Continuing on with rage goes retro we reach rage goes retro '3' featuring:
THREE episodes of COUNTDOWN and an episode of THE FACTORY and some GTK clips ...

I have the 1985 Sting episode on timercode but with mono sound from the 90s, so will be good to get this episode updated.

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Year:1985
Date:10/02/1985
Show no:449
Summary:THIS SHOW WAS HOSTED BY KATE CEBERANO AND IAN COX, MOLLY INTRODUCED A NEW SEGMENT IN HUMDRUM - THE AUSTRALIAN SINGLE TOP 5 TOP TEN ITEMS:
I'M TALKING 'TRUST ME'
MURRAY HEAD 'ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK' (EXCERPT)
COREY HART 'IT AIN'T ENOUGH' (EXCERPT)
NIK KERSHAW 'THE RIDDLE' (EXCERPT)
POINTER SISTERS 'NEUTRON DANCE'
BRYAN ADAMS 'RUN TO YOU'
THE ANGELS 'LOOK THE OTHER WAY'
TEARS FOR FEARS 'SHOUT'
BILLY OCEAN 'LOVERBOY'
DON HENLEY 'BOYS OF SUMMER'
BAILEY/COLLINS 'EASY LOVER' (EXCERPT)
JIMMY BARNES 'DAYLIGHT'
CULTURE CLUB 'MISTAKE NO.3'
TOP TEN ITEMS:
STYLE COUNCIL 'SHOUT TO THE TOP'
OAKEY/MORODER 'TOGETHER IN ELECTRIC DREAMS'
NIK KERSHAW 'THE RIDDLE'
PAT BENATAR 'WE BELONG'
EURYTHMICS 'SEXCRIME (1984)'
FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD 'POWER OF LOVE'
MADONNA 'LIKE A VIRGIN'
WHAM 'LAST CHRISTMAS'
BAND AID PROJECT 'DO THEY KNOW IT'S XMAS?'
FOREIGNER 'I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS'


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Year:1984
Date:13/05/1984
Show no:416
Summary:THIS SHOW HOSTED BY MOLLY INCLUDED AN IV WITH ROD STEWART RE SONG WRITING.
VIDEO CLIPS:
THE DUGITES 'JUNO AND ME'
EUROGLIDERS 'HEAVEN'
QUEEN 'I WANT TO BREAK FREE'
CULTURE CLUB 'IT'S A MIRACLE'
MADONNA 'BURNING UP'
CYNDI LAUPER 'TIME AFTER TIME'
WANG CHUNG 'DANCE HALL DAYS'
BOB MARLEY 'ONE LOVE'
DEBBIE HARRY 'RUSH RUSH'
ALAN PARSONS PROJECT 'DON'T ANSWER ME' (EXCERPT)
IGLESIAS & NELSON 'TO ALL THE GIRLS I'VE LOVED BEFORE'
(EXCERPT)
BREAK MACHINE 'STREET DANCE' (EXCERPT)
HERBIE HANCOCK 'ROCK IT' (EXCERPT)
DURAN DURAN 'THE REFLEX'
TOP TEN:
INXS 'I SEND A MESSAGE'
CYNDI LAUPER 'GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN'
LIONEL RICHIE 'HELLO'
THOMPSON TWINS 'HOLD ME NOW'
MEL BROOKES 'TO BE OR NOT TO BE'
NIK KERSHAW 'WOULDN'T IT BE GOOD'
MADONNA 'HOLIDAY'
NENA '99 LUFT BALLOONS'
WEIRD AL YANKOVIC 'EAT IT'
KENNY LOGGINS 'FOOTLOOSE'

