Tana Douglas is an Australian author who is best known as the first female rock and roll roadie.[1]
Career edit
Douglas began her career at 15 as a roadie after assisting French high-wire artist Philippe Petit when he walked between pylons on the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1973.[2] She was part of the ground crew who made sure the film documenting the walk wasn't confiscated. After she assisted a Melbourne band Fox when they toured Sydney, she was invited to join their crew when they returned to Sydney. Through these connections, she next worked with AC/DC in 1974.[3]
Although she had to learn everything on the job, with no training provided,[4] over the next several years Douglas worked as roadie on international tours for Neil Diamond, Iggy Pop, Status Quo, and Carlos Santana.[2] In 1978 she was interviewed by Record Mirror Magazine and revealed she was the only woman roadie on the tours she worked on.[5] When The Who played Wembley Stadium in 1979, the band specifically requested her for the show.[4]
In 2021, Douglas' memoir LOUD was published by ABC Books.[2]
References edit
- ^ Stuart, Coupe (2018). Roadies: The Secret History of Australian Rock'n'Roll. Hachette UK. ISBN 9780733638756.
- ^ a b c Valentish, Jenny (2021-01-31). "From sharehousing with AC/DC to comforting Sharon Osbourne: life as the world's first female roadie". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ Coupe, Stuart (2018-09-24). "Read an excerpt from Stuart Coupe's book 'Roadies – the Secret History of Australian Rock'n'Roll'". The Music Network. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ a b Keyes, Karrie (2020-03-02). "Ground Breaker Tana Douglas". SoundGirls.org. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ "This lady keeps Quo staisfied" (PDF). Record Mirror: 14. 22 April 1978.