Thirteen Tonne Theory

We were all equal, but sometimes the band could be led by whoever shouted the loudest. Step inside one of Australia's most beloved and hard-working bands. For eighteen years, Mark Seymour fronted Hunters and Collectors - although he was never remotely in control of it. Together they released songs that remain Australian anthems like Talking to a Stranger, Say Goodbye, Throw Your Arms Around Me and Holy Grail. The band was also a great social experiment - an artistic collective that shared everything equally, from the drinks rider to songwriting copyright. It couldn't last. In the end, the relentless touring machine known as 'Hunnas' didn't break up so much as switch itself off. With a songwriter's eye for the perfect detail, Seymour tells the truth about the endless fried breakfasts, bewildering industry negotiations and the view from a thirteen-tonne truck on a never ending highway. More than a simple rock memoir, THIRTEEN TONNE THEORY is a dryly comic, revealing and passionate reflection on the struggle to be heard in a democracy of blokes. 'Anyone who writes of their years in rock music must know that this is the book they are going to have to trump.' Robert Forster, The Monthly 'Very funny . . . there can be no escaping the absurdity of rock'n'roll.' The Age