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Year:1985
Date:23/06/1985
Show no:467
Summary:THIS SHOW IS HOSTED BY MOLLY AND STING. STING IS IV BETWEEN CLIPS RE ALBUM, FAVOURITE TRACK ON ALBUM, TOURING, POLICE, ACTING CAREER AND MADONNA. FTG IS SHOWN OF MEMBERS FROM TEARS FOR FEARS ENTERING TOWER RECORDS IN LOS ANGELES AND GIVING IV RE SUCCESS AND TOUR.;
VIDEO CLIPS:
DO RE MI 'MAN OVERBOARD'
KOO DE TAH 'TOO YOUNG FOR PROMISES'
DEAD OR ALIVE 'LOVER COME BACK'
STING 'IF YOU LOVE SOMEBODY, SET THEM FREE'
TEARS FOR FEARS 'EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD'
(EXCERPT);
BRYAN ADAMS 'HEAVEN'
STYLE COUNCIL 'WALLS COME TUMBLIN' DOWN'
STEPHEN DUFFY 'ICING ON THE CAKE'
KING 'WON'T YOU HOLD MY HAND NOW'
BELOUIS SOME 'IMAGINATION'
HOWARD JONES 'LOOK MAMA'
CHARTBUSTERS (EXCERPTS):;
THE ANGELS 'UNDERGROUND'
MARILYN 'BABY YOU LEFT ME' (INCLUDING INTRODUCTION FROM 'MARILYN' IN NEW YORK CITY)
POWER STATION 'GET IT ON'
MADONNA 'CRAZY FOR YOU'
TOP TEN:;
PAUL HARDCASTLE '19'
EUROGLIDERS 'WE WILL TOGETHER'
DURAN DURAN 'A VIEW TO A KILL'
UNCANNY X- MEN '50 YEARS'
DEBARGE 'RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT'
USA FOR AFRICA 'WE ARE THE WORLD'
KATRINA & THE WAVES 'WALKING ON SUNSHINE'
MENTAL AS ANYTHING 'LIVE IT UP'
EURYTHMICS 'WOULD I LIE TO YOU'
MADONNA 'ANGEL/INTO THE GROOVE'


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ID: 286497 - THE FACTORY;EPISODE 67 - PROGRAM

Recording date: 31-Mar-1989/ Air date: 2-April 1989 / Duration: 2.00.00

Location: MELBOURNE,VIC,AUSTRALIA;SYDNEY,NSW,AUSTRALIA

Summary: PROGRAM 67 IN THE FACTORY SERIES FEATURES ROXUS, STRAITJACKET FITS & INTERNATIONAL ACT THE PROCLAIMERS LIVE IN STUDIO. TANIA REVEALS HOW TO COPE WITH BOREDOM, ANDREW HAS A STORY ON PIS$ING IV'S WITH NADINE GARNER & TIM FINN. FROM SYDNEY KRISTIE DISCUSSES THE VARIED METHODS OF KISSING. REGULAR ITEMS FASHIONS THIS WEEK SUPPLIED BY PORTMANS AND FILM REVIEWS ON 3 FUGITIVES AND A VIDEO GIVEAWAY ON DR WHO. OTHER REGULAR SEGMENTS INCLUDE MUSIC CLIPS, FILM, VIDEO & RECORD REVIEWS

More details

Personalities: LACHLAN DADDO, LOCHIE DADDO, ABC HOST;ALEX PAPPS, ABC HOST;TANIA LACY, ABC REPORTER;DARYL BRAITHWAITE, SINGER;ZAN, SINGER;ROXUS, BAND;NADINE GARNER, ACTOR;CROWDED HOUSE, BAND;TIM FINN, SINGER/SONGWRITER;THE PROCLAIMERS, BAND;JAMES YOUNG, JAMES THE HOUNDDOG, MOVIE REVIEWER;DAVID VODICKA, DAVE THE BODY, MOVIE REVIEWER



Shotlist: FF#3 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP BROTHER BEYOND, 'THE HARDER I TRY';

BREAKER;FASHION SEGMENT;LACY AND STORY RE BOREDOM IV'S POLICE OFFICER AT POLICE STATION;DADDO;

FF#3 ROXUS PERFORM 'MY WAY' LIVE IN STUDIO;

STORY RE KISSING, INC VOX POP RE KISSING TECHNIQUES, INTERCUT WITH VS PEOPLE KISSING;

DADDO COOKS MERINGUES IN STUDIO;

FF#3 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP KING SWAMP, 'BLOWN AWAY';

STORY RE COPING WITH BOREDOM, INC LACY IV'S ZAN FROM BAND I'M TALKING RE WHAT TO DO WHEN BORED;

