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Songwriters on the Run
'A comic odyssey, a crime thriller and a nuts-and-bolts account of making art. Not bad for one book!' PAUL KELLY
It's 1991, and Australian singer-songwriters Mick Woods and Drew Lovelock - 'tall and skinny, rock-star-wrecked handsome' - haven't yet managed to crack the big-time. But that's soon to be the least of their problems.
On tour in Central Queensland, what seems like a minor marijuana bust turns ugly, and they're incarcerated in a low-security institution in the middle of nowhere. With help from a couple of prisoners, they escape - but now what? They're songwriters on the run, desperately evading the long arm of the law and trying to clear their names. On the upside, they might get a good song out of all the drama. Meanwhile, in Hollywood, a major film star takes a liking to their music.
Songwriters on the Run, Robert Forster's debut novel, is a joyride. Burrowing into the netherworld of Australian independent music just as Nirvana's grunge is about to swamp the planet, the former Go-Betweens vocalist and accomplished solo performer has crafted a hectic, sometimes hilarious tale that is as silly, profound and grand as the music it celebrates.
It's 1991, and Australian singer-songwriters Mick Woods and Drew Lovelock - 'tall and skinny, rock-star-wrecked handsome' - haven't yet managed to crack the big-time. But that's soon to be the least of their problems.
On tour in Central Queensland, what seems like a minor marijuana bust turns ugly, and they're incarcerated in a low-security institution in the middle of nowhere. With help from a couple of prisoners, they escape - but now what? They're songwriters on the run, desperately evading the long arm of the law and trying to clear their names. On the upside, they might get a good song out of all the drama. Meanwhile, in Hollywood, a major film star takes a liking to their music.
Songwriters on the Run, Robert Forster's debut novel, is a joyride. Burrowing into the netherworld of Australian independent music just as Nirvana's grunge is about to swamp the planet, the former Go-Betweens vocalist and accomplished solo performer has crafted a hectic, sometimes hilarious tale that is as silly, profound and grand as the music it celebrates.
- GenresFiction
Audible Audio
Published May 5, 2026
About the author
Robert Forster
8 books10 followersRobert Forster is an Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and critic best known as the co-founder of the influential indie rock band The Go-Betweens, formed in 1977. Recognized for his clever songwriting, he pursued a successful solo career after the band's initial split in 1989. Following the 2006 death of partner Grant McLennan, Forster continued releasing acclaimed solo albums and published the memoir Grant & I in 2016. He remains active in the music industry, releasing The Candle and the Flame in 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 15, 2026
This was such a surprising quick read (or listen, in this case). The two main characters hit the right notes with me and, overall, I found this to be a quite sweet story. That’s the surprising part. I loved the Aussie-ness of the story, as well as the era (early 90s). There’s just something a little bit special about this book.
There is a little bit of bad language here and there, but minimal. The two main characters, Drew and Mick, are a little naive, but I think that’s what makes them so appealing.
With so much unpleasantness in the world today, I found Songwriters on the Run to be a very pleasant diversion. It’s just a bit of fun.
There is a little bit of bad language here and there, but minimal. The two main characters, Drew and Mick, are a little naive, but I think that’s what makes them so appealing.
With so much unpleasantness in the world today, I found Songwriters on the Run to be a very pleasant diversion. It’s just a bit of fun.
June 22, 2026
There was a lot to like about this book but a few quibbles also.
The big ideas worked well: two minor league (but ambitious) songwriters get into trouble with the law (mostly undeserved) - escape from detention - need to get back to Melbourne to sort out their problems - meanwhile, Hollywood music publishers are keen to make them huge in the States.
Everything to do with the music and composition was really good and clearly this is Robert Forster's home ground.
What didn't work (for me) were the basics of storytelling. I felt that the way they got out of prison was ridiculous and the surprising resolution of their problems back in Melbourne was pure deus ex machina and pretty left field. Very unsatisfying.
Even worse was the fact that the vast majority of the novel is the two songwriters bantering back and forth - one of them falls (kinda) in love - and yet, by the end of the novel, I still didn't know which of them was which. I could never tell who was talking due to how they'd been characterised.
That said, there is real poetry in Forster's writing. I found it compelling, immersive, even hypnotic and definitely enjoyed it. A bit like a song really - a song doesn't have to make narrative sense to be enjoyable, but a novel does.
This just needed some decent advice on plotting and characterisation and it could have been very special indeed.
The big ideas worked well: two minor league (but ambitious) songwriters get into trouble with the law (mostly undeserved) - escape from detention - need to get back to Melbourne to sort out their problems - meanwhile, Hollywood music publishers are keen to make them huge in the States.
Everything to do with the music and composition was really good and clearly this is Robert Forster's home ground.
What didn't work (for me) were the basics of storytelling. I felt that the way they got out of prison was ridiculous and the surprising resolution of their problems back in Melbourne was pure deus ex machina and pretty left field. Very unsatisfying.
Even worse was the fact that the vast majority of the novel is the two songwriters bantering back and forth - one of them falls (kinda) in love - and yet, by the end of the novel, I still didn't know which of them was which. I could never tell who was talking due to how they'd been characterised.
That said, there is real poetry in Forster's writing. I found it compelling, immersive, even hypnotic and definitely enjoyed it. A bit like a song really - a song doesn't have to make narrative sense to be enjoyable, but a novel does.
This just needed some decent advice on plotting and characterisation and it could have been very special indeed.
June 1, 2026
I borrowed this audio book because of the author - I listened to the GoBetweens on high rotation and saw them live many times.
Was the book any good? It was ok. I found the story to be a bit naive and lacking in any depth.
My favourite parts - the references to all the Australian bands that I grew up with.
Was the book any good? It was ok. I found the story to be a bit naive and lacking in any depth.
My favourite parts - the references to all the Australian bands that I grew up with.
Did Not Finish
May 27, 2026Honestly I didn't get past the first chapter. It's a writing style I'm not a fan of: everything's in passive voice and there's no rhyme or humour to it. Stylistically very Boomer Writing An All Staff Email, I don't dig it.
May 25, 2026
Robert Forster's enjoyable romp was fun to read. As a songwriter (with Willie and the Correspondents) I really enjoyed the musical references and particularly the discussions between the two on best bands, favourite gigs, guitars and lines for songs.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews