Ok Rage have just posted details on what to expect next weekend - here's the blurb:

January 2010 rage is going retro! On Saturday night the 9th of January for the second big week of rage goes retro, rage is dusting off some more Countdown episodes not seen since they were originally aired in the 80s!



These include a brilliant episode from June 1984 featuring breakdance performances in the streets on New York, Molly Meldrum following a Pseudo Echo tour of America and great live performances by Dear Enemy, Electric Pandas and Moving Pictures, an August 1985 episode with Tears For Fears as guest hosts and live performances by Beargarden, I’m Talking and Koo De Tah and a March 1984 episode hosted by Jane Clifton, John Paul Young and Molly wearing some pretty spectacular 80s style outfits (think hot pink!) and playing some of the biggest video clips of the time by Michael Jackson, Madonna and Billy Idol.




Rage is also pulling out a very entertaining Rock Arena episode from 1985 featuring the Sydney band Ganggajang performing live in the studio and a Suzanne Dowling interview with members of the band as well as some clips by The Cure, Sade and Simple Minds.



In the retro mix will be a great Flashez from 1977 featuring host Ray Burgess and musician Trevor White discussing touring with Marcia Hines in the 70s and White’s new album, an Ike and Tina Turner film clip, ABC Presenter Ken Stevens talking about his upcoming trip to Hollywood and, of all things, a report on junk food with some hilarious vox pops!


I'm very excited about the Tears for Fears ep - at last! Hopefully this means the Spandau Ballet one will be shown. It also appears no repeats either, which is always a bonus!

Now all I have to do is hope the power doesn't blackout - it's going to be 41 in Adelaide on Saturday - how lovely - NOT!!!

That looks like an excellent line-up

The June 17 1984 episode is brilliant with live performances from:
Dear Enemy - Kids In The Street
Electric Pandas - Big Girls
Moving Pictures - Never
Pseudo Echo - Dancing Until Midnight
and the Dugites clip for Juno & Me
The international material is common but great to see as part of a Countdown episode.

Aug 4 1985 with Tears For Fears is also brilliant with Beargarden, I'm Talking and Koo De Tah live

March 25 1984 continues the excellent episodes, while it is all clips it has a Russell Mulcahy interview and videos from Real Life, Nena and Jane Clifton and a few rare ones from JPY, Industry and The Knuckleheads.

The Ganggajang Rock Arena is a great live performance in the Rock Arena studios (You can get this on the Ganggajang DVD as well) plus we get to see Suzanne again.
November 26 1985
THIS WEEKS SHOW FEATURES THE SYDNEY BAND CALLED GANGGAJANG WHO WERE RECORDED LIVE IN THE ROCK ARENA STUDIOS, SUZANNE DOWLING INTERVIEWS TWO MEMBERS OF THE BAND GRAHAM BIDSTRUP(30.36) AND MARK CALLAGHAN(40.44); ARTISTS:;THE CURE 'CLOSE TO ME'(0.17);SADE 'YOUR LOVE IS KING'(4.53);SADE 'SWEETEST TABOO'(8.30);MIDGE URE 'IF I WAS'(14.30);SIMPLE MINDS 'ALIVE AND KICKING'(18.42);GANGGAJANG 'GIMME SOME LOVIN'(24.30); GANGGAJANG 'DISTRACTION'(27.15);GANGGAJANG 'SHADOWS OF YOUR LOVE'(33.13);GANGGAJANG 'SOUNDS OF THEN'(36.40);GANGGAJANG 'MAYBE I'(43.12);GANGGAJANG 'AMBULANCE MEN'(47.09);GANGGAJANG 'GIVER OF LIFE'(50.41);GANGGAJANG 'THE BIGGER THEY ARE'(54.50);GANGGAJANG 'HOUSE OF CARDS'(58.52);GANGGAJANG 'VIVA LES VEGAS'(61.02)

A bit of Flashez for good measure = another great week of retro

Some excellent episodes + what looks like an awesome Flashez!

Will be another night of retro bliss especially with no nick cave to drag it down this time.

Gawd how I ROCK!

I requested these 3 Episodes!

