Australian music legend John Farnham has finally released his long-awaited tell-all memoir, The Voice Inside.
In his book, the singer has used his voice in a different way, unpacking everything from his illustrious career to his recent health battle.
The You’re The Voice singer has revealed he’s been asked “many times” to put his life story on paper, but that now finally feels like the “right time”.
“It is a very strange feeling looking back on my life, on the good and the bad, and now that I have started, it is all rushing back,” he said.
“I hope the book engages and entertains because that’s what so much of my life has been about.”
“The Voice Inside charts John Farnham’s very personal and public journey, told in his own words and with his inimitable humour, insight, and humility,” publisher Hachette Australia wrote in a statement.
The book addresses some of the biggest challenges the 75-year-old has faced, as well as revisits some of the most important, memorable, and difficult moments not only in his career but in his entire life, dating back to his childhood.
One such challenge, John wrote, was the mistreatment he endured from his manager, Darryl Sambell, during the early years of his career as a teen pop idol in the 1960s.
The singer claimed his manager “drugged me for years and I had no f**king idea,” until he found a half-dissolved pill at the bottom of his coffee cup. When he questioned Darryl, he was told it was “just something to keep you awake.”
John went on to add that Darryl, an openly gay man, was “aggressively sexual” towards him. The musician added he often had often reject him, and, “I said it often enough that I can see now that this rejection turned his attraction into jealousy, hatred and a desire for control.”
Their complicated and toxic relationship went on for many years, until John decided enough was enough in 1973, and later connected with his long-time manager, Glenn Wheatley, who assisted greatly in his success.
“It is the story of the resilience John found as his stellar career stalled, record companies turned their backs, and he faced financial ruin,” the description reads.
“It is the story of triumph over adversity after a devastating diagnosis of mouth cancer in 2022, only months after the death of his long-time friend and manager, Glenn Wheatley.
“Throughout a lifetime filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, John has remained steadfast, never losing his unique musical talent, creative strength nor his powerful ability to make human connections through his music.”
John will also be releasing an audio book version of his memoir, which will mark the first time we’ll hear his voice in many years as the singer recently had surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from his mouth.
The long-awaited book was written in partnership with Poppy Stockwell – an award-winning writer and director of the critically acclaimed biopic about John Farnham, Finding the Voice, in 2023.
“Working with John on his memoir has been like sitting down with an old friend, who also happens to be an absolute legend, to share stories that are both deeply personal and wildly entertaining,” she said.
“His resilience and sense of humour shine through every recollection, making this project a genuine reflection of the man behind the music.
“It’s been a joy to help bring his tales to life, and I can’t wait for readers to get an unfettered glimpse of the man whose music is the soundtrack to so many of our lives.”
John became a huge success in the Australian music industry in the 1960s and to this day holds the record for the highest-selling Australian album ever with the Whispering Jack record from 1986.
His last public performance was in February 2020, as part of Sydney’s Fire Fight fundraising concert.
The Voice Inside by John Farnham is available now. Grab your copy from Amazon for $29.
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