Michael Chugg

As part of our commitment to capturing and sharing great Australian music stories, the Australian Music Vault asked some of the country’s most influential trailblazers and unsung heroes to open up about their lives in music.

Michael Chugg AM is a pioneering entrepreneur, artist manager and tour promoter. Born in Launceston, he started working in music at the age of 15 organising a dance with local band The Dominos to raise money for his cycling club. He was soon hitching between Launceston and Hobart, organising gigs for The Easybeats, The Twilights and The Groove. After moving to Melbourne, he joined Consolidated Rock Agency and in 1978, he co-founded the Frontier Touring Company, one of biggest promoters in Australia, touring acts like Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Guns N’ Roses and Bob Dylan. Throughout his career he has won many awards including Pollstar’s International Promoter of the Year, and in 1998 he was appointed Member of the Order of Australia for his services to music and philanthropy.

In this interview, ‘Chuggi’ talks to Brian Nankervis about the first Australian concert he ever attended, a double bill with Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs and Max Merritt and the Meteors. He also shares his experience working in the glory days of pub rock with bands like Chain, Spectrum, The La De Das, Daddy Cool, Jeff St John, Lobby Loyde and Billy Thorpe, and also his more recent experiences with Brisbane pop group, Sheppard.

Interviewer: Brian Nankervis

Location: Melbourne Room, Arts Centre Melbourne, 2017