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Loud
A life in rock 'n' roll by the world's first female roadie.
At just 16, Tana Douglas ran away to the circus that was rock 'n' roll in the 1970s, taking a job with a young and upcoming band called AC/DC. While still a teenager she went on to work for Santana, Neil Diamond and Suzi Quatro, before heading to the UK then the US, working for a who's who of bands and artists, including Status Quo, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne, The Police, INXS, The Who, The Runaways, Lenny Kravitz, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Pearl Jam, Ice-T and Ice Cube, eventually moving from lighting and stage production into tour management and logistics.
This is rock 'n' roll like you've never seen it before, written in her own words by the woman recognised as the first female roadie in the world.
At just 16, Tana Douglas ran away to the circus that was rock 'n' roll in the 1970s, taking a job with a young and upcoming band called AC/DC. While still a teenager she went on to work for Santana, Neil Diamond and Suzi Quatro, before heading to the UK then the US, working for a who's who of bands and artists, including Status Quo, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne, The Police, INXS, The Who, The Runaways, Lenny Kravitz, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Pearl Jam, Ice-T and Ice Cube, eventually moving from lighting and stage production into tour management and logistics.
This is rock 'n' roll like you've never seen it before, written in her own words by the woman recognised as the first female roadie in the world.
Published January 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
January 13, 2023
Loud by Tana Douglas is a 2021 ABC Books publication.
Tana Douglas was a trailblazer in an overwhelmingly male dominated occupation. She became a female ‘roadie’ while still a teenager and thus embarked on an incredibly unorthodox life.
Here, Tana regales us with wild tales from the road, while touching upon her upbringing, and struggles to balance her career and lifestyle with motherhood, while educating the reader about what goes into setting the stage for live shows, and providing technical details that most of us would never hear of otherwise.
This is a fascinating memoir. Tana worked in an environment that was tough under any circumstances and was forced to deal with double standards and sexism, but her tone is not a bitter one. In fact, I think Tana is proud of her accomplishments, as she should be. She paid some heavy dues and had many regrets, but overall, I get the impression that if she had it to do over again, she wouldn’t hesitate to jump on the road again with some of the most famous and talented artists of the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
Overall, a solid memoir- very straightforward, but organized chronologically and very easy to read and follow. Some of Tana’s stories were hilarious, some shocking, some poignant, but all were interesting, as is Tana. I think she took the high road quite often and glossed over some of the seedier aspects of the business, choosing to keep the tone mild and matter of fact- but I think she succeeded in giving the reader what they signed on for.
All music fans and concert goers should read this book- it’s a look at what it takes to be a female pioneer in an alpha male environment as well as an up close and personal look at what goes into putting a show together for artists and fans, which was very enlightening.
4 stars
Tana Douglas was a trailblazer in an overwhelmingly male dominated occupation. She became a female ‘roadie’ while still a teenager and thus embarked on an incredibly unorthodox life.
Here, Tana regales us with wild tales from the road, while touching upon her upbringing, and struggles to balance her career and lifestyle with motherhood, while educating the reader about what goes into setting the stage for live shows, and providing technical details that most of us would never hear of otherwise.
This is a fascinating memoir. Tana worked in an environment that was tough under any circumstances and was forced to deal with double standards and sexism, but her tone is not a bitter one. In fact, I think Tana is proud of her accomplishments, as she should be. She paid some heavy dues and had many regrets, but overall, I get the impression that if she had it to do over again, she wouldn’t hesitate to jump on the road again with some of the most famous and talented artists of the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
Overall, a solid memoir- very straightforward, but organized chronologically and very easy to read and follow. Some of Tana’s stories were hilarious, some shocking, some poignant, but all were interesting, as is Tana. I think she took the high road quite often and glossed over some of the seedier aspects of the business, choosing to keep the tone mild and matter of fact- but I think she succeeded in giving the reader what they signed on for.
All music fans and concert goers should read this book- it’s a look at what it takes to be a female pioneer in an alpha male environment as well as an up close and personal look at what goes into putting a show together for artists and fans, which was very enlightening.
4 stars
April 25, 2022
3.5 Stars
Tana Douglas was just 16 in 1973 when she became the first female roadie touring with Australian hard rockers AC/DC. She herself hailed from Australia and was the product of a dysfunctional family. I surmised that such circumstances propelled her towards a life on her own at a much younger age than would be the norm. I admired her inner strength, street smart sense and work ethic. She had a way of drawing people to her and taking life on- which provided for a very interesting "live by the seat of your pants" kind of lifestyle. She met and worked for a ton of famous musicians. Tana went from backline musical equipment assembly for bands to handling lighting, sound, and sometimes apprentice electrician duties. The times she described such manipulation of hardware and cables it went over my head and I was want to skim, but she also had some very interesting road stories to tell. My senses perked up when I encountered a story involving George Harrison, who had wandered over from his Friar Park estate to another across the way to attend a party. Some people may not know this, but George was a bit of a philanderer during his marriages- but I was surprised to hear about this one. He was married to second wife Olivia at the time and they had their son Dhani by then.
Some of the bands she worked with were AC/DC, Elton John, Status Quo, The Police, Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, The Who, Santana...and many more. She was in the business for 30 years, and really trailblazed the way for women working in this field. She found herself in some really sticky situations, but had a remarkable talent for getting out of them. She also often helped other musicians network to resolve issues like when a band hoped for a reunion.
This book must be a re-issue because I nearly bought it last year. I did enjoy the book, but admit that if I didn't know much about a band she was discussing, I wasn't that interested in those sections. I also wasn't keen on too much technical jargon. Other than that, this was a good read.