DADDO;JAMES THE HOUNDDOG AND DAVE THE BODY REVIEW MOVIE THREE FUGITIVES, AND VIDEO DR WHO, THE TIME WARRIOR, INC FF#14, FF#16 EXCERPTS FROM MOVIES

;LACY IV'S BRAITHWAITE RE WHAT HE DOES WHEN BORED;

FF#3 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP THE REYNOLDS GIRLS, 'I'D RATHER JACK';

STORY RE MEN URINATING, INC VS DADDO IN MEN'S TOILET, GIVES ADVICE FOR MEN WITH STAGE FRIGHT AT URINAL;

FF#3 CROWDED HOUSE PERFORM SISTER MADLY LIVE IN STUDIO;

MUSIC NEWS SUPERIMPOSED OVER VS SKATEBOARDERS ON RAMP;VS DADDO IV'S NADINE GARNER RE MOVIE MULL, LANGUAGE IN AUSTRALIA, EDUCATION, INC FF#15 EXCERPTS FROM MOVIE;DADDO;

FF#4 THE STRAIGHTJACKET FITS PERFORM 'DIALLING A PRAYER' LIVE IN STUDIO;

FASHION SEGMENT;DADDO AT SEWAGE PUMPING STATION AND PUMPING WELL AT SITE OF NEW MELBOURNE SEWAGE PLANT;

FF#3 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP THE WEE PAPA GIRLS, 'WEE RULE';END TAPE 1;

DADDO AT SEWAGE PUMPING STATION AND PUMPING WELL AT SITE OF NEW MELBOURNE SEWAGE PLANT;

FF#3 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP THE WEE PAPA GIRLS, 'WEE RULE';

DADDO IN AUDIENCE;

FF#9 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP THE CULT, 'FIRE WOMAN';

LACY IV'S MEMBERS OF COMEDY ACT THE DOUG ANTHONY ALL STARS RE BOREDOM;

FF#1 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP NICK HEYWARD, 'TELL ME WHY';

FF#3 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP ROBYNE DUNN, 'MY SPARK AND ME';

FF#3 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP JAMES FREUD, 'HURRICANE';

DADDO, INTERCUT WITH MEMBERS OF IMITATION KISS BAND SING FF#17 'I WAS MADE FOR LOVIN' YOU';

FF#10 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP NEW ORDER, 'ROUND AND ROUND';

DADDO REVIEWS ALBUMS, INC EXCERPTS FROM MUSIC VIDEO CLIPS FF#7 BIG BAM BOO, 'SHOOTING FROM THE HEART', FF#6 MADONNA, 'LIKE A PRAYER';DADDO AND PUPPY;

FF#11 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP LES RITA MITSOUKO AND SPARKS,'SINGING IN THE SHOWER';

LACY IN MALL PRETENDS TO FAINT, VOX POP RE WHAT PEOPLE DO WHEN BORED;DADDO;DADDO AND LACY IN STUDIO RE WHAT TO DO WHEN BORED;

FF#3 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP SPLIT ENZ, 'THAT WAS MY MISTAKE';VS DADDO IV'S TIM FINN RE NEW ALBUM, PRESSURE FOR SUCCESS, HIS AMBITION TO GO INTO SPACE, INTERCUT WITH FF#3 MUSIC VIDEO CLIPS 'FRACTION TOO MUCH FRICTION', 'HOW'M I GONNA SLEEP';FF#3 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP TIM FINN, 'HOW'M I GONNA SLEEP';

DADDO IV'S THE PROCLAIMERS IN STUDIO RE THEIR SUDDEN SUCCESS, FF#6 THE PROCLAIMERS PLAY 'I'M ON MY WAY' LIVE IN STUDIO;

DADDO & PAPPS;TOP TEN INC EXCERPTS FROM MUSIC VIDEO CLIPS
FF#5 SAM BROWN, 'STOP',
FF#1 JOHNNY DIESEL AND THE INJECTORS, 'SOUL REVIVAL',
FF#3 JASON DONOVAN, 'TOO MANY BROKEN HEARTS',
FF#12 ROY ORBISON, 'YOU GOT IT',
FF#6 THE PROCLAIMERS 'I'M ON MY WAY';
FF#13 MIKE AND THE MECHANICS, 'THE LIVING YEARS',
FF#2 IAN MOSS, 'TUCKERS DAUGHTER',
FF#6 THE PROCLAIMERS, 'I'M GONNA BE 500 MILES',
FF#6 MADONNA, 'LIKE A PRAYER',
FF#11 FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS, 'SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY';
DADDO AND PAPPS;FF#5 MUSIC VIDEO CLIP COLLETTE, 'RING MY BELL';END TAPE 2 ...

