Below are the 5 Countdown episodes rage are kicking off 'Rage Goes Retro 1' for 2018. The first episode from 16/03/1980 is one of my requests and Armin's ... 5 unplayed episodes of COuntdown on rage which is really GREAT! ... I have the 1985 Howard Jones in Timer Code but rage haven't played it before. Quite a great selection to kick off with, featuring 3 Early 80s episodes !!! :-) :-) :-)

But hopefully not too many 1986 episodes to come this year ...

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COUNTDOWN *
Year:1980
Date:16/03/1980
Show no:231
Summary:GUEST PRESENTER IS STEVE GILPIN FROM MI-SEX.
LIVE STUDIO ITEMS:
MI-SEX 'PEOPLE'
RADIO ACTIVE 'TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT'
DARRYL COTTON 'SAME OLD GIRL'
POLICE 'WALKING ON THE MOON'
LOCAL CHARTBUSTER: SPLIT ENZ 'I GOT YOU'
OVERSEAS ARTISTS VIDEO CLIPS:
PINK FLOYD 'ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL'
CLASH 'LONDON CALLING'
GODLEY & CREME 'AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK'
PEARL HARBOUR & THE EXPLOSIONS 'DRIVIN'
MICHAEL JACKSON 'ROCK WITH YOU'
OVERSEAS CHARTBUSTERS:
PRETENDERS 'BRASS IN POCKET'
RACHEL SWEET 'I GO TO PIECES'
OVERSEAS HUMDRUM:
MADNESS 'MY GIRL'
M 'MOONLIGHT AND MUZAK'
RACEY 'SUCH A NIGHT'
TOP TEN ITEMS:
POLICE 'WALKING ON THE MOON'
MICHAEL JACKSON 'DON'T STOP TILL YOU GET ENOUGH'
FIDDLER'S DRAM 'DAY TRIP TO BANGOR'
KENNY ROGERS 'COWARD OF THE COUNTRY'
JACKSONS 'BLAME IT ON THE BOOGIE'
CHRISTIE ALLEN 'HE'S MY NO 1'
CAPTAIN & TENNILLE 'DO THAT TO ME ONE MORE TIME'
PINK FLOYD 'ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL'
COLLEEN HEWETT 'DREAMING MY DREAMS OF YOU'
QUEEN 'CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE'


COUNTDOWN **
Year:1981
Date:03/05/1981
Show no:283
Summary:GUEST PRESENTER IS GREEDY SMITH FROM MENTAL AS ANYTHING AND THERE IS AN INTERVIEW WITH BILLY JOEL.
LIVE STUDIO ITEMS:
SMITH 'NIGHT LIGHTS'
EIGHTY EIGHTS 'JAMES BOND'
LOCAL ARTISTS VIDEO CLIPS:
BRODERICK SMITH'S BIG COMBO 'FADED ROSES'
MENTAL AS ANYTHING 'IF YOU LEAVE ME CAN I COME TOO'
OVERSEAS ARTISTS VIDEO CLIPS:
LOVERBOY 'TURN ME LOOSE'
NOLANS 'GOTTA PULL MYSELF TOGETHER'
KIM CARNES 'BETTE DAVIS EYES'
ROBERT PLANT & ROCKPILE 'LITTLE SISTER'
PAUL MCCARTNEY & ROCKESTRA 'LUCILLE'
LENA LOVICH 'NEW TOY'
SHAKIN STEVENS 'THIS OLE HOUSE'
CHARTBUSTERS:
MONDO ROCK 'COOL WORLD'
INXS 'THE LOVED ONE'
QUEEN 'FLASH GORDON'
VISAGE 'FADE TO GREY'
HUMDRUM ITEMS:
BILLY FIELD 'BAD HABITS'
NICHOLLS & WILLIMAS 'LIES'
JACK GREEN 'THIS IS JAPAN'
TOP TEN ITEMS:
BLONDIE 'RAPTURE'
DOLLY PARTON '9 TO 5'
JUICE NEWTON 'ANGEL OF THE MORNING'
DR HOOK 'WILD COLONIAL BOY'
SPLIT ENZ 'HISTORY NEVER REPEATS'
PHIL COLLINS 'IN THE AIR TONIGHT'
SWINGERS 'COUNTING THE BEAT'
ROXY MUSIC 'JEALOUS GUY'
ADAM & THE ANTS 'ANT MUSIC'
SHEENA EASTON '9 TO 5'


