Music industry mourns a pioneer
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Journalists Christie Eleizer and Ed Nimmervoll supporting Support Act in 2006.
Source: News Limited
MUSIC journalist and author Ed Nimmervoll has passed away in Melbourne aged 67.
Nimmervoll, one of the most respected and well-liked journalists in the Australian music industry, was diagnosed with a brain tumour two years ago.
In 1966 he left his architecture studies to write album reviews for Go-Set magazine.
He would go on to edit the magazine, as well as creating Australia’s first national chart, which appeared in the October 5 issue in 1966.
It was at Go-Set where Nimmervoll formed a lifelong friendship with Molly Meldrum.
An emotional Meldrum paid respect to Nimmervoll today.
“I’ve lost a dear friend I’ve known a long time who helped me get into the business,” Meldrum said.
“I worked at Go-Set every week with Ed, he was a brilliant writer and a great supporter of all music, especially Australian music. He would encourage me when I was unsure about records I was producing. And like Seymour Stein did in America, he created a national chart and that’s reflected in the charts ARIA use today. I’m so sad for his wife Jan and his family, and we’ll all miss him terribly but Ed’s work will live on.”
Lifelong friends … Molly Meldrum worked with journalist Ed Nimmervoll at Go-Set magazine in the 1960s.
Source: News Limited
Nimmervoll founded the influential Juke magazine in 1975 and worked in radio and TV, including co-creating the Take 40 Australia concept.
He also co-authored biographies with Australian musicians including Renee Geyer, Brian Cadd, Normie Rowe and Glenn Wheatley.
Nimmervoll co-wrote a song on Russell Morris’ latest album Van Diemen’s Land called Eureka, and has a writing credit on the 1978 Little River Band song Red Headed Wildflower.
Remembering a ‘pioneer’ … Michael Gudinski. Picture: Stephen Archer
Source: News Corp Australia
Promoter and record company impresario Michael Gudinski remembered Nimmervoll as a “pioneer” of music journalism in Australia.
“Ed was a leader,” Gudinski said. “He had incredible roots in the industry, from Go-Set to Juke. He had an amazing passion for Australian music. He was always so supportive of our bands on Mushroom and always happy to give advice. He helped a lot of my artists with media training. He was one of the nice guys.”
Promoter Michael Chugg met Nimmervoll during their early days in the industry in Melbourne.
“He was a really good friend, when he was at Go-Set he was the go-to guy and a huge supporter of Australian music,” Chugg said. “He was always a big part of what was going on, for me he was as important as Molly or Gudinski or myself in those early days. When I was managing Richard Clapton and Kevin Borich he was always there for us.
Ed was ‘the go-to guy’ … music promoter Michael Chugg.
Source: News Limited
“When I saw him at the ARIAs last year and he had a bit of a turn (he collapsed and was taken to hospital) I was really worried. But he told me he wanted to get back into it and write the history of Australian rock and roll. Unfortunately time has beaten him. It’s a great loss to all of us and a very sad day.”
Nimmervoll had been teaching at JMC Academy in 2012 when he discovered his brain tumour.
On his Facebook page he noted “So was this the point where I was supposed to get angry and ask why me? I never got there … All my life I’ve asked myself why me? How could I be so lucky?”
Many of his students have called him their favourite teacher on his Facebook page.
Dead at 67 … music journalist Ed Nimmervoll never lost his passion for music.
Source: News Corp Australia
Jeff Jenkins was one of many journalists inspired to write about music after growing up reading Nimmervoll’s work.
“Ed’s contribution to Australian music should never be forgotten,” Jenkins said. “I don’t know anyone more passionate about Australian music than Ed. Most music fans would have never met Ed Nimmervoll, but they all ‘know’ him: That Countdown chart-topper from the ’70s that people remember — that was a chart that Ed compiled. Juke Magazine — Ed started it. Take 40 Australia — Ed co-created the show. That interview grab you hear now on My Generation — there’s a good chance it comes from an interview that Ed did.”
Jenkins also hailed Nimmervoll as a “truly great” interviewer, who never resorted to gimmicks or gossip.
“Many bands would tell me how much they loved chatting to Ed. He was never after scandal. For Ed, it was all about the music.
“Even though he wrote about music for nearly 50 years, Ed was never stuck in the past. Of course, he loved so many great bands, like Daddy Cool, Spectrum and Skyhooks, but whenever we caught up, he was always buzzing about a new Australian artist. And he always had ideas about how we could spread the word about Australian music. I loved working for Ed, and would always love it when he signed his emails — “Your loving Ed.itor”.”
Jenkins, who has co-authored Molly Meldrum’s new biography, said Meldrum had just finished writing his acknowledgments for his book when he learned of Ed’s passing.
“Molly had written: “Ed & Jan Nimmervoll — Words cannot express what your friendship means to me and all the support and wisdom you have given me.”
Russell Morris asked Ed Nimmervoll to write lyrics for a song on this year’s Top 10 album Van Diemen’s Land.
Source: Supplied
Nimmervoll’s daughter Amber wrote on her father’s Facebook page today: “I regret to inform you that Ed passed away early this morning, after a short end to a long illness. In his last days, he was surrounded by his wife Jan (extraordinary in her care over the last few months) and his family Simon, Vanessa, Skylar, Chayce, Amber, Michael, Torie and Haydn. He will always be loved by many as a husband, father, grandfather, friend, colleague and mentor.”
Nimmervoll would constantly use his Facebook page to share new music he had discovered, as well as hailing records from the past. In February he wrote. “Today I feel capable of picking up the pages of my life that were suddenly scattered by a gust of wind. I’m not in a hurry. I have the time to look at those pages before reassembling them. There are no secrets. I know who I am, who I have loved and who loves me.”
