Glenn A. Baker

Glenn A. Baker was born as Glenn Baker^[a] in Sydney on 28 July 1952, the eldest of four children to Joyce Baker.^[1] He grew up in Coogee, New South Wales, until he was nine when the Bakers relocated to Canberra.^[1] His younger brother, Johnny, drowned in an accident the following year and his parents separated not long after.^[1]

He moved around the state with his family, attending 12 schools in 10 years,^[1] before leaving school at the age of 15 to help support his family.^[2]

While working for the Department of the Media, where he worked on the research project that led to the establishment of radio station 2JJ, Baker met Geoff Plummer, who was a drummer for Fanis, a 1950s retro band. Baker saw them perform in 1975 and became their manager, changing their name to Ol' 55 after the Tom Waits song.^[1] Baker's management was astute and presented the group as a combination of retro kitsch, rock music and clever theatrics.^[3] Baker introduced chartered accountant Peter Brian to the band and he became their versatile front man known as Frankie J. Holden; in October, Baker recruited saxophone player Nick Aitken who performed as Wilbur Wilde.^[3] Ol' 55 had hit singles with "On the Prowl", "Looking for an Echo" and the number one "(I Want A) Rockin' Christmas" (which Baker co-wrote, as he did "C'mon Let's Do It") and a No. 2 triple platinum debut album, Take It Greasy.^[3] Both Holden and Wilde had careers in television after Ol' 55.^[3] During 1976–1978, Baker also managed Punkz, which he moulded into the pop group Cheek who had national chart success with "So Much in Love".^[4]

Raven Records is an Australian label established in 1979 by Baker, Kevin Mueller and Peter Shillito, specialising in reissues and retrospectives.^[5][6] Baker's radio career started by hosting a music trivia program on Sydney radio station 2JJ (soon to become Triple J) and moved on to the Triple M network.^[7][8]

Specialising in music and travel writing, Baker authored 16 books, wrote for more than 200 magazines and annotated over 500 music albums as well as being a consultant on various music-related projects. He was the Australian editor of Billboard for over 20 years.^[7] He also co-wrote music for films and was a television and radio presenter and public speaker, appearing regularly on The Today Show, Mornings With Kerri-Anne, 20 to 1 and on the Ovation Channel. He was heard as an in-flight presenter on Qantas for more than two decades. Baker won the inaugural Australian Travel Writer of the Year award in 1995, from the Australian Society of Travel Writers, and won the award again in 2000.^[8] He visited more than 100 countries. He lived in the Hills District and was the father of five sons and a daughter. He and his wife Lorelle divorced in mid 2009. His second son, Rudi Baker, is an actor, having appeared in numerous Australian feature films (such as Dirty Deeds) and television series, including the role of regular cast member Quentin Richards on ABC TV's Love Is a Four Letter Word.^[1][9][10]

Baker was a member of the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame advisory committee.^[11] On 1 July 2008, Baker inducted New Zealand-born blues/rock and roll veteran Max Merritt into the hall of fame, having previously inducted Australian Crawl, the Masters Apprentices and Billy Thorpe.^[12] September 2010 saw the simultaneous release of two books – Best of Baker: Music and Best of Baker: Travel.

In the mid-1980s, Baker took the BBC's "Rock Brain of the Universe" crown three times.^[7]

Baker won the inaugural Australian Travel Writer of the Year award in 1995 from the Australian Society of Travel Writers, and again won the award in 2000.^[8]

In the 2010 Archibald Prize, a black-and-white painted portrait of Baker by Indian-born Sydney-based artist Nafisa was selected as the Packing Room Prize.^[13]

Baker was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in June 2018, "For significant service to the entertainment industry through promoting, preserving and documenting popular music culture".^[14]

Baker had six children, including a son, Orson.^[2]

He died on 31 July 2026 aged 74, after a period of illness following a stroke.^[2]

Baker wrote, co-wrote or edited the following:^[15][16]

• Baker, Glenn A. (1984). The name game : (their real names revealed). McMahons Point, N.S.W.: Kevin Weldon & Associates. ISBN 0-949708-15-1. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• Baker, Glenn A. (1990). External combustion : Glenn A. Baker on music. Cammeray, N.S.W.: Horwitz Grahame. ISBN 0-7255-2217-8. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• Baker, Glenn A. (1993). Perpetual motion : travels with Glenn A. Baker. St Leonards, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 978-1-86373-429-5. OCLC 38327839.
• Baker, Glenn A. (1995). Faces, places and barely human races. Milsons Point, N.S.W.: Random House. ISBN 0-09-183107-5. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• Baker, Glenn A. (2001). On the road to Damascus and other fabulous thoroughfares. Ringwood, Vic.: Harmondsworth : Viking. ISBN 978-0-670-91221-6. OCLC 49595103.
• Baker, Glenn A. (2000). Somewhere in Sydney : 30 Songs from the Harbour City. Sony Music Entertainment (Australia). Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
• Baker, Glenn A. (2001). Rock Australia : the 80s & 90s. Sydney, N.S.W.: Australia Post. ISBN 0-642-47662-4. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• Glenn A. Baker, ed. (1976). The explosive hits '76 songbook. Sydney, N.S.W.: J. Albert & Son. ISBN 0-86913-020-X. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• Glenn A. Baker, ed. (1976). The rocka souvenir song book. Sydney, N.S.W.: J. Albert & Son. ISBN 0-86913-022-6. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• Glenn A. Baker, ed. (1979). Disco inferno. Sydney, N.S.W.: Summit Books. ISBN 0-7271-0404-7. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• Baker, Glenn A.; Stuart Coupe (1980). The new music. Sydney, N.S.W.: Bay Books. ISBN 0-85835-493-4. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• Baker, Glenn A.; Stuart Coupe (1983). The new rock 'n' roll. Sydney, N.S.W.: Omnibus. ISBN 0-7119-0173-2. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• Baker, Glenn A.; Tom Czarnota; Peter Hogan (1986). Monkeemania : the true story of the Monkees. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-312-00003-5. OCLC 14586450.
• Baker, Glenn A.; Roger Dilernia (1983). The Beatles down under : the 1964 Australia & New Zealand tour. Wild & Woolley. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• Baker, Glenn A.; Bob King (1987). Glenn A. Baker (ed.). Australian made, gonna have a good time tonight : the authorised documentary of the event. Sydney, N.S.W.: Fontana Collins. ISBN 0-00-636921-9. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• Coupe, Stuart; Glenn A. Baker (1985). Rock, the year that was '85. Sydney, N.S.W.: Omnibus. ISBN 0-7119-0173-2. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• Day, David; Tim Parker (1987). Glenn A. Baker (ed.). SA great it's our music 1956–1986. Glandore, S. Aust.: D. Day and T. Parker. ISBN 1-86252-964-7. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• King, Bob; Glenn A. Baker (1981). Glenn A. Baker (ed.). Rock lens. North Ryde, N.S.W.: Cassell Australia Australia. ISBN 0-7269-0494-5. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
• Robertson, Donald; Glenn A. Baker (1983). Donald Robertson (ed.). Rock'n'roll royalty. Sydney, N.S.W.: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ISBN 0-642-97511-6. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2009.