Book Review: Reckless, by Jeff Apter

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A well-researched deep dive into the tumultuous seven-year career of one of Australia’s not to be forgotten rock bands.

Feature image credit: Allen & Unwin

There are some bands and their songs that stand the test of time – Australian (or, more commonly, Oz) Crawl is most assuredly one of those bands. 40 years on from the tumultuous disintegration of the band, prolific music biographer Jeff Apter delivers the inside story of a band that achieved highs and hit devastating lows, whilst providing some of radio’s most repeatedly played classics. This is Reckless: The Saga of Australian Crawl.

Australian Crawl’s earliest days follow the path of so many of Australia’s most recognised bands — a group of friends, brothers in both bond and blood — watching the emergence of Oz rock in the ‘70s and deciding to dive into the immense pool of opportunity (pun intended!). Their sound and lyrical style was defined in large part by their Mornington Peninsula upbringing and the vocal styling of their lead singer, James Reyne. The band would have several iterations, but Reyne, Simon Binks, Bill McDonough, and Paul Williams would remain core members and, excluding Reyne, have been key contributors to Apter’s latest work.

After initially performing in other bands, the initial members of Australian Crawl — Reyne, Binks, McDonough and Williams, along with James Reyne’s brother, David — came together. One brother would replace the other, with Bill McDonough’s brother Guy replacing David. Once this line-up was cemented, the band released the first track in what has formed one of their core hit songs: Beautiful People. This song would be the first of many to be performed on the iconic Countdown TV show, memorably with front man Reyne sporting two arm casts.

Over the next seven years, the band would see changes in both line-up and operational/managerial team members, often let go in less than sensitive ways. As with so many bands, substance addiction would take a drastic and devastating personal toll. Ultimately, despite strong Australian-based success, the band would implode spectacularly and see itself still divided four decades later.

Jeff Apter, as ever, has done his homework in researching and crafting a sensitive and insightful narrative of the fast-paced rise and fracturing fall of Australian Crawl. Reckless moves from their childhood days, which influenced songs like Beautiful People and The Boys Light Up, to the icon-laden song that heralds the book’s title. He details their business decisions and their personal journeys. Apter’s decision to describe it as a saga could not be more appropriate, either.

Former members — Simon Binks, Bill McDonough, and Paul Williams — have all been contributors to the book, giving the surety of inside knowledge and factual account of good times, bad times, and devastating moments. This tapestry of triumph and turmoil has been weaved into a read that is as captivating as any Oz Crawl track played on commercial radio: riding waves of emotion, diving deep, and delivering a detailed account of the journey of a band as paced as the swimming stroke.

In the words of Molly Meldrum: Do yourself a favour and run, don’t crawl, to grab Jeff Apter’s latest addition to his extensive repertoire.

Reviewed by Glen Christie