The Brian Mannix Pages. Career. Countdown The Stage Show

The Age Feb 2006 (Thanks Chele)

Much-loved television music show Countdown is set to make a big comeback in 2006.

A documentary to coincide with the ABC TV's 50th anniversary, a DVD-CD packed with highlights from the series, a book, merchandise, a ring-tone featuring the show's theme, and a radio show are expected.

Talks are under way for a possible arena tour featuring some of the show's favourite acts, including Sherbet, Hush, John Paul Young and Marcia Hines, as well as a revamped version of the TV show with a new host. Brendan Pearse, who owns with the show's voice-over man Gavin Wood, the licenses to most of the Countdown product, said a revamped show would be contemporary with a nod to nostalgia.

"We would like the show to be based on the old format, with three or four big current acts like Jet, You Am I and Missy Higgins playing along with a heritage act like Renee Geyer, with film clips and some classic Countdown moments," he said.

Original host Molly Meldrum said any revamp should be hosted by a young presenter such as Andrew Gee from Australian Idol and Channel V.

"I've heard there is a possibility this could happen," Meldrum said, "and I've often told the ABC that they should bring a show like

that back in the old Sunday night timeslot with a new young host like Andrew Gee, who really knows his music." Meldrum played down the suggestion that he could be heavily involved. "Myself and maybe Red Symonds could be the two grumpy old men, like the judges in The Muppet Show, giving our advice and criticism from afar at the balcony."

Tour promoter Michael Gudinski said he was talking with the ABC about holding a national arena tour to coincide with all the other activity.

The Age believes that ABC TV is considering replacing its Friday night hit Strictly Dancing with either a variety or music show.

ABC Enterprises, believed to be considering such a show, refused to comment. Countdown has been attracting a cult following from a younger generation since ABC TV started showing repeats late at night last year.

STICKY CARPET. THE AGE By Patrick Donovan

May 19, 2006

Counting backwards

Luna Park was an appropriately retro venue for the faded stars of the Countdown Spectacular concert early this week. With the exception of mainstays Joe Camilleri, Stephen Cummings and Ross Wilson, most of the acts have gone downhill and will appreciate the attention and work. While only hardcore fans would want to see them perform an entire concert, many Gen X-ers will be happy with their best moments bunched together.

The Countdown Spectacular, to be held at Rod Laver Arena on September 7, has a big window of opportunity - it could include any pop stars from 1974 to 1987.

But, on paper, the line-up is fun rather than brilliant. If the organisers were really serious, they would have Split Enz performing I Got You, the Buggles doing Video Killed the Radio Star, Genghis Khan's classic Moscow, Shakin' Stevens' Green Door and Kim Carnes' Bette Davis Eyes.

While the tour may be a fun nostalgia trip, the more serious problem of the lack of musical launching pads for new acts was raised. After promoter Michael Gudinski said that plans for the Countdown show to return to the airwaves had been shelved, Molly Meldrum urged the ABC not to waste the opportunity.

"Despite the fact you have MTV and Sky beaming in music shows from Europe, I think that it would be great to have a show back in the timeslot on Sunday night, with great younger presenters of today, like Andrew G and Jabba, who could certainly hold the mantle. If the ABC was bold enough, and the ABC was the one that wanted to do it - we've still got the great production down there - it would be great to see it back," he said.

LRB to hit the road. The Sun Herald

By NUI TE KOHA 21may06

PROMOTER Michael Gudinski is plotting a Countdown tour sequel starring supergroups Little River Band and Men At Work.

Gudinski's revelation follows strong reaction to his Countdown Spectacular, touring in September, and the fury of snubbed rockers not on the bill.

LRB founders are angry they failed to make an arena show line-up of 1970s and '80s hitmakers.

"I've been waiting to create this tour for years," Gudinski said. "I wanted to get the line-up and timing just right."

Yesterday Gudinski said LRB and Men At Work, with 20 million record sales each, deserve to headline a Countdown tour sequel.

