Michael Chugg – aka ‘Chuggy’ - is one of the legendary characters of Australian music and the founder & executive chairman of music and touring company, Chugg Entertainment. Having managed and toured bands since the 60s, Chuggy’s life in music has seen him work with many of Australia and the world’s biggest music artists. From starting out promoting bands and dances in Launceston, to the world’s great acts such as Guns ‘N’ Roses, Robbie Williams and Elton John, Michael’s commitment to music has been unending and unrelenting.  In Part 1 of Peter and Michael’s conversation, they look at Michael’s start with music in Launceston, his jump to Melbourne and then on to Sydney. These were the early days of the modern day business of music management, promotion and touring. Chuggy gives Peter his inside glimpse on those days. By learning on the job, Michael and counterparts set the stage for the music and touring business that is alive and thriving today.

From The Inside with Peter Rix

A life of touring and music – Michael Chugg – pt 1

The 1970s meant a new era of Australian music. The Sunbury Rock Festival in the early 1970s was Australia’s equivalent to Woodstock. Around the same time, the touring scene started to take off in Sydney after years of decline with Michael one of those leading the charge. The late 70s then saw a new wave of touring from the UK, with acts such as The Police. This was a period where Michael established his touring and management credentials for both Australian and overseas acts. Peter Rix and Michael Chugg look back at what happened to Chuggy at Sunbury, the growing music and touring scene through the 70s and his work in helping take Aussie acts overseas and bringing a new wave of British acts down under.

A life of touring and music – Michael Chugg – pt 2

The modern day era saw Michael Chugg’s music life take on different turns – touring new acts and new genres, breaking new artists in Australia and a return to managing artists. Chuggy had to get hands on with artists - playing a role in breaking Robbie Williams and Sheppard into Australia. In Part 3 of their conversation, Peter and Chuggy look at the ups and downs of modern day touring and the music business. It’s not common for a touring man to help break artists onto the radio and into the charts, but it was a challenge Chuggy took up.  Peter and Michael also look back at the infamous moment where Chuggy took to the stage at the Guns N Roses concert at Sydney’s Eastern Creek and how he might have done things differently a second time around.  Note: This interview was recorded prior to the passing away of country music promoter Rob Potts and musician and journalist Iain Shedden in late 2017.

A life of touring and music – Michael Chugg – pt 3

This conversation is one very close to Peter Rix's heart. One of his early artist management jobs was with the glam rock band Hush. The mid-1970s saw the band take on constant performing, touring, radio airplay and regular appearances on 'Countdown' - giving the band chart success and Countdown's #1 Song of 1975. Les Gock was the lead guitarist and co-songwriter in the band. In Part 1 of their conversation, they look back at how Les started out in music and in the band, and what it took to build a following, get on 'Countdown' and achieve touring and chart success in the 1970s.

Renaissance man - pt 1: A conversation with Les Gock

This conversation is one very close to Peter Rix's heart. One of his early artist management jobs was with the glam rock band Hush. The mid-1970s saw the band take on constant performing, touring, radio airplay and regular appearances on 'Countdown', giving the band chart success and Countdown's #1 Song of 1975. Les Gock was the lead guitarist and co-songwriter in the band. In Part 2 of their conversation, Peter and Les share their stories of Hush hitting the road and touring. There were many memorable moments and a bunch of not so memorable moments as well. It was a period of camaraderie with the other Australian bands of the time.

Renaissance man - pt 2: A conversation with Les Gock

Even while touring, performing and being on TV as a 'rock star' in the 1970s, Les was already thinking about the future and where he would go next in life. While working on his re-invention after the end of Hush, Les discovered that being in a successful Australian band in the 70s didn't open as many doors as one would expect; he would need to carve out his own path for the next phase of his life. In Part 3 of Peter and Les's conversation, they look at Les's re-invention as a successful and award-winning sound and brand designer, including his work at founding music and sound design business Song Zu. It is a story that is equal parts about music and about one's own power to create personal change; a story that is just as relevant for today.

Renaissance man - pt 3: A conversation with Les Gock

John Watson is best known as the manager of an astonishing roster of recording artists from Silverchair to Missy Higgins, Birds of Tokyo, Paul Mac, The Presets, Gotye, Dustin Tebbutt and these days, Cold Chisel and Midnight Oil. John also runs his own recording and publishing outfits via Eleven: A Music Company. In Part 1 of their conversation, Peter and John look back on his start in the business in Townsville, his time in the record business and how he came across three teenagers from Newcastle Silverchair.

Managing Australia's finest - pt 1: A conversation with John Watson

In Part 2, Peter and John look at the role of the manager in the life and career of a recording artist: when to stay close, when to keep your distance, how to deal with the big highs and the big lows. Each artist that John has worked with over the years has required a different approach - especially in the new era of social media and music streaming. They also look at John's current work with Cold Chisel and how that came about.

