Gudinski Promotes Son
To Mushroom Director

Michael Gudinski’s Mushroom Group of Companies celebrated its 40th anniversary with a Feb. 5 industry party in Melbourne and a free concert to punters the night after.

The Group made two announcements. Gudinski’s son, Matt, in his late 20s, was promoted to group executive director.

Gudinski Jr., who proved to have the commercial savvy of his old man running the Illusive label and Artist Voice agency, has a greater say in the running of the group, which includes 29 divisions. These include Frontier Touring, Premier Artists, Harbour Agency and Roundhouse Entertainment and two venues – as well as a number of record labels, merchandising, publishing and marketing units.

But the elder Gudinski has no intention of riding off into the sunset. He bellowed to 550 industry guests, “If any other prick asks me if I’m retiring tonight they can fuck off!”

As part of celebrations, a new Mushroom logo was unveiled to be, for the first time, utilized in all 29 companies’ marketing as a branding exercise.