Gudinski

The Godfather of Australian Rock’n’roll.
By Stuart Coupe.

Known to many as GODinski, Michael Gudinski is unquestionably the most powerful and influential figure in the Australian music industry – and has been for the last four decades. Often referred to as ‘The Godfather of the Australian music industry’, Gudinski has nurtured the careers of dozens of Australia’s greatest artists, including Kylie Minogue, Jimmy Barnes, Paul Kelly, Skyhooks, Split Enz, Yothu Yindi, to name just a few.

But his reach isn’t limited to Australian artists. Gudinski’s influential Frontier Touring Company has toured the likes of The Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Sting and many more; a who’s who of the arena-level international music scene. The self-made multi-millionaire is Australia’s answer to Richard Branson. But just who is this tough, inspired, flamboyant and impassioned businessman who has shaped Australian popular culture? Where did he come from, and how has he managed to stay relevant for so long in an industry renouned for its fickleness? Rock journalist Stuart Coupe delves into Gudinski’s life to find the answers to these questions and in doing so gives us a backstage pass to forty years of Australian Rock’n’Roll.

“This is a book about, power, money and the guy who can relay to The Rolling Stones in ten minutes that they need to make a change of plans,” said Coupe. “He never wanted to have a book about him during his lifetime, but it’s the most important story in Australian Rock history – and it needs to be told.”

Stuart Coupe is a freelance journalist, radio broadcaster and one-time band manager who now runs his own independent record label, Laughing Outlaw Records and has been involved in the music industry all his life. Coupe wrote The Promoters in 2003 and is a contributor to several magazines and newspapers.

Gudinski is available now.

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