Hi folks. Two weeks ago a big box full of off-air recordings of TV music shows turned up at the local tip recycling shop, mostly audio, but some video too. I rescued the tapes containing Australian material. The shows are Sounds Unlimited, Countdown, Don Lane, Reg Lindsay, Rock Arena, and Kulture Shock, and the tapes were recorded 1978-85. I think the most interesting recording is Sounds Unlimited from October 1978 because some of the announcements and at least one of the adverts are there as well as the music. Anyone know what's left of Sounds Unlimited in the archives?

This sounds VERY intriguing

Not a lot is left of Sounds Unlimited int he archives at all, most is destroyed

That's a great find. Audio is often more likely to survive than video but neither turn up very much, particularly 70's.

I do know that Donnie Sutherland was very disappointed to learn that almost all of Sounds was wiped at Channel 7. There are only a few episodes of his late night show - After Dark - remaining.

If you get in contact with Donnie he will be very pleased to know that something has survived. I am sure he would love a copy of whatever you have found.

Wow! Sounds fantastic.
Would defintely be worthwhile contacting the ABC/Rage to see what they can salvage.
Look forward to perhaps seeing some of the content aired next Rage retro month.

I can certainly help out in getting the audio tapes transferred if need be, I do that kind of work almost every day and have done so for many years.

Thanks. I should point out that the video tapes, containing an episode each of Rock Arena and Kulture Shock, date from 1984-5, the rest is on audio cassette. Nothing from Countdown before 1981, so no missing material there, I guess. The Sounds Unlimited/Sounds/Sounds Hits audio is from October 1978, May 1980, September 1981, and October 1981.

Sue, is it possible to get the video footage from you. I can pay you, please email me?!?!?!?!

Hi Sue,

A real shame there's no earlier Countdowns. What a find that would have been!
The Sounds stuff sounds fantastic. As someone suggested, I'm sure Donny Sutherland would love to have a look through them.

Hi Sue,

I'll be in touch with you via the email address on your posts and see what I can do in getting transfers done for you - recovering from an operation at the moment but will be in touch over the next fortnight :)

Oops, I've discovered that the first tape has "Rock Around The World", not "Rock Arena". That's what comes of checking stuff in fast play! There seems to be bits of three "Rock Arounds", and also stuff from "Freeze Frame".

I've checked through the October 1978 C60 cassette of "Sounds Unlimited", and it's all one show, with Graham Bonnet as the guest artist. He performs "Only You Can Lift Me" and "I Can't Complain", it's great, and the audience goes bonkers. There's a couple of adverts, one for Bette Midler's "Old Red Hair Is Back" ("9.30 Thursday on Channel 7!"), and the other for K-Tel's "Disco Fever". There's also a couple of Ol' 55 songs, perhaps these were studio performances too. The overall sound quality is rough but listenable, probably recorded by putting a mike in front of the TV speaker. Can anyone pin down the date of this show?

OMG, even better! Rock Around The World with Basia!!! Sue, PLEASE, I need to copy these!!!!!!

Hi Sue
The Bette Midler Special was shown on Thursday November 2 1978



Which means that the Sound Unlimited episode screened on October 28 1978



Unfortunately it doesn't state what was shown on that episode but Graham Bonnett was touring Australia at the time and also appeared on Countdown that same evening (Episode 174 Oct 28 1978.) - unfortunately that episode was wiped by the ABC

Jason, I can send you the VHS tapes themselves once I've copied the bits I'm interested in. There's three of them, nine hour's worth, all music-related, and mostly stuff from SBS.

Graham Bonnet was obviously very busy that day! Excellent research, Bob. Thanks!

Thanks Sue,
Can you email me at countdownmemories@yahoo.com.au please?

Guru, do most of your TV Weeks list who's hosting Countdown? Anymore from the 70's episodes/hosts of the episodes that are wiped? Love to know who else hosted Countdown from the lost episodes.

A lot of them do. They even listed artists appearing on many occasions in some TV guides.

I remember about 5-6 years ago on this forum someone mentioned that the runsheets for the first 100 episodes exist although I have never seen them. They were able to answer for someone when a certain band appeared on Countdown. It would be interesting to get a hold of those. Unfortunately the messages pre 2009 no longer appear here as a result of when the site crashed so I can't remember who said that.

Here are a few episodes from 1977 (it doesn't state whether artists are live or clips):

Feb 6 hosted by Shirley Strachan
feat JPY, Queen, Elton John, Taste, ELO, Debbie Byrne

Feb 13 hosted by Mark Holden
feat 10CC, Chariot, Steve Groves Band, Ol'55, Manhattan Transfer, Queen, Redhouse

Feb 20 hosted by Pu ssyfoot
feat JPY, Shaun Cassidy, Fleetwood Mac, Leo Sayer, ELO, Avalanche, Dragon

Feb 27 hosted by Jon English
feat Renee Geyer, Albie James, Hush, Ritchie Family, Bryan Ferry, Thin Lizzy (+ int with Phil Lynott), Rod Stewart

March 6 hosted by Gary Twinn (Supernaut)
feat Supernaut (clip for Young & Innocent), Panther, Dragon, Mark Holden, Status Quo, Thin Lizzy, Smokie, Marty Rose, Molly interviews ABBA

March 13 hosted by Marcia Hines
feat Air Supply, JPY, Bryan Ferry, Alice Cooper interview, Ariel, ELO

March 20 hosted by Alice Cooper and Glenn Shorrock
feat Hush, Scandal, Renee Geyer, The Saints

March 27 hosted by Frankie J Holden (Ol'55)
feat Taste, Steve Groves Band, Cheetah, KISS, Shaun Cassidy, Richard Clapton, Queen, Boz Scaggs

other hosts included Shaun Cassidy 17/4, Norman Gunston 1/5, Daryl Braithwaite, JPY, Ted Mulry, Russell Hitchcock, Marc Hunter, Greg Rowe (actor in Storm Boy), Billy Miller, Stewart from Scandal, Peter Allen, Red Symons.

In 1978 some of the hosts were Leif Garrett 19/2, Samantha Sang 7/5, Meatloaf 25/6, Errol Brown of Hot Chocolate 9/7, Dame Edna Everage 23/7, Johnny Cougar 6/8, Albie Donnelly of Supercharge 13/9 etc.

Many Thanks for this.