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Discuss everything COUNTDOWN and beyond!
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Countdown Episodes * 70s & 80s Australian Music Programs * Music Video * Molly
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COUNTDOWN IS BACK THIS JANUARY, 2019 ... ON rage !!!!!
Stay tuned below with regular Countdown full archival information for each Countdown episode rage shall be airing every Saturday throughout January ...
Playlist not up yet but from the blurb comes this:
"We will be playing a very special “10th Anniversary Countdown” from 1984 featuring flashbacks and highlights from the previous decade and lots of birthday wishes from the big acts of the day. We also go back to 1966 with “Dig We Must” hosted by Bobby & Laurey which includes beautiful black & white footage featuring Tony Barber, Ronnie Burns, the Ron Dells and the ‘Dig We Must’ resident dancers! We jump to 1970 with an episode of “Hit Scene” featuring Masters Apprentices, an interview with Jim Keays, live performances by Ronnie Burns, clips by Jigsaw, The Who and much more. We are also playing lots of retro clips including excellent recently acquired live performance footage of The Rolling Stones from their 1972 'Exile On Main Street' US tour and an episode of Recovery to please 90s fans.
But the most important thing we have dug out of the archives for this episode would be a Countdown from 1980 hosted by the recently deceased Models front man James Freud featuring lots of his own work as well as clips by Hall & Oates, Hush and more.
http://www.abc.net.au/rage"
Hi all - the Hitscene episode is No. 48 from 30/05/70. Has not been shown previously on Rage. The episode of "Dig We Must" is the sole surviving episode of this 1966 show and was suggested by a poster in the Rage guestbook at one stage.
The 10th Anniversary of Countdown show has been shown before on 3 occassions (Episode 440 - 27/10/84 - shown in 1993, 1995 & 1996) although I suppose 14 years is a fair while now - although this is screening No. 4
The Countdown show with James Freud hosting is Episode 258 from 21/09/80 - is not one that Rage has screened before although many in here will already possess it!!
The bad news - And to top it all off - one complete "Recovery" show which will take up at least 3 boring hours - hopefully this will come up last in the playlist so all normal people can go to bed.
One has to laugh at the Rage teams comments - Recovery is "For fans of the 1990's" It was not even a "music show" period. And "fans" - what "fans". I could fit all fans into a phonebox. Give me a break!!
Correction to below - I just checked again and even the "Hitscene" from 30/05/70 is a repeat!! Originally shown on Rage in 2002!! They have 164 out of the surviving 165 shows on film (a much better retention rate than Countdown) yet they choose shows they have already screened before!!
The 10th Anniversary of Countdown show has been shown before on 3 occassions (Episode 440 - 27/10/84 - shown in 1993, 1995 & 1996) although I suppose 14 years is a fair while now - although this is screening No. 4
The Countdown show with James Freud hosting is Episode 258 from 21/09/80 - is not one that Rage has screened before although many in here will already possess it!!
The bad news - And to top it all off - one complete "Recovery" show which will take up at least 3 boring hours - hopefully this will come up last in the playlist so all normal people can go to bed.
One has to laugh at the Rage teams comments - Recovery is "For fans of the 1990's" It was not even a "music show" period. And "fans" - what "fans". I could fit all fans into a phonebox. Give me a break!!
WTF!
rage has played the 10th Anniversary 3 times!
Why would I or ANYONE who has watched rage re runs of Countdown want to record it again with a
f u c k i n g Watermark when they played it SO many times!
rage are already making me angry! Bloody repeats of COuntdown we have had over and over.
They are total nightmares!
They have SO many unplayed Countdown Episodes YET they play the 10th Anniversary AGAIN! WTF!
And 3 hours of Recovery!
ARGH! Guess I will be watching 1980 Episode of Countdown then off to bed.
Dissapointing January so far. This SUX!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way, where does one find this blurb about this F U C K E D UP PLAYLIST!
Here 'tis mate
http://www.abc.net.au/rage/archive/s3103148.htm
I'm so outraged about what's coming up I'll briefly come back from my holiday to comment!
The 1984 Countdown ep - why play one that's been on 3 times already? Do Rage want it to equal the record set by the 1979 Iggy Pop one - (also shown 4 times)? Very weird and a total waste of another unaired episode...in spite of the fact that others from here have suggested plenty of unaired shows. In all the posts for Countdown I did not see 1 person ask for this 10th anniversary show to be aired.
The 1980 ep - While some would have a copy of this one already I don't begrude Rage for showing this as it hasn't been aired, but....I think perhaps it would have been better to show a James Freud related ep from his days with Models circa 1985 - 87 - surely that would have been more appropriate? It's nice they are paying tribute to him that way I guess though.
