The Australian New Music Record Guide Volume 1: 1976-1980

The Australian New Music Record Guide Volume 1: 1976-1980 is a comprehensive reference work documenting Australia's music releases during a pivotal five-year period. Author Ian McFarlane catalogs and reviews albums, singles, and EPs across genres including punk, post-punk, pub rock, and new wave. The guide provides production details, release dates, and lineup information for hundreds of Australian recordings. Each entry includes factual background on the artists and historical context for the releases, supplemented by reviews that evaluate the music's significance. McFarlane's research draws from interviews, contemporary music press, and extensive archival materials to reconstruct this era of Australian music. The volume serves as both a detailed discography and a cultural snapshot of a transformative period in the nation's musical development. The guide highlights the emergence of independent labels and DIY music-making that characterized Australia's transition from the pub rock scene to new wave movements. Through its systematic documentation, the book reveals patterns in how Australian artists absorbed and reinterpreted international musical trends while developing distinctive local sounds.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Ian McFarlane's overall work: Readers consistently highlight McFarlane's exhaustive research and attention to detail in documenting Australian music history. Music fans praise The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop for its comprehensive coverage and factual accuracy. What readers liked: - Thorough documentation of lesser-known bands and regional scenes - Clear, accessible writing style - Reliable source citations and cross-referencing - Useful discographies and band member listings What readers disliked: - Limited coverage of post-2000 artists in earlier editions - Some readers wanted more biographical details about artists - Print editions can become outdated quickly Ratings & Reviews: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (87 ratings) Amazon Australia: 4.5/5 (34 reviews) Reader quote: "McFarlane manages to pack an incredible amount of information into each entry without sacrificing readability. This is the definitive reference for Australian music." - Goodreads reviewer Note: Limited review data available online as many of his works were published pre-internet era.

1001 Australian Nights by David M. Nichols A chronological guide to Australian rock concerts from 1960-1990 includes venue details, setlists, and band line-ups.

Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop by Noel McGrath A reference work documenting Australian popular music from 1956 to 1996 features band histories, discographies, and personnel changes.

The History of Rock 'n' Roll in Ten Songs by Greil Marcus A deep examination of ten transformative rock recordings connects cultural moments through detailed musical analysis.

The Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson The chronicle presents chart-topping songs from 1955-2003 with recording information and behind-the-scenes stories.

Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop by Bob Stanley A chronicle of pop music evolution from the 1950s through the 2000s documents key recordings, cultural shifts, and technological changes.

🎵 Author Ian McFarlane is considered one of Australia's foremost music journalists and has been documenting Australian popular music for over 30 years 📚 The book covers over 850 Australian albums released during the pivotal 1976-1980 period, including many rare and obscure recordings 🎸 This era marked a significant shift in Australian music, with the emergence of punk rock and new wave alongside established pub rock scenes 📖 McFarlane previously wrote "The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop" (1999), which became a definitive reference work for Australian music history 🏆 The 1976-1980 period covered in the book saw Australian bands like AC/DC, Little River Band, and The Angels achieve international success for the first time