I have wanted the 1984 Ep with Pseudo Echo for years and requested it in my list in the past few months. Also requested the Jane Clifton Episode AND the TEars For Fears.

And rage played the Rock Arena for me and Guru last week.

rage are REALLY impressing me!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone remember if the 1972? mens fashion segment a couple of years back was a GTK? I think it was just wanting to confirm.

It was INDEED GTK, I watched it the other day again

Thanks,thought it was..that clip is so awesomely retro. Hopefully we'll get some more similar GTK clips in the coming weeks.

I'm excited about Bananarama's 'Robert De Niro's Waiting' though I wish Rage would play the full clip instead themselves (though it would probably display incorrectly considering it has horizontal black bars and they love to stretch those to widescreen).

I'm excited that there will be an IV with Bananarama!




Hey Nathan, I have the first Bananarama video compilation, do u want a copy on DVD with all the video's?

It starts off with Really Saying Something and ends with The Wild Life.

^ Thanks but nah, I've got almost all of the Nana vids... but it would still be nice to get a 'clean' digital copy from Rage if they played it themselves.

Patrick, 41 degrees!

Well, it's going to be bloody 38 in Melbourne so not much difference. HOW VILE!

I ahve a function I have to go to this Saturday then I have to race home for rage retro 2 in this hideous heat.

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This Saturday is just pure GENIUS!

All they need to play now from my list is the 1982 Carol pope Countdown!

Jason, for a second there, I thought you were having us on and doing up another 'dream list' of Countdown episodes for wishful thinking and for a bit of a laugh......

These 3 Countdown episodes are fantastic. I too was a long campaigner for the 25/3/84 episode, as I wanted to see the videos for 'Adult Education', 'War Games', 'Girl On The Wall' and of course Jane Clifton (Margo). I have a feeling they will play the Spandau Ballet episode as well this month. Here's hoping a Countdown episode gets played first.

I didn't put up any posts this year on the rage website for Countdown requests. I got the Christmas '83 episode that I had requested every week in 2008 and was blown away when they Christmas themed the programming for Week 1 and showed a lot of Xmas episodes. And also, I still haven't sussed out the 'message board' properly on the website. It still looks a mess and I don't wanna go there.

Lastly, Jason - can I get a copy of the Bananarama vid onto DVD? I remember seeing it in a video shop a couple of years ago and now wish I had hired it and burnt it onto DVD. I really like their early stuff (ie '82-'84) and teaming up with Fun Boy Three and I have just started getting into 'The Specials'. I found their '88 best of collection in a second hand CD shop a couple of months ago and I think the video you've got was released the same time.

yes the Carol Pope one sounds great as well - here's hoping they play it.

Although Rage have been fairly good so far in actually playing shows everyone has requested......I have a good feeling the Spandau Ballet ep will be shown shortly...

i know 41 degrees - charming! Sadly it'll be that way Sat, Sun and Monday and it ALWAYS happens when Countdown is on!!

A blackout had better not happen or I'll be seething, grrrrr...!!

Michael, NO bull**** dream list this time!

There 3 Episodes were actually on my list and they are playing fricking 3 of them!

What luck!... I am SOOOO excited about each episode.

And I am FINALLY going to have a nice copy of Dancing Until Midnight in the Countdown studio with no bloody VH1 logo!

Thank You Patrick for backing me up on Tears For Fears. When there are 2 people who equally want episodes it helps. Take Rock Arena last week!!!!

I remember someone else also wanted the Jane Clifton episode as well. Which is cool, once again 2 ppl or more gets better reaction!

I am very pleased about rage playing Pseudo episode as noone else requested that, go rage!

And Michael, INDEED!... I wcan burn you ther Bananarama DVD. Can I have your address again!!!!!!!!!!

Great work Jason, they are good episodes. I did also back you on the Jane Clifton and Tears For Fears but don't think I did for the Breakdance one.

I didn't want to suggest too much as they can ignore lists when they get too long so I just concentrated on the Eurogliders and Rock Arena's that we saw last week. I'm happy with anything as long as it is not repeated but even better when they listen to us and play some great episodes.

