Great biographies need great stories. Surprisingly, perhaps, there are many to be found in Up There Mike Brady. Pigeonholed by the public as the man who wrote the Australian Rules’ football anthem, ‘Up there Cazaly’, Mike Brady’s eventful life is intriguing and bittersweet. After migrating to Australia with his family in the late 1950s, Mike experienced pop stardom, the Vietnam War, legendary jingle-writing status (with ‘Hard Yakka’), financial ruin and numerous marriages, in a life that mirrors the cultural shifts of the last four decades. Sadly though, Up There Mike Brady is clumsily written, lacking subtlety and a balanced perspective. Delbridge, a lifelong friend, seems to overcompensate for any perceived bias, eroding any warmth the reader may have towards his subject. The book does finally hit its stride during the 1970s, climaxing in Brady’s astute move to finance Joe Dolce’s ‘Shaddap Your Face’ (Dolce’s story is a fascinating tangent). Unfortunately the roller-coaster of Brady’s financial and personal lives during the 80s and 90s is long, dull and overly detailed. This could have been a terrific Australian story in more skilled hands; nevertheless, it should satisfy its target audience.

Gavin Jones is a teacher-librarian at Melbourne’s St Kevin’s College

Tags: noel delbridge