Normie Rowe - First appearance in Go-Set of Normie Rowe

14 February 1966

The association of Go-Set with Normie Rowe started in the 3rd issue. It would be the beginning of many links between Go-Set, its audience and the more subtle political agenda that Go-Set would run with its audience. Was it known at this time that Normie would ultimately would have to go and fight in Vietnam? The agenda around Normie going to Vietnam are all played out in Go-Set, sometimes openly, sometimes some others issues were going on behind the scenes. I will examine these issues in further posts.
Go-Set was not above keeping its readers interested in the social and love life of its teen stars. His life can be followed quite intimately through the pages of Go-Set. He was the most covered artist in terms of pictures and stories until he went to Vietnam. The early success of Go-Set could in some ways be attributed to the coverage Go-Set gave to him, as by 1966 Normie was one of, if not already, Australia's biggest home grown star.
With respect to the place of the feature itself, placed on page 5, under an item on the Rolling Stones who were about to tour Australia, it was in fact rather modest taking up the bottom third of the page.
The feature itself reviews a Sydney awards event where Normie was awarded two Gold Records.
The scale of the event seems large by Australian standards, and I will have to research it more.