COUNTDOWN ***
Year:1982
Date:11/07/1982
Show no:336
Summary: THIS SHOW IS HOSTED BY JAMES REYNE FROM AUSTRALIAN CRAWL AND MOLLY WHO IV JAMES RE ALBUM, PRODUCER MIKE CHAPMAN, TV MINI SERIES, TOUR AND MONDO ROCK ALBUM. MOLLY IV BRYAN FERRY OVER THE PHONE RE ALBUM, SUCCESS IN UK, TOUR AND IMAGE.
VIDEO CLIPS:
SERIOUS YOUNG INSECTS 'BE PATIENT'
DADDY COOL 'EAGLE ROCK'
HUNTERS & COLLECTORS 'TALKING TO A STRANGER'
GARY GLITTER 'DEDICATED MAN'
WAITRESSES 'I KNOW WHAT BOYS LIKE'
CHEAP TRICK 'IF YOU WANT MY LOVE'
BRYAN FERRY 'MORE THAN THIS'
THE MEMBERS 'RADIO'
AUSTRALIAN CRAWL 'SHUTDOWN' (ENDS SHOW)
CHARTBUSTERS:
MONDO ROCK 'NO TIME'
DR HOOK 'BABY MAKES HER BLUE JEANS TALK' (EXCERPT)
ABC 'POISON ARROW' (EXCERPT)
HUMDRUM (EXCERPTS):
MADNESS 'HOUSE ON FIRE'
STEVE MILLER 'ABRACADABRA'
NO FIXED ADDRESS 'FROM MY EYES'
SWINGERS 'PUNCH & JUDY'
TOP TEN:
SIMPLE MINDS 'PROMISED YOU A MIRACLE'
RICK SPRINGFIELD 'DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS'
KIM WILDE 'VIEW FROM A BRIDGE'
TONI BASIL 'MICKEY'
FLOCK OF SEAGULLS 'I RAN'
ROXY MUSIC 'MORE THAN THIS'
HUMAN LEAGUE 'DON'T YOU WANT ME'
DURAN DURAN 'HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF'
BERTIE HIGGINS 'KEY LARGO'
SPLIT ENZ '6 MONTHS IN A LEAKY BOAT'
CHARLENE 'I'VE NEVER BEEN TO ME'


COUNTDOWN ****
Year:1985
Date:11/8/1985
Show no:474
Summary:THIS SHOW WAS HOSTED BY HOWARD JONES WHO OPENS SHOW AS NEWSREADER, ANNOUNCING MONEY RAISED FOR OZ FOR AFRICA APPEAL. THERE IS NO STUDIO AUDIENCE AND MOLLY IVS MARTHA FROM THE MOTELS IN SYDNEY RE FORTHCOMING AUSTRALIAN TOUR WITH AUSTRALIAN CRAWL AND STUDIO IV WITH HOWARD RE HIS MUSIC. MOLLY (WEARING HAT) PRESENTS MUSIC NEWS IN HUMDRUM CHARTBUSTERS (EXCERPTS):
DIRE STRAITS 'MONEY FOR NOTHING'
KOO DE TAH 'TOO YOUNG FOR PROMISES'
HOODOO GURUS 'BITTERSWEET'
PRINCE 'RASPBERRY BERET'
VIDEO CLIPS:
MEN AT WORK 'HARD LUCK STORY'
GANG GAJANG 'GIVER OF LIFE'
FREDDIE MERCURY 'MADE IN HEAVEN'
A-HA 'TAKE ON ME'
BILLY JOEL 'YOU'RE ONLY HUMAN'
THE MOTELS 'SHAME'
EURYTHMICS 'THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL'
THE HOOTERS 'ALL YOU ZOMBIES'
HOWARD JONES 'LIFE IN ONE DAY'
KATRINA & THE WAVES 'DO YOU WANT CRYING' INC BAND
INTRODUCING CLIP HUMDRUM EXCERPTS:
BAY CITY ROLLERS 'ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU'
STYLE COUNCIL 'BOY WHO CRIED WOLF'
NATIONAL TOP TEN:
PHIL COLLINS 'BILLY DON'T YOU LOSE MY NUMBER'
DOR RE MI 'MAN OVERBOARD'
DREAM ACADEMY 'LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN'
EURYTHMICS 'THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL'
HAROLD FALTERMEYER 'AXEL F'
MADONNA 'ANGEL/INTO THE GROOVE'
MENTAL AS ANYTHING 'LIVE IT UP'
MODELS 'OUT OF MIND, OUT OF SIGHT'
TINA TURNER 'WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER HERO'
MADONNA 'CRAZY FOR YOU'
SHOW ENDS WITH WIERD AL YANKOVIC 'LIKE A SURGEON'

