SA Footy

Beaten by liver cancer

Good riddance. Like Ned Kelly, scumbag and thug. Made famous by their notoriety.

Beat me to it.

Author, entertainer, musician, standover hitman passed away today from liver cancer age 58.

Say what you will but his books were a great read and his 'The Smell of Love' EP by Chopper Read & The Blue Flames which I may or may not own is set to rise in value.

Chopper starring Eric Bana one of the all-time great Australian movies.

He did do some garbage disposal services though

I imagine his ghost would be quite eary.

Sky Pilot wrote:Good riddance. Like Ned Kelly, scumbag and thug. Made famous by their notoriety.

Spot on. I don't know why people like Chopper and Ned Kelly seem to be revered by the public.

I don't think you can compare Kelly and Read.
Different criminality. But that's another debate.

If nothing else, you can say that Chopper was ahead of his time. He recognised the thirst for people to 'tour' the underworld and his books certainly set the scene for the Underbelly books and series', along with other popular culture today.

Dogwatcher wrote:I don't think you can compare Kelly and Read.
Different criminality. But that's another debate.

If nothing else, you can say that Chopper was ahead of his time. He recognised the thirst for people to 'tour' the underworld and his books certainly set the scene for the Underbelly books and series', along with other popular culture today.

That's a good call.

My above comparison was merely to illustrate the love that the general public seem to have for some criminals. I wasn't trying to compare their crimes in any way.

Sky Pilot wrote:Good riddance. Like Ned Kelly, scumbag and thug. Made famous by their notoriety.

On the other hand, he was able to turn his life around. Better that he makes a crust from the speaking circuit and book royalties than from standing over nightclub owners and cutting toes, wouldn't you think?

I reckon I read somewhere that he donated some or all of the money he made from one of his books to a charity... the "crop a cop" thing where coppers shave their heads for some cause.

I can respect what he did in his later life, if nothing else.

Pseudo wrote:

Sky Pilot wrote:Good riddance. Like Ned Kelly, scumbag and thug. Made famous by their notoriety.

On the other hand, he was able to turn his life around. Better that he makes a crust from the speaking circuit and book royalties than from standing over nightclub owners and cutting toes, wouldn't you think?

I reckon I read somewhere that he donated some or all of the money he made from one of his books to a charity... the "crop a cop" thing where coppers shave their heads for some cause.

I can respect what he did in his later life, if nothing else.

You know what? I agree with that too. I think if people can see the error in their ways, and do things for the betterment of man, then that's obviously a great thing.

Failed Creation wrote:

Pseudo wrote:

Sky Pilot wrote:Good riddance. Like Ned Kelly, scumbag and thug. Made famous by their notoriety.

On the other hand, he was able to turn his life around. Better that he makes a crust from the speaking circuit and book royalties than from standing over nightclub owners and cutting toes, wouldn't you think?
I reckon I read somewhere that he donated some or all of the money he made from one of his books to a charity... the "crop a cop" thing where coppers shave their heads for some cause.
I can respect what he did in his later life, if nothing else.

You know what? I agree with that too. I think if people can see the error in their ways, and do things for the betterment of man, then that's obviously a great thing.

I too agree with that.

The thing with Read was he never tried to hide from what he had done and did what he could to turn his life around.

His biographer was saying last night that most of the things he said were made up, and his notoriety came mostly from fictional accounts of his life.

Obviously, some of it was true, but most was just a good story.

Still, I couldnt care less he passed away. I prefer the Eric Banner Chopper than the real thing. Couldnt stand him when he did interviews.

just read the adelaidenow article on Chop Chop. They finished with this:

The last words of that first book resonate more now than when I typed them in 1991.

"I know I have said that I regret nothing - but the truth is that I regret plenty. I regret my whole life.''

Uncle Chop Chop you old scallywag. Sixteen days before he dies he says in an interview that he killed Sid Collins. For those of you who have read some Chopper books you will know that Chopper was put inside in Tasmania for shooting Collins. Chopper always said that this was an absolute frame up and why would he 'hide' the gun in an obvious place etc etc.

Sid Collins disappeared a while ago (not sure when) and just before he dies Chopper says he killed the bloke? Nice little scam to go out on Chopper. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't but the Collins murder could very well go down as Chopper's final whopper.

regards,

REB

Rik E Boy wrote:Uncle Chop Chop you old scallywag. Sixteen days before he dies he says in an interview that he killed Sid Collins. For those of you who have read some Chopper books you will know that Chopper was put inside in Tasmania for shooting Collins. Chopper always said that this was an absolute frame up and why would he 'hide' the gun in an obvious place etc etc.

Sid Collins disappeared a while ago (not sure when) and just before he dies Chopper says he killed the bloke? Nice little scam to go out on Chopper. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't but the Collins murder could very well go down as Chopper's final whopper.

regards,

REB

I saw that big 60 Minutes interview last night too REB but why do you suggest he was bullshitting about killing that bikie boss?

Gozu wrote:

Rik E Boy wrote:Uncle Chop Chop you old scallywag. Sixteen days before he dies he says in an interview that he killed Sid Collins. For those of you who have read some Chopper books you will know that Chopper was put inside in Tasmania for shooting Collins. Chopper always said that this was an absolute frame up and why would he 'hide' the gun in an obvious place etc etc.

Sid Collins disappeared a while ago (not sure when) and just before he dies Chopper says he killed the bloke? Nice little scam to go out on Chopper. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't but the Collins murder could very well go down as Chopper's final whopper.

regards,

REB

I saw that big 60 Minutes interview last night too REB but why do you suggest he was bullshitting about killing that bikie boss?

Mark Jacko Jackson has come out and said he only did a show and has only been to Casino once in his whole life, in 2005. How could Chop have killed him after a show in 2002 when the show didnt happen? The bloke was full of S$#t

He was a story teller, not sure how channel 9 didn't work that out.

smac wrote:He was a story teller, not sure how channel 9 didn't work that out.

They wouldve known. But holding onto an interview til after he died guaranteed ratings.

My question is, since he confessed to 4 murders over 2 weeks before he died, and Channel 9 didnt pass the info on to police, can they be charged with anything?

HH3 wrote:

smac wrote:He was a story teller, not sure how channel 9 didn't work that out.

They wouldve known. But holding onto an interview til after he died guaranteed ratings.

My question is, since he confessed to 4 murders over 2 weeks before he died, and Channel 9 didnt pass the info on to police, can they be charged with anything?

At the end of the story they stated they passed on information to police. Did not state when they did it but with only days to live why would police waste resources when all medical opinions say he won't make it to trial.