Pig City

Overview

From cult heroes the Saints and the Go-Betweens to national icons Powderfinger and international stars Savage Garden, Brisbane has produced more than its share of great bands. But behind the music lay a ghost city of malice and corruption. Pressed under the thumb of the Bjelke-Petersen government and its toughest enforcers—the police—Brisbane's musicians, radio announcers, and political activists braved ignorance, harassment, and often violence to be heard. This updated, 10th anniversary edition features a scathing new introduction by the author, assessing the changing shape of Brisbane, its music, and troubling developments since the return of the state of Queensland to conservative governance.

Reviews

"Stafford has crafted a kick-arse music history out of some awesome research."  —John Birmingham, author the Axis of Time trilogy

"Compelling and superbly paced."  —Courier-Mail

"Stafford has produced a lively, original account of the way that the oppressive culture of Joh Bjelke-Petersen's Queensland spawned a vibrant musical subculture informed by place, politics, and an era of protest."  —Age

Author Biography

Andrew Stafford is a freelance writer who has also worked as a university tutor and environmental consultant.