Songwriters Speak gives a unique insight into the lives of our best–known songwriters – and the multitudinous soundtracks of our own lives. This book, the first collection of in-depth interviews with the creative powerhouses of the Australian music industry, was critically acclaimed on its release in 2005. It became a sought–after reference work for other music writers and serious fans wanting to go deep into the stories of how the artists they admired so much worked, thought and felt.
For 15 years, Songwriters Speak languished out of print, yet still in demand, until Sydney-based boutique publishing label Bouley Bay Books partnered with author Debbie Kruger to bring this “buried treasure” of music writing back into circulation in 2023. In the intervening time, six of the songwriters interviewed have died and the music industry has changed dramatically. As Debbie writes in her new Foreword, the conversations she had for the book “stand as meaningful historical testaments to the times they were conducted and unique perspectives on what came before and later.”
The 45 songwriters’ work in rock, pop and country music has left an indelible imprint on the cultural landscape. Their songs have left an enduring impression on Australia’s and the world’s psyche. This book gets inside the hearts and minds of some of our greatest musical poets and asks questions about how inspiration is sparked, whether songwriters are born or made, and where, ultimately, songs come from.
In candid face-to-face interviews, these tunesmiths discuss their successful careers, share thoughts on tapping into the creative source and tell the stories behind classic songs including “Friday on My Mind”, “The Real Thing”, “Eagle Rock”, “Khe Sanh”, “Deep Water”, “Hopelessly Devoted To You”, “What’s Love Got To Do With It”, “Down Under”, “Age of Reason”, “Beds Are Burning”, and “Truly Madly Deeply”.
Songwriters Speak features conversations with Harry Vanda & George Young, Ross Wilson, John Williamson, Glenn Shorrock, Richard Clapton, Tim Finn, Steve Kipner, Neil Finn, Nick Cave, Christina Amphlett, Paul Kelly, Deborah Conway, Archie Roach, Daniel Johns, Kasey Chambers and many more. Included are key members from legendary bands The Seekers, The Twilights, Masters Apprentices, Axiom, Sherbet, Little River Band, Cold Chisel, Dragon, Sports, Midnight Oil, Mental As Anything, Australian Crawl, Icehouse, INXS, Men At Work, Hunters & Collectors and Savage Garden.
Songwriters interviewed are also the masterminds behind hits for Slim Dusty, John Farnham, Olivia Newton-John, John Paul Young, Cliff Richard, Tina Turner, Chicago, Robert Palmer, Christina Aguilera, Lenny Kravitz and other international performers.