As I only listed the Rock Arena playlist I will add the 3 Countdowns in case anyone is interested:
Countdown June 17 1984
HOSTED BY MOLLY THIS SHOW FEATURED FTG OF BREAKDANCE PERFORMANCES IN THE STREETS OF NEW YORK AND MOLLY IV PSEUDO ECHO RE TOUR.
LIVE STUDIO PERFORMANCES:
DEAR ENEMY 'KIDS IN THE STREETS';
ELECTRIC PANDAS 'BIG GIRLS';
MOVING PICTURES 'NEVER';
PSEUDO ECHO 'DANCING UNTIL MIDNIGHT';
VIDEO CLIPS:
DUGITES 'JUNO AND ME';
ULTRAVOX 'DANCING WITH TEARS IN MY EYES' AND IV RE TOUR,MUSIC.
MADONNA 'BORDERLINE';
THOMPSON TWINS 'DOCTOR, DOCTOR';
CULTURE CLUB 'MISS ME BLIND';
WHAM 'WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO GO' (ENDS SHOW);
ELTON JOHN 'SAD SONGS';
BANANARAMA 'ROBERT DE NIRO'S WAITING' AND IV RE SONG;
TOP TEN:
EUROGLIDERS 'HEAVEN';
QUEEN 'I WANT TO BREAK FREE';
CYNDI LAUPER 'TIME AFTER TIME';
IGLESIAS & NELSON 'TO ALL THE GIRLS I'VE LOVED BEFORE';
DENIECE WILLIAMS 'LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE BOY';
DURAN DURAN 'THE REFLEX';
KENNY LOGGINS 'FOOTLOOSE';
PHIL COLLINS 'AGAINST ALL ODDS';
THE TWELFTH MAN 'IT'S JUST NOT CRICKET';
LIONEL RICHIE 'HELLO'

Countdown March 25 1984
THIS SHOW WAS HOSTED BY JANE CLIFTON AND JOHN PAUL YOUNG AND MOLLY (WEARING HOT PINK T-SHIRT WITH EGYPTIAN MOTIF OVER LONG SLEEVED WHITE SHIRT) IV RUSSELL MULCAHY RE CLIPS, FEATURE FILM AND IV JANE CLIFTON RE ACTING.
VIDEO CLIPS:
JOHN PAUL YOUNG 'WAR GAMES'
REAL LIFE 'CATCH ME I'M FALLING'
JANE CLIFTON 'GIRL ON THE WALL'
CHINA CRISES 'WORKING WITH FIRE AND STEEL'
INDUSTRY 'STATE OF THE NATION'
NENA '99 LUFT BALLOONS'
MADONNA 'HOLIDAY'
HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS 'I WANT A NEW DRUG'
HALL & OATES 'ADULT EDUCATION'
BILLY IDOL 'REBEL YELL'
THE KNUCKLEHEADS 'CURLY SHUFFLE'
TOP TEN:
MICHAEL JACKSON 'THRILLER'
MONDO ROCK 'COME SAID THE BOY'
REAL LIFE 'CATCH ME I'M FALLING'
MATTHEW WILDER 'BREAK MY STRIDE'
PAT BENATAR 'LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD'
FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD 'RELAX'
MARILYN 'CALLING YOUR NAME'
QUEEN 'RADIO GA GA'
VAN HALEN 'JUMP'
CYNDI LAUPER 'GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN'