That's terrible that Hitscene show is a repeat, especially when dozens of others are still waiting to be shown....are Rage so lazy they can't be bothered re-mastering shows to air and so repeat episodes in the hope no one notices?? This is a bit of a slap in the face for dedicated retro fans wanting to view unseen material.
As for Recovery - not ONE single person in the forum asked for it this year and yet it's being played in its awful 3 hour entirety - absolutely appalling. It seems one of the programmers are indulging in their 90s tastes than serving what Forum users want.
The other bits and pieces may be ok but with the watermark added to this lot it seems Week 1 of Retro season 2011 is a bust....
The line-up just does not auger well for what they have in store in weeks 2, 3, 4 and 5 this year, it really doesn't. For heaven's sake, with the airtime Recovery takes up, 3 countdown episodes could be put in its place or 2 rock arena's or whatever - anything but bloody Recovery.
I didn't have a copy of the 10th anniversary special despite missing it all 3 times it was shown, but Jason very kindly dubbed me off a copy and to him I'm forever grateful - I've wanted it for so long and he came to the rescue. Now that I have it, it's another ep I won't be watching on saturday night. Ditto for Hitscene - as Brett said, the episode being played was last screened in 2002.
Don't these people get it?? If we get Recovery next week again I'll scream!
Oh and just to add insult to injury - we now have FOUR ABC channels, and all this wonderful stuff in the vault, some of which has been remastered and is ready for airing. Yet, not a smidgin of it is seen outside of Rage in January's.
That's not all though - expect mysterious rewinds, black screens, frozen images. This I think is the first year retro month is shown via Mediahub. If they get through it without a scratch it'll be interesting given all the problems they've had and continue to have.
Crap. And to think it usually goes downhill after the first week, imagine how much lower they will still get. Can't wait for the 10:30 Slop.
Was going to vent a spleen on the Rage Message Board but the server is down. Probably too many people expressing their delight at seeing the same stuff again.
I thought the first weekend was going to be WOW and was SO looking forward to it EVEN with the Watermark (And that's saying something)...
This years January was rather HEAVEN!
It is just going to get WORSE from week 2 onwards!
I can't believe 2 hours of Countdown and 3 hours of
F U C K I N G Recovery!
> This years January was rather HEAVEN!
It was? I thought it was rather average at best (having to wait an hour or more for Countdown episodes to begin, after Rage airing live performance footage; common-as-muck music videos in between episodes of Countdown), although I liked many of the retro music videos aired in the 10-11am slot on the Saturday mornings.
Yes, quite a disappointing start to this year's retro month, although it was going to be doomed from the start with the bloomin' watermark anyway. We still have the 10:30 Slot to look 'forward' to after this week's overdose of Recovery 
Yep I agree the RAGE team are LAZY SOBS
Yep,
I think this years January was HEAVEN!
rage played at least 5 Countdown Episodes I asked for including the Carol pope 1982 Episode which I was DESPERATE for!
Just think, WEEKEND ONE this year featured:
* ROCK ARENA Machinations Live at the Chevron
* COUNTDOWN November 23rd, 1985
(Grace & Bernie Hosting)
* COUNTDOWN October 8th, 1982 (Simple Minds Hosting)
* ROCK ARENA Some Girls (Rock & Roll Ladies)
I'm sorry BUT I was in HEAVEN on the first Retro Weekend this year!
The first weekend for 2011 on Saturday night is CRAP, CRAP, CRAP in comparison!
We got 2 UNREPEATED GREAT Countdown's and 2 AMAZING Rock Arena's!
At least if rage played a Rock Arena and just 2 hours of Recovery this weekend it would make up for a repeated Countdown (10th Anniversary) and just ONE unrepeated Countdown Episode with James Freud.
So Nathan my answer is a big YES, this years January was AMAZING when Recovery and 10:30 Slot was not palyed!
You would think that waiting for a year that the line up for the first weekend of 2011 would be FANTABULOUS but it so is NOT!
If the Rage team love Recovery/10:30 Slot so much (because nobody else has requested them), surely they can view them on-site at the ABC rather than inflect them on the rest of us 
Recovery? I think I've expressed all my hatred for that show and the 10:30 slot in the past, but being honest, as much as I synpathise with all of you, I really think that niether rage or the ABC couldn't care less on what we say or do. I've pretty much realised that I'm preaching to the converted, and at the end of the day, I'm just going to be grateful for any small mercies (good shows) that rage might show. You guys might be better of to express your anger at those who have the power above the ABC.
I've got an appointment with my local MP in early february, in relation to some unrelated stuff, but I'll print this thread out, and also show him.
Without trying to big-note myself, I recently had some coverage in the papers, and on TV about my Chart Knowledge. This was in relation to my Asperger's Syndrome. It might be a long shot, but I'll take some of my newspaper clippings with me, and see if I can get my local MP to look into this issue. I might be dreaming, but there is nothing to loose to see if I can get a role on the rage team, preferrably director.