THE COUNTDOWN SPECTACULAR TOUR DATES

30 August 2006, Newcastle Entertainment Centre

1 September 2006, Acer Arena (ex Sydney SuperDome)

7 September 2006, Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park

8 September 2006 Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park

10 September 2006, Adelaide Entertainment Centre

13 September 2006, Burswood Dome Perth

17 September 2006, Brisbane Entertainment Centre

TICKET PRICES

ALL CITIES (bar Perth):

GOLD - $159*

SILVER - $99*

PERTH:

GOLD - $161.30 (includes transport fee)*

SILVER - $101.30 (includes transport fee)*

(not including booking fees)

BLURB

From 1974 to 1987 at 6pm on a Sunday night the streets across Australia were deserted. Mums, Dads, kids, housemates, and sometimes complete strangers congregated in lounge rooms across the nation as everyone prepared for the hour long, almost religious, experience that was the ABC television show Countdown.

Fast forward to 2006 and The Frontier Touring Company is putting together the ultimate celebration of the iconic television show in the form of the much anticipated live concert tour, The Countdown Spectacular.

Promoter Michael Gudinski from The Frontier Touring Company said he was excited to be producing The Countdown Spectacular; “I’ve been waiting to create this tour for years. I wanted to get the lineup and timing just right. I think everything has come together perfectly for this year and the positive response I’ve had from the artists has been overwhelming.”

The ABC’s Director of Enterprises, Robyn Watts, said that 2006 - the year of the 50 th birthday of television in Australia - was the perfect time to celebrate the landmark success that Countdown was... and bring it back to its countless fans in a live concert environment.

Across Australia this September, The Countdown Spectacular will enable fans to relive the glory years of Countdown as leading acts of the 70s and 80s come together in a three hour extravaganza performing the hits that made them Countdown favourites.

Headlined by the specially reformed Sherbet, the tour will also include* Hush, John Paul Young, Leo Sayer, James Reyne, Mondo Rock, Jon English, the Chantoozies, Cheetah, Joe Dolce, Choirboys, Jo Jo Zep, Swanee, Renee Geyer and Paul Norton.

Also appearing with a sizzling hot, house band are Alex Smith from Moving Pictures, Shane Howard from Goanna, Scott Carne from Kids In The Kitchen, James Freud & Sean Kelly from the Models, Brian Canham from Pseudo Echo, Dave Sterry from Real Life, Brian Mannix from Uncanny X-Men, Grace Knight and Bernie Lynch from the Eurogliders, Wendy Stapleton from Wendy & The Rocketts, Frankie J Holden & Wilbur Wilde from Ol’ 55, Stephen Cummings from The Sports and Billy Miller from The Ferrets.

Of course it wouldn’t be Countdown without the host Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum, the voice of Gavin Wood and the legendary Countdown dancers.

Former Skyhooks member Red Symons will narrate a special tribute segment in the show.

Count down to the good old days

29may06 The Herald Sun

THE TV show that became a part of Australian pop music folklore will be

resurrected in September as The Countdown Spectacular.

Running from 1974 to 1987, and making an unlikely star of Ian "Molly" Meldrum,

Countdown transfixed Australia for an hour at 6pm every Sunday.

For many, it was an introduction to colour television.

For some, it was an introduction to the world as the show made stars of Skyhooks,

Sherbet (who have re-formed for the spectacular), John Paul Young, the Models,

Leo Sayer, the Sports, Joe Dolce and countless others.

Some of them are forgotten, some remain stars, but they will all return in

September to join a three-hour celebration of the much-loved ABC TV show.

The spectacular will feature Jon English, Mondo Rock, Hush, Jo Jo Zep, Renee Geyer, Shane Howard (Goanna), Scott Carne (Kids In The Kitchen), James Reyne (Australian Crawl), Frankie J. Holden, Wilbur Wilde, and Billy Miller (the Ferrets).

Tickets for The Countdown Spectacular are on sale today through Ticketek on 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au

Starting today the Herald Sun is publishing Molly's Countdown Diaries -- the exclusive inside story of Countdown as told by Meldrum.

Molly explains how he ran his car off the road and entered TV history.

He also tells how the ABC reluctantly funded a show over which it had little control, but which quickly pioneered pop clips of AC/DC, Skyhooks, John Paul Young and Sherbet.

Later, Molly will tell the real story of his disastrous "interview" with Prince Charles.

And he reveals the chaos of Countdown's 100th show, which involved drinking, drugs, punches and, ultimately, the police.

Don't miss it.

Molly's Countdown Diaries start today.

(PHOTO) Countdown resurrected: top row – Paul Norton, Stephen Cummings (Sports), Daryl Braithwaite (Sherbet), Joe Dolce, Scott Carne (Kids In The Kitchen); centre row – Eve Von Bibra and Tottie Goldsmith (Chantoozies), Wendy Stapleton (Wendy & The Rocketts); front row – Brian Mannix (Uncanny X-Men), Leo Sayer, Sean Kelly (the Models); in front with guitar – Harvey James (Sherbet). Picture: Bill McAuley.

