Peter Minack

Peter Carl Minack^[1] (born in 1961 or 1962) is an Australian vocalist and teacher. He is known by his stage name Ron Hitler-Barassi as the vocalist for the alternative rock band TISM, initially active from 1984 to 2004. Under his own name he published an American Civil War novel, C.W.G. (or Campaigning with Grant) in 2000. While a member of TISM, Minack periodically worked as a secondary school teacher of Drama and fully resumed that role after they disbanded. In 2022, TISM reformed.

Peter Minack
Birth name	Peter Carl Minack
Born	1961 or 1962 (age 62–63) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres	Alternative rock
Instrument	Vocals
Years active	1970s–2004, 2022–present
Writing career
Occupation	Writer, teacher
Genre	Historical novel
Subject	American Civil War
Notable works	C.W.G.

Biography

Minack was born to a German father and Irish Australian mother in Richmond in 1961 or 1962.^[2]

In 1983, he joined TISM, an alternative rock band formed by two of his friends, Damian Cowell and Eugene Cester, in the year before. TISM members remained anonymous throughout their career, with Minack adopting his stage name, Ron Hitler-Barassi, as a reference to^{[citation needed]} his German background and Australian rules football fandom.

In 2000 he published a historical novel set in the American Civil War, C.W.G. or more fully, Campaigning with Grant.^[2][3][4] Michelle Griffin of The Age reviewed it as "anarchic and anachronistic" with a "sour satiric tone" where leaders of the conflict are cast as "civil war dickheads" to be "frequently lampooned throughout."^[5] The Weekend Australian's Stephen Matchett described it as "a terrific book that deserved the critical admiration it received."^[6]

TISM split up at the end of 2004^[7] and Minack returned to his day job as a secondary school teacher of English in Melbourne.^[2]

In 2022, TISM reformed, to play three shows at the Goodthings festival, and 3 secret shows around Melbourne.^[8] Minack appeared on multiple radio interviews along with Damian Cowell across Melbourne,^[9][10] and one interview on ABC Sydney with Sarah Macdonald.^[11]

References

1. "Peter Carl Minack". MusicBrainz. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
2. Waldren, Murray (29 July 200). "Ghost files war report". The Australian. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2016 – via Murray Waldren.
3. Minack, Peter (2000), C.W.G (Campaigning with Grant), Random House Australia Pty Ltd, ISBN 978-0-09-184186-7
4. Matchett, Stephen (5 January 2009). "Goodwill can wait, I feel the tug of war". The Australian. Retrieved 17 March 2009.
5. Griffin, Michelle (24 July 2000). "Hits and myths of the battle hymns of the republic". The Age. Archived from the original on 16 August 2000. Retrieved 30 October 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
6. Matchett, Stephen (1 October 2005). "You gotta have friends". The Weekend Australian. p. 40.
7. Dwyer, Michael (7 January 2017). "A tale of two dags: TISM's Damian Cowell and Tony Martin continue the satire with new album". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 8 January 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
8. Condon, Dan (15 June 2022). "TISM have reformed and will play the Good Things festival in December". Double J. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
9. "An unmissable chaotic interview with TISM". Double J. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
10. "Why did TISM break their 19-year hiatus?". ABC Melbourne. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
11. "TISM are back". ABC Sydney. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2023.