Jeff Apter - Biography

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Jeff Apter is one of Australia's foremost writers of non-fiction. In a career spanning more than 20 years he has written eight commercially and critically acclaimed biographies, and has contributed to such publications as Rolling Stone (where he spent five years as Music Editor), the Sydney Morning Herald, Vogue, GQ, The Bulletin, Australian Hi-Fi and the renowned Rock's Back Pages website. His first book was the 2003 Silverchair biography Tomorrow Never Knows, which was given a four-star review by Rolling Stone, who described it as 'a riveting rockography'. The best-selling Fornication: The Red Hot Chili Peppers Story followed in July 2004, while Never Enough: The Story of the Cure was published by Omnibus Press in 2005, a book Spin described as 'a wry portrait whose edge is as sharp as any Charles Addams' cartoon.' (Both of these books have since been published in German, Italian, French and numerous other languages.) The Dave Grohl Story appeared in 2006, followed by his updated Silverchair bio, A New Tomorrow, which was published by Random House in December 2006, received a four-star review in GQ and was serialised in numerous newspaper and magazines. A Simple Kind Of Life: Gwen Stefani & No Doubt, was released by Omnibus Press in 2007. His next biography, the highly anticipated A Pure Drop: The Jeff Buckley Story, was released in September 2008, also through Omnibus Press. Jeff co-wrote the 2005 sporting bestseller, Slats The Michael Slater Story (Random House) and 2008's In Harm's Way (Pan Macmillan).

Jeff's views on popular culture have been aired on numerous high-rating TV and radio programs, while he contributed to SBS's Great Australian Album series and has also worked on DVDs for leading Australian bands Silverchair, You Am I and Powderfinger. He has also worked closely with such homegrown acts as Kasey Chambers, Alex Lloyd, The Whitlams and James Blundell. While resident in the USA during the late 1990s, Jeff interviewed and profiled such musical icons as Aretha Franklin, Robbie Robertson, Patti Smith, Frank Black, Stevie Wonder, the Rolling Stones and Marilyn Manson. He's been mistaken for a terrorist at a U2 concert, swapped notes on favourite albums with Jeff Tweedy, Moby and Ani Di Franco, talked Dylan (and Bob the Builder) with Billy Bragg, been charmed by Van Dyke Parks and stood sidestage while Lucinda Williams eulogised John Lee Hooker in song, on the day of the blues great's death.

Jeff lives on the New South Wales south coast with his wife Diana, his children Elizabeth Asha and Christian Jai, and a wall-to-wall book and record collection. He is represented throughout the world by the literary agent Curtis Brown.