{"id":834473,"date":"2026-07-30T23:43:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T23:43:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/834473\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T23:43:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T23:43:13","slug":"australian-rock-music-journalist-glenn-a-baker-dies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/834473\/","title":{"rendered":"Australian rock music journalist Glenn A Baker dies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Australian music journalist, historian and broadcaster Glenn A Baker has died aged 74.<\/p>\n

Known for his vast music knowledge, Baker won the BBC’s Rock Brain of the Universe three times in the mid-1980s.<\/p>\n

In the mid-1970s, Baker was part of a research project which resulted in the formation of 2JJ, which later became triple j.<\/p>\n

His radio career began hosting a trivia program on the station before moving on to Triple M.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Archibald Prize entry of Glenn A Baker in black and white by Nafisa won the Packing Prize in 2010. (Art Gallery of NSW)<\/p>\n

He was the manager of the band Ol’55 and in 1979, co-established Australian record label Raven Records.<\/p>\n

Baker was also the editor of Billboard magazine for more than 20 years, wrote 17 books, as well as sleeve notes for more than 600 albums.<\/p>\n

Known for his collection of distinctive brimless hats, he said he owned 80,000 records and about 30,000 CDs.<\/p>\n

A portrait of Baker by artist Nafisa won the 2010 Archibald Packing Room Prize<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Music ‘brought him joy’<\/p>\n

His son, Orson told 702 ABC Sydney his father had experienced a “period of illness” and was “declining for a while”.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Orson said his father had previously experienced a stroke.<\/p>\n

He described Baker as “somebody who absolutely grabbed life, throttled it, and did everything that he wanted to do”.<\/p>\n

His son said Baker lived a “somewhat nomadic life as a child”, travelling frequently across regional New South Wales.<\/p>\n

“Subsequently I think music became something he could cling to, something that brought him joy,” he said.<\/p>\n

\"Music<\/p>\n

Baker was a prominent music industry commentator.<\/p>\n

According to his biography, Baker left school aged 15 to “help support his family” and he was “galvanised” by seeing the Beatles on TV.<\/p>\n

“Growing up, the most exciting thing was going out to purchase a new record to bring that record home, to open it up and to read the inner sleeve, the comments, the notes by the band, the photos,” Orson said.<\/p>\n

“And then to sit there and play it … play the entire album start to finish, this was his world.”<\/p>\n

“He visited over 150 countries, became an accomplished travel writer, and I guess music was his absolute passion,” he said, noting Australian music was a particular focus of interest.<\/p>\n

His death was announced this morning on social media by fellow music journalist Stuart Coupe.<\/p>\n

“I’m beyond sad,” Coupe posted.<\/p>\n

“This is a post that I was hoping I wouldn’t be making.”<\/p>\n

Created a home filled with ‘music and chaos’<\/p>\n

Baker had six children and Orson described their family home as being filled with “music and chaos”.<\/p>\n

“He was an avid record collector, a collector of all things music, so it was hectic.<\/p>\n

“The strongest memory I think all of us children will have of him, was when we were all young, he took it upon himself to take each child overseas and enjoy an experience into his world.<\/p>\n

“He was always very keen to bring his children along as a plus one to concerts and he’d drag you backstage to say, meet Mariah Carey, or whoever it may be.”<\/p>\n

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