Music industry dynamo wins major award

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LEXI LANDSMAN

MICHAEL Gudinski has bought fame and fortune as a music promoter to pop stars such as Kylie Minogue, Billy Thorpe and the group Split Enz. But at the Helpmann Awards on July 27, at the Sydney Opera House, it was his success that was thrown into the spotlight.

The record industry mogul, who founded Mushroom Records and whose career stretches back in the 1970s, was awarded the prestigious JC Williamson Award for outstanding contribution to the Australian live performance industry.

“I had a dream, a dream I hope will still continue, but that dream wouldn’t be there without [my family],” Gudinski said in his signature husky voice.

Born in Melbourne to Russian Jewish immigrants in 1952, Gudinski started running dances in his teens and later dropped out of school to get into the music industry, something he thanked booking agent Bill Joseph for encouraging him to do.

Gudinski also thanked Kylie Minogue and Jimmy Barnes, as well as The Chain, the first band he managed in the 1970s, who he said “gave [him] the light to start Mushroom Records”.

Music guru Molly Meldrum, a good friend of Gudinski, presented the award in a moving presentation that chronicled his success over the years from a teenager “who lived and breathed the live scene” to having established a successful record company, promotion touring company, film company and merchandising company, among other achievements.

“Michael is a pioneer in this business and has achieved groundbreaking success, and paved the way for many to follow and has single-handedly enriched our culture,” he said.

“He has never once turned his back on his original passion of people getting together to enjoy great live entertainment.”

A video message from Kylie Minogue in London was then screened. “The Helpmann Award is the greatest honour that industry can bestow and there is no one who deserves it more than you, my good friend,” she said.

“It’s been over 20 years I’ve known you and … I would be happy to be caught in the whirlwind that is Michael Gudinksi any time.”

In a surprise performance, Jimmy Barnes and Diesel joined the surviving members of the band Skyhooks on stage singing Women in Uniform in tribute to Gudinski.

Sound Relief won the Helpmann Award for best special event and it was accepted by the organisers, including Gudinski, who said it was one of the greatest events he’d been involved in.

Meanwhile, troubadour Leonard Cohen’s World Tour 2009, with the Frontier Touring Company, was awarded the Helpmann Award for best international contemporary concert.

Jewish music whizz Max Lyandvert was awarded the Helpmann Award for best sound design for his work on Sydney Theatre Company’s War of the Roses. The play, which featured Cate Blanchett, took a total of six awards including the major gong for best play.

Lyandvert, a composer, sound designer and director, won the 2005 Helpmann Award for Journal of a Plague Year.

Jewish actress Yael Stone missed out on the best female actor in a supporting role in a play, to Marta Dusseldorp, who won with War of the Roses.

Although Jewish choreographer Gideon Obarzanek missed out on the award for best choreography in a musical for his work on Shane Warne the Musical, the musical took out the award for best new Australian work.

Melbourne-born, but now Berlin-based, director Barrie Kosky, also missed out on the best direction of a play to Benedict Andrews for War of the Roses.