The Age/Music Victoria announces 10 Hall of Fame inductees, celebratory concert

AC/DC, John Farnham, Olivia Newton-John, the Palais Theatre, Archie Roach, The Seekers and the Sunbury Festival are among the ten inductees of the tenth The Age and Music Victoria Hall of Fame.

Other inductees also lauded for their contribution to the Melbourne/Victorian music scene are Australia’s first rock DJ and long-time taste maker Stan Rofe, recording engineer Bill Armstrong whose Armstrong Studios was where some of the state’s classic tracks were recorded, and one of Australia’s original rock and roll bands The Thunderbirds, who formed in 1956.

”These inductees are the architects of Victorian music and we are privileged to have the opportunity to pay tribute to them all in this one never-to-be-repeated event,’’ Music Victoria CEO Patrick Donovan stated. Donovan was speakingat a media-call this morning at the Palais Theatre alongside The Age’s entertainment Shortlist liftout Editor Martin Boulton.

As part of the celebrations, a star-studded concert headlined by a 30-minute set from Farnham will be held at the Palais on Friday November 20.

Also on the bill are Roach, Kate Ceberano, Brian Cadd, Normie Rowe, Colleen Hewett, Vika Bull, Angie Hart and Mark Seymour. More names will be added.

The Palais concert will be hosted by RocKwiz’s Brian Nankervis with musical backing by the EG Allstars featuring Pete Luscombe (musical director), James Black, Bill McDonald and Ash Naylor. $5 from each ticket goes to Support Act Ltd to help musicians in need.

Angus Young from AC/DC said, “Victoria has a special place in our hearts, especially the early years of the band. Thank you for the induction to The Age Music Victoria Hall of Fame. It’s an honour.” Coincidentally, AC/DC are touring Australia in November.

Olivia Newton-John who began her career in her early teens on a Melbourne TV talent show, emphasised, “I certainly didn't do this alone,” and thanked all those who’d been on her creative and business teams over the past 50 years.

The influence of Stan “The Man” Rofe, who died in 2003, extended past Victoria. Through championing acts through his weekly column in national pop magazine Go-Set and the way he found hits for artists from his record collection (Shout for Johnny O’Keefe, Hush for Russell Morris’ band Somebody’s Image), ARIA acknowledged his national impact with a Special Achievement award in 1994.

Rofe’s brother Roy wished Stan The Man “could have been here himself to accept the award and see how his legacy lives on and how fondly he is remembered within the Victorian music community.”

The Sunbury festivals ran between 1972 to 1975 on a private farm. They not only developed the sound of the Melbourne pub-rock sound through acts as Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs and Max Merritt & The Meteors but were a template for later festivals as Big Day Out.

Co-founder John Fowler, whose festival memorabilia is on permanent display at the Performing Arts Museum of the Victoria Arts Centre was “very proud and surprised” with the festival’s recognition “as part of our historic Australian music scene in that difficult period of time.”