Anthony O'Grady

Anthony O’Grady launched Rock Australia Magazine (RAM) in 1975. RAM was ideally placed to observe international rock stars (many of them in blithe holiday mode downunder) and champion a new wave of local rock that was organic to local culture. While some of the biggest names remained local heroes (Skyhooks, Dragon, The Angels, Cold Chisel, Australian Crawl, Sunnyboys) others achieved the Great Australian Rock Dream – international success, some wide-scale (AC/DC, Little River Band, Sherbet, Split Enz, Rose Tattoo, Icehouse, Mental As Anything, Midnight Oil, Divinyls, Nick Cave, Kylie Minogue, INXS).

Anthony left RAM in 1981, wrote for national magazines, produced radio specials and a TV special on Australian rock. He put together the first rock music soundtrack to win an Australian Film Institute award (for Street Hero in 1985). In 1995 he started Australia’s first music tip sheet, The Music Network. His book Cold Chisel: The Pure Stuff, on Australia’s most legendary, enigmatic and enduringly popular rock band was published in 2001.

In 2005, Anthony wrote and produced a five-part radio documentary on how an Australia-wide rock 'n' roll touring circuit came of age throughout the '70s.

Anthony passed away in December 2018.

Clinton Walker's tribute to Anthony

14 articles

By Artist | By Date

List of articles in the library by artist

AC/DC Would Really Like To Be As Successful Here As They Are In England, But…

Interview by Anthony O'Grady, RAM, 14 July 1978

IT'S EASY TO find AC/DC in the airport terminal. Just look for a mob of tough looking Scotsmen drinking at the public bar and the ...

AC/DC: Australia has Punk Rock bands too, y'know

Interview by Anthony O'Grady, RAM, 19 April 1975

LADEES AND GENTLEMEN, introducing one of the few bands in Australia that deserves the tag of a real street punk band...putcha fists together in ominous ...

AC/DC: Gonna be a Rock'n'Roll Singer, Gonna be a Rock'n'Roll Star

Profile and Interview by Anthony O'Grady, RAM, 23 April 1976

Au Revoir to Angus, Bon, Malcolm, Mark & Phil, otherwise known as AC/DC, leaving for England to crack The Big Time. ...

David Bowie: "Rock and Roll is Dead"

Interview by Anthony O'Grady, RAM, 26 July 1975

"WELL," SAYS David Bowie. "Rock and roll is just a toothless old woman. It really is." ...

David Bowie: Watch Out Mate! Hitler’s On His Way Back

Interview by Anthony O'Grady, New Musical Express, August 1975

"WE THINK WE'VE got an audience," says the spokesperson in the Bowie suite. "We're pretty sure the operator will be listening in." ...

Leonard Cohen: Incurable Romantic

Profile and Interview by Anthony O'Grady, RAM, April 1980

WHEN LEONARD COHEN takes the stage there's a small, collective gasp, almost resembling the threshold of tumescence, or the sudden realisation of a dream come ...

Elvis Costello & The Attractions: This Year's Model (Radar)

Review by Anthony O'Grady, RAM, 5 May 1978

ELVIS COSTELLO? Probably you've heard of him even if you haven't heard 'Watching the Detectives' on radio or you somehow missed out on the RAM/Stiff ...

Adam Faith: Budgie wiv Stardust Wings: Adam Faith

Interview by Anthony O'Grady, RAM, 29 June 1975

IN THE OLDE DAYS of Rock and Roll, it seemed as soon as anyone made No. 1 in the charts he wasn’t content to be ...

Radio Birdman: Balmain Town Hall, Sydney

Live Review by Anthony O'Grady, RAM, 3 January 1976

GOD I WISH the Top 40 sounded like the Radio's 'Smith and Wesson' or 'There's Gonna Be A New Race...' or 'Maelstrom'. But it doesn't. ...

Radio Birdman

Profile and Interview by Anthony O'Grady, RAM, 27 February 1976

RON KEELEY, Radio Birdman's drummer, is sitting on a steel framed chair listening to a just competent group pound out hard rock as best it ...

Radio Birdman: Birds of a Feather Rock Together

Retrospective and Interview by Anthony O'Grady, Sydney Morning Herald, the, 16 July 2007

THERE ARE two general categories of musicians in Halls of Fame – the supremely successful sellers of concerts and records, and those who pave the ...

Lou Reed: An Afternoon With Lou Reed And Metal Machine Music

Report and Interview by Anthony O'Grady, RAM, 9 August 1975

Quite simply – there were no survivors ...

Sherbet: Around Australia In 350,000 Girls

Report by Anthony O'Grady, RAM, 24 September 1976

2011 introduction: From 1974-79 there was an Australia-wide rock 'n' roll touring circuit, headed by Sherbet. The peak was Sherbet's 1976 'Around Australia in 80 ...

Split Enz

Profile and Interview by Anthony O'Grady, RAM, 12 July 1975

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, Split Enz is a strange band. They walk out on stage like a collection of clockwork scarecrows and their music is ...

back to LIBRARY