"An unstoppable tome full of laughs and behind-the-scenes stories" - RECORD COLLECTOR "Matera's love of his subject makes this a fun read for anyone who dreams of life on the tour bus." - CLASSIC ROCK "A lot more than a grab bag of memories, a great read." - FIREWORKS "A remarkable journey through the highs and lows of a life dedicated to music." - MELODIC.NET "A must read for anybody fascinated by the art and it's creators" - LOUDER THAN WAR "A captivating and highly entertaining book." - ROCKIT! "A book that belongs in every music lover's library." - ROCK CLUB 40 "With Louder Than Words Joe Matera has gone beyond the usual “deep dive” into the history of rock music to something more akin to an archaeological dig. His passion and patience are truly a gift to us all.” - GERRY BECKLEY (America) “Joe Matera is a rock ‘n’ roll lifer - when he’s not playing music, he’s writing about it. He is passionate about what he does, and music is nothing without passion.” - BILLY SQUIER “Joe Matera tells his tales from behind the scenes... including the story of what happened in the record store located only a few doors down from the original site of Polar Studios, ABBA’s recording studio in Stockholm …” - JANNE SCHAFFER, Legendary ABBA guitarist. Joe Matera holds a unique position as a music journalist who is also a professional musician. This insight has allowed him to carve out a career as both a performer and a critic. It has also allowed him access to areas where music journos are not permitted while musicians themselves open up more readily to ‘one of their own’. In this, his second book, Joe traces his childhood influences and meets the musicians who changed his life from heroes such as Janne Schaffer, who played on ABBA’s studio albums, to Gerry Rafferty (the genius behind ‘Baker Street’) and international superstar Bryan Adams and his song writing partner Jim Vallance. Louder Than Words also delves into the often tortuous touring life of a musician, with life on the road often leading to band break-ups or mental breakdown. Joe also examines the impact of MTV on a generation of musicians, focussing particularly on one video by rising rock star Billy Squier that is said to have ruined his career. ABOUT THE AUTHOR In addition to his solo music career as a singer/songwriter/guitarist, JOE MATERA also has a career as a music journalist writing for international music magazines such as Guitar Player, Guitar World, Record Collector, The Guardian and BBC Music Magazine. He also writes a popular newspaper music column for the Shepparton News. His list of interviewees includes Metallica, Queen, Blondie, Bon Jovi, KISS and Black Sabbath, to name just a few. Joe lives in Melbourne with his wife Liz.