The Festival Records Story by Brendan Hancock and Matthew J Schelle Introduction John, Peter Allen and The Bee Gees. After decades at the top of the Music And it was also Festival Records, which Industry in Australia, Festival Records was instrumental in shaping the (now Festival Mushroom Records, after Australian Rock and Roll scene. a recent merger with the Mushroom With what was initially a simple label), are now celebrating their 50th investment from a group of old war anniversary. It’s hard to believe that an buddies working together, the label independent label such as Fcestival, went through ups and downs, but the which had an inconspicuous beginning company always bounced back, due to as a high risk-fast gain investment the combination of off-beat thinking opportunity, has steered its way past and sheer luck. numerous obstacles to become Although the Festival Records story Australia’s biggest ever independent does go beyond the years of 1977, it’s record label. It was Festival Records the early days that the real story, the which took the chances and as such, it real magic took place. From the people was Festival Records which was working behind the scenes to the artists Festival’s ‘REX’ label was created to house the best of the new young artist responsible in launching the careers of themselves, the following will give you who had joined the Festival Records countless Australian Artists such as enough information to understand how and why the famous label became what Family. The brain child of L. J Hooker. Johnny O’Keefe, Col Joye, Dig It produced hits from Noeline Batley, it is today. Richards, Johnny Rebb, Olivia Newton- Dig Richards and the Rjays. Part One Humble Beginnings 1951–1959 Shortly after WWII, a highly successful After some time, it was John and decorated army commander Dulhunty that saw the potential in a named Paul Cullen decided to finish small machine business known as his part in the armed services. He Casper Precision Engineering, located sought to put his keen business ideas in Redfern, Sydney. Dulhunty knew to use, and it wasn’t long before he that vinyl microgroove LP records established one of Australia’s first were becoming popular abroad and merchant banks: Mainguard Ltd. he also knew that EMI, the primary Mainguard’s duties were to set up record company in Australia at that 14th November 1953 saw the release of businesses in a range of areas, but time, showed no sign of adopting this Festival’s first record, "Meet Mr one of their most primary duties was new system. Callaghan" by Les Welch on a 78rpm. financing a number of innovative but Although this new venture showed high risk ventures. These included an the promise of being a ‘sure thing’, Record Breaking assortment of unusual and diverse Dulhunty knew very little about the In the early days of Festival’s record operations ranging from whaling music industry, so he sought out the production, initially there was a lot companies to rice farming. But just advice of popular Sydney bandleader of experimentation going on with because they were believed to be big and close friend, Les Welch. Welch both the shellac and vinyl micro- gain investments, it didn’t necessarily advised him there was indeed a need groove discs they were producing. mean that they always paid-off. for another, ‘alternative’ record Most of the experiments lead to Cullen employed some of his company, in Australia at that time. breakages, The first vinyl discs had former army buddies, John Dulhunty With that, Dulhunty convinced the rest no sound due to too much heat and Cyril Beavis, to work as project of the group that the enterprise could being applied, and their first LP (with the green and gold festival co-ordinators. Their main purpose be a good earner and he recom- label) could not be played because was to find struggling companies that mended that they invest in two Johns the gold metallic ink would spread could be cheaply acquired and then ten inch record presses held in bond all over the record making it glitter. turned around for a good profit. on the wharf. 8 BIG BEAT OF THE FIFTIES The Festival records head office and factory (until 1967) at 223-229 Harris Street, Pyrmont. Immediately, Mainguard invested working presses installed on site. opera, ‘Tosca’, and firmly set the in the machine shop and moved in Record production started with seven standard that Festival were a force to the newly acquired presses. Les Welch at the old theatre, with another five at be reckoned with. Its major release was also given a permanent job at the Phillip Street office. The position coincided also with a set of local 10- Casper and they started to produce of festival’s first recording engineer inch LPs, which included Welch’s tailor-made shellac discs for individual was filled by a young electronics ‘Tempos De Barrelhouse’. Now clients. By late 1951, John Dulhunty genius named Robert Iredale. realising that they were set to fall had left to go overseas to ‘sniff-out’ After getting the initial teething behind, recording giants EMI quickly any potential copying, manufacture sorted out, Festival found it had to announced that they were going to and distribution rights for use in find acceptance from both the music begin pressing their own LPs in Australia, which in turn, would publishers and more importantly the Australia. Shortly after, ARC also become the foundation of the radio stations, the outlets which would joined that race, pressing 45rpm and company’s first lot of professional widen their exposure. At that point in 331/3rpm microgroove recordings at record catalogue. On his return, time, most Australian radio stations Dulhunty had a licence to release were unenthusiastic about playing classical recordings from the well Australian records on air. In an known and highly respected United attempt to get around this hurdle, States label Westminster, but also Festival set about to make Australian struck-gold with licenses from other made covers of overseas hits. By labels such as Remington, Regent, seeking out cheap but talented local Savoy, Atlantic and the non US labels artists, Festival could cheaply push Vox from England and Metronome in their way into the critical ‘airplay’ Sweden. doorway. After the product had been sorted It was 14 November 1952, when out, a new name for the record Festival’s own Les Welch recorded company was needed. After a ‘Meet Mr Callaghan’. Festival’s first brainstorming session, it was official record, a 78rpm disc, was Dulhunty’s wife, Judith that came up given the catalogue number FM-1019 with the name ‘Festival’. On the 21 instead of FM-1, so as to give out the October 1952, Festival Records Pty image that Festival was a big gun in Ltd was born. The newly formed the business. This first record sold company moved its office to 126 over 10,000 copies within weeks, so it Phillips Street Sydney and Dulhunty, wasn’t surprising that Festival’s next was selected to become Festival’s first releases were also by Les Welch. managing director. In 1953, Festival released a March 1952 saw an old picture prestige-packed set of the total theatre in Gladesville leased, and ten Westminster recordings of Piccini’s An early festival records catalogue. MAY 2002 9 Festival’s ‘53/‘54 Catalogue catered for An employee working in the most often humid section of the manufacturing a good amount of popular jazz, swing, section of Festival Records. show tunes and stage musicals. an exponential rate. John Dulhunty realised that it wouldn’t be long Old Time Rock before the competition would catch Oddly enough it wasn’t just the up to Festival’s gains and set about to teenagers who responded to the return to the US in 1954 to secure a new rockin’ sound, brought on by Rock around the Clock, as it was significant piece of the Decca Records there were more copies of ‘Rock catalogue. Due to his success with around the clock’ sold then there Decca, Festival now had the rights to were teenagers to buy them. produce records from artists such as Thousands of adults also saw the Louis Armstrong, Danny Kaye, Bing film The Blackboard Jungle and Crosby, Frankie Lee and many more. asked for the Bill Halley hit the very Because of such luck and skilful next morning. Even some people thinking from the likes of Dulhunty in who didn’t even have a record acquiring the overseas catalogues, it player bought the record first and then a player to play it. An example of a typical early Festival was not surprising that in next to no Records Release. time Festival Records had become the second largest manufacturer of 45rpm extended play (EP’s) to once records in Australia. Due to the more edge out the competition from increase and demands of manufactur- EMI. In July 1955, the first of many ing and sales, the company moved its 45rpm ‘singles’ was released. This office from Phillip Street to a single was in the form of Les Welch’s converted warehouse at 223-229 cover of the overseas hit, ‘A Man Harris Street, Pyrmont. But even with Called Peter’, with vocals supplied by the sales and success that Festival a promising local talent named Darryl were having, they were still struggling Stewart. The song itself was based on financially, but they kept with it, in the the life of a Scottish clergyman hope that something would come named Peter Marshall, chaplain of the along and push them through.