If you’ve ever found yourself singing along to Sky Hooks, Split Enz, Kylie Minogue or Ed Sheeran you may not have realised the man behind the success of those acts and many others – Michael Gudinski.
This is the basis for Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story which has just been released on DVD and Blu-ray to celebrate Gudinski’s contribution to the Australian music scene.
You may recall the outpourings from around the country following Gudinski’s sudden death in 2021 and this documentary pays tribute to not only his many successes, but also his failures and everything in between.
We hear from the likes of Billy Joel, Dave Grohl, Sting, Kylie Minogue, Bruce Springsteen, Ed Sheeran and Shirley Manson and Butch Vig from Garbage, among others who delight in recalling humorous and sometimes awkward encounters with Gudinski.
He really was the Kerry Packer of the music world – from his founding of Mushroom Records through to liaising with and organising some of the biggest acts in the world – Gudinski certainly had a life well-lived.
The only criticism is that perhaps the documentary goes on a little too long and there are some interviews which could have been skipped.
Overall, it’s worth watching if you want a history lesson on Australian music from the 60s through to modern times.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Rated: M
Distributor: Madman Entertainment
Out now on Blu-ray and DVD