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GTK April 22, 1971 (296: Belinda Giblin, Tymepiece Perform Sacrifice Soundtrack, Keith Salvat Interview) (ABC)
THE DOORS - LIVE GTK Crawling King Snake (Warner)
4:30am
LOU REED Rock 'n Roll (Live from GTK)
EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER On Tour (GTK, 1975)

Looks like a great Saturday night/Sunday morning line up. I too have the time-coded Sting and also the Rod Stewart one as a time-coded version also - but as you say it will be good to have them with better sound and without the time counter.

The Factory will make for interesting viewing, taking us back 30 years. Looking forward to that :grinning:

So they've mislabelled the April 1984 episode as a May 1984 one?

At least they've put GTK last.

The 1971 GTK looks like it might be interesting with a Belinda Giblin IV

Nathan,

I looked through my Archives and I can't find a 13/05/1984 but it's interesting as a Countdown would have fallen on that date from what I see as there was a show on the 6th, 20th and 27th but there is no 13th may in my archives. There is however a Countdown on the 13th April, 1984 with Rod Stewart which I pasted for this weekend. Go figure ...

Belinda Giblin of Sons and Daughters Alison Carr fame, I assume. That could be interesting.

Nathan,

I have changed the date to 13/05/1984. The archives must have been labelled wrongly as it can't be April as there were Countdown episodes on Sunday 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and the 29th.

Have known Belinda for a number of years and yes it is probably her very first tv interview on tv at the time. She was making an early TV movie for Grundys I think which was titled ‘Sacrifice’. It was her very first film as I have talked about this with her some time back. What a blast from the past. I will definitely have to let her know when I next see her. I’m curious to see that myself. Look forward to the 1985 Countdown with I’m Talking too as that was a request I had posted here so very pleased so far this year. Don’t mind GTK if it plays late morning to fill in after the Countdown shows. The Factory could be interesting to see also. Don’t remember having watched that particular episode back in 1989. Enjoy guys. 👍🏽📺🙏😴🎶

What a great lineup. I love 1984/85 Countdowns.
I hope the May episode is correct, for 'Juno & Me'.

That's her,I'm a bit of a Sons & Daughters tragic! She was also in other shows like The Box in the 70's

As much as I love the Juno and Me performance from The Dugites, I hope the actual clip will be played as the performance featured on a 1984 episode I requested for years that got played with The Dugites and Pseudo Echo live in the Countdown studio...

The Factory should be okay but it eats up what could have been Rock Arena time or more Countdown. Three Countdown's just isn't enough for me, they go to quick. I hope the final weekend will feature another 5 or 6 episodes.

It has overall been a very great retro month so far minus the 1986 episode of Countdown last weekend which I loathed and the 1987 one, well, yeah ... I do love however that rage have played more Countdown's than ever since last year, it's very great!

Yes, I hope it's the film clip for 'Juno & Me', which only exists on youtube as a recording from Video Hits.

Me too I hope it is the official music video clip ‘Juno And Me’ that The Dugites made for their 1984 single. Here’s hoping.

Okay, rage played this episode below a few years ago which was a request of mine and Juno And Me was a pre recorded studio performance and that was an episode from June. The episode this weekend is from May, so hopefully we get the video clip this weekend!

Year:1984
Date:17/06/1984
Show no:421
Summary: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;

On another note, i am stumped why Kate wasn't inducted into the Aria Hall Of Fame late last year and they induct Kasey Chambers...WTF? Kate has 10+ years on her in the industry. Kate for 2019 and i'll keep hassling Aria.

Kasey Chambers is typical aussie bogan hell so I am not surprised she has been inducted and not kate. Kate is too stylish, this country is a joke

Very odd Kate has not been inducted into the Aria Hall Of Fame ahead of Kasey Chambers who was really more part of the Australian country music scene. I don’t get it either. Even Ted Mulry Gang have never been inducted and they were around during the 70s. Go figure.

