Reviewed by Stuart Ridley
I can’t remember when I met Stephan Győry aka pH in the early 1990s, maybe in a field, maybe a warehouse, jumping around to manic music, sometimes chattering at hypersonic speed, scattering hyperbole to the wind … life was louder, looser and less-plot-driven then. We thought T-shirts with ‘Has anyone seen my plot?’ on them were cute and funny. Oh we were naïve.
And yet, while he loves regaling people with his chemical romance stories (CRAZE is a sort-of-chronological history laced with what pH calls his ‘musical, chemical and ratbagical memories)…
…he’s also recalled, researched and collected a whole lot of important memories from Sydney’s 90s rave/doof/club/record store scene and packed them into a book that is physically, emotionally, psychically HEAVY. Because he could. And rightly. pH was properly in the thick of it as a punter, DJ, record store owner, promoter and… other things … and in some instances, the last person still standing.
And unlike other accounts, he’s frequently eschewed the safety of rose-tinted glasses when looking back. Sure, he’s recorded some fabulous stories of amazing parties from DJs and promoters who made them happen. But he’s also thrashed away beneath the surface madly to uncover stories about people, things and events that went sideways. It’s uncomfortable reading sometimes. And necessary.
Check out the ’90s rave flyer gallery HERE
