July 20, 2010

By By Lars Brandle, Brisbane

Australian music retail pioneer Geoff Brash passed away last Tuesday (July 13). He was 80.

The celebrated executive led the music chain which bore his name and became synonymous down under with the sale of recorded music, musical instruments and sheet music.

Born Aug. 1, 1929, Brash was always destined for a career in music retail. His grandfather, Marcus Brasch established the M Brasch & Co music store in Melbourne, back in 1862. The business sold pianos, and carried the slogan "a home is not a home without a piano."

Alfred Brash inherited the business from his father, and in 1962 passed the business down to his son, Geoff.

With Geoff Brash at the helm, the Brash's business would continue to sell pianos and other instruments, and recorded music would become an increasingly important part of its offering.

Brash expanded the group through the acquisition of instrument store Allans Music Group, and engineered the family company's rise as Australia's dominant player in music retail.

In 1988, Brash resigned as executive chairman and stepped away from active management of the business. Brash's would later struggle and succumb with heavy debts.

A philanthropist, Brash served as a director with Allans Music Group from 1999 until 2005, when the company moved into the ownership of the Brackenbury Group.

Brash, who was respected across the industry as an "old-school" music man, was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his contribution to the music industry and the community and was inducted into the Australian Music Association Hall of Fame.

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