Rocturnal was a radio show that David Woodhall hosted on ABC radio from around 1976. It then became a TV show on the ABC as well. It is described in TV Week as "relaxed rock". David Woodhall's name also appears in the credits of 70's Countdown's.

Rocturnal didn't air on May 9th 1978 so I presume this is just the recording date. Rocturnal debuted on May 20 1978 on Wednesday night at 10:30

As long as it is not the oft repeated Radio Birdman live show with Aloha Steve And Dano, but from memory that was 1977. The Cold Chisel live performance recorded on May 25 1978 (don't know the screen date) can be bought so hope it isn't that either.

There are only a few episodes that I know of from around that time in 1978 (via my TV Week's):
May 17 - Kevin Borich Express, Chet Nicholls, Robyn Archer and Some Dream
May 24 - Bette Midler, Neil Young
May 31 - Ayres Rock, Charles Mingus, Chris Finnen, Stiletto, Garland Jeffreys

After those 3 shows it was replaced by 1978 World Cup Soccer matches (yes, sport took precedence even back then) and then World Of Music which played classical music.

I asked rage what Rocturnal is, I am very interested to see it!

Rockturnal was the forerunner to Rock Arena. It was more Adult oriented. Not my bag at 15 really.

Thanks for the info Dexter

Going by the acts in the May '78 shows you listed Guru, it is def. "relaxed rock". A strange choice to kick off the night.

This episode certainly couldn't be classed as relaxed rock.

Very rare performances from Melbourne's Stilletto, with Jane Clifton on vocals, Jo Jo Zep, Dave Warner and The Sports. The Radio Birdman live footage from 1977 is often shown on Rage but it is the edited performances. Have not seen this longer version before with interviews.

This probably wouldn't have been to everyone's tastes, but it was a highlight for me seeing it due to it's rarity. Lucky to have it played also due to the tape deterioration.

It was a domestic U-Matic recording handed back to the ABC a few years back. I recall John Williams at archives being very happy to have it recovered at the time. Nice to see the whole show though. The only surviving copy.

With regards to the Hitscenes, the first one was a repeat of Episode 110 (previously screened on Rage 19/01/02), somehow the transmission date on Rage was about a year out, was actually 02/10/71. The other two - 21/08/71 & 10/10/70 have not been seen since original transmission though.

Here's the information and details of Rocturnal from The Australian Film and Television Companion book:
Rocturnal
ABC
26 episodes
Ran for two series, presented by David Woodhall in the first series and Toni McCarthy in the second series.

Speaking of Jane Clifton, I was on a quick vinyl hunt today and discovered a 12" dance version of "My Machines"!, this was the follow up single to "Girl In The Mirror". I snapped it up straight away and it's in very good condition, as it's one of those 'Promotional Record - Not For Sale' items. Does anybody know how rare this is? and any info on chart placing? Although, I'm guessing it didn't make the Top 50. Nathan?

WOW, a 12" of My machine. It's not exactly common and I 101% doubt it would have even made Top 50 unlike Girl On The Wall

Check your emails Michael. Everything I try to reply with is being blocked as $ p a m

Trying this again (for the 11th time), now that I think I know the workarounds. No mention of the word that rhymes with gold but starts with s, or the word that rhymes with pink but starts with l.


My Machines missed the top 100.

I wouldn't know how rare it is (I only know of Girl In the Mirror by her), but it's not been s o l d on discogs before according to something I can't connect here because it's detected as $ p a m, like the FB references below). This is about my 8th attempt at replying.


As for Jane, a friend who was a fan had this 'run in' with her on FB earlier this year:

Open quote:

Just 2 hours ago I commented on a photo on Jane Clifton's FB (she was Margo in Prisoner Cell Block H) - it was an angry looking photo and I joked 'dare I say it has a touch of Margo to it ;) and she told me to f u c k off with the Margo mentions or she'd block me

She needn't bother as I've deleted her and there'll be no more free promo for her anymore

I was kinda embarrassed, and I get that she must hate being thought of for just that role (but I had actually befriended her more for her music career), but I had never mentioned Margo before on her page, nor seen anyone else do it.

Anyway, she is dead to me now

End quote

That's funny. Well, if her music career really took off then things would be different and she didn't really star in many other TV shows. She must be hating the current second rerun of Prisoner on 111 Hits at the moment, as she's featured quite a bit in the storyline. But then again, she did attend the Prisoner 111 Hits launch a few years back and don't they get royalites from the reruns?

I checked out the video for 'My Machines' on YouTube (wasn't expecting to see it there) and the 2 comments aren't the most flattering.

WOW Nathan, you had a run in with Jane Clifton on Facebook?


B i t c h

No, that was a friend, not me.

She also unfriended him over that incident alone!

Rockturnal was a rare rock music program on ABC-FM (now ABC Classic FM). ABC-FM started in January 1976 and there was a pop music program (called Smiling Through the Sobs) 12noon - 2PM Monday. I was at Phillip College in Canberra at the time and I took the bus home during mid-session to tape songs off it (in glorious stereo!). At 1PM they had a ten minute news bulletin which I hated because it ate into music time. I had to catch the bus back to school at 1:40 so I missed the end of it. They also had a program called Air Waves at 4:30PM Friday which played pop music. Rockturnal was on Saturday night and was mainly concerned with "progressive" 2JJ-type music. In early 1977 all the pop/rock programs were taken off and replaced with more classical music. The Rockturnal name made a short-lived return with the TV show in 1978 which only lasted around six weeks.

I have a few Jane Clifton records like Stiletto-Licence to Rage album, the Stiletto single Bluebirds. Jane's Girl On The Wall and Turn to Dust single and the 'My Machines' 12".

Blimey, who had a U-matic machine their house in the 70's??? Some assumption there, I know...but sure glad they did..I didn't come across 5630s or 5850s until the mid 80s in recording studios and edit suites in the UK.
Pardon the techie trainspotting, but this is relevant to the thread.
As a native West Australian, I was big into Dave Warner at this time in life and anxiously awaited to tape (pro cassette system) his performance on this new late night rock show on the ABC - Rockturnal.
It was on this episode that I discovered Radio Birdman...they hit like a sledgehammer and I've been I've been a fan ever since.
They never toured Perth that I'm aware of and they disbanded after only a few years.
Never saw their noughties reunion gigs either....but tomorrow night they play The Dome in Tuffnell Park and I won't be any where else....it's only taken 40 years to get there! :joy:

What's even more AMAZING is that they're all still alive and capable of gigging!!!!

The Margo...sorry, Jane Clifton story still makes me laugh.

Also, not mentioned in the thread but from information myself and Nathan found, 'My Machines' peaked at #110 on the Kent report in August 1984.

I'd love it if rage could dig up more Rockturnal episodes, the one episode they played a few years ago was sooooooooo FANTASTIQUE!

Just bumping up this thread so Gary can have a look at it.

Sounds intriguing..

Week three looking good

I just fear we may be heading off to the Recovery 90's for week four:fearful:

I can guarantee they are heading into the 90s for week four, including that deplorable garbage Recovery....so for most of us, Retro season ends this week..no more complete Countdowns for this year. A long wait now till 2023.

Rockturnal (Bette Midler, Neil Young episode) is being played as part of Rage, 20 Feb 22i

Absolutely Chad! I'm not sure what the issue is with this, or the other music shows they've produced, the only thing would probably be rights/licencing holding things up. They have rights to broadcast a 100% ABC production and they've been doing these since 1993, so again, I'm not really sure.