Roadies are a unique breed. There was time when, for a roadie, there was nothing (and I mean NOTHING), that would stop a roadie from his mission – to make sure that his band and their show went ahead. No excuses. None.
Ron Clayton, a lad from Belmont, somehow found his way into this mysterious and oft coveted career, ultimately devoting his entire life to one band – TMG or The Ted Mulry Gang. As astonishing as it may seem, his completely single-minded devotion is an extraordinary example of pure loyalty, disregarding any personal sacrifice that it may require.
And his story is remarkable.
For Novocastrians, this book is peppered with local references and people. Nightclubs like The Castle, The Ambassador and a famous Mattara concert in Civic Park are mentioned and homegrown stars like Mark Tinson, Phil Screen, Tony Heads and more make appearances.
But the book offers much more.
While it is called ‘It’s A Roadie’s Life’, and documents with amazing precision the life of the rock and roll roadie, it also recalls the era of the 70’s and 80’s with tacit clarity. Readers will find themselves riding waves of warm nostalgia as they are reminded of their youth, as well as feeling hammers of shock as this book reveals the culture and attitudes of the time, in the process revealing the degree to which political correctness has changed our culture ever since.
In this book, Ron writes with disarming honesty. He tells of his personal journey as much his professional one. In fact, Ron’s experience with Depression was one of the driving motivators behind him penning this tome. In it he openly tells us of his loves won and lost, his moments of elation and his moments of loneliness and sorrow. Yet, it is done without bitterness or overwhelming regret.
Much of ‘It’s A Roadie’s Job’ celebrates the rock and roll lifestyle: the touring, the fame, the women and the decadent excesses. There is humour and, as one expects in such a work, tales of such proportion that it almost defies belief – except that they’re true.
Like the time when the band was performing in a western NSW country town. After the show, some hoodlums turned up in cars, proceeded to smash up the band’s truck and then fired bullets into the door of the hall, inside which the roadies were packing up the gear. To soak up time on tour, the band and crew used to go target shooting. So they got their arms from the truck and lined up, side-by-side with rifles in hand, outside the front of the hall. Sure enough, the hoodlums returned, heading back for more. Ron swears he could see the whites of their eyes as the local yokels took one scared look and bolted out of there for good.
Or the night when, on tour with Rabbit on the north coast, the crew put a temporary floor over the orchestra pit located directly in front of the stage. The band’s PA speakers were also placed in front of the stage, on either side. Rabbit comes on, the crowd rushes to the front and the floor collapses. Then the heavy PA speakers topple in on top of the crowd. There’s tantalisingly more to the story of course but let’s just say people went to hospital but thankfully no one was seriously hurt and, as always, the show somehow went on. ‘It’s a roadie’s job’!
And then there are the stories of a more profound nature.
In one incident, Ron comes across a road accident involving two trucks. Just imagine experiencing this . . .
“The trucks were on fire, one driver dead, the other driver half conscious and trapped. People at the scene were screaming ‘do something, please, somebody has to do something to get this man out before he burns to death’. It was painfully obvious that he couldn’t be freed from the wreckage and emergency services could be a while before they arrived, so I found a lump of wood and hit him in the temple rendering him unconscious. His skin was already blistering from the intense heat and within minutes the whole truck was engulfed in flames and the driver incinerated. Given the situation, and the limited options, I have had to live with whether this was the right thing to do.”
But this is more than a book of tales.
The author has combined detailed records of all gigs, dates, venues and fees together with an extraordinary memory to create an impeccably accurate chronology of all TMG related events, from gigs and recording dates to record releases and media appearances. For example, did you know that the riff in the TMG classic ‘Jump In My Car’ was inspired by The Faces’ ‘Stay With Me’? There are loads of TMG facts, figures and legends. Also, quite amazingly, Ron includes every song recorded by TMG within the text of the story – quite a feat indeed!
For TMG fans and probably thousands of baby boomers, this brings alive the teenage years in a way that is as powerful as watching episodes of Countdown or being at the ‘Long Way To The Top’ concerts.
In all, the book is an adventurous and rollicking tale. There is an abundance of what are now known as ‘dad jokes’, a solid dose of the crass, crude and politically incorrect and there is, above all, honesty that is blunt, frank and unfurled. Being able to look through the window of Ron’s life with such transparency, the reader is inevitably led to the question – was it worth it? For his level of personal sacrifice, which included significant financial contributions, the end of important relationships and a great deal of his life, was he justly rewarded?
This is up to each reader to decide. Some will say that perhaps Ron was not justly rewarded by some of those he worked for and with. Ron doesn’t afford blame. He tells his story as it is and with his own choices in mind. And perhaps there are even greater rewards.
For all that Ron has squeezed into his life, there are few who have lived it the way he has. The character of the man to display such loyalty, such a principled approach to life and a group of musicians who, through his efforts, brought joy to millions and etched an indelible mark in Australian culture, is utterly remarkable.
Ron has lived an extraordinary life that, directly and indirectly, has touched an entire generation of Babyboomer teenagers. One can only hope that Ron can see the extraordinary value of his contribution and how it has so positively affected so many who now look back at those times as days that should be cherished. Mostly though, Ron Clayton led a life that, while it had its sacrifices, is an achievement in living the dream, of having the courage to not conform to the normal and mundane. Luckily, we now have this book as a record of such a life and, whether you are a musician, a roadie or a music fan, it is well worth the read.
‘It’s A Roadie’s Job’ is only available by email order – here’s the address: kim_ron@optusnet.com.au