Thank you to the publisher Harper 360, ABC Books AU who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
Tana Douglas was just 16 in 1973 when she became the first female roadie touring with Australian hard rockers AC/DC. She herself hailed from Australia and was the product of a dysfunctional family. I surmised that such circumstances propelled her towards a life on her own at a much younger age than would be the norm. I admired her inner strength, street smart sense and work ethic. She had a way of drawing people to her and taking life on- which provided for a very interesting "live by the seat of your pants" kind of lifestyle. She met and worked for a ton of famous musicians. Tana went from backline musical equipment assembly for bands to handling lighting, sound, and sometimes apprentice electrician duties. The times she described such manipulation of hardware and cables it went over my head and I was want to skim, but she also had some very interesting road stories to tell. My senses perked up when I encountered a story involving George Harrison, who had wandered over from his Friar Park estate to another across the way to attend a party. Some people may not know this, but George was a bit of a philanderer during his marriages- but I was surprised to hear about this one. He was married to second wife Olivia at the time and they had their son Dhani by then.
Some of the bands she worked with were AC/DC, Elton John, Status Quo, The Police, Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, The Who, Santana...and many more. She was in the business for 30 years, and really trailblazed the way for women working in this field. She found herself in some really sticky situations, but had a remarkable talent for getting out of them. She also often helped other musicians network to resolve issues like when a band hoped for a reunion.
This book must be a re-issue because I nearly bought it last year. I did enjoy the book, but admit that if I didn't know much about a band she was discussing, I wasn't that interested in those sections. I also wasn't keen on too much technical jargon. Other than that, this was a good read.
Thank you to the publisher Harper 360, ABC Books AU who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
February 17, 2021
I read the book "Roadies' and recognised the Tana's name in both the photo's and a few of the stories... It was a fascinating read, light on the technical stuff, (which I know next to nothing about), but I have been one of the many punters (at the front barrier), sweating it out in the Aussie Pubs... eg-The Angels, The Oil's, AC/DC, the Screaming Jets, so I know the kind of environment that Tana 'lived in', sadly I also know how brutal the 70's and 80's could be on females (just in the everyday). The typical 'Aussie bloke' with a skinful of grog in him looking to blow off steam after a long hard week at work would have (sadly) have caused no end of issues for the female roadie making her way in the world. This does (rightly) get some 'air time' throughout the book. Some very funny stories and deft touch at handling some of the more darker areas of the music business made the book a great read. If you think you know about touring - think again - Tana seems to have lived, breathed with some wide and varied musical acts. The fact that Tana thrived and survived and came out the other end is clearly testament to her ability and strong work ethic. In short -if you like tales from the road, this is a great read (from a fresh point of view)
August 19, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir, far more than I thought I would.
What a fascinating and unique life she has lived, partly being in the right places at the right times, with the right interests and the right work mentality. A real woman in a man's world story.
Really made me want to listen to what's now the golden oldies of 1970s-80s rock, especially Aus Rock.
An audiobook memoir, I'd recommend, even if you are not much into the bands that she worked for, you might find yourself intrigued by the music after listening to this.
What a fascinating and unique life she has lived, partly being in the right places at the right times, with the right interests and the right work mentality. A real woman in a man's world story.
Really made me want to listen to what's now the golden oldies of 1970s-80s rock, especially Aus Rock.
An audiobook memoir, I'd recommend, even if you are not much into the bands that she worked for, you might find yourself intrigued by the music after listening to this.
April 20, 2021
I’m always in awe of woman who have pioneered male dominated industries. Tana Douglas is most certainly one of those women. Her story made it feel like her personality and devotion to her career came easy but as the book continues it is clear nothing was simple. I really appreciated her stories providing enough shock of an industry many know little about yet keeping those involved (especially illegal activities) anonymous.
There were times when many names were said and I couldn’t follow who she was mentioning. No doubt these people were important to her story but challenging for someone like myself who doesn’t know all the names of those in the music world. I do wish I learned more of her relationship with her son, or the lack of relationship. She made the best decisions she could in the the moments she had to make a choice, only wish she expanded on the outcomes. I got the impression she may have been protecting her sons identity from her story.
All and all it’s a great biography of a woman working with the worlds greatest bands and being a part of there success behind the scenes. It is clear she is respected and humble about her accomplishments. If there’s one thing I can walk away with after reading this book, the term roadie has an entirely new meaning to me.
There were times when many names were said and I couldn’t follow who she was mentioning. No doubt these people were important to her story but challenging for someone like myself who doesn’t know all the names of those in the music world. I do wish I learned more of her relationship with her son, or the lack of relationship. She made the best decisions she could in the the moments she had to make a choice, only wish she expanded on the outcomes. I got the impression she may have been protecting her sons identity from her story.
All and all it’s a great biography of a woman working with the worlds greatest bands and being a part of there success behind the scenes. It is clear she is respected and humble about her accomplishments. If there’s one thing I can walk away with after reading this book, the term roadie has an entirely new meaning to me.
October 10, 2022
4 stars
August 12, 2022
’m a little torn on this book because on the one hand, Tana Douglas is a total girl boss and I’m kinda obsessed with her crazy rock and roll roadie career, but on the other hand, the book is written very matter of factly and lacks any emotional connection. That made it a slow read.
