In a career spanning more than 20 years Jeff Apter has written 12 commercially and critically acclaimed biographies, and has contributed to such publications as Rolling Stone (where he spent five years as Music Editor), GQ, The Bulletin, Australian Hi-Fi and the Rock's Back Pages website (where an archive of his work can be viewed, including interviews with Robbie Robertson, Aretha Franklin and Patti Smith). He is the music contributor for Australian Vogue and writes reviews for the Sydney Morning Herald.

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; an updated version of the Cure book was published in March 2009.) 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. The highly acclaimed A Pure Drop: The Jeff Buckley Story, was released in September 2008, also through Omnibus Press, and in North America, through Backbeat Books, in March 2009. It was optioned for a film in 2011. Fortunate Son: The Unlikely Rise of Keith Urban, was published by Random House in 2009, followed by Together Alone: The Story of the Finn Brothers, which appeared in June 2010. Jeff co-wrote the 2005 sporting bestseller, Slats The Michael Slater Story (Random House) and 2008's In Harm's Way (Pan Macmillan).

Jeff helped Mark Evans with his memoir Dirty Deeds: My Life Inside and Outside AC/DC (Allen & Unwin, 2011) and co-wrote Kasey Chambers: A Little Bird Told Me, which also appeared in 2011, through Harper Collins. Both these books reached the top 20 of the Bookscan Bestselling 500 Books chart — Kasey's memoir was named one of '50 Books You Can't Put Down' and is part of 2011's Get Reading campaign.

Reviewing Dirty Deeds, the Herald's Bruce Elder wrote that it 'captures, as no book I have ever read, the sheer joy and fun involved in being in a rock band . . . it captures a slice of life perfectly without regrets, recriminations or deep reflection.'

Jeff's views on popular culture have been aired on numerous popular TV and radio programs, while he contributed to SBS's Great Australian Album series and has 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 icons as Aretha Franklin, Robbie Robertson, Patti Smith, Frank Black, Stevie Wonder, the Rolling Stones, Wilco and the Eels. 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.