This platinum record award has significance as evidence of the record sales achieved by the band the Cockroaches, as an illustration of the origins of the Wiggles, and as part of the story of Regular Records.

Formed in 1979, the Cockroaches were a Sydney-based pub rock band that included the Field brothers (John, Paul and Anthony) and Jeff Fatt on keyboards. They released a number of singles before signing with Regular Records in 1986.

Regular Records was an independent label formed in September 1978 by Cameron Allan, a film composer, and Martin Fabinyi, who had been involved in the music, film and publishing areas since leaving university. They signed a manufacturing and distribution deal with Festival Records early in 1979. Regular's first signing and most enduring success was Sydney's Mental as Anything. Regular became one of Australia's most important independent record companies, launching the careers of Icehouse and Kate Ceberano among many others. Other Regular recording artists were the Riptides, I'm Talking, the Reels, the Johnnys, Electric Pandas, Austen Tayshus, the Cockroaches and Club Hoy. In 1993 Fabinyi and Michael Gudinski of Mushroom Records formed a film, television and multimedia production company, Mushroom Pictures.

In Australia ARIA awards gold records for 35 000 sales and platinum records for 70 000 sales. This award is for the band's first album 'The Cockroaches', released in March 1987. It contained the singles 'She's the One', 'Some Kind of Girl' and 'Double Shot'. They released two more albums on Regular before breaking up.

The award has added significance because of what happened next. In 1991 Anthony Field and Jeff Fatt formed the children's band the Wiggles with Murray Cook and Greg Page. Each was a qualified pre-school teacher. The Wiggles create a mass audience through their songs, albums, live concerts, videos and television exposure. The Wiggles achieved international success while using their knowledge of child development to communicate in a humorous language that suits their young audience. For a decade and a half they stuck to their philosophy of making contemporary children's entertainment.

Made by Festival Records for Regular Records.

The award was lent to the Museum for display in the exhibition 'Spinning around: 50 years of Festival Records' and subsequently donated to the Museum.

Music award, platinum record, The Cockroaches, acrylic / metal / composite board, made by Festival Records, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1988

Platinum record award in blue metal frame with composite board backing. Dark blue mount. Silver coloured LP disc with Regular Records label, on red background. Acrylic cover. Plaque on lower left side with text 'Presented to Regular Records by the executives of Festival Records for the outstanding achievement of attaining an Australian platinum award for the album The Cockroaches, June 1988'. Lower right side has the paper CD cover mounted, showing colour photographs of the band members. Metal cord attached to reverse for hanging.

Made: 1988

2007/48/6

1988

584 mm

460 mm

24 mm