Time Off was one of Brisbane’s most prominent Street Press publications from the 1980s to the 2000s. Originally focussed on gig guides, it gradually evolved into a rock music themed magazine that additionally covered various aspects of the local arts scene including cinema, theatre, and writing. The magazine saw a variety of notable events throughout its tenure, including the first show of the Go-Betweens in April 1978, the overnight demolition of the National Trust listed Cloudland Dance Hall in November 1982, and the release of Custard’s debut EP in November 1990. Time Off is also credited for the introduction of the term ‘BrisVegas’ and the formation of the band Savage Gardens through the magazine’s classified pages.
Time Off has its humble origins at the University of Queensland in 1976, edited by Rob Cameron and Bruce Dickson - both staff of the university community radio 4ZzZ. Printed on A4 stock with a glossy cover, it was initially freely distributed on campus as part of the student magazine Semper Floreat and sold in local newsagents for 60c. In its early years, Time Off catered primarily to university students, featuring political articles, calculator advertisements and letters to the editor about poor refectory food. It also included the Living Guide; a section which published upcoming gigs, cinema recommendations, food reviews, and more. In Time Off’s maiden edition the magazine states “[the Living Guide] will provide you with the most complete rundown of cultural and social events available in south-east Queensland”.
The Living Guide section would expand to dominate the publication as Time Off shifted to off-campus distribution in March 1980, transitioning into a more general Brisbane-focussed fortnightly magazine. During this period it distributed 15000 copies of each edition on newsprint with ‘Warhol-esque screen print covers’ and adopted a strong emphasis on rock music. Denis Reinhardt, a mining magnate, bought the magazine through his publishing company Fortescue Media in mid-1981 and returned the magazine to a weekly publication.
In 1983 Time Off moved to Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. It remained largely a cultural magazine though music journalism began to creep into the publication towards the end of the 80s. Throughout this decade, Brisbane faced a conservative political climate under the leadership of State Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen, commonly being described as a ‘police state’. Notably, authorities including the Queensland Police were complicit in illegal activities such as bribery, misappropriating public funds, and corruption. This influenced the magazine’s advertisements which began including illegal brothels, supporting ‘the complicity of authorities in such dealings’. Time Off published smaller editions until 1987, the same year of the infamous Fitzgerald Inquiry into police misconduct and Premier Bjelke-Petersen’s resignation. During this year, Sean Sennett, an avid music fan, began working as a freelance writer for the magazine. By 1989 Sennett was deputy editor.
Time Off and Fortescue Media faced financial difficulties in 1990 after the market crash and was placed into receivership. It was eventually acquired by Sennett in a joint bid however he shortly became the sole owner. Under Sennett’s leadership, the magazine’s content grew to include more extensive gig listings, album updates, and classifieds for instruments and musicians. Over almost two decades, Sennett expanded the magazine from its original 16-page format to 72 pages, added glossy colour covers and launched the ‘Core Sample’ series, which featured local bands on compilation CDs. During his tenure as publisher, Sennett interviewed over 1000 artists - a testament to the magazine’s involvement in the music industry. Brisbane’s music scene flourished during the 1990’s, aiding the magazine’s success as record companies began signing bands in the city. In several cases Time Off would get an exclusive interview before prominent newspapers as producers saw a more interested audience in the Street Press. Matt Connors took over from Simon McKenzie as editor in 1997 and held the position for a decade until 2007 to become the magazine’s longest editor.
Notably, Time Off became the second Australian Street Press with an online presence, establishing Time Off Media. However, with the rise of the internet and people turning to digital platforms to discover new music and upcoming gigs, the magazine’s prominence began to wane. Sennett began receiving inquiries about Street Press Australia acquiring the magazine in 2006. He initially had little interest in selling the publication but relented given the impact of the internet and the early effects of the Global Financial Crisis.
In 2008 Time Off was sold to Street Press Australia, a Melbourne-based company, with Steve Bull taking over as editor. In March 2012, Time Off reached 1500 issues, the first to do so in Australia. At the time it was distributed in 800 pubs, cafes, clubs, and stores with up to 80000 readers each edition. It broadened its focus from rock to contemporary popular music, including rock, punk, metal, blues, and roots, while maintaining sections on arts, culture, dance, and theatre. In August 2013 Time Off merged with Drum Media and Inpress to become The Music. This monumental change was done in response to concerns over the future of Street Press given social media usage and the lack of advertising revenue. The Music was intended to be a single brand to increase its accessibility for readers and simplicity for advertisers. In 2021, Sean Sennett repurchased the magazine with plans to revive the Time Off title.
