Veteran Music Journalist Simon Collins Exits The West Australian

Simon Collins, one of Australia’s veteran music journalists, has announced that he’s departed The West Australian.

From running the publication’s Wired music column to expanding to cover lifestyle, features, and food criticism, Collins spent two decades as The West Australian’s music editor, never truly walking away from entertainment interviews, no matter how much his job changed.

Collins shared the news of his leaving The West Australian on Facebook and Instagram, while also sharing some of his favourite cover stories.

“After 25+ years, I’m leaving The West Australian,” Collins wrote.

“It’s been a great innings and a wild ride, most of it as music editor with forays into food, hospitality, arts, entertainment, travel, obituaries, opinion, business, technology and male fertility.

“Met many of my heroes of music and entertainment, travelled the world, and stumbled into wonderful local scenes of music, arts, food and hospitality.”

Referring to this week’s news cycle and an iconic Jimmy Barnes hit, he continued, “It’s been a blast. Current opportunities I’m looking at is a restaurant that only serves beef wellingtons called Death Cap for Cutie or moving into my in-laws’ place so I can run for Nedlands Mayor.

“Thanks again. All the best. I’ll let Jimmy take us out.

“He ain't worried about tomorrow/ Because he just made up his mind/ Life's too short for burning bridges/ I take it one day at a time."

In a 2023 interview, Collins talked about some of his proudest achievements in journalism, from nabbing huge interviews with big-time international artists to covering the growing local scene in WA.

Collins has interviewed artists including Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Weird Al Yankovic, Mavis Staples, and Elvis Costello, covered two years of the Eurovision Song Contest, and festivals including Big Day Out and Splendour In The Grass locally, plus Fuji Rock Festival in Japan and Exit in Serbia.

He’s witnessed the growth of Australian bands across generations, from Tame Impala, Little Birdy and Eskimo Joe to Spacey Jane, all getting their starts at home before becoming household names that command crowds of thousands.