This display has significance as a step-by-step record of the process of manufacturing vinyl discs at Festival Records' Pyrmont factory. Made by Festival in 1973, it illustrates the steps in the manufacturing process from master tape to the finished product.

Festival manufactured vinyl records in Sydney for 40 years. At the height of production in the 1980s Festival's factory was buzzing with 26 record presses pumping out 25,000 records per day. In addition there was a cassette duplicating plant, an art department, a printing department for album covers, plus a huge warehouse for packing and distribution.

As an Australian record company, Festival Records was for over 50 years a significant force in the music recording industry. It financed, recorded, manufactured, promoted, marketed, distributed and published a huge range of local and overseas music, from classical to popular, under an equally vast number of labels. Although a major record company, it was independent of the five multinational companies that dominated the industry worldwide.

Festival Records provided a home to a vast array of musical styles and many independent labels, not readily identified with the Festival brand. For over fifty years its existence as a major independent record company, competing with the multinationals, helped to create a healthy environment for Australian music.

Made in Australia by Festival Records, 1973. The cabinet was made by Sam Murdocca, who worked at Festival Records continuously for nearly fifty years from 1954.

Festival Records sent this display to its interstate branch offices to show employees and clients how records were made. It remained in Festival Records' collection until donated to the Museum. It was displayed in the Museum's exhibition 'Spinning Around: 50 Years of Festival Records', from 2001 to 2003.

Didactic display, vinyl record manufacturing, wood / metal / card / vinyl / paper / tape, made and used by Festival Records, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1973

Folding wooden showcase with metal hinges and locks. Opens up to function as a display about the manufacture of vinyl records, with printed labels on card, black and white photographs and objects. Left side has five photographs, four labels (headed Musical tape, Master acetate, The 'mother' and Master matrix) and four objects fixed in place (reel of tape, a master acetate, a master matrix disc and a mother disc). The right side has four photographs, five labels (headed The Stamper, Material, Final operation, Test record and Quality control) and four objects (a stamper, a lump of vinyl, an untrimmed LP record and a trimmed LP record).

Made: Festival Records Pty Ltd; Pyrmont, NSW; 1973

2007/50/57

1973