Michael Gudinski, Mushroom Records founder and Australian music industry icon, dead aged 68
Australian music industry legend Michael Gudinski, the founder of Mushroom Records, has died at the age of 68.
Key points:
- Michael Gudinski worked with Australian icons including Kylie Minogue and Skyhooks
- Launching his record label in 1972, and promotion business in 1979, he was one of the industry’s most influential figures
- A statement from Mushroom Group described him as someone with an “unwavering passion for all music”
Mr Gudinski died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Melbourne, according to a statement from Mushroom Group.
Mr Gudinski founded Mushroom in 1972, when he was 20, and went on to work closely with a who’s who of Australian musicians, including Jimmy Barnes and Kylie Minogue.
Mushroom Records launched Minogue’s career with her first album, Kylie, in 1988.
The label established itself in 1974 with the release of Skyhooks’ debut album, Living in the 70’s, which by 1975 was the biggest-selling album by an Australian act in Australia.
The LP spent close to four months at the top of the Australian charts and sold 240,000 copies.
Cold Chisel singer Barnes led tributes to Mr Gudinski, saying the “heart of Australian music” had been “ripped out”.
“His boundless enthusiasm breathed life into our music scene,” he said.
“But that was just one side of Michael.
“He was a staunch friend, a loving father and grandfather and an adoring husband to Sue.”
“Michael Gudinski was a key figure in shaping the Australian music industry,” the statement from Mushroom read.
“A larger-than-life figure, Michael was widely respected for his unwavering passion for all music — in particular Australian music.”
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Mr Gudinski became a promoter in 1979, founding Frontier Touring. Over the next four decades, he brought some of the biggest names in music to Australian shores.
Recently he had been putting on events to help musicians who suffered from a lack of work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Gudinksi happily admitted he never had what it took to be a musician himself.
“I’ve always worked on gut feel because I’ve never played music,” he told ABC interviewer Jon Faine in 2019.
Reflecting on his career, he said: “It’s been a lot of instinct, you learn from your mistakes. My biggest saying is: You need to be a leader, not a follower.”
Todd Hunter from the Australian-New Zealand band Dragon said Mr Gudinski was “like a force of nature”.
“It’s shocking that he’s gone,” Hunter said.
“It’s obvious he was a towering figure in the Australian rock music industry. He was into so many different things I think he’ll be remembered in a lot of different ways.”
Music journalist Glenn A Baker told ABC News Mr Gudinski was a man full of energy who gave what he had into the industry.
“When he did decide to go with something, he gave it his all,” he said.
“His energy was just absolutely phenomenal and he could maybe see things that other people couldn’t quite see.
“I suppose, the thing was that nothing was beyond him. He could do it with such energy and such enthusiasm.”
He is survived by wife Sue and his two children.
ABC
