Roxon, Lillian (1932–1973)

views updated

Roxon, Lillian (1932–1973)

Australian journalist and rock critic. Born Lillian Ropschitz, 1932, in Savona, Italy; died of a severe asthma attack in her New York apartment, Aug 10, 1973; attended University of Queensland and University of Sydney; never married; no children.

With the rise of fascism, migrated to Australia with her Jewish family (1937), settling in Brisbane; family anglicized name to Roxon; began career writing for Sydney newspapers and contributed to tabloid magazine, Weekend; moved to NY (1959); was New York correspondent for Sydney Morning Herald (1962–72); began writing on pop music and the hippie movement (1960s) and is now considered one of the 1st journalists to write seriously about the rock scene; wrote rock's 1st encyclopedia (1969); a feminist, also wrote about the women's rights march in NY (1970); hosted a rock radio show (1971).