Angry Anderson, Rose Tattoo frontman, dies aged 79

musicSep 23, 202619169

Gary "Angry" Anderson, frontman of Australian rock band Rose Tattoo, has died aged 79. Anderson suffered a cardiac arrest in August while on Rose Tattoo's European 50th anniversary tour and was admitted to a hospital in Germany, prompting cancellation of the 9 August concert and the remainder of the European dates; the band had been due to resume the Australian leg in September. His family and bandmates said he died on Monday in Australia, surrounded by loved ones, and described him as "a devoted father, and much-loved bandmate, friend, and member of the wider music and entertainment community." Anderson was an ARIA Hall of Fame inductee with a five-decade career as a singer, songwriter and actor; his solo song "Suddenly" charted in Australia, the UK, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands. He began in the 1973 band Buster Brown, later led Rose Tattoo, and described the group's style as "totally aggressive, take no prisoners, spare no one, have no mercy-type music." Anderson was born in Melbourne on August 5, 1947, and grew up in Coburg; his mother emigrated from Mauritius. The article notes his long charity and youth advocacy work and that his later years included controversy over anti-Islam views.

ABC News Australia

@news.abc.net.au

Angry Anderson, Australian rock legend and Rose Tattoo frontman, dies aged 79

413h ago

Rob Arnol

@robertarnol.bsky.social

Ffs! 2026 can go fuck itself! RIP Gary ‘Angry’ Anderson. apple.news/A9HC4WjVpRQi...

392h ago

The O.C.B.13

Dunno man... Watched this guy rant about immigrants at a concert at the Enmore many moons ago, something along the lines of "Straya, if you don't love it, leave it" kinda thing. Don't like to speak ill of the dead and all... 🤷‍♂️

MeganC8

Nah, he was a racist git.

Amber6

Honestly, he was a bigot. Good riddance

Gerg 🚩🏴4

He was a racist prick who can rot in his own piss.

angry-goddess.bsky.social2

John Farham not doing too well either 😔

Random Sarah1

Nah, fuck the racist, bigoted prick

Rhett Bartlett

@rhettrospective.bsky.social

#RIP Angry Anderson, 79. The Rose Tattoo frontman, he wrote and sang the wedding song for Scott and Charlene on Neighbours. But for footy fans he will always be remembered for belting out Bound for Glory - from the Batmobile! - at the 1991 Grand Final. youtu.be/R0UAZlObzN4?...

112h ago

dunkingdad.bsky.social

@dunkingdad.bsky.social

very sad about Angry Anderson. growing up in suburban Melbourne in the 80s, his music taught me that it was ok to be weird

82h ago

GFRE

@guildford.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s... After expressing anti-immigrant views, he appeared in SBS’s Go Back to Where You Came From in 2012.

32h ago

suthernx.bsky.social

@suthernx.bsky.social

Stand by for all the "Angry Anderson was a good bloke" quotes. He once was but he trashed his legacy with his later life racism & Islamophobia. Not mourning him in this house

52h ago

David Eve • 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

@discokidnap.northsky.social

*runs into Bluesky, panting, knocking people out the way* DID ANGRY ANDERSON DIE SUDDENLY??

92h ago

Andrew Stafford

@andrewstafford.bsky.social

Don't argue with me about his latter-day dodgy politics. Listen to Remedy, Nice Boys and Astra Wally, then get back to me. All of 5'1" and a giant of Oz rock www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s...

72h ago

💚🌏Myles🌏💚

@rainbowregionmyles.bsky.social

Seeing a lot of rose tinted Angry Anderson tributes today. Remember the music, sure. But don't airbrush reality, he chose hard right, anti Muslim politics and stood for an anti Islam party. Death doesn't wipe the slate clean. Don't fucking rewrite history.

5Just now

Dan Ilic

@danilic.bsky.social

Met Angry Anderson backstage at the Hills Centre — I interviewed him for the Loud media festival. He really gave me a nice pump up as a 14 year old kid wanting to participate in media and arts — what a gift.

4Just now

Twitter Exile3

What did you think of his Anti Islam Party stint?

Random Sarah1

“Angry Anderson likened Ms Gillard to lying puppet Pinocchio and took aim at Australian Greens leader Bob Brown. "Bob Brown pulls the strings of Pinocchio Gillard," he said to roars from the protesters telling them they were a religious minority group.” Yeah, super lovely misogynistic racist bigot

Big T

@big-tony.bsky.social

Vale Angry Anderson. Rose Tattoo provided a part of the soundtrack of my youth. Sadly missed. 😔

62h ago

Odins_toenail8

He was a racist prick.

Brenda1

Never been a fan and when he came out with his anti Islamist rants I went off him more. However, I did like his solo song ‘Suddenly’.

Tony Abbott (Not the onion eater)1

Another one bites the dust, and another one bites the dust

Wayne

@shakesfirst.bsky.social

Youth advocate? He was a right wing losing politician racist No campaigner. Who gives a fuck he's dead? www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s...

63h ago

Random Sarah

@random-sarah.bsky.social

Why don't I give a fuck that Angry Anderson is dead...... 'Before his involvement with the ALA, Anderson stood as a National Party candidate in the seat of Throsby in 2013' He was a bigoted racist #auspol

52h ago

Jennie 🇦🇺 Aussie

@jennie-aussie.bsky.social

I don't know whether you believe in the hereafter, but if so I'm of the opinion that there must be a great concert underway ... My condolences to his family and friends www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09...

31h ago

RanTLaw

@rantlaw.bsky.social

I feel the same about the news about Angry Anderson as I would if it were Dave Hughes.

41h ago

3 sources

rnz.co.nzAngry Anderson, Australian rock legend and Rose Tattoo frontman, dies aged 79 abc.net.auAustralian rock legend Angry Anderson dies, aged 79 theguardian.comAngry Anderson dies aged 79: Rose Tattoo frontman was a ferocious rock ’n’ roll singer and youth advocate

Angry Anderson, Rose Tattoo frontman, dies aged 79music

Angry Anderson, Rose Tattoo frontman, dies aged 79

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