AustLit

'Clinton Walker is a writer of non-fiction specialising mainly in music, popular culture and social history, a distinctive voice who sits somewhere between literature, lowbrow and art. He has published a dozen books, many either also published overseas or which he’s adapted as documentary films, or both, and most of which remain in print in expanded and updated editions. After starting out publishing punk fanzines in the late 1970s, he went on to work for nearly twenty years as a journalist, freelancing for only the best-reputed publications like RAM, Rolling Stone, the Age, Sydney Morning-Herald, Playboy, New Woman, Juice and the Bulletin. A lot of this output (if only covering music) is archived online at the resource of record Rock’s Backpages site (https://www.rocksbackpages.com). Pulling back from journalism in the 90s, he concentrated on writing books and then in the 2000s moved further into film and TV, co-writing the documentary version of his 2000 book Buried Country and the hit ABC-TV rockumentaries Long Way to the Top and Love is in the Air. As a visual artist also, his books are typified by their beautiful design and illustration as well as powerful storytelling. He has produced soundtrack albums to several of his books/films (including Inner City Sound, Buried Country and Long Way to the Top) and has annotated another score more anthology albums. As something of an outlier and occasionally even controversial, he has often found greater acceptance overseas than at home. A deep involvement with Aboriginal music that stretches back to the 1980s culminating in 2000 with Buried Country, was cut asunder in 2018 when his book Deadly Woman Blues was withdrawn from sale amid allegations of racism. He fell prey to cancel culture but pressed on despite grave reputational damage and personal trauma, and continues to publish new work. His personal website is clintonwalker.com.au , plus he also oversees the buriedcountry.com.au site.' (Bio from author email)

Australian Writing and Rock Music affiliation: journalist.