Powderfinger bassist John Collins becomes a Member of the Order of Australia

Former Powderfinger bassist John Collins becomes a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia in recognition of his significant service to the arts through music, and to the community.

John Collins, former Powderfinger bassist, becomes a Member of the Order of Australia. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

As bassist in Brisbane rock band Powderfinger, John Collins’s four-string musicianship underpinned the rhythm section as the quintet evolved from small pubs to sell millions of albums, play our biggest stages and leave an indelible imprint on pop culture.

His life’s first act ended in 2010 when the chart-topping band completed a national farewell tour, switched off the amplifiers and parted ways after seven ­albums.

For a while, Collins was unsure what a post-Powderfinger life held for him. After some soul-searching, his second act began in earnest in 2014 with the opening of The Triffid, an 800-capacity inner-city Brisbane music venue he co-owned and operated.

It was such a success that in 2019 Collins and his business partners – including global entertainment giant Live Nation – opened a 3300-capacity venue named The Fortitude Music Hall.

His band’s style of melodic rock ‘n’ roll brought much joy to millions of Australians, but for concert attendees in the Queensland capital, Collins’s entrepreneurial spirit has helped to secure the future of Brisbane’s live scene through his role in establishing two of the city’s most popular and best-attended venues.

Today, Collins becomes a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his significant service to the arts through music, and to the community.

“I feel really grateful for the experiences I had in Powderfinger,” Collins, 54, told The Australian.

“It feels right to be doing what I’m doing, after my experiences in the band for 20 years. It feels like I’m doing the right thing, and I feel like I’m doing it for the right reasons, as well.”

Paul McCartney, Flea and Gene Simmons aside, rock ‘n’ roll bass players rarely seek adulation, usually preferring to do their important work up the back, beside the drummer, while their flashier bandmates get the glory.

That’s certainly true for Collins. Born and raised in the Queensland country town of Beaudesert and humble to his core, he is uncomfortable in the spotlight that the news of his King’s Birthday Honour will bring.

John Collins: “By accident, I think, I became a spokesperson for some of the music industry.” Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

He admits, too, to an ongoing feeling of impostor syndrome even now, a decade into a role that has seen him become one of the most prominent music venue owners in Australia.

He was particularly vocal during the Covid years of 2020-22, wherein state government health departments played havoc with live music capacities while sporting events were subject to vastly different attendance rules.

“We went through Covid, and I got behind the industry and tried to rally the government in Queensland to change some of the laws,” he said.

“By accident, I think, I became a spokesperson for some of the music industry. It’s a challenge, and I’m happy to be that person at the moment. I love what I do, I believe in the industry, and it was so good to me.

“I’m absolutely over the moon to be awarded this great honour,” he said. “I don’t take it lightly, and I’m really proud of what I’ve been able to do in my life with music.”