COUNTDOWN *****
Year:1986
Date:13/4/1986
Show no:504
Summary:HOSTED BY SPENCER AND BILLY FROM THE JOHNNYS AND MOLLY THIS SHOW FEATURES STING IV BY MOLLY RE POP MUSIC, SONG 'WE WORK THE BLACK SEAM' AND 'RUSSIANS', USING DIFFERENT MUSIC STYLES AND RELATIONSHIP TO NEW BAND. BILLY AND SPENCER ARE IV RE FUTURE PLANS AND ALBUM.
LIVE STUDIO PERFORMANCES:
THE JOHNNYS 'SHOWDOWN'
DYNAMIC HEPNOTICS 'ON OUR WAY NOW'
THE D A M N E D 'ELOISE'
VIDEO CLIPS:
BANGLES 'MANIC MONDAY'
SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK 'LOVE MISSILE F-111'
MR MISTER 'KYRIE' (ENDS SHOW)
PAT BENATAR 'LE BEL AGE'
ELO 'CALLING AMERICA'
STING 'IF YOU LOVE SOMEBODY, SET THEM FREE', 'WE WORK
THE BLACK SEAM', 'RUSSIANS' (EXCERPTS)
CHARTBUSTERS (EXCERPTS):
ICEHOUSE 'BABY YOU'RE SO STRANGE'
PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED 'RISE'
JOHN COUGAR MELLENCAMP 'ROCK IN THE USA'
CULTURE CLUB 'MOVE AWAY'
HUMDRUM (EXCERPTS):
WHITE LIGHT ORCHESTRA 'LOOK UP'
QUEEN 'A KIND OF MAGIC'
THE BLOW MONKEYS 'DIGGING YOUR SCENE'
TOP TEN:
STARSHIP 'SARA'
FEARGAL SHARKEY 'YOU LITTLE THIEF'
ROLLING STONES 'HARLEM SHUFFLE'
PRINCE 'KISS'
BRONSKI BEAT 'HIT THAT PERFECT BEAT'
DAVID BOWIE 'ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS'
MARTIN PLAZA 'CONCRETE AND CLAY'
DIANA ROSS 'CHAIN REACTION'
WHITNEY HOUSTON 'HOW WILL I KNOW'
BILLY OCEAN 'WHEN THE GOING GET'S TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING'

A great selection there - a decent mix of unaired Countdowns.

Nice to see the July 1982 one there which is one I've requested for several years now. Will this year also be the one the infamous 1987 Underground disco episode will be shown? We'll see......

Great start to the season - 5 more unaired episodes get shown.

I’m pumped and ready for an all-nighter tonight. Thanks for the rundown. Yay!!! 🎶🎉🙏

Pleasure for the rundown, the only time of the year that matters!

The most anticipated month on the Rage calendar. Thanks Jason - now my Countdown appetite is fully whet :D

I was BLOWN AWAY by EARL HARBOUR & THE EXPLOSIONS with 'DRIVIN' on the 1980 episode, WOW !!!!!!!!! What a track! I need to hear more from this band, sooooo very much like The Dugites <3

The 1980 episode was utterly BRILLIANT ******

Also adored the 2 girls dressed as Police, so camp and fabulous Steve Gilpin did an AMAZINg job hosting yet again. Seeing the actual episode The Police performed Walking on The Moon was magical as it's one of THE best studio performances EVER, the set surprises me every time I see it, light years ahead of anything any Music TV show presented!