Tana was 15 years old when she ran away from home and started working as a roadie. She has worked with some amazing artists: AC/DC, Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne, Elton John, INXS, The Police, Neil Diamond and Santana - just to name a few. The book is filed with stories from the road and by all accounts she’s lived an amazing life. As the first female roadie, she had to work harder to prove herself dealing with all kinds of sexism along the way. Despite that, She slowly gained respect and admiration in the industry and ultimately had a very successful career.
While her professional life was doing well, her personal life was kind of a mess. She had to deal with a manipulative mother and a father that was completely out of his depth with her. She struggled with her own son as well. The parts about her son ALMOST made me feel! That was the one time she managed to build somewhat of an emotional connection!
This book could have been very heart wrenching because of her family and the loss of several friends and colleagues along the way, but Tana just told the facts and moved on, not dwelling on the hurt that she sometimes had to go through. I think that’s just her personality though - pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep going. I don’t think she liked showing her emotions in life and so that kind of translated over to the book and her storytelling as well.
The stories are great though and she’s a bit of a bad ass, so it’s hard not to respect this book because of that! I mean when I finished the book, I googled her and looked up even more about her, so that says something. If you love music, especially some of the old 70s and 80s rockers, I think you’ll enjoy it.
Thank you to @harpercollins @harpercollins360 for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
Tana was 15 years old when she ran away from home and started working as a roadie. She has worked with some amazing artists: AC/DC, Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne, Elton John, INXS, The Police, Neil Diamond and Santana - just to name a few. The book is filed with stories from the road and by all accounts she’s lived an amazing life. As the first female roadie, she had to work harder to prove herself dealing with all kinds of sexism along the way. Despite that, She slowly gained respect and admiration in the industry and ultimately had a very successful career.
While her professional life was doing well, her personal life was kind of a mess. She had to deal with a manipulative mother and a father that was completely out of his depth with her. She struggled with her own son as well. The parts about her son ALMOST made me feel! That was the one time she managed to build somewhat of an emotional connection!
This book could have been very heart wrenching because of her family and the loss of several friends and colleagues along the way, but Tana just told the facts and moved on, not dwelling on the hurt that she sometimes had to go through. I think that’s just her personality though - pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep going. I don’t think she liked showing her emotions in life and so that kind of translated over to the book and her storytelling as well.
The stories are great though and she’s a bit of a bad ass, so it’s hard not to respect this book because of that! I mean when I finished the book, I googled her and looked up even more about her, so that says something. If you love music, especially some of the old 70s and 80s rockers, I think you’ll enjoy it.
Thank you to @harpercollins @harpercollins360 for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
March 9, 2021
What does it feel like to be a pioneer in the workplace? If you’re so deeply immersed and engaged in the work itself, there’s little time for such reflections, as Tana Douglas illustrates in her debut book Loud.
In late 1973, at age 16, she began working as a member of AC/DC’s road crew, helping to keep the show on the road for the Sydney-born rock act who would eventually become of the biggest bands in the world. Douglas’s story is unique and well told, and her book offers a rare perspective on the many hands that make light work behind the scenes of rock ‘n’ roll gigs, from small local acts all the way up to the stadium-filling headliners.
Her path into this career was born of impatience: one night in Sydney, Douglas’s broke friend was in dire need of a ride home to Melbourne, and her friends in a band called Fox weren’t exactly in a hurry to get back on the road after playing a concert.
An industrious self-starter by nature, Douglas jumped into action to load the gear back into the truck - while perhaps embarrassing the dillydallying male crew at the same time - and the next time Fox visited Sydney, they hired her to manage the equipment onstage. As she writes:
“It took a while for me to adjust to the job at hand, and a while longer before I even had time to consider the fact that there weren’t any other female roadies. I didn’t ever ask anyone about it, as I worried that if I brought attention to the fact I was the only one, then maybe I would be thrown out of my new club. I dressed like the boys! Drank like the boys! Even swore like the boys! Most importantly, though, I worked hard like the boys! I didn’t go into this field with the view that I was doing anything special or unusual; it was all about the music and a feeling of belonging.”
While Fox fell to the footnotes of Australian rock history, her meeting with AC/DC at a house in St Kilda in August 1974 would lead to a formative 12 months spent in the band’s orbit. As well as living with them, Douglas was there for the band’s first appearance on Countdown; the launch of its debut album High Voltage; and its first pub gig through to shows before thousands of fans, including the infamous Sunbury Pop Festival in early 1975, where AC/DC got into a fistfight with Deep Purple’s crew and refused to play.
These two chapters concerning her time with the Bon Scott-led band are essential reading for the more hardcore among fans of AC/DC, especially considering how tight-lipped the quintet was in general, preferring to let its hard-rocking music do most of the talking. Of a scary moment where an asthmatic Scott nearly died of a drug overdose in the Lansdowne Road house, she writes, “We were all sworn to secrecy about this incident as the best thing for the band as a whole.”
Douglas declined Malcolm Young’s offer to become AC/DC’s lighting designer in August 1975, opting instead to join local crews working on touring overseas acts such as Suzi Quatro, Santana, Neil Diamond and Status Quo. The latter band would become her international springboard: four years with Quo would in turn lead to working on shows with Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne and The Who.
This book's cast of culture-shaping characters is formidable, and fans of rock ‘n’ roll from the mid 1970s onwards will find plenty of fascinating anecdotes and observations. The real value of this book, though, is to right some wrongheaded notions of road crew both here and abroad, as Douglas writes:
“The general public tends to look at roadies as a bunch of wild, tough, and not necessarily talented, yobs. […] This impression, I can assure you, was inaccurate. Under those gruff exteriors lurked innovators who knew no fear or boundaries for change while creating the new face of the music industry.”
