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R.I.P. Brendon Annesley (Negative Guest List)

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I’d been well aware of Negative Guest List as a genius ‘zine with shitloads of enthusiasm and energy and attitude for quite a while now. Fucking kick-ass reviews too – and take that as a real compliment from someone who hates most of the shitty compromise filler that comprises 99% of all music writing.

Someone pointed out to me about a year back that the dude behind it, Brendon Annesley, had reprinted a couple of my old articles without letting me know. I thought it was cool to be in such a great ‘zine, and first time I met him (at the inaugural Deadshits gig at Woodlands) I bought a couple of issues and gave him 50c for reprinting my words. Loved the fact he only dealt in print, and cared enough only to deal with his own ‘zine. Also dug his label, which released cassettes and 7″s by friends and folk I admire (The Lost Domain, Blank Realm, Kitchen’s Floor and way more). I’d been meaning to get properly in touch with the dude since. Guess I never will now. My fucken loss.

As I read on Mess+Noise just now:

Some sad news out of Brisbane with the tragic death of music writer and musician Brendon Annesley yesterday, aged 22.

Annesley helmed two influential fanzines: Dirty Alleys, Dirty Minds, which he started as a teenager in 2007, and later Negative Guest List, which he edited up until his death.

He published 33 issues of Negative Guest List since starting it in 2009, covering acts such as Kitchen’s Floor, Ghosts of Television, Naked on the Vague, Total Control, Pink Reason and Blank Realm. Annesley was also a member of Meat Thump and Brisbane’s “only punk band” White Cop with Kitchen’s Floor’s Matt Kennedy.

As Shaun Prescott wrote about him a while back (sentiments I totally agree with):

It sucks when you think you’re some kind of “published” music writer for some “official” publication, and then some shithead with a zine (widely read) proves on a (more than) monthly basis that you actually don’t really have a voice. Brendon Annesley is good because he has opinions, can articulate them, justify them, and is never boring. That’s kinda integral, but everyone forgets… He’s one of my favourite music writers at present.

R.I.P. Brendon Annesley.

Photo from Mess+Noise

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