Go-Set

Go-Set

Go-Set logo 1969–1972
Former editors	Tony Schauble Phillip Frazer Doug Panther Jon Hawkes Colin James Piotre Olszewski Ed Nimmervoll Jenny Irvine
Categories	pop music
Frequency	Weekly
Publisher	Go-Set Publications Waverley Press Sungravure IPC
First issue	2 February 1966
Final issue	24 August 1974
Country	Australia

Go-Set was the first Australian pop music newspaper, published weekly from 2 February 1966 to 24 August 1974, and was founded in Melbourne by Phillip Frazer, Peter Raphael and Tony Schauble. Widely described as a pop music "bible", it became an influential publication, introduced the first national pop record charts and featured many notable contributors including fashion designer Prue Acton, journalist Lily Brett, rock writer / band manager Vince Lovegrove, music commentator Ian Meldrum, rock writer / music historian Ed Nimmervoll and radio DJ Stan Rofe. It spawned the original Australian edition of Rolling Stone magazine in late 1972.

In 1964, Monash University student newspaper Chaos' co-editors, John Blakeley, Damien Broderick and Tony Schauble, renamed the paper Lot's Wife. Phillip Frazer was a staffer and later became co-editor with future parliamentarian Peter Steedman. Late in 1965, Schauble, Frazer, Broderick, and another student writer, Doug Panther, discussed ideas to make money during the holidays including the idea to create a teen-oriented pop music newspaper. Local rock group The Mood's manager, Peter Raphael, joined Frazer and Schauble and together they founded Go-Set Publications. Raphael brought in photographer Colin Beard and advertising manager Terry Cleary. Waverley Press, which owned Waverley Offset Printers, had printed Lot's Wife, and agreed to print Go-Set on credit. Schauble, Frazer and Panther produceded the newspaper from their home in the Melbourne suburb of Malvern. The first edition of Go-Set, dated 2 February 1966, was published with Schauble cited as editor because Frazer, a medical student, asked to be listed in the low-key role of designer and Panther, who had not registered for the military draft, was described as a feature writer. The first issue showcased Tom Jones (see right) and Herman's Hermits interviewed by Panther and photographed by Colin Beard at Palais Theatre, St Kilda. Initial sales were low, about 3000 to 5000 but Issue 3, which covered The Rolling Stones tour in Melbourne and Sydney, doubled their sales.