To succeed in this demanding industry, the author notes, “you had to commit to the lifestyle. You had to commit to the band. You had to commit to making the show happen, no matter what the personal cost.”
Skilfully threaded throughout the star-studded narrative of Loud is a quieter, more reflective personal story which details those personal costs. Unhappy at boarding school and at home as a teenager, Douglas had first found a sense of purpose and belonging in the club-like mentality of road crew that, like her, had bought the ticket and taken the ride.
In time, the all-consuming nature of a life in perpetual motion would catch up with Douglas and unravel in a spectacularly heartbreaking manner, which I won’t disclose here. Those costs are real, though, and her decision to explore this terrain in painstaking detail is to be applauded.
Much of the book details her working life up to the mid 1980s, with more recent decades captured in a series of vignettes. The book closes with a lovely reunion moment with Malcolm and Angus Young in 2000, neatly looping back to the beginnings of Douglas's career.
As for that notion of being a pioneer in a male-dominated workplace? Most of the time Douglas was so caught up in her high-pressure work that it didn’t register, but on her last tour with Elton John across England, she was met by a strange sight: another woman on the road crew in Debbie Vincent, a lighting technician. The pair soon became friends.
“It was nice to finally have another girl out there, and one who mostly knew her shit - what she didn’t know, she learnt quickly,” Douglas writes. “It was like having a little sister all of a sudden. It was 1983 and I had been touring for nearly a decade.”
Andrew McMillen is The Australian’s national music writer and author of Talking Smack: Honest Conversations About Drugs. This review originally published in The Weekend Australian Review on March 6, 2021.
In late 1973, at age 16, she began working as a member of AC/DC’s road crew, helping to keep the show on the road for the Sydney-born rock act who would eventually become of the biggest bands in the world. Douglas’s story is unique and well told, and her book offers a rare perspective on the many hands that make light work behind the scenes of rock ‘n’ roll gigs, from small local acts all the way up to the stadium-filling headliners.
Her path into this career was born of impatience: one night in Sydney, Douglas’s broke friend was in dire need of a ride home to Melbourne, and her friends in a band called Fox weren’t exactly in a hurry to get back on the road after playing a concert.
An industrious self-starter by nature, Douglas jumped into action to load the gear back into the truck - while perhaps embarrassing the dillydallying male crew at the same time - and the next time Fox visited Sydney, they hired her to manage the equipment onstage. As she writes:
“It took a while for me to adjust to the job at hand, and a while longer before I even had time to consider the fact that there weren’t any other female roadies. I didn’t ever ask anyone about it, as I worried that if I brought attention to the fact I was the only one, then maybe I would be thrown out of my new club. I dressed like the boys! Drank like the boys! Even swore like the boys! Most importantly, though, I worked hard like the boys! I didn’t go into this field with the view that I was doing anything special or unusual; it was all about the music and a feeling of belonging.”
While Fox fell to the footnotes of Australian rock history, her meeting with AC/DC at a house in St Kilda in August 1974 would lead to a formative 12 months spent in the band’s orbit. As well as living with them, Douglas was there for the band’s first appearance on Countdown; the launch of its debut album High Voltage; and its first pub gig through to shows before thousands of fans, including the infamous Sunbury Pop Festival in early 1975, where AC/DC got into a fistfight with Deep Purple’s crew and refused to play.
These two chapters concerning her time with the Bon Scott-led band are essential reading for the more hardcore among fans of AC/DC, especially considering how tight-lipped the quintet was in general, preferring to let its hard-rocking music do most of the talking. Of a scary moment where an asthmatic Scott nearly died of a drug overdose in the Lansdowne Road house, she writes, “We were all sworn to secrecy about this incident as the best thing for the band as a whole.”
Douglas declined Malcolm Young’s offer to become AC/DC’s lighting designer in August 1975, opting instead to join local crews working on touring overseas acts such as Suzi Quatro, Santana, Neil Diamond and Status Quo. The latter band would become her international springboard: four years with Quo would in turn lead to working on shows with Elton John, Ozzy Osbourne and The Who.
This book's cast of culture-shaping characters is formidable, and fans of rock ‘n’ roll from the mid 1970s onwards will find plenty of fascinating anecdotes and observations. The real value of this book, though, is to right some wrongheaded notions of road crew both here and abroad, as Douglas writes:
“The general public tends to look at roadies as a bunch of wild, tough, and not necessarily talented, yobs. […] This impression, I can assure you, was inaccurate. Under those gruff exteriors lurked innovators who knew no fear or boundaries for change while creating the new face of the music industry.”
To succeed in this demanding industry, the author notes, “you had to commit to the lifestyle. You had to commit to the band. You had to commit to making the show happen, no matter what the personal cost.”
Skilfully threaded throughout the star-studded narrative of Loud is a quieter, more reflective personal story which details those personal costs. Unhappy at boarding school and at home as a teenager, Douglas had first found a sense of purpose and belonging in the club-like mentality of road crew that, like her, had bought the ticket and taken the ride.
In time, the all-consuming nature of a life in perpetual motion would catch up with Douglas and unravel in a spectacularly heartbreaking manner, which I won’t disclose here. Those costs are real, though, and her decision to explore this terrain in painstaking detail is to be applauded.
Much of the book details her working life up to the mid 1980s, with more recent decades captured in a series of vignettes. The book closes with a lovely reunion moment with Malcolm and Angus Young in 2000, neatly looping back to the beginnings of Douglas's career.
