Prominent music industry figure Michael Chugg has paid an emotional tribute to another industry icon, Michael Gudinski, after he died unexpectedly last night. 

The 68-year-old suffered a heart attack in his Melbourne home.

Gudinski was one of the most influential figures in Australian music history, having formed Mushroom Records and Frontier Touring, and launching countless international careers.

“It’s just shattering really,” Mr Chugg told Deborah Knight.

“I spoke to him at 9 o’clock last night, we were giving each other a hard time over making sure the Sheppard album got to number one this week.

“It’s just so shocking, I got the call early this morning … I first met him when he was a sixteen-year-old sitting at a desk at an agency in Melbourne, and we were friends, buddies and opponents ever since.

“It’s just one of the worst days of my life.”

Gudinski and Chugg formed Frontier Touring together in the 70’s which brought huge international acts to Australia including The Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen.

But he’ll be best remembered for the way he nurtured and promoted home grown talent.

“In the last few years he’s been doing so much,” he said.

“What he has done for the Australian industry in the last 14 months during COVID has been unbelievable, he’s thrown his heart and soul into our music, and spent millions of dollars of his own money promoting everything Australian.

“I’m so proud to be his friend and his partner.”

Click PLAY to hear the emotional tribute below

Image: Graham Denholm/Getty Images