Thoughts on Rolling Stone turning 50 - Men behaving badly, none so much as America’s top soldiers

Abstract

The following reminiscences and commentary by Phillip Frazer, original editor of the Australian edition of Rolling Stone, were first published during April 2017 in the Byron Echo and at dailyreview.com.au. In November of that year Joe Hagan’s The Life and Times of Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone Magazine appeared in bookshops around the world. Wenner was the American founder and editor of the magazine. Since it was first published, the uninhibited biography has generated some controversy, initially due to a falling out between the biographer and his subject, but also in connection with the portrait of Wenner revealed therein. For example, one commentator noted upon reading the book: ‘All the sex, drugs & rock ‘n’ roll got a bit tiring after a while. Wenner may have been a "clever" businessman (to some extent) and got the right people on side, but despite his friendships with Springsteen and company, he was a rather despicable cad in many ways.’ Though Frazer met up with Wenner and had ongoing contact, the Australian edition of Rolling Stone appears to have been left to follow its own path, based around the American magazine’s successful template and the experience built up locally through Frazer’s experience with pop, rock and counterculture magazines such as GoSet (1965-73), Revolution (1970-1), High Times (1971-2) and The Digger (1972-5).