As for that notion of being a pioneer in a male-dominated workplace? Most of the time Douglas was so caught up in her high-pressure work that it didn’t register, but on her last tour with Elton John across England, she was met by a strange sight: another woman on the road crew in Debbie Vincent, a lighting technician. The pair soon became friends.
“It was nice to finally have another girl out there, and one who mostly knew her shit - what she didn’t know, she learnt quickly,” Douglas writes. “It was like having a little sister all of a sudden. It was 1983 and I had been touring for nearly a decade.”
Andrew McMillen is The Australian’s national music writer and author of Talking Smack: Honest Conversations About Drugs. This review originally published in The Weekend Australian Review on March 6, 2021.
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June 7, 2021Fascinating. A back-stage insight into the evolving music touring industry in Australia and elsewhere. An engaging narrator. The lack of OH&S. The heartbreak and the joy. Well worth your time.
May 20, 2023
Great read for modern music fans.
June 17, 2023
"It is a hell of a way to make a living if it doesn't kill you". There are probably a few occupations that might fit this description, but this autobiography by the world's first female roadie goes on to explain exactly why she said that. From a difficult family background, she ran away at the age of 15 and started a career in which she worked backline, sound, lights, logistics, production and tour management and the reader is carried along as she does this. I'm always a starter for a strong woman making her way in a world that thinks she shouldn't be doing what she does, and Tana is definitely one of these.
This book is about the music, the personalities in the business, and touring with the bands. She is clearly very good at what she does, with duties often well beyond her official titles, though it seems that this has been at the expense of her personal life. How did she do it? From a later interview: "Prove yourself by example by doing the job better than others. Don't complain, make it better. Choose your battles". She is apparently writing another book, and I'll definitely be looking out for it.
This book is about the music, the personalities in the business, and touring with the bands. She is clearly very good at what she does, with duties often well beyond her official titles, though it seems that this has been at the expense of her personal life. How did she do it? From a later interview: "Prove yourself by example by doing the job better than others. Don't complain, make it better. Choose your battles". She is apparently writing another book, and I'll definitely be looking out for it.
April 23, 2021
A fabulous career told with passion for getting the job done. Although Tana reminisced it was about her experience not just name dropping. Also revealing some more personal things without giving away other people's privacy.
A great Roadie, still with so much to offer in a life well lived.
A great Roadie, still with so much to offer in a life well lived.
October 20, 2021
An absolutely brilliant book! Tana Douglas was in the thick of it all back in the days of pure, good old rock and roll, as the first ever female roadie. Just think about that for a moment! She was out there with the big boys, the weight of the world on her shoulders trying to prove herself in a male-dominated world, and she crushed it. From the very beginning of AC/DC's career to VH1's Save the Music Foundation, Douglas has left her mark in every aspect of the rock world, whether you know it or not.
It's impossible to remember the number of concerts I've been to in my lifetime, but I was one of those people who watched the stage crew before, during and after a show with a keen eye because I wanted to do that. Music was an important aspect in my life and live music fueled me. I wanted to be involved in the background in some way, any way, but my life took a different path. I'm so thankful to Douglas for writing this book; for the girls out there who wanted somehow to be involved without being a groupie, and for the girls who can still make it happen.
I've always been a huge fan of Jimmy McCulloch, so the written passages about him were my favorite. The Thai sticks were hilarious, the children's room where Douglas slept in his flat was heartwarming, and the morning brushing of the teeth routine made me smile because I've always done the tongue thing myself (and gagged).
I would love to see Douglas's story made into a movie, but I know it would never compare to her own words as written in her autobiography. Whether it was being hit on by George Harrison, sleeping in Paul McCartney's leather seated Vanden Plas, hiding a pregnancy until she actually gave birth, or being thrust in front of Queen Elizabeth, she lets it all out for the readers with humility and class. Her highs and lows, her joy and heartbreak, and her struggle to find the one thing she always seemed to be grasping for, love.
If you love the good old days of rock and roll, or believe in the power of women making it in a man's world, you should definitely read this book. You won't be disappointed.
One of my favorite lines from the book: "There is a bond that comes from living every day in each other's pockets."
It's impossible to remember the number of concerts I've been to in my lifetime, but I was one of those people who watched the stage crew before, during and after a show with a keen eye because I wanted to do that. Music was an important aspect in my life and live music fueled me. I wanted to be involved in the background in some way, any way, but my life took a different path. I'm so thankful to Douglas for writing this book; for the girls out there who wanted somehow to be involved without being a groupie, and for the girls who can still make it happen.
I've always been a huge fan of Jimmy McCulloch, so the written passages about him were my favorite. The Thai sticks were hilarious, the children's room where Douglas slept in his flat was heartwarming, and the morning brushing of the teeth routine made me smile because I've always done the tongue thing myself (and gagged).
I would love to see Douglas's story made into a movie, but I know it would never compare to her own words as written in her autobiography. Whether it was being hit on by George Harrison, sleeping in Paul McCartney's leather seated Vanden Plas, hiding a pregnancy until she actually gave birth, or being thrust in front of Queen Elizabeth, she lets it all out for the readers with humility and class. Her highs and lows, her joy and heartbreak, and her struggle to find the one thing she always seemed to be grasping for, love.
If you love the good old days of rock and roll, or believe in the power of women making it in a man's world, you should definitely read this book. You won't be disappointed.
One of my favorite lines from the book: "There is a bond that comes from living every day in each other's pockets."
