It took him 22 years, but Adelaide writer/poet/zinester/friend Campbell “Kami” McInnes finally got around to writing another book. In anticipation of its arrival in the post, I reread his first two releases. Bunk Beds & Chilli Vodka is a (slightly) fictionalized account of the Paroxysm Press crew’s memorable weekend attending the 2001 National Young Writers Festival in Newcastle. Neither young nor sober, the trio caused chaos wherever they went, which makes for a very entertaining read. Helen and I were also at NYWF that weekend – in fact, we make cameo appearances in the book. Reading this Hunter S. Thompson-esque laff-fest brought back lots of fond memories.
Next up was S.F.&T. (aka Sucked, Fucked and Tattooed), a gritty look at a particular subculture that inhabited the inner-city pub scene in Adelaide back in the 1980s and 90s. I had forgotten much of it, but rereading this take-no prisoners novella, I could identify a few of the characters and venues. There is a semi autobiographical feel to the sordid life of drunken record store owner and fuck-up Jason. S.F.&T. rattles along at a fair clip. Oddly, the book sets itself up for a happy ending (of sorts), then suddenly hits the reader with a gut punch in the last two paragraphs that had me thinking, “Fuck! What just happened?”
So I moved onto Fists of Love, a sequel to S.F.&T., which sees Jason driving his slightly psycho ex Cindy back to Queensland so she can be with her family. Cindy is dying from cancer and Jason is the only person she can trust to get her home safely. Adventures happen along the way, most notably Jason unexpectedly bumping into his deadbeat dad. Like the first book, the sequel managed to hold my attention throughout. And then came the ending. As I wrote to Kami soon afterwards, “I woke up at 2am and couldn’t sleep for an hour thinking about your book. Fuck you. You got me with that last paragraph before the epilogue, you bastard. Excuse me while I wipe this grit from eyes.”
Kami remains one of the great underground writers in this country and it is really worth your time picking up all three books at ParoxysmPress.com.
A Social Undertaking 25 Gresham St, Adelaide, SA 5000
We don’t resurrect the dead, we write songs about their murders. Join us as we pay tribute to some of the best Murder Ballads from across the ages. From their origins in Olde English through the Appalachian folk traditions to more modern entries in the genre, get your momento mori fix with us at the best little undertaker’s bar in town.
Featuring: Ian Gibbins Kami Matthew Pankhurst Mei Szetu Kerryn Tredrea
A Social Undertaking 25 Gresham St, Adelaide SA 5000, off Hindley St & North Tce
FREE entry Spoken Word OPEN MIC Book raffle Lotsa booze including a ‘beer of the month’ Spoke N Slurred special thanks to A Social Undertaking.
Kathryn Reese is a poet living on Peramangk land in Adelaide, South Australia. She works in medical microbiology and enjoys solo road trips, hiking and chasing frogs to record their calls for science. Her poems can be found in The Engine Idling, Epistemic Literary, Kelp Journal and Australian Poetry Journal. She was a winner of the Red Room Poetry’s #30in30 competition & the Heroines Women’s Writing Prize 2024.
Page & Turner in the Myer Centre, Rundle Mall, Adelaide, are now stocking Paroxysm Press books… Fists Of Love (Kami) This Is No Ordinary Rapture... (Kerryn Tredrea) Spitting Teeth (anthology) 100 Lightnings (anthology)
A Social Undertaking 25 Gresham Street, Adelaide (between Hindley St and North Tce)
Spoken word OPEN MIC FREE entry Book raffle Booze, booze and more booze
Pam Makin has been a regular on the Adelaide Spoken Word circuit since 2019 but was writing and performing much earlier. She has had her work published in various journals and anthologies, in print and online. She has had her work rejected by many more. You can find out more about Pam and her writing at pammakin.com.au
A Social Undertaking 25 Gresham Street, Adelaide (between Hindley St and North Tce)
Spoken word OPEN MIC FREE entry Book raffle Booze, booze and more booze
Josh Cake was born and raised in Melbourne and now lives in Paris. Josh has published poems in Breakwater Review, Teesta Review, and Cordite. In 2024, Josh performed poetry features in Morocco, France, Germany, Poland, Belgium, England, Scotland, and the US. Josh has won the Peseroff Poetry Prize from the University of Massachusetts, held the number one ranking in Australia’s National Poetry Slam (Slamalamadingdong), and was named the Most Impactful Poet of 2024 by the Australian Enterprise Awards. Josh is currently touring the spoken word album ‘words to regret when i’m better at editing‘.
Kami hits the mic again with extracts from his new novel FISTS OF LOVE & spoken word. For those of you who missed out on the launch this is a great chance to grab the book on the night.
Spoken word OPEN MIC FREE entry Book raffle Booze, booze and more booze
Fists of Love is a story about the violence of love, about the pain it can bring us, both physically and mentally. It is a story of the sacrifices we make, believing we are doing the right thing but never knowing for sure if we are.
The album tribute gigs are back! Join us as we celebrate the best selling album of all time Michael Jackson’s 1982 blockbuster, Thriller. We have paired some of Adelaide’s finest spoken word & hip hop artists with the album tracks to give you a new perspectives on the songs we love. You will hear the whole album interpreted through today’s eyes & thoughts & words. It’s fresh art, it’s nostalgic, it’s only happening once!
1. Wanna be startin’ somethin’ – Matilda Menz & Apolo 2. Baby be mine – Sarah Pearce 3. The girl is mine – Pam Makin 4. Thriller – Sarah, Pam, Kerryn, Marty Martz 5. Beat it – Kerryn Tredrea 6. Billie Jean – Marty Martz 7. Human Nature – Apolo & Matilda Menz 8. P.Y.T (pretty young thing) – Pam Makin 9. The lady in my life – Marty Martz Bonus track. Smooth criminal – Sarah Pearce
