Since 1994, Mushroom Music has been holding Writers’ Workshops (Writers’ Bloc) at Michael Gudinski’s house in Mount Macedon (Victoria), Palm Beach (NSW), Hunter Valley (NSW) and Bethells Beach (Auckland). Both invited local writers and international guests combine into groups of two each day to write and record a new song. Makeshift studios are set up around the properties and the task must be completed before moonlight.
Writers’ Bloc aims to stimulate our writers’ creative capacity. For most the collaborative experience is relatively unknown. By withdrawing these artists from their comfort zones they are given the opportunity to explore new ideas; share songwriting, experimental instrumentation and vocal techniques; trial different recording equipment; and form lasting relationships. Several workshop partnerships have continued to work together in songwriting and production roles, while others have gone onto forming entirely new projects and embarking on dual tours.
The material composed at these workshops are then worked into TV and film and have also appeared on subsequent releases as singles, b-sides and album tracks.
Mushroom also hosts workshops specifically for country and pop writers. In these genres of music, collaboration is still prevalent and songs can be pitched for covers, while a large portion of invited guests will be in the process of writing for new records.