July 17, 2023
At first glance Loud: A Life in Rock’n’roll by the world’s first female roadie by Tana Douglas is a scintillating look behind the scenes of some of the biggest rock bands. There’s sex and drugs to go with the rock’n’roll as Douglas unloads juicy moments with every load out. From a well-stocked trailer parked on the lawn at Windsor Gardens to a dog getting into a stash at an Australian after-party, there’s something for everyone. Douglas also rubs shoulders with the likes of Paul McCartney, Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne, and Neil Diamond. But behind the star-studded cast is the history of the modern road crew from the 1970s to the 1990s.
After starting out in behind-the-times Australia, Douglas jumps from one mega show to the next where the cutting edge of stage shows dazzle audiences around the world. The stories chronicle how stage lighting becomes an attraction that threatens to overshadow the bands themselves. Through the blood and sweat of the road crews, the productions increase in size and complexity. Sound, lighting, and rigging mature as industries and require teams and trucks. Douglas includes the grittiness and pain of long nights and safety playing catch up to daring feats. The drugs, and recklessness take their toll, but still, the show goes on.
How much could be packed in 350 pages? One might be forgiven for thinking this book glorifies the roadie life from a summary. However, Tana Douglas never forgets she is a woman in a “man’s world.” Where Douglas bares her vulnerabilities is where this book really shines. Her isolation, her difficulties as a child, a partner, and as a parent hits hard. I found myself wishing happy endings for Douglas, but knowing that her truth is more common. Loud is the perfect snapshot of the life of the roadie with all the highs and all the lows. I recommend reading about the rock’n’roll life of Tana Douglas to anyone interested in touring shows. Bring your earplugs.
https://soundgirls.org/loud-tana-doug...
After starting out in behind-the-times Australia, Douglas jumps from one mega show to the next where the cutting edge of stage shows dazzle audiences around the world. The stories chronicle how stage lighting becomes an attraction that threatens to overshadow the bands themselves. Through the blood and sweat of the road crews, the productions increase in size and complexity. Sound, lighting, and rigging mature as industries and require teams and trucks. Douglas includes the grittiness and pain of long nights and safety playing catch up to daring feats. The drugs, and recklessness take their toll, but still, the show goes on.
How much could be packed in 350 pages? One might be forgiven for thinking this book glorifies the roadie life from a summary. However, Tana Douglas never forgets she is a woman in a “man’s world.” Where Douglas bares her vulnerabilities is where this book really shines. Her isolation, her difficulties as a child, a partner, and as a parent hits hard. I found myself wishing happy endings for Douglas, but knowing that her truth is more common. Loud is the perfect snapshot of the life of the roadie with all the highs and all the lows. I recommend reading about the rock’n’roll life of Tana Douglas to anyone interested in touring shows. Bring your earplugs.
https://soundgirls.org/loud-tana-doug...
February 23, 2021
Tana Douglas was the Worlds first Roadie This is her story. I have never read a more authentic book regarding what it was really like back in the 70's to the 90's for those who happened to become the first professional roadies.
Tana's journey was very real and extremely unique. Her writing is exceptional with just the right balance between the "Sex Drugs & Rock 'n Roll" and the very moving personal journey throuh a very difficult upbringing. Tana never once becomes "Star Struck" and instead was embraced by the hitherto fraternity (and it was like a frat house) of her male workmates.
Tana's journey is vividly described year by year and artist by artist. She as "there" for many "technical firsts" as well as lots of action, thrills and spills in those heady days when road crews had to make it up as they went along.
The book has the perfect mix of true superstar never heard before stories and the realities of working 16 hour days with no days off.
This book has everything.......Thoroughly recommended
Tana's journey was very real and extremely unique. Her writing is exceptional with just the right balance between the "Sex Drugs & Rock 'n Roll" and the very moving personal journey throuh a very difficult upbringing. Tana never once becomes "Star Struck" and instead was embraced by the hitherto fraternity (and it was like a frat house) of her male workmates.
Tana's journey is vividly described year by year and artist by artist. She as "there" for many "technical firsts" as well as lots of action, thrills and spills in those heady days when road crews had to make it up as they went along.
The book has the perfect mix of true superstar never heard before stories and the realities of working 16 hour days with no days off.
This book has everything.......Thoroughly recommended
August 28, 2021
I listened to Tana tell her story on Audible. There are some really great parts of such an interesting life. I loved hearing about her meetings with the likes of Bon Scott and Iggy Pop. I also love that she thrived and succeeded in such a male dominated environment. Her story about her relationship with her mother and son are heart breaking though. I really felt for her. She reveals some things in detail but holds back on a lot of other things. She kind of just skims the surface at times. I feel like I would have liked to have learnt more. Worth a read.
May 7, 2021
Not your average tell all rock and roll book. As someone who has intersected with some of the best musicians of the last fifty years from the unique perspectives of being road crew and lighting manager, her story is immensely interesting but the cost to her personal life is great. To have achieved her status would have been remarkable as it was but to achieve it as a woman in a one of the still male dominated arenas is incredible. You won’t always like her but you will be intrigued.
June 22, 2022
I don’t know. I think maybe I’ve just read too many of these rock/music bios. I should just avoid them in the future because I just don’t think I’m interested anymore in such and such was really nice when I didn’t expect him to be and this guy did this and I once met this person and we got into this crazy situation once…. You get the idea.
