Talking Smack

Of all the creative industries, the most distinct link between drug use and creativity lies within music. The two elements seem to be intertwined, inseparable; that mythical phrase 'sex, drugs and rock and roll' has been bandied about with a wink and a grin for decades. But is it all smoke and mirrors, or does that cliché ring true for some of our best-known performers?

In this fascinating book, journalist Andrew McMillen talks with Australian musicians about their thoughts on – and experiences with – illicit, prescription and legal drugs. Through a series of in-depth and intimate interviews, he tells the stories of musicians who have bitten into the forbidden fruit and avoided choking.

This isn't to say that stories of ruin and redemption are avoided – they're not. These celebrated artists have walked the straight-and-narrow path of alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and prescription medication, as well as the supposedly dark-and-crooked road of cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin and methamphetamine.

By having conversations about something that's rarely discussed in public, and much less often dealth with honestly, McMillen explores the truths and realities of a contentious topic that isn't going away.

Talking Smack is a timely and thought-provoking must-read, that takes you inside the highs and lows of some of our most successful and creative musicians.

About the Author

Andrew McMillen is a freelance journalist based in Brisbane, Australia. His work has been published in Rolling Stone, The Australian, The Monthly, Qweekend, BuzzFeed, TheVine.com.au and Mess+Noise. Talking Smack is his first book. Born in Bundaberg to two primary school teachers, Andrew moved to Brisbane in 2006 to study at the University of Queensland and has lived and worked in the city since. As a freelance journalist, Andrew has written about topics as diverse as ‘smart drugs’, mental health, illegal websites, youth-led social change, videogame development, overseas romance tours, education policy, online policing, webcam hackers and influential public figures.