I just realised that GTK show with Belinda Giblin will most likely be on around the same time as 1987 final season re-run of ‘Sons And Daughters’ with Belinda as Alison Carr (alias Patricia) on channel Seven too. That is too coincidental for words.

Totally agree on Kasey Chambers. Totally absolute nowhere singer - and her worst song is 2002's "Pretty Enough". Oh my goodness, every time that came on the radio it made me feel sick. It's so gooey.. Pleased it doesn't get played anymore.

Perhaps you have been spared hearing the aural abomination that is her version of Cyndi Lauper's 'True Colours'. Her voice sounds like a bellowing animal in pain on that.

Oh yes.... that is terrible. I forgot about that, and wasn't a fan of Cyndi's own version either!

Kasey Chambers is one of those artists who are either really good or woeful.
"On A Bad Day' and 'The Captain' are really nice, but yes, her version of 'True Colours' is shockingly bad.

Jason, thanks for your info on all the countdown episodes. You typed xmas in the 1985 episode.This is Very offensive! CHRISTMAS is Dear to a lot of people.

Really enjoyed the video for "Juno & Me" - such a cute song and don't think I've heard it before.

Excuse me?

I didn't type any X Mas and X Mas is actually how I spell it. What this has to do with Countdown, I don't know?

Juno And Me was AMAZZZZING as was the intro from Lynda Nutter.


Three BRILLLLIANT Countdown episodes in a row, so much heaven and fun then The Factory came along and the lights went off and manufactured creativity out the window!

The segments on being bored, bored me s h i t l e s s

Really was excellent to see the complete music video clip for Juno And Me from The Dugites introduced by Linda Nutter. I was hoping to see the music clip and we did. Yay. In regard to The Factory well I decided to retire to bed. I will watch later on as in no great rush. Seriously Bill, Xmas is just an abbreviation for Christmas. Plenty of people still spell Xmas that way including myself. I seriously cannot understand how you can find this offensive. You are being way too precious over this trivial matter. 🤔🙏😄

Getting three Countdowns in Week 3 of Retro Month is pretty good really, considering that we have had 14 Countdown episodes this year, and next week is looking like we'll be lucky to get one episode. Oh well.

I quite liked the three shows last night ...

COUNTDOWN February 10, 1985 (449: Kate Ceberano and Ian Cox)

Although there was a lack of live performances, I did enjoy the nostalgia of 1985 music.

COUNTDOWN May 13, 1984 (416: Molly interviews Rod Stewart)

Juno & Me by The Dugites was a stand out for me, as I haven't seen the clip before, and I distinctly remember it from that year ... it brought back memories.

COUNTDOWN June 23, 1985 (467: Sting)

If You Love Somebody Set Them Free by Sting was good, as was the interview. Brian Adams ... bleh! Walls Come Tumbling Down by Style Council ... classic! The Tears for Fears interview was great too.

Come off it Bill.

Tolerance goes both ways champ, we dont all believe in sky gods!

Good episodes, although as was the case during this period of Countdown, it was 90% music video clips.

Countdown saw itself as the MTV of Australia by the mid 80s, because we didn't get the US version and MTV Australia didn't start till the late 80s with Richard Wilkins If I recall.

I now see what you are talking about, X MAS is actually the way the archivist of the time spelt it for Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's X Mas'. So maybe contact the ABC archivist about such ridiculous matters

Aspect ratios this week:

1st Countdown episode shown - stretched both left and right. Doesn't quite touch the watermark, but almost does.

2nd Countdown episode - stretched, doesn't touch the watermark.

3rd Countdown episode - overlaps with the watermark. Stupid!

The Factory - thankfully, this one does not seem to have been stretched at all, and aired in its original 4:3 aspect ratio.

GTK - I haven't checked yet; I'm not that interested in this one, but will take a look later on.


I set my timer last night rather than watch it live, so have only fast forwarded through it to check the aspect ratios.

I watched live Pan & Scan and then checked ratios later and saw the 1985 Sting episode with the logo overlapping, arghhh. Glad the other two Countdown episodes were not overlapping even though they are stretched.