January 12, 2025
One of Tana's earliest memories is of her Mum waking her up in the middle of the night saying hurray grab some clothes and a favourite item and let's go, we're leaving. This became a habit, her Mum running away. When she was 11, a new partner of her Mum went too far in abusing her and her sister and as they had scrimped and saved their spending money and from odd jobs they did and her older sister ran away and Tana bore the brunt of her Mother's rath. Then at 11 she got sent to live with her Dad. Her Dad was a meek soul, living now with his Mother and they put into boarding school out in the country, mostly attended by girls from stations and farms, which she loved. But when it came time for secondary school, she put into a massive city school and she couldn't relate. When the opportunity at the age of 15 arose to run away with the musical circus she took and began her long career as a roadie with a fledgling unknown band led by 2 brothers, with yet an even older brother and his creative partner managing and producing them - a small wee band called AC/DC. And thus Tana became the first female roadie in what to then was strictly a male domain. And she worked with AC/DC throughout the constant touring after the first album came out - 2 years. When starting they played all the main pubs of the cities and even out in the country. Tana relates some very humorous stories about some of the escapades and skirmishes with the local constabulary who took the publicity of Angus being a schoolboy of that age, thus not allowed to be playing a pub at night. Along the way, she ocassionally met a sympathetic veteran roadie who'd give her advice. One who became very important to her and became a lifelong friend was called Swampy. When Tana found out her mentor was coming to town with Sherbet on their tour, she made a beeline to the venue and sought him out. And talked to him after the load out was competed. His advice was rather than work for a band with long down times, work for a production company that supplies the gear and generally works sound and lights if the band doesn't have someone to do the same. And with his recommendation she got a gig with a company and her first tour with them was with Neil Diamond. She went from doing sound to become the lighting designer and watched as lighting went from being an after tought to being just as important for a band's image as their sound and dress on stage. And she kept on going and growing, eventually working with Elton John, The Who, Santana, The Police, Patti Smith, Ice T and many more. She made a move to London and eventually the company moved her to the USA in 1982. The book came out in 2020 and near the end of the book she describes her impressions of the USA. She says that the country she got to know on that tour of 1982 by "getting close and perasonal wasn't the America of today. So much has changed. (And) at the risk of sounding like someone's parent, there was a naivety about it, with just a touch of petulance that been long lost. That unfathomable pride- which could be simultaneously grating and awesome - has been replaced by a seemingly endless stream of arrogane and anger. Sad, really." Later in her life, she started up a non-profit company to help school kids by showing them the importance of music in their lives and using her connections got instruments, and computers donated to the schools, as well as musicians/bands to come talk and play for the students. She even got a recording studio donated for use by Yoko Ono - the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus - brought in so students could see how music they are creating gets made into a recording. This non-profit became the forerunner of VH1's Save the Music Foundation. She says at the end that when she started she was the only woman working as touring crew. While she is happy this is changing, it is slow as she was writing the book she sites that only 12% of music industry touring workforce is made up of women. I especially loved the last pages, where she sites a playlist of music she got to love by touring with bands of over 40 songs.
August 20, 2022
I'm always up for a book that brings me into the 1970s (and the overlapping years). This one achieved this and then some. As someone who listens to a lot of music from this era, it was exciting to read about some of the things behind the scenes, especially from the perspective of a female Roadie — something unheard of at the time Tana Douglas got her start.
The book is engaging and reflective, touching upon the author's career more than personal life. There is some backstory, but most of the facts going forward are left vague. I had mixed feelings about this because while I respect the decision to keep things private, there was enough information divulged throughout the book that leaves the reader hanging. At the same time, I liked that the focus was on the industry and not just the individual. I never realized all that goes into a concert, especially before today's technology.
From AC/DC to Iggy Pop to Elton John to The Police, several bands and performers are mentioned in this memoir. While the recognition of so many artists is full of nostalgia (even speaking as someone who wasn't around for the height of their fame), the heart of the book is Tana Douglas' journey from runaway to a pioneer for women in the music industry.
A huge thanks to HarperCollins/Harper360 for sending me a free ARC to read and review!
Full review: https://oceanwriterreads.com/2022/08/...
The book is engaging and reflective, touching upon the author's career more than personal life. There is some backstory, but most of the facts going forward are left vague. I had mixed feelings about this because while I respect the decision to keep things private, there was enough information divulged throughout the book that leaves the reader hanging. At the same time, I liked that the focus was on the industry and not just the individual. I never realized all that goes into a concert, especially before today's technology.
From AC/DC to Iggy Pop to Elton John to The Police, several bands and performers are mentioned in this memoir. While the recognition of so many artists is full of nostalgia (even speaking as someone who wasn't around for the height of their fame), the heart of the book is Tana Douglas' journey from runaway to a pioneer for women in the music industry.
A huge thanks to HarperCollins/Harper360 for sending me a free ARC to read and review!
Full review: https://oceanwriterreads.com/2022/08/...
April 30, 2023
3.5 stars. A really easy read and good pacing - it moved nice and quick. It was fascinating to learn about the background of some major tours, plus in general how the backstage concert industry has evolved over time. She very well wove her personal stories with a peek at various bands and the industry in general. And I give her credit for her strength and stamina, especially as a lone female in her role.
The volume of names got confusing at times, and some of the stories she highlighted as hilarious I found a little hard to see the humor. There was a ton of detail from her earlier life but I kind of wanted the same attention to the 90s - not just because I loved the at era in music (and some of the artists she supported!), but also because it felt like halfway through she got bored with writing and just sped up the stories. I also felt like she took credit for a lot of things in music history that didn’t feel as credible. However, I don’t doubt some of the craziness she had to take control over backstage!
If you like music or going to concerts, and especially if you like 70s rock, you’ll enjoy this book.
