With Countdown starting 30 years ago this week, it’s time to ponder the favourite moments from the long running music show. Here we go:
First time I saw Kate Bush. Red dress. Dancing on the green.
A wasted Iggy Pop, miming the wrong words, leering at the teenies and throwing the metal mike stand towards them.
– Skyhooks Horror Movie clip at Luna Park. They tried to simulate ‘stills’ (as in photos) by filming the lads not moving. But you could see them breathing and wobbling.
I think I saw Bon Scott in a dress with blonde pig tails. Or was it a dream 🙂 No it was real.
Bound to be more
Great memories Dave and they prompt more:
Re Kate Bush – Red Dress good – Pink Singlet better (especially since it was a cold day) a favourite poster on my teenage wall
Re Iggy Pop – I remember him shoving the mike down his pants and saying “Hi Ya Dogface” to Molly
Re Skyhooks at Luna Park – on another day to promote the advent of colour TV – in the barrel in the Giggle Palace chanting “Skyhooks are marching, onward, onward, first into colour with the ABC”
Re Bon Scott – Yes the school girl look was good but my favoutire live AC/DC performance was with Bon dressed as Tarzan and Angus in a cage
Some of my memories – strangely Molly looms large:
When Molly was too out of it to finish the show so JPY & Daryl B had to take over – they kept making jokes about Uncle Molly having a lie down and having to take his medicine
Molly interviewing Prince Charles, not knowing what to say then coming out with “How’s your Mum?”
Molly ticking off the audience (just about every week) and particularly getting shirty on behalf of Olivia Newton-John telling everybody to leave her alone – trouble was I didn’t have a clue what had prompted his outburst – probably nobody else knew either
Guest performer memories:
Hush doing Bony Maroni with Keith “making whoopee under the oh yeah” I guess it made sense at the time
JPY getting pulled off the stage
Mark Holden looking like a total dork (what’s changed?) throwing roses to the crowd – my wife was there to see him perform
The Countdown at the end was a big feature – you sat there waiting to see what was number 1 or hoping that Fernando was going to be knocked out of that spot.
Some legendary video clips too:
Bohemian Rhaspody – an absolute classic
Somebody to Love was great too
Knock On Wood by Amii Stewart – with all of the colours in that weird silhouette effect
Skyhooks live clip from the Palais
Abba (before I realised they were daggy of course)
Kiss – it didn’t matter what song they always looked great
My Sharona by The Knack
Funny stuff too:
Baked Beans by Mother Goose
Jeff Duff in Kush
The girl in Peaches drimming braless and singing substitute
Well, I remember that Mark Holden used to fete us girls with red carnations (not roses!); in fact, I was given one at Cup Day Rock by MH, Festival Hall 1976, which I pressed, and still have to this day!!
Other memories of Countdown; early years were watching on either Sunday night at 6pm or Saturday night repeats. Hating the endless repeats of No. 1’s: January, Mamma Mia, Bohemian Rapsodie – as Rick used to say “Boring!”
Also remember the crap local bands that would be used as fillers, spack fillers on days that prominent local artists or international guests weren’t available. Sooooo embarassing…….
I remember the kiss between Angry Anderson and the Rosie Tatts guitarist where they exchanged a piece of chewie, urgh!!
Later episodes of Countdown I always associate with Roberts Hall and crowding out the TV room at about 5.45pm to ensure we were able to watch Countdown. The accompanying commentory from various attendees including Mr. S; if they had of been recorded they would now be priceless comedy!!!
Early Angels and Cold Chisel; Midnight Oil refusing to appear.
Humdrum and Molly’s endless “Do yourself a favour” raves on the album of the week; most of it recommending crap but occasionally a gem would be included.