I think all you guys complaints are very relevant, and need urgent addressing, hense why I'm willing to show this thread, to demonstrate the rage (pardon the pun) resulting from ABC's incompetence. The ABC has become a sheltered workshop, much of it's staff protected from reality, this needs to change!
Thank god I was given about 20 videos recording music off TV during 1983-1987 to look through over the last 6 weeks as that has been far better retro than what we are about to experience.
Some amazing clips that include:
Sweet & Sour clips - Moon And Stars, Sweet, Singing In The Shower, Glam To Wham, Party On Wheels, I Don't Mean To B itch, No Focus, Psychosis
live Countdown performances of:
Spandau Ballet - Highly Strung, Revenge For Love
Time Bandits - Listen To The Man With The Golden Voice
No Nonsense - Hawaii Five-0 and Simple Needs
Cattletruck - Leave Me
Huxton Creepers - Autumn Leaves
Pseudo Echo - Love An Adventure
The Adventure - Over The Walls
Electric Pandas - Italian Boys
Kids In The Kitchen - Shine (remix), Not The Way
Avion - Still The Night
Dropbears - Proud
live Hey Hey It's Saturday performances:
Kids In The Kitchen - Bitter Desire, Something That You Said, Shine, Current Stand, Place To Go, Not The Way, Say It
Pseudo Echo - Don't Go, Love An Adventure, Living In A Dream, Funky Town
Beargarden - Drink Drink Drink, The Finer Things
John Justin - Rock On
Dear Enemy - The Good Life, Hold On
Noiseworks - Love Somebody, Take Me Back
Cockroaches - Some Kind Of Girl, She's The One, Wait Up
Uncanny X-Men - Best Looking Guy, 50 Years, I Am, Treat Me Nice, Don't Wake Me, Playing The Titanic
The Sweet - Fox On The Run
Marginal Era - See, Hear And Touch
Venetians - So Much For Love, Inspiration
The Johnnys - In jun Joe
No Nonsense - Simple Needs, March In Time
Huxton Creepers live in the Rock Arena studio with Don't Even Think About It, Autumn Leaves, My Cherie Amour, I Will Persuade You and King Of The Road.
Kids In The Kitchen live at The Cat Club New York
Rare clips shown on Sounds, Beatbox, Solid Gold, Kulture Shock, Take 5, Rockit, Wavlength, Simon Towsend, Rock Around The World, Countdown Flipside, Nightmoves etc from:
Talk That Walk - Surface Tension
Manic Dance (Beatbox clip JJJ Band Of The Week)
Wa Wa Nee - Gone
John Justin - Flash King Cadillac
Hearing Aid - A World Without Music (from 1985, has Kylie Minogue, Brian Mannix etc in it)
Venetians - If Somebody Loves You
a-ha - Train Of Thought live on Solid Gold
Adam Ant - Viva Le Rock live on Solid Gold
Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants To... live on Solid Gold
Berlin - Dancing In Berlin live on Solid Gold
Limahl - Never Ending Story live on Solid Gold
Real Life - Catch Me I'm Falling live on Solid Gold
Spandau Ballet - Communication live on Solid Gold
Paul Young - Come Back And Stay live on Solid Gold
Quiet Riot - Come On Feel The Noize live on Solid Gold
Electric Pandas - Italian Boys
Pseudo Echo - Listening, Living In A Dream live at Myer Music Bowl
No Nonsense - Simple Needs
Dear Enemy - The Good Life
FAB - Happy People
Marilyn - Calling Your Name live on Tonight with Bert Newton
Kam Sha - He Will Sleep, Work Until You Drop
Strange Tenants - I Work At My Machine
Allniters - I Saw You First, Hold On
Vitabeats - Boombox
Dear Enemy, No Nonsense and Dynamic Hepnotics live at Telethon '84
Godiego - Monkey Magic
Reflex - Hitline
Le Club Foote - Party
Arvo - Oriental Exotique brilliant song and clip from this 1984 (I think Sydney) band fronted by Deborah Gray
Naturally Rage don't have access to all this material but if that is what people were watching back in the day then why is this not what is shown more on Retro. It seems they take the easy option and play the big name stars of the day which are common as muck and you can get on DVD anyhow so why would you stay up in the middle of the night with a watermark to see it.
You're making me jealous. ha ha.
Any chance I can transfer them on to DVD for you? I have a direct HiFi VCR to Hard Drive Recorder set up.
Thanks for the offer Mark but it is actually why I had been given the videos, a lady had them in a box and I offered to transfer them as she didn't have time, ended up being 57 DVDs, also lots of interviews on Sounds etc. I have just finished them in time for Retro season and it now appears that there was no need to rush after all.
