Embracing our mistakes makes for great reading

Queen of Funk, Chaka Khan, is a bit of an idol of mine. Not only is the American singer responsible for some of the most iconic funk tracks of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, Khan has led an extraordinarily productive life.

Professional accolades include 10 Grammy awards, 13 studio albums, inductions into both the Soul Music and Rock and Roll music halls of fame, three gold singles, three gold albums and one that reached platinum.

She’s also had a colourful personal life including struggles with drug and alcohol use, two failed marriages and raising two children, one of whom was tried for murder. And yet, despite an incredible life of highs and lows, Khan definitely doesn’t look or act as if she’s been on the planet for seven decades.

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This is exactly how I feel about Wheels magazine.

In its 70 years, this mag has been through a lot. It’s endured a global financial crisis, recession, the end of local car manufacturing and even a deadly viral pandemic. Seventeen editors have steered its pages through good times and bad including the longest serving Peter Robinson.

His legendary status is well deserved, and images of Robbo oppo’ed to the lock stops in a Ferrari F50 or gliding several inches above the asphalt in a McLaren F1 are legend to longstanding readers, but he also brought his fair share of grey hairs to the masthead.

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If any of the mainstream media had the misfortune to crash a supercar today its fair to say a serious amount of resources would be poured into making sure the incident never saw the light of day. Not Wheels, though.

Rather than sweeping the smashed pieces of Lamborghini Diablo under the carpet, Robbo’s agonising tale from Italy went to print and it’s still a brilliant read to this day.

The annual Car to the Year event must also take as much responsibility for controversy, not just from the winners which often polarise the nation, but for the notable occasions Wheels declared no winner at all. Oh, and the time a large SUV ended up on its roof.

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In even my relatively short time as part of the Wheels family, I have simply too many wonderful stories to tell but most would probably be unprintable.

Infamy is a deliberately recurring theme for the title and Wheels once again delivered a controversial message when in 2013 British journalist Ben Oliver drove from Melbourne to Sydney 20km/h above the maximum speed limit; a brave piece of journalism that’s often suggested for a repeat.

In even my relatively short time as part of the Wheels family, I have simply too many wonderful stories to tell but most would probably be unprintable.

Among the many happy times perhaps one of the best (printable) would have to be the evenings at the Oakleigh offices when the entire upper storey would descend into fierce war and a hail of Nerf-gun darts to blow off a bit of steam when print deadlines passed.

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But like Chaka Khan’s unfaltering energy and mighty voice, Wheels has defied the years.

Yes, there have been times in its history when the page count waxed and waned, editors have come and gone, and the mag has even changed shape a few times too.

But the content that lies within has always been written with passion and from a position of impartiality – how many motoring publications can claim the same in a media landscape saturated with influencers and ‘experts’ today?

Of course, existing in an increasingly digital era as a print publication is not without its challenges, but with a thriving online presence along with one of the few tactile portals into the automotive media world, Wheels has never looked better. Happy birthday, Wheels. I hope I’m faring as well at 70.

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