AustLit

'Nichols examines the soundtrack album to Dogs in Space, focusing particularly on the tracks recorded by Ollie Olsen for the film and most notably on ‘Rooms for the Memory’, a song revived from Olsen’s band Whirlywirld and sung by Michael Hutchence. The song was a minor hit in Australia at the time and served both as publicity for the film and as a statement of intent for Hutchence and future aspects of his solo career. The chapter also explores the importance of the soundtrack both as a repository for music of the period examined in the film and a curation of recreated or re-recorded songs.'

Source: Abstract.

'Rowland S. Howard’s teenage song ‘Shivers’, written quickly as a bombastic yet in many respects heartfelt ballad, has become an icon of Australian music and Howard’s best-known and best-loved song. The song appears three times in Dogs in Space and its second performance, by Marie Hoy, serves to ratify its status as a ‘classic’ of the late 1970s. MacKinney explores the emergence of the song, its meaning(s) and early recognition of its importance, as well as its value to Howard and his legacy and to the action of the film.'

Source: Abstract.

'Michael Hutchence, of INXS, plays (a version of) Sam Sejavka, of the Ears, in Dogs in Space. This was seen by many in 1986, when the film was released, as a dichotomy, that INXS and The Ears existed at entirely distinct levels, commercially and perhaps also in terms of significance. Referring to contemporary reportage and later interview material, Taylor provides an extensive overview of the careers of both groups, mapping places both played in Melbourne in the period 1979–81. The chapter contemplates commercial success and credibility as well as what constituted a functional, working group in the post-punk era in Australia. She then tracks changes in the industry to the present day to properly contextualise and understand the 1970s–1980s.'

Source: Asbtract.