After Mushroom Records formed in 1972 by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans, their first ambitious album release featured performances from the second Sunbury Pop Festival in 1973.
The festival happened on the 27-29 January weekend; the triple live album called The Great Australian Rock Festival, Sunbury 1973 released just over two months later, on 6 April.
The album put Mushroom on the map as a key player in the Australian music industry, with the label eventually becoming one of the most successful and iconic labels in the country.
Tracklist
Johnny O’Keefe: High Rollin’ Man
Friends: Bird On a Wire / La La Song
69ers: Harry Rag
Lobby Loyde & Coloured Balls: Johnny B. Goode
Madder Lake: Down the River / 12lb. Toothbrush
Band Of Light: Messin’ With the Kid
Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs: Going Back Home
Blackfeather: I’m Gonna Love You
Carson: Friday Night Groove
Mighty Mouse: Sunset Song
Healing Force: Erection
Country Radio: Silver Spurs
Matt Taylor: From Brisbane to Beechworth
Sid Rumpo: Sailing
Mackenzie Theory: New Song and
Glenn Cardier: Australia
Bakery: Living With a Memory
Recorded by John French for TCS Studios, Television City, GTV-9
There were four Sunbury Pop/Rock Festivals in all, the final one on the Australia Day weekend in January 1975.
The early festivals were financially successful and featured performances by Australian and New Zealand bands including Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, Max Merritt and the Meteors, Chain and Wild Cherries. Later festivals included a fledgeling Skyhooks and British acts Queen and Deep Purple.
Also on Bang a Gong:
Boogie by Carson from Sunbury 1973 filmed by GTV-9
CC Rider (live) by Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs from Aztecs Live!, recorded at Sunbury 1972
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