The volume of names got confusing at times, and some of the stories she highlighted as hilarious I found a little hard to see the humor. There was a ton of detail from her earlier life but I kind of wanted the same attention to the 90s - not just because I loved the at era in music (and some of the artists she supported!), but also because it felt like halfway through she got bored with writing and just sped up the stories. I also felt like she took credit for a lot of things in music history that didn’t feel as credible. However, I don’t doubt some of the craziness she had to take control over backstage!
If you like music or going to concerts, and especially if you like 70s rock, you’ll enjoy this book.
September 18, 2022
Welcome to the jungle! And the jungle is LOUD!
The first female roadie, for bands like The Who and AC/DC, writes her memoir. Of course, it’s chock full of sex, drugs and rock and roll. But, also, it shows her courageous battle for equity at a time when women were anything but equal in most men’s eyes.
From her start as an unpaid roadie with a French tightrope walker’s troop, Tana, who was only fifteen, would a year later be a roadie with the newly formed band AC/DC. And the wonders she would see!
Loud is an interesting and entertaining look behind the curtain at many influential 1970s through the 1990s rock acts with some stops at a riot or two. The book would be an excellent choice for music fans, or anyone interested in being a roadie themselves. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!
Thanks to Harper 360, ABC Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.
The first female roadie, for bands like The Who and AC/DC, writes her memoir. Of course, it’s chock full of sex, drugs and rock and roll. But, also, it shows her courageous battle for equity at a time when women were anything but equal in most men’s eyes.
From her start as an unpaid roadie with a French tightrope walker’s troop, Tana, who was only fifteen, would a year later be a roadie with the newly formed band AC/DC. And the wonders she would see!
Loud is an interesting and entertaining look behind the curtain at many influential 1970s through the 1990s rock acts with some stops at a riot or two. The book would be an excellent choice for music fans, or anyone interested in being a roadie themselves. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!
Thanks to Harper 360, ABC Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.
Read
January 5, 2022Tana Douglas grew up in Brisbane with an absent father and an abusive alcoholic mother. It wasn’t the best start in life. At 15 she walked out on whatever semblance of family she had known and hitch-hiked the east coast of Australia, attending music gigs and sleeping wherever she could find a mattress. After a concert in Sydney she agreed to help a band pack up their equipment in exchange for a ride to Melbourne. That trip led to a job as a roadie for another band that was yet to record its first album. The new band’s name was AC/DC, and Douglas had started on her long road to the top as a rock and roll roadie. Loud is both an entertaining backstage look at some of the world’s biggest acts, and an emotional journey to find a family to fill the void of a lost childhood.
September 24, 2021
Really enjoyed the read. The life of a Roadie a female roadie starting her incredible story at 16. At times I couldn’t comprehend how she managed the job at such a young age re: lifting massive equipment the practicalities of the job I found it hard to believe , you have to just go with the story. It was informative regarding the music industry and musicians, bands managers and all behind the scenes dramas surrounding the industry. Her work ethic was second to
None hence her rise to the technical
Side of the job and eventually her own company.
None hence her rise to the technical
Side of the job and eventually her own company.
July 17, 2023
A consistently entertaining memoir that chronicles the life, on the road & off, of the first, & for many years, only female rock'n'roll roadie. Starting out as a teenager, not old enough to be served a drink in Australian venues, with the emerging AC/DC she goes on to work with a multitude of industry heavyweights that include Neil Diamond, Santana, Status Quo, Ozzy Osbourne & Elton John. Surprisingly, given the number of males with excess testosterone that she worked with, the rudest behaviour she records is perpetrated by The (all female) Go Gos.
May 30, 2022
Tana’s book was wonderful, gentle with a punch. I couldn’t put it down. Exciting, sometimes sad, sometimes funny with escapades. I reread a few chapters I enjoyed because I didn’t want it to end. Tana’s book has Insight on being a female roadie and how she lived during that time, sometimes dangerous but oh so exciting!
Highly recommend Loud. ♥️
Thank you Tana for a great ride into your life and what a rush!
Highly recommend Loud. ♥️
Thank you Tana for a great ride into your life and what a rush!
May 31, 2024
The subtitle of this book is ‘A life in rock 'n' roll by the world's first female roadie’ which pretty much sums it up. The audiobook is read by the author and it took me a couple of chapters to get used to the author’s cadence but I’m glad I persevered as this was a fascinating story of live music since the 1970s. It seems Douglas has worked with all the big names and is respectful in telling the stories (except for maybe the wife of one!).
February 20, 2021
With Tana doing media rounds in Australia this week, I managed to catch a couple of her interviews resulting in me buying the ebook. Tana is a great storyteller and I loved reading about her ground-breaking career. One of those books you don't want to come to an end. With so many stories and amazing encounters I can only hope there will be a follow-up. LOVED IT!
May 7, 2021
Enjoyable romp through 30+ years of being the only female roadie in a sea of testosterone. From her start with AC/DC in Melbourne to running her own company in Los Angeles, Tana Douglas has had a wild life.
Some of the larger than life stories just seemed, well, a little larger than life and didn't quite ring true - otherwise this is a great read and kept me interested all the way through.
Some of the larger than life stories just seemed, well, a little larger than life and didn't quite ring true - otherwise this is a great read and kept me interested all the way through.
June 4, 2021
Was an interesting read and expose of that branch of the music industry and what is involved in the whole running of it. Many of the reformers I had had but were from a period when I was raising three li children so had not been to their concerts. Interesting characters but remote from my life! Good on Tara for pursuing and succeeding.
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