Once upon a time I was just a normal musician, playing on the weekends and eking out a living playing covers.   Previously I had had a great experience working for the Goanna band. I saw them play, loved them, and became their merchandiser and part time art person, and on the way learned a hell of a lot about the music business.  It was an exciting time, but the end of an era, the era of great songs and great musicians.
It became the cover band era, and all our legends were mostly forgotten about by the general media.  I started playing in an original band after Goanna, but the scene had changed dramatically, and our great original pub circuit virtually closed down overnight.
About 1993, I wrote and produced my own cd with the aid of some great friends and started shopping it around.  Much to my dismay I received no interest whatsoever.  I knew I wrote pretty good songs - not groundbreaking or anything - but catchy.  This started me thinking....it was a long think!
About 2005 (I'm not good at past dates - always think of the future) I got the idea to write a children's dvd.  Minnie Monkey sang health and safety songs for children.  I got in contact with C31 and filmed 13 episodes in my garage.  No big deal.  It was fun.
But there I was still thinking.  If I could film a children's series, I could do a series on our legends.  Obviously they must still be around doing something.  And if I couldn't get any interest in MY songs, what must they be doing?  Still writing?  Why is there no interest in their songs?
First thing was the host of the show.  Wendy Stapleton was my first choice and amazingly she said yes.  I thought that I should be able to get 13 interviewees, just enough for a series.  But I had to start with someone well known to get the ball rolling.  Having been in the industry I know how cynical musos can be.  Who is this upstart, and what can SHE do!  Well I probably started with the most cynical of all, Mr Mike Rudd!  I was always a fan but now this guy has my utmost respect.
I was absolutely amazed to find so many of these legends were not only still writing and recording, but playing around Australia with no media or record company support.  Great names virtually forgotten by people a lot more powerful and wealthy than I.  In England and the US they would be feted and respected, here in Australia confined to little pubs.  If they record a cd of covers they are given token interviews.  If they record new songs, mostly given the cold shoulder except by very supportive community radio.
So was born Wrokdown.  My great friend Matt Mason - talented sound engineer and techno whiz - has been an amazing teacher.  Wendy with her knowledge and cred, Rose Tulk my right hand girl, and now Anita Sulcs our facebook moderator - it's been a fantastic ride so far.  And never forget our Wrokdown radio host, Mick Pealing at 3INR FM (with me at the helm at Southern FM) playing as much new commercial exciting music for our age group as wecan fit into a 2 hour slot.  All these people have helped make Wrokdown what it is so far, and we're not stopping!  It is my belief that if you don't have a healthy original industry, you don't have an industry at all.

Anita Monk - Producer