviews, HQ, August 2000, here
  • Perfect Work of Art: Miles Davis box-set review, HQ, 2000, here
  • "What Makes Australian Music Australian?" thinkpiece from Massive, 2000, here 
NON-MUSIC STUFF:
  • "Holden On:" Book review-cum-feature from Stiletto, October 1983, here
  • Follow Me item on the return of Sergio Leone, 1984, here
  • Stiletto item on painter Noel McKenna, 1984, here 
  • Film review columns from Countdown magazine, 1984/1985, here
  • On Ray Carver, 'Dirty Realism' and the return of the short story, Follow Me, 1985, here   
  • Profile of surfing champion Pam Burridge from Follow Me, 1985, here
  • "Clint on Clint:" Walker on Eastwood from Follow Me (Gentlemen), 1985, here 
  • Review of Repo Man from RAM, September 1985, here
  • On location with Brian Trenchard-Smith (!!) shooting Dead-End Drive-In, in Hero, January 1986, here
  • Follow Me (Gentlemen) feature on gallerist Ray Hughes' stable of Queensland painters, January 1986, here
  • Feature in Follow Me (Gentlemen) on film director Ian Pringle, 1986, here
  • ​Feature in Follow Me on writer Georgia Savage, August 1986, here
  • Feature in Follow Me on photographer Bill Henson, October 1986, here
  • Humour: "Tragedy - the Latest Designer Drug," from the Edge, 1990, here
  • 'Talk To' City Films, profile from the Edge, February 1990, here 
  • Humour: "Party Time," from the Edge, 1990, here
  • Photo feature on Detroit's Golden Age of Gorp, from the Edge, 1990, here
  • "Heroin: The Facts" feature from the Edge, 1990, here
  • "Pot Luck:" Investigation into Australia's marijuana trade in Playboy, April 1990, here 
  • "Radio Daze" investigation in Playboy, May 1990, here
  • "The Hawthorn Factor" from Inside Sport, June 1992, here
  • Feature from Inside Sport on Aboriginal footballers, July 1992, here
  • Profile of Sydney Swans' star Daryn Cresswell from Inside Football, 1994, here
  • "Re-Enter Sandman," from Australian Style, 2000, here​​
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