Countdown August 4 1985
GUEST HOSTS IN THIS SHOW ARE TEARS FOR FEARS. MOLLY PRESENTS THEM WITH PLATINUM RECORD.
LIVE STUDIO PERFORMANCES:
BEARGARDEN 'I WRITE THE NEWS'
I'M TALKING 'LEAD THE WAY'
KOO DE TAH 'TOO YOUNG FOR PROMISES'
TEARS FOR FEARS 'EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD',
'HEAD OVER HEELS' (ENDS SHOW)
VIDEO CLIPS:
UNCANNY X-MEN 'STILL WAITING'
FEARGAL SHARKEY 'LOVING YOU'
POINTER SISTERS 'BABY COME & GET IT'
MARY JANE GIRLS 'IN MY HOUSE'
DAN HARTMAN'FLETCH, GET OUTTA TOWN'
HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS 'POWER OF LOVE'
CHARTBUSTERS (EXCERPTS):
STEWART/BECK 'PEOPLE GET READY'
BILLY JOEL 'YOU'RE ONLY HUMAN'
EURYTHMICS 'THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL'
DREAM ACADEMY 'LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN'
HUMDRUM (EXCERPT):
MOTELS 'SHAME'
AUSSIES ON THE MOVE (EXCERPTS):
SPANIARDS 'ANGEL'
THE EXPRESSION 'SMALL BRAVE LAND'
GEISHA 'RAINY DAY'
STEPHEN CUMMINGS 'WHAT AM I GOING TO DO'
TOP TEN:
DREAM ACADEMY 'LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN'
CYNDI LAUPER 'THE GOONIES R GOOD ENOUGH'
KATRINA & THE WAVES 'WALKING ON SUNSHINE'
HAROLD FALTERMEYER 'AXEL F'
DO RE MI 'MAN OVERBOARD'
TINA TURNER 'WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER HERO'
MODELS 'OUT OF MIND, OUT OF SIGHT'
MENTAL AS ANYTHING 'LIVE IT UP'
MADONNA 'ANGEL/INTO THE GROOVE'
MADONNA 'CRAZY FOR YOU'

I already put the full info for Countdown's this Saturday. He, he.... Lower in the list on the Forum. But hey!!!!


This Saturday will be a BLAST, PERIOD!

80s Countdown heaven. The first 1984 hosted by Pseudo, I SERIOUSLY wasn't to positive about them paying attention to that Episode seeing I rammed the 1982 Carol Pope down their throats. But hey, go figure. They must have liked what they saw when they looked at the episode. NO complaints here!!!!!!!

So you did, how very unobservant of me. This forum goes into overdrive this time of year that there are so many posts appearing I miss some. I was wondering why you hadn't done it, turns out it was just me asleep at the wheel and you have been doing your duty. Well done again CJ.

Incidentally I mailed your DVDs on Monday, have you got them yet?

Was going to let you know Guru, SORRY!

I got the dvd's last night!. THANKS HEAPS AGAIN!


I must get out some stuff to put onto dvd for you. I have some Kids In The Kitchen on Hey Hey somewhere which I can do for ya!

Looking forward to the Dear Enemy live in the Countdown studio's performance, have their 2 albums on cd, pity they didn't hit bigger than what they did.

Yahh0000000000000000

UnCanny X-Men's Still Waiitng, my all time favourite song of theirs.

I know you hate them Jason, but this song is great. I hope they show the full 5 minute video?

The playlist is up on the link through the Guests and Specials page...

PLAYLIST

10:00am

4 NON BLONDES What's Up (Warner)
ALANIS MORISSETTE Head Over Feet (WEA)
STARSHIP We Built This City (Warner)
BRYAN ADAMS Summer Of '69 (Festival)
RACEY Some Girls (Independent)
PHIL COLLINS You Can't Hurry Love (Warner)
THE BEACH BOYS Getcha Back (CBS)
PAT WILSON Bop Girl (Warner)

10:30am

THE ROMANTICS What I Like About You (Sony)
THE BOOMTOWN RATS I Don't Like Mondays (Sony)
JONA LEWIE Louise (Festival)
BRONSKI BEAT Hit That Perfect Beat (Universal)
PLAYER ONE Space Invaders (Warner)
DIANA ROSS Chain Reaction (EMI)
BOBBY BROWN Humpin' Around (MCA)

23:18pm

ROCK ARENA Ganggajang Special - November 25th, 1985 (ABC)
FLASHEZ Segment on Pool Safety, 1976 (ABC)
FLASHEZ November 8th, 1977 (ABC)

12:30am

COUNTDOWN March 25th, 1984 (ABC)
JOHN PAUL YOUNG I Hate The Music (Sony)
MICHAEL JACKSON Thriller (Sony)

2:00am

MONDO ROCK Come Said The Boy (WEA)
PAT BENATAR Love Is A Battlefield (Fest/Mush)
FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD Relax (Warner)
MARILYN Calling Your Name (Festival)
QUEEN Radio Ga Ga (EMI)

