I have also sent them an email. As I mentioned in the other thread, people need to get behind what Jason has started and send an email of complaint. The email address is in the other thread.

Hello Rage Team,

I write to you very disappointed in hearing that Rage will not be playing Countdown episodes this January. This is the second year in a row that this has happened and to be honest, I can't really see any good reason as to why you are doing this.

There are a dedicated group of people who are Countdown fans and collectors who hang out for January every year for new episodes of Countdown. A couple of years ago we were delighted to find out that there were 5 Saturdays in January 2021 and January 2022. Countdown episodes are played only on Saturday nights, so having 5 nights instead of 4 was something we were all looking forward to.

Last January, you knocked it on the head and blamed covid. This year you have done the same.
I think it's fairly self explanatory that there are only 28 days in February and we are not going to get 5 nights of Countdown in that month.

The ABC has attracted a lot of negative publicity in recent times for being out of step with its audience. I think you would be surprised as to how many people tune in just for Retro month.

Jason Grech from the Countdown Memories website has advised me that he has also sent an email of complaint, and as the owner of the Countdown website and its forum he has received a lot of feedback from people very unhappy about this decision for the second year in a row.

I realise covid has caused disruptions, however I cannot see how or why it has managed to turn Retro January into Retro February for 2 years running. I remaster a lot of music videos myself and I can't see how covid can be such a hold up in regards to playing Countdown episodes.

I would respectfully ask that given last year's disappointment (on top of this ones), that Rage make some sort of effort to recognise it's Retro viewers by airing the same amount of Countdown episodes in February that they would in a 5 Saturday January month. Or even 6, given we have been dudded for 2 years. There are still a number of Countdown episodes that have never been aired and many that have not been aired in the digital age.

I am hoping that this email is taken for what it is....an appreciation that we get to see old episodes, but that we are getting less and less each year. Rage also rarely ever plays any mainstream Australian rock from the 70's, 80's and 90's anymore
Australian Crawl
Chocolate Starfish (never played at all anymore)
Choirboys
Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons
John Paul Young
Johnny Diesel
LRB
Mondo Rock
Noiseworks
Rose Tattoo
Powderfinger
Pseudo Echo
Split Enz
Stars
The Angels
The Superjesus

I could go on all day, and yes, some songs are played but some never see the light of day anymore. Chocolate Starfish - All Over Me, hasn't been played in my living memory for 20 years or longer, however I know you do have it as I have a copy from that time.

Anyway, there isn't much more I can add other than please.......we have been stung 2 years in a row so please do the fans a favor as Molly might say and pull out a special effort.

BTW, what do you think of my remastering effort on your Dragon video ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFcFtNa8Hp0

Or my version of April Sun In Cuba ? I use your font on all my own videos, bang a Rage logo on this as it is way better than your copy which needs replacing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFzBS6h_D28

Cheers, thanks for reading and please take the above into consideration.

Regards
Andrew

At Austech,

While I appreciate your email to rage, try and not rock the boat too much as they could easily pull the plug on 'rage goes retro' all together.

I too am VERY upset that 'rage goes retro' is not on tonight and throughout January the second year in a row but I would really be devastated if they didn't go ahead in February. I ALWAYS appreciate rage's effort to play ANY of my Countdown and Rock Arena requests throughout 'rage goes retro' and it is very RARE to have such a show play any of our requests in this day in age, especially full episodes of such ICONIC Music programs such as Countdown and Rock Arena.

I think trying to get the point across of getting 'rage' to get an extra Saturday in March or even a few episodes of Countdown on a Vault Monday in February would be a better point to try an get across, not that I don't agree with what you emailed 'rage' with concerning January.