Managing Australia's finest - pt 2: A conversation with John Watson

Nowadays John also co-manages Cold Chisel and manages Midnight Oil, in addition to his work with artists such as Gotye, The Presets, Birds of Tokyo and Dustin Tebbutt. In Part 3 of their conversation, Peter and John look at how Cold Chisel came back with the hunger they now have, the endless global drive of Midnight Oil, and his own personal highlights from over two decades of managing Australian recording artists.Find PodcastOne Australia on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/podcastoneau/Follow PodcastOne Australia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podcastoneau/Follow PodcastOne Australia on Twitter: https://twitter.com/podcastoneauDownload the PodcastOne app from the Apple and Google Play app stores

Managing Australia's finest - pt 3: A conversation with John Watson

This story is one hell of a ride. John Woodruff has played many roles over the years. From agent to manager to venue proprietor to music publisher to record label owner to magazine publisher. After experiencing success in the 70s and 80s through booking and management - in particular with The Angels - it was in the 90s that this converted into global success with John as manager of rock group The Baby Animals and then pop superstars Savage Garden. In Part 1 of this rare conversation, Peter and John look at the days starting out in Adelaide, the changing face of booking and management that John helped create in the 70s via Dirty Pool Management and the heady days of The Angels including their appearance at the Narara '83 music festival.

Tales of angels, animals and gardens - pt 1: A conversation with John Woodruff

John Woodruff's work in the 70s and 80s set him up for the moment where he saw a young Suze DeMarchi performing on UK television while visiting London. Tracking her down led to The Baby Animals, an Aussie rock group ready for the MTV generation. A few years later, John then came across two friends from Brisbane's southside - Savage Garden - whose success was swift and global in scale. John and Peter look back on Johns ride with these two acts, how they rose to stardom and what it takes for a manager to find and work with an artist that has the serious potential to become a big hit.

Tales of angels, animals and gardens - pt 2: A conversation with John Woodruff

Long time tour promoter and now Chairman of Live Nation Australasia, Michael Coppel's career in music started fresh out of university. It meant running record stores and booking bands - long hard hours borne out of a love of music. Coppel is astute, uncompromising, a workaholic, and with a love of interesting left-of-centre music. He sits down with Peter for a conversation about starting out, growing his own business and how the future of touring looks.

The evolution of music touring - pt 1: Michael Coppel

The landscape of touring is changing and evolving to a new scale. The tours are bigger - bigger money, larger venues, more countries with bigger entourages. Peter and Michael look at the differences in the business from then to now; about how artists touring 30 years ago are still going strong now - albeit on a much grander scale - and how a new artist that can fill a stadium now may not necessarily still have what it takes in two years time.

The evolution of music touring - pt 2: Michael Coppel

There are few long-standing members of the music industry globally who have the unique ability to hear and smell a hit record. There are even less who can show a track record for finding those neglected, unsigned, unwanted recording artists who they can put in a studio with a song that ultimately finishes its journey at the very top of the music charts.Charles Fisher is one of those quiet achievers that you will only find if you search the credit section of your next album. From Radio Birdman in the 70s to Savage Garden in the 90s and beyond, this is a serious practitioner of the art of producing and recording hit records. They call him 'The Song Doctor' with good reason. In this episode, Peter and Charles look back at Charles's start in the music industry. Charles always knew he wanted to make records. From starting out producing records in a run-down film studio in Sydney's inner west through to producing one of the biggest selling Australian albums ever, Charles walks us through those moments and shares his insights on what it takes to produce a hit.

The song doctor - pt 1: A conversation with Charles Fisher

In Part 2 of Peter's conversation with Charles Fisher, they look at Charles's 10 years spent producing records in the US and how that differed from working in Australia. They also look at the arrival of digital audio and production and how it has changed the music landscape. The equipment might be different, but it has never been easier to produce music and get a start in the industry. The way to becoming successful and making a living out of the industry is much different though and the term 'producer' can now have a different meaning. Charles and Peter discuss where the opportunities and potential pitfalls lie.

The song doctor - pt 2: A conversation with Charles Fisher

Peter Rix has spent his entire adult life working in and around the music business in Australia. From managing artists like Marcia Hines, Jon English, Hush and Billy Field, to 14 years as the original Producer and Chairman of the ARIA Music Awards.  Peter's book of contacts is extensive. From these contacts, he's picked the who's who of music legends to talk to for this series. They are the success stories, the survivors, the maniacs who helped steer the Australian music business from the 1970's onward.. and somehow, they're all still relevant and thriving today. You will hear their stories, their triumphs and their troubles: unvarnished and honest conversations with a bunch of unique, fascinating characters.

hubhopper

From The Inside with Peter Rix

hubhopper