Plastered makes an ambitious claim for band posters ‘as barometers of cultural relevance [which] can offer real-time social commentary and political satire’. Although the book never quite substantiates this claim, it is a valuable work, not least because of its beautiful reproductions of band posters. Most of the posters derive primarily from the collection of Nick Vukovic, an inveterate collector. Vukovic is so keen to show off his collection that even posters of little artistic value, ‘designed to get bums off seats and nothing more’, are impeccably and inexplicably reproduced in the book.

Plastered adopts a non-academic format and outlook. Following a basic chapter structure, interspersed with numerous magazine-style insets, the book covers multiple areas simultaneously: music review; manual of printing techniques; history of Australian music; guide to avoiding arrest; marketing manual and collecting enthusiast’s zine. Sometimes Walding and Vukovic even manage to pay attention to the works themselves.