17 Facts About Michael Gudinski

Michael Solomon Gudinski AM was an Australian record executive and promoter who was a leading figure in the Australian music industry.

Michael Gudinski was considered to be "one of the most significant and powerful players" in the Australian music landscape.

Michael Gudinski was born in Caulfield, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, to Jewish Russian immigrants Kuba and Nina Michael Gudinski, who had arrived in Australia in 1948.

Michael Gudinski was educated at Mount Scopus College and Melbourne High School.

In 1970, Gudinski established the Consolidated Rock artist agency with Michael Browning, managing artists including Chain and Healing Force.

In 1977 Michael Gudinski opened the music venue Bombay Bicycle Club in Bourke Street, Melbourne, soon moving it to Sydney Road Brunswick and renaming it Bombay Rock.

Michael Gudinski was convinced to sign expatriate New Zealand band Split Enz, who had recently relocated to Australia.

In November 2005, shortly after the sale of Festival Mushroom's recording division to Warner Music Australia, Michael Gudinski purchased Festival's publishing division for an undisclosed sum.

In 2020, Michael Gudinski created The Sound, a music show for ABC TV which was developed out of an online production called The State of Music, which was created to help Australian musicians during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Michael Gudinski was behind the Music from the Home Front concert, which was organised in nine days, so that artists could perform in the concert on ANZAC Day 2020.

Michael Gudinski was a highly visible public figure throughout his career and is considered to be the only Australian record company executive whose name was known by the general public.

Michael Gudinski was the godfather of Jimmy Barnes' daughter, Mahalia Barnes.

Michael Gudinski was a life-long supporter of the St Kilda Football Club, and once served as their vice president.

On 2 March 2021, Michael Gudinski died during his sleep at his home in Melbourne, at the age of 68.

Shortly after his death, Triple J's programme Hack paid tribute to Michael Gudinski, discussing his contributions to the Australian music industry.

Michael Gudinski received several awards for his work in the Australian entertainment industry.

Michael Gudinski received the JC Williamson Award in 2009, and at the 2013 Music Victoria Awards was inducted into the awards' Hall of Fame, forty years after he founded Mushroom Records.