It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Michael Gudinski, a trailblazer who has left an indelible mark on both the local and international music landscape.
While Albert Productions and its studios was evolving in Sydney in the 70’s, Mushroom, under Michael’s direction was taking Melbourne (and in quick succession Australia) by storm. With artists like the Skyhooks, The Dingoes and Split Enz, Mushroom played a significant role in helping to create a new Australian sound and a sense of confidence that local songwriters and artists were as good (if not better!!) than those from anywhere in the world.
Michael always spoke of his respect and his admiration for my uncle Ted Albert. Likewise, we have always held Michael and his team at the Mushroom Group in the highest regard. The entrepreneurial flair, the breadth and depth of business activities from touring to publishing to film making, the drive, the passion, loyalty and genuine care for each and every one of the artists and songwriters were all hallmarks of the business that Michael and his team built.
Catching up with Michael was always special and always memorable. Two such occasions stand out. A beer at the Enmore before seeing the mighty Hunters & Collectors and a glass of red at his home to hear his vision for the Australian Music Vault, a celebration of our contemporary music scene. In both instances he was in full flight - entertaining and impassioned as he spoke of things that were truly dear to his heart.
For Michael, music was more than just a business, it was his life and a life he cared very deeply about.
Michael leaves a legacy that will endure well into the future. On behalf of everyone at Alberts, our condolences to Sue and the whole Gudinski and Mushroom family.
David Albert

The 2020 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition top 40 finalists have just been announced with a record number of submissions from 46 countries received raising just over A$203,000 for the transformative work of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Australia. The top 40 playlist is available to stream now on Spotify and Apple Music and the winners will be announced in March 2021. Alberts is proud to continue to support the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition which was launched in 2009 by Alberts in conjunction with APRA AMCOS and has raised over A$1.4 million to date. Read more here.

Sam Mostyn has been recognised for her contributions in the 2021 honours list among other incredibly impressive individuals. In announcing the candidates, the governor general said “The individuals we celebrate today come from all parts of our great nation and have served the community in almost every way conceivable. They’re diverse and unique but there are some common characteristics, including selflessness, commitment and dedication.” Ms Mostyn – the Sydney Swans director, AFL commissioner and chair of the Alberts AGS board among other great accomplishments was made an officer in the general division of the Order of Australia. She was recognised for “distinguished service to business and sustainability, and to the community, through seminal contributions to a range of organisations, and to women”. Read more here.

Aussie energy tech startup Gridcogniton closes a $675k pre-seed investment round with some of Australia’s leading tech and clean energy investors, including Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Alberts & Startmate. Gridcognition is an innovative software that helps to plan and optimise distributed energy projects to accelerate Australia’s transition to a decarbonised energy market. By creating a sophisticated digital twin of existing and future energy projects, the technology can run thousands of simulations in a single click, optimising technology and commercial decisions to drive the best possible environmental and financial outcomes. Alberts believes in the positive impact Gridcognition will have in helping the climate crisis by making it easier for customers to transition to the new energy market.
© Image courtesy of Gridcognition

We are excited to share our investment into impact start-up Like Family (formerly known as Home Care Heroes) in its latest $2 million seed raise. Like Family was founded in 2016 by married couple Jenna Leo and Mathieu Bertrand with the aim of tackling loneliness, an issue that has been exacerbated by the effects of Covid-19. Like Family are an NDIS-approved provider focused on reducing social isolation by providing companionship and non-medical support for the ageing population as well as people with a disability, injury or illness. The ​Like Family platform already serves a community of over 30,000 members and 3,000 carers via their marketplace which helps connect Australians to trustworthy social carers, vetted through a rigorous verification process including reference checks, police checks and in-person inductions. Read more about Like Family here.

A nation-wide celebration of Australian music that reminds us how lucky we are to have such a strong local music scene, with many highly talented and successful artists across all genres of music. This year has been a wipeout and artists, crew and music workers need our help more than ever. Show your support by wearing your favourite Aussie band t-shirt today ! Head to our team page to find how you can support the cause.