Iconic record label Mushroom, founded by the Godfather of Australian music, the late Michael Gudinski, is gearing up to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
For the next nine months, they’re going to be “making noise”.
Not only will there be a steady release of new recordings of iconic Mushroom Group singles – the first is a cover of The Church classic Under the Milky Way – Melbourne will host a “once-in-a-lifetime” concert with a star-studded line-up of artists in November.
Past, present and future
Gudinski, who started working on plans for Mushroom’s 50th birthday celebrations five years ago, died in 2021.
He left a huge legacy, launching the careers of artists including Kylie Minogue, Archie Roach, Jimmy Barnes, Paul Kelly, Hunters and Collectors and Skyhooks, Split Enz and The Models … and so many more.
Ed Sheeran, who packed Melbourne’s MCG with more than 200,000 people over two concerts, considered Gudinski a close friend and mentor throughout the formative stages of his career.
Gudinski’s son Matt became Mushroom’s chief executive after his father’s death.
It’s in his DNA, he grew up around music and from the age of 17 watched his father develop the business into a group of 25 music and entertainment companies that employed 250 people in all facets of the business, including touring, booking, artist management, record labels and music publishing.
Matt Gudinski was in good company at a gathering at The Espy in St Kilda this week to launch the 50th celebrations, where he spoke about his “big plans” to commemorate the milestone.
Barnsey was there, Vika and Linda, and singer and former Hunters and Collectors frontman Mark Seymour.
“So many amazing people and artists have formed part of our story and this anniversary is about celebrating our history and future,” he said.
What’s the plan?
To begin with, 50 re-imagined Mushroom hits will be covered by “some of the best artists in the world”.
“Each artist is bringing their own distinct sound and vision to their cover,” Gudinski said.
Kicking off the series is one of Mushroom’s most successful bands and one of Australia’s biggest musical exports of the last 15 years.
With over one billion streams, one million album sales, and platinum success across Australia, the US and the UK, The Temper Trap launched their take on the 1988 ARIA Single Of The Year and top 30 Billboard hit in the US, Under The Milky Way.
Over the coming weeks, Missy Higgins, Bliss n Eso, and Australian icon Paul Kelly, among more than 40 others, will release an epic song, resulting in a Mushroom 50 album.
The documentary
Next up is a feature-length documentary to be released in cinemas across Australia later this year.
It will look back on Michael Gudinski’s career and the impact he had on Australian music and culture.
Born to Russian immigrants, Gudinski died suddenly aged 68, leaving behind his wife Sue, son Matt, daughter Kate, and two grandchildren. It sent the music world into mourning.
The documentary will retrace Gudinski’s early career, especially the historic 1970s Sunbury Rock Festival years.
As a youngster, he and a mate trucked in and sold watermelons and Gudinski was soon a stage manager and manager of several bands on the bill, according to Rolling Stone magazine.
Gudinski then founded Mushroom Records and Mushroom Music Publishing in Melbourne in 1972 and released its first album in April 1973, Sunbury 1973, The Great Australian Rock Festival – the first Australian triple album.
It didn’t take long for Mushroom to make a significant impact on the Australian music scene.
By the mid ‘70s, Mushroom was at the epicentre of a “seismic shift” in the way Australians interacted with music and live entertainment, and things were never the same.
“I’ve toured the world for the last 50 years and never met a better promoter,” says legendary US rock singer, Bruce Springsteen.
Jimmy Barnes told the Herald Sun: “Michael treated every act like they were his babies. Mushroom is family.” Seymour echoed those sentiments.
And lastly, the mega concert
Mushroom has not released the lineup of stars, but Ed Sheeran could be back, and it promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime concert slated for November this year.
“To survive as an independent music company for 50 years through an industry that has had so many ups and downs,” Gudinski said on Wednesday, “and to be standing on our own two feet, and still investing, creating, and developing amazing Australian artists, is a testament to the foundations my dad put in place, and everyone who’s been a part of the Mushroom journey.”
