In the early 1970s, the Australian pop music scene was lively, and one of the annual highlights was the Sunbury Pop Festival.

Ahead of the 1972-73 festivals, in my part-time job with The Review/Nation Review newspapers, I had seen the Festival tickets being printed at Stockland Publishing in North Melbourne, where The Review was printed each week.

In 1974, aged 17 about to enter Year 12 (Higher School Certificate), I attended the Festival through a series of coincidences. I had worked my regular Saturday night-Sunday morning shift in the press room of the Sunday Observer.

On this occasion, there was an extra commercial job at the end of the shift: to print a special Sunday souvenir copy of Music Week, for free distribution that weekend to patrons at the Festival, created by GTV-9 lighting director John Fowler “against the advice of my wife and solicitor”.

Music Week had been launched by Ian Oshlack, Shane Nichols and Ray Chamula, as opposition to Go-Set fan mag, made famous music scene identities such as by Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum and Gavan Disney, and then edited by Ed Nimmervoll, buit originally by Philip Frazer.

At the Sunday Observer factory, expert plate-maker Ron Adam (so expert that he served jail time for making $10 note plates!), helped print the paper. I hitched a ride in the delivery truck, into the site (thereby gaining free admission). Schoolmate Chris Herrod and I met by chance inside the Duncan family farm where the festival was being held. For my work I received official Press Pass accreditation.

This included access to the Press caravan where Chris and I set up camp … with ample servings of free booze. But our lifelong dedication to the media was when Marcie Jones and The Cookies, an attractive female band, used the press van as an impromptu dressing room, sans underwear. Chris and I became devoted fans of the group ever since!

• Others in the Music Week staff credits list included Claire Malcolm (Assistant to the Editor), David Hills (Jazz and Classical Editor), Felix B. Tonto and David Hills (Features), Issi Dye (Extra Curricular Promotions), Pete Smith (Film Writer), Pauline Farnsworth (Hoozon Ware Guide), Alan Merryful (Art Director), Gayle Austin (Sydney Correspondent). The paper was published by Pacific Music, with typesetting by ABB Type, distribution by Gordon and Gotch, and printing by Regal Press.