On this edition of Vinyl Vibes, Jack Hodgins is joined by Gil Matthews, legendary drummer of Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs.
Gil’s drumming journey began early—so early, in fact, that he could read drum music before he could read English. By age 11, he was already touring the United States. After playing in several bands during the 1960s, he became the in-house producer and engineer at Havoc Records in 1970. When Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs came to record The Dawn Song, Gil not only engineered and produced the track but also played drums, soon joining the band full-time.
In 1972, Gil performed with the Aztecs at the iconic Sunbury Pop Festival, often referred to as “Australia’s Woodstock,” in front of 35,000 people. Their performance was released as the live double album Aztecs Live! At Sunbury. Following this, the band released the single Most People I Know Think I’m Crazy, produced by Gil using innovative studio techniques. The song became an Australian rock classic, peaking at number two on the charts. The band disbanded in 1974 after releasing More Arse Than Class.
Today, Gil continues to contribute to music through Aztec Records, a label he founded to reissue Australian music from the 1960s and 1970s. Operating a fully analogue studio, he preserves the sound of a golden era in Australian rock.
In their conversation, Jack and Gil delve into his early work with Buddy Rich, the creation of iconic tracks, the cultural impact of Sunbury, and his passion for analogue recording.