2:30am

VAN HALEN Jump (Warner)
CYNDI LAUPER Girls Just Want To Have Fun (Sony)
COUNTDOWN August 4th, 1985 (ABC)
TEARS FOR FEARS The Way You Are (Polydor)
TEARS FOR FEARS Mad World (Polydor)
TEARS FOR FEARS Shout (Polydor)
THE DREAM ACADEMY Life In A Northern Town (WEA)
CYNDI LAUPER The Goonies 'R' Good Enough (Sony)

4:00am

KATRINA & THE WAVES Walking On Sunshine (EMI)
DO RE MI Man Overboard (Virgin)
TINA TURNER We Don't Need Another Hero (Fest/Mush)
THE MODELS Out Of Mind Out Of Sight (Festival)
MENTAL AS ANYTHING Live It Up (Warner)
MADONNA Crazy For You (Warner)
MUSIC AROUND US May 11th, 1980 New Wave (ABC)

4:30am

COUNTDOWN June 17th, 1984 (ABC)
FLASHEZ Segment on New York City, 1977 (ABC)
PSEUDO ECHO Fooled Again (BMG)

6:00am

PSEUDO ECHO Listening (EMI)
PSEUDO ECHO Funky Town (EMI)
QUEEN I Want To Break Free (EMI)
CYNDI LAUPER Time After Time (Sony)
DURAN DURAN The Reflex (EMI)
LIONEL RICHIE Hello (Universal (MCA))




I can't say I'm thrilled about their pattern of playing clips from the Countdown Top 10 in between episodes, as most of those clips are rather common/easy to get hold of

Typical Rage being unimaginative and playing the same 3 Pseudo Echo clips they've aired over the last few years. I'd rather see 'A Beat For You' or something else

Oh well... on the plus side at least there's no Nick Cave this week

OMG! THREE Flashez clips..

And one of my all time favorite songs/vids "Life In A Northern Town"

I'll be in retro heaven this sat night!

Whilst 'Life In a Northern Town' is good, it did air just last November on Rage. In other words, more repeats

I think I could do without all the Top 10 hits which are using time that could have been used to show another Countdown, but a great night anyhow.

Yes definately - the top 10 songs in between could have been taken out with 2 more Countdowns slotted in.

Frustrating given that the songs in between are mostly the usual ones Rage have played only fairly recently in some cases.

If they were going to show clips they could have at least done a proper Tears for Fears special - I'd love to see 'Change' - a very rarely shown video indeed.

The rest of the night is great - but I wish Rage would show some more flair with their fill-ins - they could have even slotted in 2 half hr Countdown Revolution eps or some more behind the scenes stuff on Countdown - anything to make the night extra special.

Some out of the norm clips would be great..some Flock Of Seagull videos aside from I Ran(brilliant but overplayed)would be awesome..Nightmares for eg.

It's great to see the Tears For Fears clip 'The Way You Are' again. As it was not on their DVD compilation that came out years ago.

The Countdown epoisodes are GREAT!

The fill in music videos are TRASH!

It's all to common. This Top Ten bussiness ain t working for me, it's lazy and boring.

I don't know why rage start off with Rock Arena either, very strange.

Anyhow... the Countdown's are FAB as is this New Wave special from 1980 and Flashez clips.

Instead of the clips rage could easily put a half hour ep of Countdown Revolution at least. Least this weekend after the Countdown 1984 at the end, I can go to bed instead of watching bloody Fooled Again and Funky Town!

Where is "A Beat For You" video ???? !!!!!!!!!!!!


Who wants to see Hello, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Jump!... How utterly boring to the crap.

Thank goodness rage are at least playing FAB Countdown Episodes!!!!!!!!!

Feart not Patrick, I will give u a copy of Change

Yes, most of the videos in between and on Saturday morning are just so bland,unimaginative and run of the mill,as well as being shown many times before.
They're a real disappointment and let-down in an otherwise mainly brilliant line-up.

It's a crying shame when there are just so many rare and seldom seen clips gathering dust in the vast Rage library that are just begging to see the light of day!

