By Perrie Croshaw, president of The Friends of Kiama Library
On Friday, October 17 at 6pm, The Friends of Kiama Library are thrilled to present two well-known and well-published authors together to talk about how two “Kings of the Cross” influenced music and the mafia.
Meet the authors
Wherever you find entertainers performing in neon-lit pubs and clubs, chances are you will find a wannabe gangster or two hanging around.
Selling sex and drugs has always been a way to make a fast buck – and potential customers are more open to temptation in pubs, bars, dance halls and nightclubs.
Abe Saffron figured all this out very quickly, says music industry legend Stuart Coupe. His new book – Saffron Incorporated, a look at sex, drugs, rock'n'roll in the nightclub era in Kings Cross – shows how showbusiness and the underworld are intrinsically linked, with nightclub fires, corrupt cops, cocaine, smack, illegal gambling, vice, celebrities, standover men and rock'n'roll promoters, musicians who partied hard and lost their way, dodgy accountants and gangland shootings
Coupe – an author and radio broadcaster who has been involved with music all his life – has written an arresting tale of corruption, crime and showbiz about Abe Saffron, known as Mr Sin, and the original King of the Cross. Saffron would lay the foundations for more than 50 years of intrigue, murder and mayhem, writes Coupe.
Jeff Apter’s latest book, Lee Gordon, tells the tale of one of Australia’s greatest rock’n’roll promoters, an American who came to Australia in the 1950s and changed the face of our music industry. Impresario Gordon brought us Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jnr, Johnny O’Keefe and the Roller Derby.
“Lee Gordon was the pioneer,” said Harry M. Miller. “He created and invented for Australia large-scale entertainment in big arenas [the Stadium in Sydney]. He was very imaginative, way before his time.”
To some Gordon was a typical Yank: crass, loud, outspoken and focused on one thing – making money. One thing is undeniable: without Lee Gordon, there would be no billion-dollar entertainment industry in Australia today, says author Jeff Apter.
Need to know
Friday, October 17 at 6pm at Kiama Library. Drinks and finger food will be served after the talk, and books will be available for purchase and signing. $15 Friends members | $20 Guests (includes wine, cheese, crackers and other nibbles). Everyone welcome. Book here.
Stuart Coupe is a former manager of the Hoodoo Gurus and Paul Kelly and founded Green Records. Among the books he has written, edited or collaborated on are The New Music (1980), The New Rock 'n' Roll (1983), The Promoters (2003), Gudinski (2015), Tex (2017), Roadies (2018) and Paul Kelly, the Man, the Music and the Life In Between (2021), which was shortlisted for Biography Book of the Year at the Australian Book Industry Awards. Coupe’s autobiography is Shake Some Action.
Jeff Apter is the author of more than 30 books including Neil Finn: Don’t Dream It's Over, Together Alone: The Story of the Finn Brothers, Carl Perkins: The King of Rockabilly, High Voltage: the life of Angus Young, Tragedy: The Sad Ballad of the Gibb Brothers. He worked for Rolling Stone Australia and has written for many music titles.