I do wish the video for M's Moonlight And Music would have been played in full as M videos are so difficult to find. The ending with the live in concert of Michael Jackson;s Rock With You was utterly superrrrrrrrrrb <3


The 1981 episode highlights for me were Eighty Eights with James Bond in the Countdown studio, so ska and the set was utterly FANTASTIC beyyyyyond and I also LOVED the Countdown studio performance for Smith with Night Lights, really should have been a hit and the lead singer had THE best hair!!!!! Was beautiful seeing Visage's Fade To Grey in Chartbusters <3 Still ahead of it's time xoxoxoxo And Lene Lovich and The Nolans was just HEAVEN <3 <3 NICHOLLS & WILLIMAS with 'LIES' in HUMDRUM was something I hadn't seen and would LOVE to see the full video filmed at Luna Park and the GREAT crimp! ... I see the full clip is on You Tube, YES! :-) ... May I add, the guy in the audience in his Punk expressive DIY was FAAAAAAAAB and loved that he said his name was Johnny Idol, also loved Molly's John Lydon T-Shirt, always love the Early 80s episodes when Molly brings up those dressed Punk and New Romantic and simply making an effort <3


What I loved most about the 1982 episode was the Top Ten, the music scene was beyond healthy in 1982, it was British act after British act in the Top Ten, stunning. James Reyne p i s s e d me off saying Kim Wilde has funny eyes and knocking her, as SELECT is in my Top 5 albums of all time, a complete MASTERPIECE <3 Was great to see Molly reviewing it though :-) <3 Great interview with Bryan Ferry though was excited when Gavin said an interview with Bryan Ferry, thinking it would be a video interview rather than phone, but still great ... I loved the Countdown Magazine ad with The Human League's 'Non-Stop' playing over the top and seeing Hunters And Collectors presented as a new release as Talking To A Stranger is one of the most outstanding recordings ever.

The 1985 episode I hhave on Timer Code and have always thought it was a boring episode and the 1986 episode was rather boring as well but love The ****ed performance for Eloise and the guy in the audience with the Red hair. Dynamic Hepnotics were great in the studio as well and seeing Sigue Sigue Sputnik as a new release was FAB <3 Loved Blow Monkeys being reviewed and didn't know the lead singer reviewed for RAM Magazine and lived in OZ for a bit. The Pat Benatar video for Le Bel Age and the clip from ELO were more on the RARE side which was good but that era of Countdown just lacks the edge 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984 has.

First 3 episodes were BRILLLLIANT xxxxxx

Regarding the Pat Benatar video for Le Bel Age - it seems so strange now seeing people smoke on TV or in videos. Seeing Pat smoking just seemed so wrong (she takes just one puff though, near the end of the clip)! It shows us how much society has changed over the decades.

^ Interesting. Personally, I don't think you can re-write history by editing such people out of programs, like they have done with TOTP repeats in the UK (meaning that whole episodes now don't get aired, which is quite over the top, I think). But, at the same time, I understand how it makes people uneasy. Yes, it does feel slightly creepy watching Gary Glitter on rage, but it's historically inaccurate to edit him out of the program.

Maybe they could strike a balance by having one of those Viewer Advisor Warnings before it airs: 'The following program contains images of people who've been convicted of...'. Then people can make a choice on whether they watch or not.

Although I understand the anger towards Glitter and others, I think it's totally wrong to edit old shows featuring them as that's a version of re-writing history.

Thank god the Gary Glitter hosted Countdown was shown in 1999. Funnily enough this was 2 years after everything was known about him and yet none of the media batted an eyelid against the ABC for showing it back then. I very much doubt that would be shown today and that would have become a 'missing episode' never to be seen.

I can't think of any other old Countdown episodes like that so I think there'll be hardly any edits at all in terms of this type of thing in any unaired shows.

I got rid of the screen shot of the news article as I don't want this thread turning into anything else than the episodes of Countdown that were shown.