Yesterday's heroes return for Countdown lift-off

The Australian. Anthony O'Grady, August 31, 2006

THE Countdown Spectacular starts with how the show used to be, John Paul Young singing Yesterday's Hero to taped music and screams.

And it ends with Sherbet, Australia's most prolific hit-makers of the 70s, regenerating something akin to pop hysteria.

In between, there is close to 3 1/2 hours of huge hits, sort-of hits, energy, enthusiasm and pure hokum.

The hokum starts with Gavin Wood (the voice of Countdown) leading the Newcastle crowd through the 10, 9, 8 ... countdown and screams of delight as video beams the image of a 31-years-younger Johnny (as he was then) Farnham, shaking a golden mane and welcoming us to Countdown. The stage at Newcastle Entertainment Centre is bigger than the old Countdown studio in Melbourne, where many of Australia's pop and rock stars of the 1970s and 80s got their big break.

Ian "Molly" Meldrum (actually one of the more astute taste-makers of Oz pop) consistently plays to the stereotype of blithering rock guru. He knows what the crowd wants and they go wild when the video screen shows JPY punching him on the schnozzle, followed by a swift slap from Renee Geyer.

Much of the pop ephemera I initially despised Countdown for, now presents as muscular rock. Frankie J. Holden nailed On The Prowl and the first standing ovation of the evening is for Alex Smith (Moving Pictures) on What About Me. Joe Camilleri grooves faithful to Shape I'm In (Jo Jo Zep) then rocks out on Daughters of Glory (Black Sorrows). The second half starts promisingly with Solid Rock (Shane Howard/Goanna), gets soft centred with "Aussie" Leo Sayer (You Make Me Feel Like Dancing, When I Need You), rocks out on extended versions of the Models' I Hear Motion and Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight.

At the length it is, the Countdown Spectacular is probably a bit too much all at once. But the crowd would have happily lapped up yet more.

Anthony O'Grady was a freelance rock journalist in 70s and 80s

Cheese on a plate, but the main course is good

Sydney Morning Herald. Bernard Zuel. September 2, 2006

OF COURSE it began with Yesterday's Hero. No one said you couldn't do self-mockery on Countdown. It's also true no one said Frankie J. Holden couldn't wear leather pants or Brian Mannix might want to reconsider the dunny-brush bleached hairdo.

The Countdown Spectacular offers laughs, hits, cheesy moves, good songs and some truly awful ones. Just like we remember it on those Sunday nights. The TV version of Countdown famously ran on the smell of an oily, albeit glittery, rag. However, the budget and scale of this live incarnation - as with the waistlines on the ageing music fans in the audience - has expanded dramatically.

For those more excited by accounting figures than young pop star figures, the 88 performers and musicians (supported by a crew of nearly 70 people, not including 25 teenage dancers), require eight semi-trailers, five coaches, 12 Taragos and about 1000 airline seats to deliver this show.

And according to Mannix, a boatload of Viagra.

Rather than 50 minutes and a top-10 rundown at the end of the night, this time we got more than 70 songs spread over nearly four hours.

And rather than the night closing with Fernando, or heaven help us, Shaddap You Face, which was snuck in early when maybe it should have been buried, this time we get a reformed, rejuvenated and it should be noted, more refined Sherbet.

Although the tour officially began midweek in Newcastle, these two Sydney shows are the real big-money, big-expectation events. It's not for us to worry whether this "mature" panoply of once-were-pop stars can survive until the final show in Brisbane on September 17; if they can't get those creaky knees and dodgy backs in gear tonight, this could get ugly.

Bad behaviour? Well, not from the stage. The tour rider is heavier on water bottles (more than 1000 backstage each night) than vodka ones. Some of these artists have their adult kids on tour with them.

In the audience, however, it's a different matter. Beer, rum and arms in the air from the first song. Oh yes, and teenage fantasies. The man pointing gleefully at the sisters from Cheetah and the woman out of her seat with the first chord of the Choirboys had a similar glazed-eyes, lost-in-reverie look.

As someone sitting beside me said, half-pleased, half-embarrassed as What About Me began, "God, I feel 16 again."

She was definitely not alone.