Lollapalooza co-founder Ted Gardner dead at 74
Accomplished music manager and Lollapalooza co-founder Ted Gardner has died at age 74. The Australian native passed away on December 28, 2021 surrounded by family after having battled a long-term illness. Gardner co-founded Lollapalooza alongside Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell in 1991. He became Jane’s Addiction’s full-time manager just two years prior to Lolla’s debut, having initially launched his career in Australia working with Men at Work while accompanying them on their first North American tour opening for Fleetwood Mac. In 1992, Gardner established a management company alongside his wife, Nikki Brown, whose notable roster boasted acts such as Queens of the Stone Age, The Verve, Tool, The Cramps, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. In a recent tweet of remembrance, Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Massacre wrote,
“The funniest story he told me was of a meeting when @lollapalooza went mega, and he walks in and @perryfarrell 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’ Face with tears of joy.”
Ted Gardner will be dearly missed. Stay tuned for pending details regarding Lollapalooza’s 2022 installment in July.
Featured image: Anton Newcombe
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