They should still have many of the music clips that they use to play on that filler before the news called 'Videodisc' in the early 80's.

WOW.

Imagine if rage playes some Videodisc filler clips in between!

It's funny,m because rage said after the OZ 80s Special that they will play the remander of requested videos YET we are getting the likes of Eye Of The Tiger, Dancing In The Streets, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Jump, Hello, Man Overboard e.t.c....
Y A W N !!!

And may I add that rage are playing "Fooled Again" and ":listening" AGAIN!... rage played those 2 Pseudo Echo clips last January!!!!!!

Why can't they get "A Beat For You" and "Stranger In me" if they wish to play some Pseudo video's after the Brian Canham hosted Episode.

rage's logic sometimes is so ridiculous. It's either totally FABULOUS but then it's like an 18 year ol;d is putting the rest together in between. Anyhow, I won't complainb to rage about the Music Video's in between as the Countdown's are spectacular, and though iw ant MORE Countdown's I am greatfull that we get them at all still.

I hope one Saturday this January rage plays an actual COUNTDOWN Episode to begin the night with for a change, ARGH!

Now Jason, that's funny. That is a perfect description of the programming in between the Countdowns. 18 year olds! just discovering 'retro' 80's!...I hate that word 'retro'. Too loosely termed.

I don't really like the term retro either.

To me it describes HITS and complete nostaligia in a daggy sense.

It's almost like a diss to music of the past in a way...

Thank goodnes that the Countdown Episodes tonight at least feature some more RARE material like Industry, Beargarden, Jane Clifton e.t.c...

Looking at the rage Playlist again and basically if the first Countdown starts at 12:30 PM, it will basically go for around 55 minutes which would make it approximately 1:25 when it finishes...

There is NO way that JPY with "I Hate The Music" and "Thriller" could add up to 35 minutes long!... As it says that Mondo Rock after Michael Jackson will be on at 2:00 am!.... rage have got it SO wrong!

I would love if there were some extra RARE things in between they forgot to put down, but hey.... That is just me living in la la land like usual!

Rage need to try to appeal to all types though ,like those 80's fans who don't collect all the videos and may only be watching for the first time & perhaps haven't seen some of these videos in years. I loathe "Hello" but there are probably some who love it

Still I'll be in 80's heaven with "Come Said The Boy" & "Life In A Northern Town" even if they have been played a hundred times.

I do realise that rage are plauign more obscure stuff in the actual Countdown Episodes.

And I know they have to appeal to a wide range of audiences BUT at the same time fair enough if they have to play Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Time After Time and Hello.

But I do think that Thriller, Crazy For You and Jump by Van Halen are overplayed. In that time I think a Countydown Recvolution episode would still of had some bogan hits in it to fill up half an hour but at least it would add to the ABC Music archival experience which we ONLY get in January.

Toi rage's defence I MUST say I was very PELASED to get Player One with Space Invaders this morning in FULLL!

> rage's logic sometimes is so ridiculous. It's either
> totally FABULOUS but then it's like an 18 year ol;d
> is putting the rest together in between.

That describes it perfectly

I hate how they've felt the need to stick to a theme for every week of retro month these past 2 years with the clips they play - last year it was #1's only (again, mostly very common clips) on Saturday morning; this year it's selections from the Countdown Top 10 between Countdown episodes . I hope after this season they will have finally gotten it out of their system, but I'm not holding my breath. If anything their theme seems to be 'choose clips that we play every few months anyway and/or those you can easily walk into K-Mart and buy'

That last Countdown from 1984 has me in such a good mood. I have wanted this EPisode for so many years and I FINALLY have it.

It was STUNNING!. .. I am SO pleased rage played it.

Pseudo, Dugites, Culture Club, Thompson Twins, Electric Panda's... What more could I want!

That Flashez segement on pool safety was downright wacky but still enjoyable. Really loved the segment on junk food on the 1977 ep too so gloriously 70's.

And what was going on with Squeak in the early 80's..he went all "mad max"!

The TFF stuff was awesome especially as i hadn't seen the clip for "The Way You Are" before..