Why The Factory aired in it's original aspect ratio, I don't know seeing it's not as precious as Countdown.

My guess is that this episode of The Factory might have been digitised a while back, hence why it's in its normal aspect ratio. The stretched to buggery thing is a more recent affliction.

Enjoyed The Factory -didn't watch it back then, a fun show and Daddo is a likeable host.How many episodes are there? Thought the idea of a feud between Bros and Brother Beyond was cute, like a couple of kittens having a fight :slightly_smiling_face:

Thats the first time i've seen the 'G' version of Imagination by Belouis Some

I was waiting for The Factory to end, it just got all too much. All that Denim jeans with t shirts. All the glamour, colour and creativity of the 80s just diminished into an almost coming of Grunge with Straitjacket Fits. And Tanya Lacey with her bored crap.

I'd love to see nothing past 1986 next year

Am I imagining things - Thompson Twins were mentioned, from memory, during the intro of the first episode shown last night (the first show of '85), with a reference to 'Lay Your Hands' (On Me), but the video was not shown during the episode, and was not mentioned after that.

Also, going by my recording, the first episode shown was a bit shorter than usual for a Countdown episode - only 53 or 54 minutes.

Was the Thompson Twins' video cut, for whatever reason? (either by rage or on the original show that aired). I see it's not listed in the running sheet above.

Tania Lacy is very unfunny agreed!

I haven't watched any of last night's Factory episode yet, so don't know what her segment was like on this, but I have found some of her other segments shown during retro month on The Factory or Countdown Revolution amusing. Yes, she can be abrasive and mocking of people she interviews, but sometimes she's funny.

Sometimes. The main skit was her being bored and finding ways to alleviate said boredom. I liked Daddo much more as a host compared to Mark Little on Countdown Revolution.

Just about anyone would make a better host than Mark Little.

I've watched the first (if there's more than one) Tania Lacey segment on boredom now. It gave me a smile. Sure, it's not 'hilarious', and it's non-music taking up space that could be other content, but The Factory has not aired during retro month for 7 years; it's not like it's on every year. I find it a nice snap-shot of 1989. I don't prefer it to (good) Countdown episodes, but I'd take it any day over Recovery or The 10:30 Slot or a bad Rock Arena.

I agree it's a nice snap shot of 1989, which I liked. Thought it was a nice mix of videos, interviews, reviews. Enjoyed the IV with Nadine Gardiner and the Portmans girls! I'd prefer a Factory episode over '87 Countdowns.

As much as I don't love 1987 Countdown's, I'd prefer it to The Factory as at least there would be two 1987 episodes full of music rather than bland reviews on movies and so called comedy from Tania Lacey. Not to mention the ghastly bands like The Proclaimers, Bad Madonna era's of the late 80s and Straight Jacket Fits. At least the Alternative side of 1987 is still a little more 80s than 1989.

You think the s h i t e in-studio 'alternative' Australian live bands featured on 1987 episodes are more 80s than Collette?!

1989 is still very "eighties" to me - Collette, Proclaimers and denim jeans & jackets were very much part of my eighties experience. I enjoy The Factory and would even be happy to see retro extend to Countdown Revolution, just not Recovery or 10:30 Slot.

Aside from the difference in music style represented on the shows, Countdown through to Countdown Revolution all focused almost exclusively on studio recordings; whereas 'Recovery' and the '10:30 Slot' were all about live bands performing live in the studio/on stage. Countdown through to Countdown Revolution also focused largely on chart music, and new releases from artists who've had some overseas success, whereas Recovery was more indie/hipster-focussed stuff. These are the major differences between the eras.

A lot of people like Rock Arena, but because it tends to focus largely on one group or artist, or one style of music, for much of an episode, I find the episodes quite hit and miss. Sometimes they're good - when showing some rare videos by artists I like. At other times I think they're c r a p, e.g. that episode shown last year, or whenever it was, where half of the show was an Angels live concert recording. The Factory, in contrast, at least features a range of different artists. Yes, there is too much non-music content in between, but it gives an opportunity to show some less frequently-shown music videos/artists from the late 80s; whereas, many of the music videos shown on Countdown are quite common.

