Australia’s own music paper from the mid-1970s to the late 1980s. Filling a void left by the demise of Go-Set magazine, Juke began with a distinctly local focus – in the early issues, Australian stalwarts Skyhooks, Split Enz, Daddy Cool, Olivia Newton-John, Johnny Farnham and Marcia Hines squeezed out international superstars such as Leo Sayer, The Eagles and Supertramp.
In the early 1980s, Juke’s content came to include more of the international scene – Gary Numan, ELO, The Clash, UB40, Duran Duran, Talking Heads and Simple Minds received equal space alongside local acts such as The Models, The Laughing Clowns, The Saints, The Johnnys and Mental as Anything. The magazine also adopted a coloured cover.
In the late 1980s, the world rock scene had established itself into a ‘global village’ and the distinction between Australian and overseas acts had begun to blur. The regular features continued – local/international charts and gossip, gig listings and tour dates, artist profiles, reviews, reader feedback, cartoons and ads for musical equipment – but were now accompanied by drug talk and tales of excess, the beginnings of ‘grunge’. Video reviews became as commonplace as record reviews. Nick Cave, The Residents, Aerosmith and Icehouse witnessed the birth of the CD and Kylie Minogue.
Juke is an important cultural document that charts the evolution of Australia’s music industry in its most formative years. It’s also a highly entertaining read and great insight into the heady atmosphere of very wild era.
Below are example magazine covers from different decades. Click on an image to view a larger version.
