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BERITA BAHASA INDONESIA
TOK PISIN
By Emily Anderson
By James Tugwell
Topic:Music
Every day of primary school, the bus driver on Janet Robins' 40-minute ride into Dubbo would play one student's cassette tape through the bus speakers.
Ms Robins knew you had to have songs that were featured on the TV show Countdown — meticulously recorded onto a cassette — to really impress the other students.
Countdown was one of ABC TV's most watched shows: a musical phenomenon hosted weekly by Molly Meldrum from 1974 to 1987.
Janet Robins, pictured here in 1985, grew up watching Countdown. (Supplied: Janet Robins)
By 1977, almost one in five Australians was tuning in. That same year, then Prince Charles, now King Charles III, featured in an episode.
Like thousands of children and teens across the country, Ms Robins watched Countdown as a form of cultural education.
"Our opinions on what was good music — and who these singers were — was from Countdown."
Prince Charles, now King Charles III, with Molly Meldrum on Countdown in 1977. (Supplied: NFSA)
She remembers watching Johnny Farnham — before he rebranded to John — singing Sadie (The Cleaning Lady) on Countdown, Jimmy Barnes and a "gorgeous" John Paul Young.
Now, a new exhibition from the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) is immortalising music from the 60s to the Noughties through an online exhibition.
NFSA staff were digitising an old student's film project when they stumbled upon two episodes of Countdown from 1976 unseen since their original broadcast and previously thought to be lost.
The lo-fi old clips show two live performances from Ted Mulry Gang and John Paul Young.
Ted Mulry Gang performing It's all over now on Countdown in 1976 in a clip previously thought lost. (Supplied: NFSA)
The clips became a central part in NFSA's Tune in, freak out exhibition showcasing five decades of Australian music television.
The exhibition includes clips of Big Day Out, a teenage Oliver Newton-John, Roy Orbison, Countdown and Rage.
There's a clip of AC/DC blasting out It's a Long Way to the Top on the show Bandstand, and the Minogue sisters starring on Young Talent Time in 1986.
Watching the rediscovered clips was delightful for Ms Robins.
"Look at that it's the Ted Mulry gang — he's only got a vest on and no shirt and he's got this chest hair hanging out," she said.
The Minogue sisters on Young Talent Time in 1986 performing Sisters are Doin' It for Themselves. (Supplied: NFSA)
Exhibition curator Sarah Little said shows like Countdown were only possible in an age before the internet.
"Now we're in the streaming era and most of our music tastes are crafted by the algorithm.
"Younger generations won't appreciate how much of an influence these shows had."
Yet, Ms Little said the impact of music television still lingered.
"My mum is so into ABBA and I didn't get it until I worked on this collection and realised ABBA is a really big deal in Australia," she said.
"ABBA became enormous in Australia because Molly Meldrum played one of their songs on Countdown and Abba-mania took over. We're still seeing the effects of that."
Her favourite clip in the exhibit is Roy Orbison' performing Crying on the show Sing Sing Sing.
"Even Elvis was jealous of Roy's voice and his charisma."
A 1964 clip of Roy Orbison singing Crying on the television show Sing Sing Sing. (Supplied: NFSA)
Ms Little said preserving the around 45 minutes of clips meant future generations would forever be able to watch back a formative time in Australian music history.
"What we're trying to do is to preserve the culture, the art, the stories of a particular time period so future generations can understand how we've got to where we are," she said.
Topic:Religious Leaders
Topic:Security Intelligence
Topic:Police
Analysis by Brett Worthington
Analysis by Patricia Karvelas
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Topic:Christianity
Topic:Police
ACT
Canberra
Libraries, Museums and Galleries
Music
Popular Culture
Topic:Religious Leaders
Topic:Security Intelligence
Topic:Police
Analysis by Brett Worthington
Analysis by Patricia Karvelas
Topic:Religious Leaders
Topic:Religious Leaders
Topic:Security Intelligence
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Lost Countdown clips aired in exhibition celebrating 50 years of Australian Music TV – Australian Broadcasting Corporation