Another thing I like about The Factory is that they consistantly played chart-friendly new release videos, and a fair percentage of those were great songs that didn't quite go on to make the Kent top 100. Particularly throughout 1988 there were many like House Of Shock, Eurogliders, Divinyls, Eurythmics, a-ha, Shakespear's Sister, 'Til Tuesday and many others that I like to imagine were charting somewhere in the top 200 that we were not (and still aren't) privy to. So The Factory captures a great era for me.

There were several bands performing in the studio in 1987 on Countdown like Wa Wa Née, The Chantoozies, Swing Out Sister, That’s That, The Models and may I go on who we’re still very 80s and the Alternative bands still sounded rather 80s to me like Spy V Spy, The Pony, The Church etc ... Collette wasn’t even featured live in the studio on The Factory the other night anyway and I do like Collette but she still isn’t as 80s as Stacey Q, Samantha Fox or Bananarama who were all played on Countdown in 1987.Even the hard rock bands like Twisted Sister, Cinderella etc played on Countdown at least looked interesting and had a theme of elaborate over the top make up, you look at Roxus on The Factory and there was no element of any theatrics. 1988 and 1989 are a whole different era of the 80s and l just don’t connect with it as much.

As far as Rock Arena, the show didn’t concentrate on one form of music at all, they had their Black Music section, their Alternative, their Pop and their Unsigned bands.

I found The Factory in general to look very bland the other night in terms of looks and presentation. I used to record some Rare clips from The Factory when it was originally aired but l always missed Countdown and found The Factory to be very hit and miss and the audience had no energy at all, they just sat there with hardly any excitement in the ridiculous corner shoved like some school camp escorted to the stage section when a band appeared in the studio. I recorded more from Countdown and Rock Arena and The Noise at the time but would occasionally get some decent stuff from The Factory like Duran Duran, Sheena Easton and Mandy Smith.

Yes, The Factory did play some rare videos but so did Countdown. Countdown was one of the first shows to feature unsigned bands in the studio without a record deal like Pseudo Echo, The Pony etc and in the early 80s in particular Molly did push for so not popular Top 100 bands to be played like Classix Nouveaux, John Foxx, The Craze, Teardrop Explodes e.t.c...

This after all is a Countdown forum so I am more than allowed to prefer Countdown to The Factory. Glad some of you enjoyed The Factory the other night but l found that it had aged very badly like the late 80s have in general.

Glad that the Juno And Me video was played 😊

Stacey Q (Don't Make a Fool of Yourself), Bananarama (Love, Truth & Honesty), and Samantha Fox (Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)) were all played on The Factory too - the clips shown in parentheses all definitely aired on The Factory.

Singling out Roxus as an example of how much worse music was in 1989 is like using Painters & Dockers (who performed on Countdown in 1987) as an example of what music was like in 1987. It's just not accurate.

Of course you can like Countdown and loathe The Factory if you want to - nobody is suggesting you can't. We're just saying some of the things we liked about the Factory episode. It's not to everyone's taste, but then neither is every Countdown episode.

Yes, there is some s h i t on The Factory, particularly during the in-between segments. But not everything on Countdown is gold, either... in my opinion.

You're right that the audience doesn't seem as energetic on The Factory as they do on Countdown but then, don't forget that The Factory I don't think has the benefit of the pre-recorded audience cheer.

The Factory probably won't air again during retro month for another few years, if not longer. Wall to wall Countdown will be back much sooner.

At least Painters and Dockers had a punk attitude to them.

Hair Metal Hard Rock bands at least had some GLAM to them in the 1984 to 1986 era, by 1989 there was no trashy camp to their looks at all with Roxus and other hard rock bands by 1989 so that is why I mentioned Roxus. Yawwwwwwn

And as far as Bananarama, they are my all time favourite girl band and I went to London in 2017 to see them with Siobhan but I loathe their 1989 tacky era and can’t stand Jacquie.

Bring on wall to wall Countdown’s next year as l knew that with these themes this year that January would lead to The Factory which demonstrated that wasting time with reports on toilet urinals, boredom and surage plants were of no benefit to retro time for MUSIC and Recovery hell coming this Saturday.

At least Countdown, even 1987 concentrated on music, Molly May have mentioned sports but they didn’t show 15 minutes of it