No worries. :)
I totally agree with u Jason, this is very disappointing for the first week instalment, what a waste. Both the "Hitscene" & "Countdown 84 Birthday" already have been shown. Like you I will look forward to the "Countdown" with James Freud as this still saddens me and is another Aus rock tragedy. Never knew him though was fortunate enough to have regular contact through email a number of years back in regard to an overseas Aus Rock trip that never came to fruition unfortunately. Here's hoping that the music clips are something very rare or non existent that we have not seen in a very long time. I almost feel like going out that night and not staying in for the show.
I've just posted a small rant on the Rage forum about the 10.30 Slot and Recovery.
It makes me hopping mad when I see those played and yet not ONE single person in the Rage forum requested either of them.
I know from my perspective I eagerly wait all year for Retro season and to have those aired and an umpteenth repeat of the 10th anniversary Countdown special feels like a slap in the face.
People made the effort to suggest unaired Countdowns and the least Rage could do is to make an equal effort in showing them. To also have a repeat of a Hitscene is equally appalling especially given there are dozens of those waiting to see the light of day.
All of this makes me wish the ABC would set up a 'nostalgia' channel devoted to their classic programs so all can finally be shown for fans eager to see them - and I know there are many out there.
Excuse the rant, but the ABC and Rage should lift its game pronto !!
Guru that sounds like an excellent box of goodies !!!!
I totally promise to get my several 100 tapes to you this year! I am making it my 2011 goal !!
PS - Recovery ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Wow guru bob those clips are amazing.Can you put them on dvd? why cant rage get those clips?.Saturday nights rage is not what i expected its just plain horrible!!!!!
Hi xmaniac68, hope you had a great holiday and welcome back, just a pity it is such an uninspiring Retro Rage to greet you.
Mila
I copied those clips as a favour, and also because I love looking through old videos right down to the ads (there was a Coke ad featuring Electric Pandas from 1985 on one of the tapes), but I don't have the right, nor the time, to hand out other people's property. I was given permission to hand over a few select clips to some individuals who had specific interests in certain artists (including Sam Sejavka of Beargarden who didn't have any of the bands own clips anymore) but that is done now. She knows about this site and I'm sure if she ever wanted to trade she will let others know. She is a great lady who used to go to Countdown and watch most of the bands that she taped.
I knew rage would show all things James! 
I am also looking forward to obtaining the 10 year anniversary show. Why? because I don't know what it is, but the past 3 times I have been unsuccessful in recording it, not getting all the episode etc. So 4th time lucky? BTW - do you think the rage crew do read this forum?
You wouldn't believe it, our TV reception has been stuffed by an electrical storm here in Canberra tonight.
No channels whatsoever, so my taping of RAGE is cactus.
Can I get a copy off someone?
Willing to pay postage etc
Hi Stephen - I can do you a copy and I'm in Canberra too. I knew the storm was coming, so I was hesitant to record Countdown through Foxtel (which is the norm for me for years), Foxtel is s h i t when storms come, it loses signal very easily. Then I noticed there were no signals on the set top box. So I stuck with Foxtel and got through Countdown with no problems. I also recorded the vids after it and then lost signal on 'Modern Girl' the vid after 'One Fine Day', but not a problem, as it was a repeat performance of the intro to tonights Countdown - talk about lazy programming...email me with your details.
No channels whatsoever, so my taping of RAGE is cactus.
Can I get a copy off someone?
Willing to pay postage etc
I'm Taping Countdown off Rage in pure Digital if you want?
The James Freud episode was good, and even the Dig We Must was kinda interesting... but what's with replaying the Modern Girl clip again right after the episode?
The 10:30 slot from 1999 - retro I think not! And the Rolling Stones ... what are the Rage programmers thinking - I'm thinking they're typical grungy 90's kids with very limited musical knowledge!
Ughh!
Correct on all fronts with regards to the limited musical knowledge of Rage staff - they could not even spell Bobby & Laurie's "Dig We Must" - came up with a "Laurey" for Laurie. Add the word illiterate to that 90's generation as well!!
Great to see any 80's Countdown. And how bizarre was that "Dig We Must" - a mixture of vaudeville, artists like The Rondells (a very young Wayne Duncan from Daddy Cool did I notice?) and Ray Hoff, and the downright strange. I wonder what sort of audience this show was geared towards? Loved the ABC Cameraman and Bev Harrell sequence as well - a real 60's artifact and well worth showing.
I do not believe any other music program in the world would program a show like "Dig We Must" in the same line-up as the 10:30 slot. Talk about bizarre "retro" programming!! Kind of unusual to say the least.
Thanks for your help guys.
The digital broadcast sounds good to me.
Let me know what you need from me.
Stephen,
Copy available from me too if you need it.
