Beloved Aus Music Industry Veteran Ted Gardner Passes Away

Respected Australian artist manager Ted Gardner has passed away.

The news was confirmed by The Brian Jonestown Massacre, who Gardner was managing at the time of his passing.

“Sadly Ted passed away today, we will miss a great manager, mentor and friend. Our condolences to all his family and friends,” the band said via social media.

After working with Men At Work in the ‘80s, including during their tour with Fleetwood Mac, Gardner began managing Jane's Addiction, following tour stints with Echo & The Bunnyman, New Order, Frank Zappa and more.

In the early ‘90s, alongside Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell and booking agent Don Muller, Gardner founded Lollapalooza, before starting a management company with his wife, Nikki Brown, that worked with the likes of Tool, The Verve, The Cramps and Queens Of The Stone Age.

Gardner also founded Cross Section Management & Records with Scott Mesiti in 2007.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe recalled via Twitter: “The funniest story he told me was of a meeting when Lollapalooza went mega, and he walks in and Perry Farrell goes, ‘Ted, we got Metallica to headline.’ He goes, ‘Fuck, you just wrecked this festival.’ Perry goes, ‘Ted, they are on speakerphone now.’ Telephone: ‘Hi Ted.’”