As Australia’s rock ‘n’ roll outlaw, Angry Anderson embodied the appeal and limitations of Oz Rock

“I’m not a nice boy and I never was,” Angry Anderson sang on Rose Tattoo’s 1978 debut album. It was an effective mission statement for one of Australian rock’s most recognisable vocalists.

Gary “Angry” Anderson became a well known figure in Australian popular culture. As frontman of Rose Tattoo, he was central to the hard edged Oz Rock tradition that grew from Australia’s pub circuit. In my research as a rock sociologist, Anderson is a key reference point for how listeners define Australian rock and its values.

Much of that influence came from how successfully Anderson…

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