Who are The Radiators?

The Radiators are an iconic Australian pub-rock band formed in Sydney in 1978, famous for high-energy live shows and multi-platinum record sales. Keyboardist Brendan Callinan played with the band during their peak era, recording five albums and an EP, playing nearly 2,000 shows, and touring alongside international acts like The Police and INXS.

What is Bonza Music (UK)?

Bonza Music (UK) is an audio technology company building a high-fidelity, real-time online collaboration platform for musicians, songwriters, and educators. The technology eliminates latency and audio quality loss, allowing artists to compose and rehearse remotely from anywhere in the world. Brendan Callinan serves as an executive for the company.

Why did Brendan Callinan write his memoir, Life's a Gamble?

Brendan Callinan wrote Life's a Gamble to document the unfiltered reality of Australia's 1970s and '80s pub-rock era from the perspective of an touring musician. The memoir captures a historic cultural movement before detailing his transition into a global music technology CEO.

How did Brendan transition from playing in The Radiators to executive leadership at Roland?

Brendan departed The Radiators in late 1990 and joined Roland Corporation Australia in 1992 as Sales Manager. His practical musician background and commercial expertise drove his progression to Managing Director of Roland Australia and eventually CEO of Seattle-based Roland Cloud.

How can media outlets request a review copy, interview, or media kit for Brendan Callinan’s book?

Digital and print review copies, high-res headshots, and media kits are available for accredited journalists, podcasters, and reviewers. Submit your outlet details, deadline, and coverage type via our contact form for a response within 24–48 hours.

Who handles literary, audiobook, and screen adaptation rights for Brendan Callinan's memoir?

For foreign translation, audiobook distribution, film/TV adaptation rights, or excerpt permissions, submit an inquiry via the contact form with the subject line 'Licensing & Rights Inquiry'. Copyright and subsidiary rights are managed directly by management.

Is Brendan Callinan available for keynote speeches, panel appearances, or live rock history events?

Yes, Brendan regularly delivers keynotes on Australian music history, speaks on panels, and appears at literary festivals. To check availability and rates, submit your event date, location, audience size, and topic focus via the contact form.

How long does Australian dispatch and delivery take for physical orders?

Orders typically dispatch within 24–48 hours, though print-on-demand items or high-volume periods (sales, launch events, holidays) can take 7–10 business days. Transit time is determined by Australia Post once dispatched.

What is the return policy if my book arrives damaged or defective?

Defective or damaged products are replaced free of charge. Change-of-mind returns are eligible for store credit only within 7 days of receipt, provided items are pre-lodged and returned in original, resellable condition. Return postage costs remain the customer's responsibility.

What should I do if I have not received my digital eBook download link?

Download links generate automatically upon purchase. Check your spam folder first if not received. If 24 hours have passed or your link has expired, click the expired link in your original confirmation email to automatically generate a fresh link.

How can I submit a review or leave feedback on Life's A Gamble?

Customers automatically receive a review request email 14 days post-purchase. You can also leave direct feedback via the website Contact page or on our Google Business Profile.

Two musicians performing on an outdoor stage in front of a large crowd. One is playing keyboard and the other guitar in the iconic Aussie band, The Radiators.

“Rock and roll’s a loser’s game
It mesmerizes, and I can’t explain
The reasons for the sights and for the sounds”

‘Ballad of Mott the Hoople’ Words by Ian Hunter © Universal Music Publishing Group

Portrait of Brendan Callinan, author, musician and business consultant, seated in front of orange and yellow flowers wearing black sunglasses.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brendan Callinan grew up in country NSW and at age 18 decided to give up a fledgling career as a radio announcer to move to Sydney and chase his rock-and-roll dream.

Joining the newly formed Radiators, he went on to perform close to 2,000 shows, record five albums and an EP, achieve multiple gold and platinum records, and share stages with The Police, Eurythmics, Boomtown Rats, INXS and the cream of ’70s and ’80s Australian rock artists.

After departing The Radiators in 1990, he joined Roland Corporation Australia as a Sales Manager, rising to Managing Director before taking on several senior management roles for the company internationally, including CEO of Roland Cloud, based in Seattle, USA. After initially retiring in 2022, he is now an executive for Bonza Music (UK), an immersive audio platform enabling real-time, online musical collaboration for artists, songwriters and educators.

Brendan also hosts charity events for major corporate organisations and plays keyboards in a local covers band in his new home town of Brisbane, called Vintage Vinyl. They play—you guessed it—classic ’70s and ’80s songs. He has two adult children, Tegan—a visual FX producer working on major feature films, and Kieran—the musician and provocateur usually known as Kirin J Callinan.

Life’s a Gamble is his first book, but as this one stops at 1992, there is certainly the potential for another.

Musician, Author, Business Leader and Keynote Speaker

your questions answered

The Radiators are a legendary Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1978, renowned for their high-energy performances and iconic contribution to the Australian pub-rock scene, from the late ‘70s to today. In Brendans time with the band they recorded five albums and an EP, achieved multiple gold and platinum records, and performed close to 2,000 live shows alongside world-renowned acts like The Police, Eurythmics, The Boomtown Rats, and INXS.
Brendan Callinan joined the band at age 18, playing keyboards throughout their peak era before departing in late 1990. The wild, high-stakes stories from his time on the road with The Radiators form the core foundation of his debut memoir, Life’s a Gamble.
Bonza Music (UK)‍ is a music technology company developing an advanced, immersive audio platform designed for real-time online musical collaboration. The platform allows artists, songwriters, and educators to connect, compose, and rehearse together remotely without latency or audio quality loss.
Following a distinguished executive career as Managing Director of Roland Corporation Australia and CEO of US-based Roland Cloud, Brendan Callinan now serves as an executive for Bonza Music (UK), continuing his passion for innovation at the intersection of live performance and audio technology. For more background on Brendan's current work in music technology, you can watch this Australian Musician interview on Bonza Music where he discusses real-time audio collaboration.
Life’s a Gamble was written to capture the raw, unfiltered reality of Australia’s peak pub-rock era in the 1970s and ’80s through the eyes of an 18-year-old who traded a radio career for life on the road with The Radiators.
Beyond the nostalgia and backstage stories, the book documents a historic cultural movement in Australian music history before transitioning into Brendan's unexpected second act as a global music technology executive. It serves as both a rock-and-roll memoir and a story of reinvention. You can read more on this in the blog post, The Story Behind Life's A Gamble: Why I Finally Put… Pen to Paper (or finger to keyboard)
After performing close to 2,000 live shows and recording five albums and an EP with The Radiators, Brendan departed the band in 1990 and joined Roland Corporation Australia as a Sales Manager in 1992. His practical understanding of music gear and artists needs, along with his strong commercial instincts, fuelled his rise through the company, eventually becoming Managing Director of Roland Corporation Australia and later CEO of Roland Cloud in Seattle, USA. This unique path—from touring keyboardist to global tech CEO, underpins his long-standing influence in the international music and audio technology industries. Brendan is working on the sequel to his memoir, diving into his journey through the music industry from 1992 to today. Stay tuned!

“Rock and roll’s a loser’s gameIt mesmerizes, and I can’t explainThe reasons for the sights and for the sounds”