I was rather chuffed to see Girl On The Wall again.A long time between drinks for that one.
I'm in total agreement with everyone who thinks the clips from the Top 10's suck.Sure,a lot of them are great songs but I can't take much more of the same old,same old.I'd still much prefer either another Countdown or Rock Arena episode to fill the void.We can kick and scream for rarer clips as much as we like,but for reasons unknown,Rage won't budge.

GAry, I know.

Pool Safety on Flashez was So very bizzare and FANTASTIC!.... Even Flashez was good, the 70s are all to camp!

Geez, a HUGE amount of posts in here, so rather than answer them all I'll do a 'general review'...

The Countdowns were great last night - jane Clifton is an angel and her single was wonderful to see. I especially loved seeing the 'Catch Me I'm Falling' clip - a really fantastic video.

Yes I thought that Roland from Tears for Fears treated the 85 show with complete disdain and seemed to be taking the mickey out of the whole thing - clearly seen during the opening number - not sure what was on his nose that day!!

What I liked about the June 84 & 85 ep was how the mix of live performances and videos blended together very well - I loved the Electric Pandas - a very exciting set that one.

I must say though that I wasn't too impressed with seeing Wham's 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go' tune yet again. I'm really fed up how this undeservedly overplayed song is continually represented as the 'definative' 80's tune - I'm really sick of it!!

Never mind - the Flashez bits were great too - I loved how the short segment on NY had a level of honesty you don't see much of these days in terms of reporting facts - with a reporter unafraid in actually expressing an opinion. I reckon I would have loved this show had i not been so young back then (I was 4 when it ended).

Re: the 25 March 84 ep - i believe this holds 2 significant historical values - 1. it was the last appearance of JPY as host and 2. it was the first Countdown to mention or show Madonna. I suppose thirdly I liked it as it's the day before my Birthday as well!!

LIke others I'm fed up with the Top 10 singles in between shows - that format is getting really old really quickly. I'll do a post in Rage about it, although I think the formats already settled for this year sadly. They could easily squeeze in more Flashez or Countdown Revolution eps.

Thankfully there wasn't a power blackout last night despite the hot weather - at least where I was. Although I think it's a disgrace that sport yet again cut into Rage - I think Golf, Tennis and Cricket are the LEAST TV friendly games to put on and yet they do!! Anyway don't get me started - hopefully they won't do it again.

So overall the Countdowns, Flashez bits and the highly amusing Music Around Us were great to watch - everything else - zzzzzzzzz

Here's hoping next week sees the 1985 Spandau Ballet ep finally make an appearance!

What is jane clifton up to these days? She was wonderful as co-host..very down to earth and humble. Hadn't seen "girl on the wall" in ages so that was a real blast.

And i found it interesting to hear squeak refer to madonna's age as 23 and not 26,was she fibbing about her age back then?

May have been a simple error on JPYs part, who knows?

I haven't heard much from jane Clifton lately either. I know she still attends a few Prisoner fan outings occassionally. i loved her in that short lived 1989 daytime soapie The Power The Passion - it was pretty tacky but entertaining.

BTW - I noticed on the Flashez ep that on my TV the top and bottom of the screen was blacked out resulting in black bars all around the picture - would this have been the way it was shot or a re-mastering error?

I think it was the way you had your TV set.

'Juno & Me' is a great song, I think it is a bit more catchy than 'Cut The Talking'. Funny watching Lynda grooving with the 'wind up' Robot! Was expecting to see the video for this, as mentioned in the archives here, but the live performance (or live performance video) was OK by me.

Jason, you need to chase up Lynda and interview her. I would be very interested in what she has to say and her comments on Countdown etc.

I must admit I felt a bit ticked off when I saw at the end of the 25/3/84 ep Cyndi Lauper performing Girls Just Want To Have Fun.

It was a great performance and the live version is a pleasure to see but.......I couldn't understand why if Rage knew this was on the episode that they later on in the morning played the same song again (albiet the video version).?

Either someone didn't watch this episode closely or just simple poor planning - and another waste of time where another rare video could have been played.

I probably shouldn't whinge about it, but Rage makes some strange decisions sometimes......